Hollow fiber membrane contact apparatus and process

Abstract

The present invention provides a perfluorinated thermoplastic hollow fiber ( 14 ) membrane gas-liquid shell side contactor ( 10 ) and a process for manufacturing the contactor ( 10 ) is described. The present invention also provides a device including a gas-liquid contactor ( 10 ) for producing ozonated water.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A liquid-gas phase contactor comprising: 
 a plurality of perfluorinated thermoplastic hollow fiber membranes comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoro (alkylvinylether)), tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene, and blends of these, the hollow fibers having a first end and a second end, an outer surface and an inner surface; the hollow fiber membranes selected from the group consisting of hollow fiber membranes having a porous skinned inner surface, a porous outer surface, and a porous support structure between; hollow fiber membranes having a porous skinned outer surface, a porous inner surface, and a porous support structure between; and hollow fiber membranes having a porous outer surface, a porous inner surface, and a porous support structure between,    a perfluorinated thermoplastic housing wherein each end of the hollow fibers potted with a perfluorinated thermoplastic seal forming a unitary end structure with the housing where the fiber ends are open to fluid flow, the housing having an inner wall and an outer wall wherein the inner wall of the housing and the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes define a fluid flow volume, the housing having a gas inlet to supply a gas to the first end of the hollow fiber lumen and a gas outlet for removal of gas from the second end of the hollow fibers, the housing having a liquid inlet to supply a liquid to be contacted with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes and a liquid outlet to remove the liquid contacted with the outer surface of the fibers in the housing.    
     
     
         23 . The contactor of  claim 22  having hollow fiber membrane with an outer diameter in the range of from about 300 microns to about 1500 microns.  
     
     
         24 . The contactor of  claim 22  wherein the porous skinned surface pores are in the range of 0.001 micron to about 0.05 micron.  
     
     
         25 . The contactor of  claim 22  wherein the fibers have a packing density of at least 0.32 in the housing.  
     
     
         26 . A method of using the contactor of  claim 22  to dissolve a gas in a liquid comprising: 
 flowing an ozone containing gas through the hollow fiber lumen and contacting an aqueous liquid with the outer surface of the fibers.    
     
     
         27 . A liquid-gas phase contactor made from a perfluorinated thermoplastic polymer for contacting a liquid with a gas comprising: 
 a plurality of porous perfluorinated thermoplastic hollow fibers having a first end and a second end, the hollow fibers formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoro (alkylvinylether)), tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene, and blends of these polymer, the hollow fibers having an outer surface and an inner surface,    a perfluorinated thermoplastic housing wherein each end of the hollow fiber are potted to form a liquid tight seal forming a unitary end structure with the surrounding housing wherein the fiber ends are open; the housing having an inner wall and an outer wall wherein the inner wall of the housing and the hollow fiber outer surface defines a liquid flow volume, the housing having a gas inlet to supply a gas to the first end of the hollow fibers and a gas outlet to remove gas from the second end of the hollow fibers; the housing having a spacer to promotes the ingress of liquid into the flow volume of the housing; the housing having a liquid inlet to supply a liquid to be contacted with the outer surface of the hollow fibers and a liquid outlet to remove the contacted liquid from the housing.    
     
     
         28 . The contactor of claims  27  wherein the porous hollow fiber membranes are unskinned.  
     
     
         29 . A method of using the contactor of  claim 27  comprising: flowing in the hollow fibers a gas that contains ozone and contacting the outer fiber surface with an aqueous liquid.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the hollow fiber membranes are unskinned.  
     
     
         31 . A contactor that transfers mass between a liquid and a gas comprising: 
 a housing having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the liquid inlet and liquid outlet being configured to contact a liquid with the outer surface of a plurality of perfluorinated hollow porous fiber membranes positioned within the housing, the housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet configured to flow a gas through the hollow fibers positioned in the housing whereby mass transfer between the gas in the lumens and the liquid in contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes occurs; the housing and hollow fibers are configured to dissolve in deionized water at 25° C. at least about 0.34 ppm ozone gas/liter of deionized water/liter of interior volume of housing when the ozone gas is at a pressure of 22 psig, the concentration of ozone gas of 250 gNm 3  the flow ozone gas is 5 slpm, and the flow of deionized water is 22 lpm.    
     
     
         32 . The contactor of  claim 31 , wherein the hollow fibers are configured in the housing to dissolve in deionized water at 25° C. at least about 0.4 ppm ozone gas/liter of deionized water/liter of interior volume of housing.  
     
     
         33 . A contactor that transfers mass between a liquid and a gas comprising: 
 a housing having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet to contact a flow of liquid with the outer surface of a plurality of perfluorinated porous hollow fiber membranes positioned within the housing, the hollow fiber membranes fluidly sealed to the housing and open for gas flow through the hollow fibers, the hollow fiber membranes having an inlet and an outlet, the housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet for passing the gas through the porous hollow fiber membranes, wherein the packing density of hollow porous fiber membranes is at least 0.34 m 2  of external membrane area/liter of interior housing volume.    
     
     
         34 . The contactor of  claim 33  wherein the packing density is at least 0.6 m 2  external membrane area/liter of interior housing volume.  
     
     
         35 . The contactor of  claim 33  further comprising a spacer.  
     
     
         36 . A liquid-gas contactor, the contactor comprising a housing and a plurality of porous conduits having an inner surface and an outer surface, the conduits fluidly sealed to the housing and capable of exchanging corrosive gases with a liquid in contact with the outer surface of the conduits, the contactor characterized by being capable of dissolving at least about 0.34 ppm ozone gas/lpm deionized water/liter of internal cartridge volume without bubbles at 25° C. when the ozone gas is at a pressure of 22 psig, the concentration of ozone gas is 250 gNm 3 , the flow ozone gas is 5 slpm, and the flow of deionized water is 22 lpm.  
     
     
         37 . The contactor of  claim 36 , wherein the contactor dissolves greater than 0.4 ppm ozone gas/lpm deionized water/liter of internal cartridge volume.  
     
     
         38 . The contactor of  claim 36 , wherein the efficiency is greater than 0.6 ppm ozone gas/lpm deionized water/liter of internal cartridge volume.  
     
     
         39 . A contacting device that dissolves an ozone containing gas in a fluid comprising: 
 a contactor including a housing with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet to contact a liquid with the outer surface of a plurality of porous conduits positioned within the housing, the conduits fluidly sealed to the housing and open to gas flow through the conduits, the conduits having an inlet and an outlet, the housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet for passing a gas through the conduits,    a source of an ozone containing gas connected to the gas inlet of the contacting device,    an aqueous liquid source connected to the liquid inlet of the contacting device, the ozone containing gas dissolving into the aqueous fluid through the gas contacting conduits.    
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39  further comprising a spacer.  
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the gas conducting conduits are perfluorinated porous hollow fibers.  
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the hollow fibers are twisted.  
     
     
         43 . A contactor that transfers mass between fluids comprising: 
 a housing having a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, the first fluid inlet and first fluid outlet being configured to contact a first fluid with the outer surface of a perfluorinated membrane positioned within the housing, the housing having a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet configured to contact a second fluid with the inner surface of said perfluorinated membrane whereby mass transfer between the two fluids occurs; the housing and membrane are configured such that if the first fluid was deionized water at 25° C. and a flow rate of 22 lpm and the second fluid was ozone gas at a pressure of 22 psig, a concentration of 250 gNm 3  and a flow rate of 5 slpm, at least about 0.34 ppm ozone gas/liter of deionized water/liter of interior volume of housing would be produced.