Gas / fluid mass exchange apparatus

• US 9,669,146 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haemair Limited
• Original Assignee: Haemair Limited
• Inventors: Johns, William Richard, Brown, Stephen Warwick James, Phillips, Richard, Rogers, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US14/118,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140353854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 261 74, 261101, 261102, 261104
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1698 Blood oxygenators with or without heat-exchangers intracorporal A61M1/1678; manufacturing of membranes therefor B01D67/00; semi-permeable membranes for separation processes characterised by their properties B01D69/00; semi-permeable membranes characterised by their material B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/06 External membrane module supporting or fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/24 Mechanical properties, e.g. strength
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/08 Flat membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/082 comprising a stack of flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0822 Plate-and-frame devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2202 Mixing compositions or mixers in the medical or veterinary field
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2312 Diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2366 Parts; Accessories

Abstract

A gas/fluid mass exchange apparatus includes a gas permeable membrane which is arranged to separate a first region for receiving a gas flow, from a second region for receiving a fluid flow. The apparatus further a support element which is arranged to maintain the shape and orientation of the membrane.

Claims

1. A mass exchange apparatus for introducing a gas into a fluid, the apparatus comprising:

first and second membranes which are permeable to the gas and not permeable to the fluid;

a frame defining left, right, top and bottom sides portions surrounding an open center;

the first membrane arranged to extend over the open center to define a front face;

the second membrane arranged to extend over the open center on an opposite side of the frame to define a back face, the frame thereby configured to maintain a predetermined shape and orientation of the first and second membranes;

a strip of material disposed along the left and right side portions of the front face, whereby when two apparatuses are placed front face to back face, a gap is formed between the strips extending from the top side portion to the bottom side portion between first and second faces of adjacent apparatuses; and

an inlet into the open center and between the first and second membranes into which the gas may be introduced;

an outlet from the open center through which the gas may be exhausted;

the fluid passable into the gap at the upper side portion and out of the gap at the lower side portion without a requirement of changing a flow direction of the fluid, whereby the gas may be introduced to the flowing fluid from the open center through a permeable membrane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a support material disposed upon each of the first and second membrane.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support material is a fibrous material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is bonded to the first and second membranes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a wire.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second membranes includes a plurality of support members disposed thereon.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined shape is substantially planar.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the open center is substantially sealed from the passage of the fluid from the gap.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second membranes are sealed to the frame.

10. A system comprising a plurality of apparatuses of claim 1, connected back to front.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a substantially planar porous sheet having an increased porosity compared with either the first and second membrane, the sheet positionable in contact with at least one of the first and second membranes.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the sheet including a loosely woven material.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sheet is arranged to support the first membrane at a first side thereof and the second membrane at a second side thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second membranes are sealed along a respective periphery thereof to the sheet.

15. A system comprising a plurality of mass exchange apparatuses of claim 14.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of mass exchange units are spaced apart from each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a gas inlet housing for passing gas into the open center of each apparatus and a gas outlet housing for passing gas out of the open center of each apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid inlet housing for passing the fluid into the gap, and a fluid outlet housing for passing the fluid out of the gap.

19. A system for introducing a first fluid into a second fluid, comprising:

a plurality of stacked subunits, each including;

first and second membranes which are permeable to the first fluid and not permeable to the second fluid;

a frame defining left, right, top and bottom sides portions surrounding an open center;

the first membrane arranged to extend over the open center to define a front face;

the second membrane arranged to extend over the open center on an opposite side of the frame to define a back face, the frame thereby configured to maintain a predetermined shape and orientation of the first and second membranes;

a strip of material disposed along the left and right side portions of the front face, whereby subunits are stacked front face to back face, and a gap is formed between the strips extending from the top side portion to the bottom side portion between adjacent first and second faces; and

an inlet into the open center and between the first and second membranes into which the first fluid may be introduced;

an outlet from the open center through which the first fluid may be exhausted;

the second fluid passable into the gap between adjacent stacked subunits at the upper side portion and out of the gap at the lower side portion without a requirement of changing a flow direction of the second fluid, whereby the first fluid may be introduced to the flowing second fluid from the open center through the permeable membranes of adjacent stacked subunits.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inlets are mutually connected.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the outlets are mutually connected.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the gaps between adjacent subunits are interconnected at the upper side portion.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the gaps between adjacent subunits are interconnected at the lower side portion.

24. The system of claim 19, further including a porous sheet disposed within the open center.