Gas separating

Abstract

Feed gas is directed tangentially along the non-skin surface of gas separation membrane modules comprising a cylindrical bundle of parallel contiguous hollow fibers supported to allow feed gas to flow from an inlet at one end of a cylindrical housing through the bores of the bundled fibers to an outlet at the other end while a component of the feed gas permeates through the fibers, each having the skin side on the outside, through a permeate outlet in the cylindrical casing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of gas separating with .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membranes having a skin side and a non-skin side .Iadd.free of a member adjacent to said skin that provides rigidity and strength .Iaddend.which method includes the steps of, directing a feed gas having a plurality of components tangentially along the non-skin side of said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membrane to cause a component of said feed gas to permeate through said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membrane,   and withdrawing the permeated gas component.   
     
     
       2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membrane comprises a hollow fiber having a central bore with the skin side being on the outside of said fiber and non-skin side being on the bore side thereof wherein said step of directing said feed gas includes directing said feed gas through the bore in said hollow fiber. 
     
     
       3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membrane includes a plurality of contiguous hollow fibers and said step of directing feed gas tangentially along the non-skin side includes directing said feed gas through the bores in said contiguous fibers. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus for practicing the method of claim 1 comprising, casing means for supporting said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membranes .Iadd.each free of a member adjacent to the skin side for providing rigidity and strength .Iaddend.and having an inlet for receiving said feed gas, and at least first and second outlets for expelling said permeated component and a rejected component respectively,   and means for supporting said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membranes for presenting a passage from said inlet along said non-skin side to said second outlet.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membrane comprises a plurality of contiguous hollow fibers each having a bore, means at each end of said bundle of fibers for supporting said fibers in said casing to allow feed gas to flow through the fiber bores from said inlet to said second outlet.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising, means for supporting said .Iadd.asymmetric .Iaddend.membranes to establish countercurrent flow of said permeated component relative to the flow of said feed gas.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and further comprising, means for encasing said contiguous hollow fibers for establishing countercurrent flow of said permeated component relative to the flow of said feed gas through said bores.