EP0031725A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for producing an ultrathin solid membrane and its use for concentrating a specified gas in a gaseous mixture
Assignee: Teijin Ltd
•
Filing: 1980-12-23
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2000-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing an ultrathin solid membrane (11) comprises dissolving an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers in a solvent composed mainly of a volatile, substantially water-immiscible organic liquid medium capable of dissolving the addition polymer, said solvent containing, if desired, another organic compound having a distribution coefficient k, which is the ratio of the concentration of the other organic compound in the organic liquid medium to that in water, of from 0.5 to 35, and said solvent meeting the following equation. wherein c, is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of water, a is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of the solution of the addition polymer in the solvent, and b, is the interfacial tension (dynes/cm) between the solvent solution and water, and thereafter allowing the solvent solution of the addition polymer to spread spontaneously on the surface (14) of a liquid support (15) consisting substantially of water whereby the solvent in the solvent solution is removed to an amount sufficient to form a solid membrane (11) on the surface of the liquid support. The invention also provides a solvent solution for use in this process. The solid membrane thus obtained can be used for obtaining a gas having a specified component gas concentrated therein for example a gaseous mixture having enriched oxygen gas from a gaseous mixture of two or more gases for exemple air, and can be used in modules and oxygen enrichers for this purpose.
Inventors
- 👤 Takeyoshi Yamada
- 👤 Shizuka Kurisu
- 👤 Shizuo Azuma
- 👤 Kiyoshi Sugie
- 👤 Teizo Yamaji
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:07
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/22; B01D69/00; B01D69/12; B01D69/122; B01D71/00; B01D71/06; B01D71/26; B01D71/261; B01D71/262; B29; B29D; B29D7/00; B29D7/01; B01D2313/00; B01D2313/22; B01D2313/221
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A process for producing an altrathin solid membrane (11), which comprises allowing a solvent solution of a polymer to spread spontaneously on the surface (14) of a liquid support (15) consisting substantially of water whereby solvent in the solvent solution is removed in an amount sufficient to form a solid membrane (11) on the surface of the liquid support, characterised in that said solvent solution comprises an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers dissolved in a solvent composed mainly of a volatile, substantially water-immiscible organic liquid medium capable of dissolving the addition polymer, said solvent containing, if desired, another organic compound having a distribution coefficient k, which is the ratio of the concentration of the other organic compound in the organic liquid medium to that in water, of from 0.5 to 35, and said solvent being such that wherein c 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of water, a 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of the solution of the addition polymer in the solvent, and b 1 is the interfacial tension (dynes/cm) between the solvent solution and water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for producing an altrathin solid membrane (11), which comprises allowing a solvent solution of a polymer to spread spontaneously on the surface (14) of a liquid support (15) consisting substantially of water whereby solvent in the solvent solution is removed in an amount sufficient to form a solid membrane (11) on the surface of the liquid support, characterised in that said solvent solution comprises an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers dissolved in a solvent composed mainly of a volatile, substantially water-immiscible organic liquid medium capable of dissolving the addition polymer, said solvent containing, if desired, another organic compound having a distribution coefficient k, which is the ratio of the concentration of the other organic compound in the organic liquid medium to that in water, of from 0.5 to 35, and said solvent being such that wherein c 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of water, a 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of the solution of the addition polymer in the solvent, and b 1 is the interfacial tension (dynes/cm) between the solvent solution and water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 characterised in that wherein a 1 , b 1 and c 1 are as defined in claim 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the other organic compound has a distribution coefficient k of 1.0 to 25.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the organic liquid medium is a hydrocarbon or a halogenated hydrocarbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 4 characterised in that the hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon is an alicyclic or aromatic compound.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 4 characterised in that the organic liquid medium is selected from cyclohexene, cyclohexane, trichloroethylene, trichloroethane, tetrachloroethane, trichloropropane and the mixtures of at least two of these.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the other organic compound is selected from alicyclic or aromatic alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and peroxides and mixtures of at least two of these.