Gas separation process using a membrane element with spirally wound semi-permeable hollow fiber membranes.

摘要

Process for gas separation utilizing hollow fiber membrane permeator where the mixture of gases is introduced at a positive pressure into the bore side of a helically wound hollow fiber permeable membrane cartridge having all of the hollow fibers at essentially uniform active lengths throughout its structure. The permeate stream flow in the permeator module using said cartridge is maintained in a flow direction that is in countercurrent arrangementto feed and raffinate gas entrance and exit axis, respectively, while the permeate withdrawal directional flow axis can be at substantial angle to hollow fiber membrane surface at points inside the hollow fiber permeator. During the permeation separation process essentially complete radial mixing of the permeate stream on the permeate side and essentially no axial mixing on either the permeate side or the raffinate side of the hollow fibers permeable membrane cartridge are maintained.