Fluid separation assembly

Abstract

A fluid separation assembly ( 10 ) having a fluid permeable membrane ( 38 and 62) and a wire mesh membrane ( 18 and 28 ) adjacent the fluid permeable membrane ( 38 and 62 ), wherein the wire mesh membrane ( 18 and 28 ) supports the fluid permeable membrane ( 38 and 62 ) and is coated with an intermetallic diffusion barrier. The barrier may be a thin film containing at least one of a nitride, oxide, boride, silicide, carbide and aluminide. Several fluid separation assemblies ( 10 ) can be used in a module ( 85 ) to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture containing hydrogen.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fluid separation assembly, comprising: 
 a fluid permeable membrane; and    a wire mesh membrane adjacent said fluid permeable membrane, said wire mesh membrane having an intermetallic diffusion barrier.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier is a thin film containing at least one of one of the group consisting of nitrides, oxides, borides, silicides, carbides and aluminides.  
     
     
         3 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said barrier is a thin film containing one of an oxide and a nitride.  
     
     
         4 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said wire mesh membrane is in contact with said fluid permeable membrane.  
     
     
         5 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said fluid permeable membrane is a substantially planar member having a centrally disposed opening.  
     
     
         6 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said wire mesh membrane is a substantially planar membrane having a centrally disposed opening which is in alignment with said fluid permeable membrane opening.  
     
     
         7 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said wire mesh membrane has a mesh count ranging between approximately 19 to 1000 mesh per inch.  
     
     
         8 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 6 , further comprising a slotted permeate plate adjacent to said wire mesh membrane.  
     
     
         9 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising a second fluid permeable membrane and a second wire mesh membrane, wherein said slotted permeate plate has a first side and a second side and said first permeable membrane is adjacent said first side of said slotted permeate plate and said first wire mesh membrane is adjacent said first permeable membrane, and wherein said second wire mesh membrane is adjacent said slotted permeate plate second side and said second fluid permeable membrane is adjacent said second wire mesh membrane.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said slotted permeate plate, said second wire mesh membrane and said second fluid permeable membrane each also have a centrally disposed opening and each of said centrally disposed openings are coaxially aligned and form a central conduit.  
     
     
         11 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said wire mesh membrane is made from stainless steel.  
     
     
         12 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said fluid permeable membranes further comprises a gasket seat, a membrane gasket, and a washer to form a first and second membrane subassembly, wherein said gasket seats, said membrane gaskets and said washers are connected to said fluid permeable membranes.  
     
     
         13 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising a weld bead connected to each of said first and second membrane subassemblies.  
     
     
         14 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising first retainers, one of said first retainers connected to each of said fluid permeable membranes.  
     
     
         15 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising second retainers adjacent said slotted permeate plate.  
     
     
         16 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising first retainers, one of said second retainers adjacent each of said fluid permeable membranes.  
     
     
         17 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising gaskets, one of said gaskets adjacent each of said wire mesh membranes.  
     
     
         18 . A fluid separation assembly, comprising: 
 a slotted permeate having opposing faces;    first and second wire mesh membranes, each of said wire mesh membranes having a first surface and a second surface, wherein each of said wire mesh membranes first surfaces are adjacent said slotted permeate;    first and second membranes permeable to a desired fluid, each of said permeable membranes adjacent one of said wire mesh membranes second surfaces;    a permeate rim surrounding said slotted permeate;    first retainers adjacent each of said permeable membranes;    second retainers adjacent said slotted permeate and said wire mesh membranes; and    gaskets between each of said wire mesh membranes and said permeable membranes, wherein said permeate rim, said first retainers, said second retainers said permeable membranes and said gaskets are joined together at their peripheries.    
     
     
         19 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said permeate rim, said first retainers, said second retainers, said permeable membranes and said gaskets are jointed together by a weld bead at their peripheries.  
     
     
         20 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , further comprising a female gasket seat, a membrane gasket and a washer, wherein said female gasket seat, said membrane gasket and said washer are connected to one of said permeable membranes and comprise a female membrane subassembly.  
     