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 7 characterised in that the other organic compound is selected from cyclohexenol, cyclohexanol, phenol, cyclohexenone, cyclohexylamine, aniline, furfural, benzoic acid, cyclohexenyl hydroxyperoxide, and mixtures of at least two of these.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomer or the conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomer is an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic compound having 2 to 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 9 characterised in that the ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomer is ethylene, propylene, butene, isobutene, pentene, methylpentene, hexene, methylhexene, heptene, cyclohexylpentene, styrene, a-methylstyrene or a mixture of at least two of these.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 9 characterised in that the conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomer is butadiene, isoprene, cyclooctadiene or a mixture of at least two of these.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the addition polymer is polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyisobutene, polyheptene, polymethylpentene, polyhexene, polymethylhexene, polyheptene, polycyclohexylpentene, polystyrene, poly(a-methylstyrene), poly(l,4-butadiene), poly(l,2-butadiene), polyisoprene or polycyclooctadiene.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the solvent solution contains 0.5 to 15% by weight of the addition polymer based on the solvent solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the solvent contains 0.1 to 15% by weight of the other organic compound.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
112 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the solvent solution is fed continuously to the surface (14) of the liquid support (15) from a feed means (21) for the solvent solution in such a manner that the solvent solution does not come apart from the surface (14) of the liquid support (15), thereby allowing the solvent solution to spread spontaneously on the liquid surface and continuously removing the solvent of the solvent solution in an amount sufficient to form a solid membrane, and thereafter withdrawing the resulting ultrathin solid membrane (13) upwardly from the liquid surface while it is carried on a porous sheet-like material (12).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 15 characterised in that said feed means (21) for the solvent solution is in contact with the liquid surface (14), or is up to about 3 mm above the liquid surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 15 characterised in that the feed means (21) for the solvent solution is a feed opening (21) which is apart from the liquid surface (14) to an extent of up to 2 mm below the liquid surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 15, 16 or 17, characterised in that the feed means (21) for the solvent solution is an opening having an area of 0. 0 1 mm2 to 3 mm2 provided at the end of a hollow tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to any one of claims 15 to 18 characterised in that the solvent solution is continuously fed from the feed means (21) at a rate of 0.1 to 20 cc/min.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to any one of claims 15 to 19 characterised in that the liquid support (15) is flowing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 20 characterised in that the solvent solution spreads spontaneously on the surface (14) of the moving liquid support (15).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
105 words
. A process according to claim 20 or 21 characterised in that before the solid membrane (13) formed on the liquid surface (14) is carried on the porous sheet-like material (12), the solid membrane (13) is forcibly taken up at a substantially constant rate on the surface (14) of the liquid support (15) in the flowing direction of the liquid support (15) to form a substantially stable flow of the solid membrane (13), and then the solid membrane (13) is carried on the porous sheet-like material (12) which is moving at a rate substantially corresponding with the rate of flowing of the solid membrane (13).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
160 words
A solvent solution of an addition polymer suitable for use in forming an ultrathin solid membrane having a thickness of 50 to 3000 Å, characterised in that said solvent solution has been prepared by dissolving an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers in a solvent composed mainly of a volatile, substantially water-immiscible organic liquid medium capable of dissolving the addition polymer, said solvent containing, if desired, another organic compound having a distribution coeffident k, which is the ratio of the concentration of the other organic solvent in the organic liquid medium to that in water, of from 0.5 to 35, and said solvent being such that wherein c 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of water a 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of the solution of the addition polymer in the solvent, and b 1 is the interfacial tension (dynes/cm) between the solvent solution and water.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
160 words
