Gas separation membrane module and gas separation method

• US 9,718,023 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBE Corporation
• Original Assignee: UBE Industries Limited (UBE Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanihara, Nozomu, Kanetsuki, Yutaka, Nakamura, Tomohide
• Primary Examiner(s): SHUMATE, ANTHONY R
• Application Number:
  US13/288,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20120304856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 95 43, 95 45, 95 47, 96 4, 96 10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2053/224 with hollow fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/10 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/104 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/13 Use of sweep gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/02 Specific tightening or locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/04 Specific sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/041 Gaskets or O-rings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/042 Adhesives or glues
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/20 Specific housing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/2011 Pressure vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/205 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/21 Specific headers, end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2319/04 Elements in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/20 Specific permeability or cut-off range
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/32 Melting point or glass-transition temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/023 Encapsulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/64 : Polyimides; Polyamide-imides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/641 : Polyamide-imides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/643 : Polyether-imides

Abstract

A process for producing nitrogen-rich air by feeding high temperature air at 150° C. or more to an air separation membrane module is described. After being placed at 175° C. for two hours, the air separation module exhibits a shape-retention ratio of 95% or more in one embodiment. The nitrogen-rich air can be fed to a fuel tank for an aircraft, for example.

Claims

1. A process for producing nitrogen-rich air from the air using an air separation membrane module including an air separation membrane, the process comprising feeding the air at 175°

C. or higher to the air separation membrane, wherein the air separation membrane in the air separation membrane module comprises a material having no glass-transition temperature at 300°

C. or lower,

wherein for the air separation membrane module,

at the initiation of the use, an oxygen-gas permeation rate (P′

_O2) at 175°

C. is 20×

10<sup>−

5</sup> cm³(STP)/cm²·

sec ·

cmHg or more and a ratio of an oxygen-gas permeation rate to a nitrogen-gas permeation rate (P′

_O2/P′

_N2)at 175°

C. is 1.8 or more; and

after the use at 175°

C. for 140 hours, P′

_O2 and P′

_O2/P′

_N2are retained in levels of 90% or more of P′

_O2and P′

_O2/P′

_N2before the initiation of the use, respectively.

3. A method for explosion protection of an aircraft, comprising producing nitrogen-rich air by the production process as claimed in claim 1 and feeding the nitrogen-rich air to a fuel tank for an aircraft.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the material having no glass-transition temperature at 300°

C. or lower in the air separation membrane comprises polyimide.

2. A process for producing nitrogen-rich air from the air using an air separation membrane module including an air separation membrane, the process comprising feeding the air at 175°

C. or higher to the air separation membrane, wherein the air separation membrane in the air separation membrane module comprises a material having no glass-transition temperature at 300°

C. or lower,

wherein after being placed at 175°

C. for 2 hours, the air separation membrane exhibits a shape-retention ratio of 95% or more.

4. A method for explosion protection of an aircraft, comprising producing nitrogen-rich air by the production process as claimed in claim 2 and feeding the nitrogen-rich air to a fuel tank for an aircraft.

6. The process according to claim 2, wherein the material having no glass-transition temperature at 300°

C. or lower in the air separation membrane comprises polyimide.