| US 7,578,871 B2 | ||
| Gas separation membrane with partial surfactant coating | ||
| John A. Jensvold, Benicia, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Generon IGS, Inc., Houston, Tex. (US) | ||
| Filed on May 25, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/137,827. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0266217 A1, Nov. 30, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B01D 59/12 (2006.01); B01D 29/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 96—8 [210/490] | 6 Claims |
| 1. A gas separation membrane module, comprising:
a) a plurality of hollow fibers formed of a membrane which exhibits selectivity between gaseous components of a feed stream,
the module having a feed end and a product end, the fibers extending from the feed end to the product end,
b) the fibers define bores comprising generally straight paths for a feed gas from the feed end to the product end, wherein
gas which does not permeate through the fibers and remains within the bores is called a non-permeate gas,
c) the module includes first and second regions, the first region being located in a vicinity of the feed end, the second
region comprising a remainder of the module excluding the first region and including a vicinity of the product end,
d) wherein the fibers are coated, in the second region only, with a material which improves selectivity of the membrane, and
wherein the fibers in the first region are uncoated,
e) wherein feed gas entering the module first passes through the uncoated fibers and then passes through only the coated fibers
for a remainder of its passage through the module, and wherein the non-permeate gas flows only from the feed end to the product
end.
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