Spiral Wound Membrane Module With Protective Sheet

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas separation elements and modules used to separate polar and non-polar gases experience a significant drop in selectivity over time when exposed to 'dirty' gas mixtures contaminated with unwanted hydrocarbons, leading to a need for maintaining or slowly declining selectivity.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a protective sheet with a non-woven material, such as randomly oriented polyester fibers, between the membrane envelope and the macroporous sheet in the permeate carrier to shield the membrane from direct contact, which helps maintain selectivity by preventing deformation and damage at high pressures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the membrane envelope is placed in direct contact with the macroporous sheet to maximize contact area and structural support, then structural stability and support are improved, but the membrane becomes susceptible to deformation and damage at high pressures causing selectivity to drop

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidselectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A protective sheet is introduced as an intermediary layer between the macroporous sheet and the membrane envelope. This protective sheet absorbs mechanical stresses and prevents direct contact between the rough macroporous sheet and the sensitive membrane, thereby maintaining structural support while protecting membrane selectivity from degradation at high pressures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective sheet serves as a pre-positioned cushioning layer that anticipates and absorbs mechanical stresses before they can reach the membrane envelope. This beforehand protection prevents deformation and damage to the membrane under high pressure conditions, maintaining reliable gas separation performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the contact area between the macroporous sheet and the membrane is increased to improve structural stability, then structural stability is improved, but the membrane is more exposed to harmful factors causing selectivity to drop

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmembrane damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective sheet acts as a mediator layer that maintains structural stability by providing support while simultaneously shielding the membrane envelope from harmful factors such as mechanical deformation and chemical contamination from the macroporous sheet, thus preventing selectivity loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If the gas separation element is operated at high pressure to improve productivity, then productivity is improved, but the membrane deforms and selectivity drops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas separation throughputVSAvoidselectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective sheet provides beforehand cushioning that enables the gas separation element to operate at high pressures without membrane deformation. By absorbing and distributing mechanical stresses before they reach the membrane, the protective sheet maintains both high productivity through high-pressure operation and reliable selectivity performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of a non-woven protective sheet with high density and specific properties enhances the durability and selectivity of gas separation elements, reducing the impact of high-pressure deformation and maintaining effective gas separation performance over time.

Implementation Method 1

protective sheet (24) shields at least a part of the membrane envelope (7) from contact with the macroporous sheet (19b)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical barrier protection:

Implementation Method 2

a polar gas permeation membrane which allows a polar gas to pass through more readily than a non-polar gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelective gas permeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS11376547B2Spiral wound membrane module for gas separation with protection layer

Publication Date: 2022.07.05 YESTAR ADVANCED MATERIALS (HK) CO LTD

AI summary

A process for separating a feed gas comprising a polar gas and a non-polar gas into a permeate gas and a retentate gas, one of which is enriched in the polar gas and the other of which is depleted in the polar gas, the process comprising passing the feed gas through a gas separation module comprising: (i) a feed carrier comprising a membrane envelope and a feed spacer located within the membrane envelope; and (ii) a permeate carrier comprising: (a) a macroporous sheet; and (b) a protective sheet; and wherein: i) the feed gas is fed along the feed spacer of the feed carrier and a part of the feed gas passes through the membrane envelope and into the permeate carrier to give the permeate gas and a part of the feed gas is rejected by the membrane to give the retentate gas; ii) the protective sheet shields at least a part of the membrane envelope from contact with the macroporous sheet; and iii) the protective sheet comprises a non-woven material.