     
         21 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 20 , further comprising a male gasket seat, a second membrane gasket, and a second washer, wherein said male gasket seat, said second membrane gasket and said second washer are connected to the other of said fluid permeable membranes and comprises a male membrane subassembly.  
     
     
         22 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein each of said gasket seats, said membrane gaskets, said washers and said permeable membranes have a centrally disposed opening and said openings are coaxially aligned and first and second weld beads connect the components of each subassembly.  
     
     
         23 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein each of said two wire mesh membranes have an intermetallic diffusion bonding barrier.  
     
     
         24 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein said intermetallic diffusion bonding barrier is a thin film containing at least one of the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, borides, silicides, carbides and aliminides.  
     
     
         25 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said first retainers, said second retainers, said gaskets, said permeate rim and said two membranes are connected at their peripheries.  
     
     
         26 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein a weld bead is located at said peripheries of each of said first retainers, said second retainers, said gaskets, said permeate rim and said two membranes.  
     
     
         27 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein each of said two wire mesh membranes are stainless steel.  
     
     
         28 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein each of said two wire mesh membranes have mesh counts ranging from approximately 19 to 1000 mesh per inch.  
     
     
         29 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein each of said two wire mesh membranes have mesh counts ranging from 49 to 1000 mesh per inch.  
     
     
         30 . The fluid separation assembly according to  claim 26 , wherein each of said permeable membranes and said slotted permeate have a centrally disposed opening that form a conduit.  
     
     
         31 . A fluid separation module, comprising: 
 a plurality of fluid separation assemblies, wherein each of said fluid separation assemblies comprises:    a slotted permeate having opposing faces;    first and second wire mesh membranes, each of said wire mesh membranes having a first surface and a second surface, wherein each of said wire mesh membranes first surfaces is adjacent said slotted permeate;    first and second membranes permeable to a desired fluid, each of said permeable membranes adjacent one of said wire mesh membranes second surfaces;    a permeate rim surrounding said slotted permeate;    first retainers adjacent each of said permeable membranes;    second retainers between said slotted permeate and each of said wire mesh membranes; and    gaskets between each of said wire mesh membranes and permeable membranes,    wherein said permeate rim, said first retainers, said second retainers and said gaskets are joined together at their peripheries.    
     
     
         32 . A method for separating a desired fluid from a fluid mixture, comprising: 
 providing a membrane that is permeable by the desired fluid and having opposing surfaces;    providing a wire mesh membrane with an intermetallic diffusion bonding barrier,    wherein the wire mesh membrane is adjacent to one of the opposing surfaces of the fluid permeable membrane;    contacting the fluid permeable membrane with the fluid mixture; and    contacting the wire mesh membrane with the desired fluid permeating the fluid permeable membrane.    
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 forming the barrier from a thin film containing at least one of the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, borides, suicides, carbides and aluminides.    
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 forming the wire mesh membrane from a stainless steel screen having a mesh count ranging from approximately 19 to 1000 counts per inch.    
     
     
         35 . A method of making a fluid separation assembly, comprising: 
 providing a membrane permeable to a desired fluid and having opposing surfaces;    providing a first retainer adjacent to one of the opposing surfaces of the fluid permeable membrane;    providing a wire mesh membrane having an intermetallic diffusion bonding barrier and adjacent to the other one of the opposing surfaces of the fluid permeable membrane;    providing a permeate member adjacent the wire mesh membrane;    providing a gasket between the fluid permeable membrane and the wire mesh membrane, wherein the periphery of the gasket extends beyond the periphery of the wire mesh membrane;    providing a second retainer between the gasket and the permeate plate; and    hermetically sealing the first retainer, the gasket and the second retainer at their peripheries.    
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 forming the barrier from a thin film containing at least one of the group consisting of oxides, borides, suicides, aluminides and nitrides.    
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 forming the wire mesh membrane from a stainless steel screen with a mesh count ranging from 19 to 1000 mesh per inch.    
     
     
         38 . A method for supporting a fluid permeable membrane, comprising: 
 providing a membrane that is permeable by a desired fluid and having opposing surfaces; and    providing a wire mesh membrane with an intermetallic diffusion bonding barrier,    wherein the wire mesh membrane is adjacent to one of the opposing surfaces of the fluid permeable membrane.