A solvent solution of an addition polymer suitable for use in forming an ultrathin solid membrane having a thickness of 50 to 3000 Å, characterised in that said solvent solution has been prepared by dissolving an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers in a solvent composed mainly of a volatile, substantially water-immiscible organic liquid medium capable of dissolving the addition polymer, said solvent containing, if desired, another organic compound having a distribution coeffident k, which is the ratio of the concentration of the other organic solvent in the organic liquid medium to that in water, of from 0.5 to 35, and said solvent being such that wherein c 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of water a 1 is the surface tension (dynes/cm) of the solution of the addition polymer in the solvent, and b 1 is the interfacial tension (dynes/cm) between the solvent solution and water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
An ultrathin solid membrane having a thickness of 50 to 3000 A prepared from a solvent solution as claimed in claim 23.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
Use of a solid membrane when produced by a process as claimed in any one of claims lto 22, or a solid membrane as claimea in claim 24 for obtaining a gas having a specified component gas concentrated therein from a gaseous mixture of two or more gases.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
Use of a solid membrane according to claim 25 in obtaining a gaseous mixture having enriched oxygen gas from a gaseous mixture comprising at least oxygen and nitrogen.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
249 words
A module comprising a plurality (51) of members for obtaining a gas having a specified gas concentrated therein from a mixture of at least two gases, each of said members comprising (a) a solid support plate (41) and (b) one or a plurality of ultrathin solid membranes (48) of an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers adhered to a thickness of about 50 to about 5000 A to one or both surfaces of the solid support (41); characterised in that (1) each of said members has a first gas drawing port (44) for drawing off the gas having a specified gas concentrated therein, and the pressure drop in a passage for the concentrated gas in the members is not more than about 2 mmHg per cm in a direction away from the first gas drawing port (44), (2) the module has a common feed port (54) for feeding the mixture of at least two gases to the solid membrane surface (48) of each member, a second drawing port (53) connected to the first gas drawing port (44) of each of said members, and a third common drawing port (55) for drawing off the remaining gases formed as a result of concentration by each of the members, and (3) in each of the members, the flow of the gaseous mixture is countercurrent, or angularly displaced, to the flowing direction of the concentrated gas.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
249 words
A module comprising a plurality (51) of members for obtaining a gas having a specified gas concentrated therein from a mixture of at least two gases, each of said members comprising (a) a solid support plate (41) and (b) one or a plurality of ultrathin solid membranes (48) of an addition polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers adhered to a thickness of about 50 to about 5000 A to one or both surfaces of the solid support (41); characterised in that (1) each of said members has a first gas drawing port (44) for drawing off the gas having a specified gas concentrated therein, and the pressure drop in a passage for the concentrated gas in the members is not more than about 2 mmHg per cm in a direction away from the first gas drawing port (44), (2) the module has a common feed port (54) for feeding the mixture of at least two gases to the solid membrane surface (48) of each member, a second drawing port (53) connected to the first gas drawing port (44) of each of said members, and a third common drawing port (55) for drawing off the remaining gases formed as a result of concentration by each of the members, and (3) in each of the members, the flow of the gaseous mixture is countercurrent, or angularly displaced, to the flowing direction of the concentrated gas.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
45 words
A module according to claim 27 wherein a spacer is provided between a porous sheet-like material (46) and the solid support plate (41), for forming a sufficient passage for the flowing of the gas having a specified gas concentrated therein through the solid membrane (48).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
A module according to claim 27 or 28 wherein the common feed port (54) for feeding the gaseous mixture and the third common drawing port (55) are present on the same side surface of the module or on different side surfaces not adjoining each other.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
267 words
An oxygen enricher for obtaining an oxygen-enriched gas from air comprising a module (60) including a plurality (51) of members for obtaining the oxygen-enriched gas from the air, an air take-in port (62) for feeding the air into the module (60), an air exhaust port (55) for drawing a gas of a reduced oxygen concentration from the module (60), a vacuum pump (65) for reducing the pressure of the passage for the oxygen-enriched gas in the members and drawing the oxygen-enriched gas, a cooling (63) and water-removing (68) means for lowering the temperature of the oxygen-enriched gas from the vacuum pump (65) and removing water therefrom, and a housing; characterised in that (1) the module (60) is a module as claimed in claim 27, 28 or 29, (2) a fan (61) is provided in front of an air feed port (54) of the module (60) for feeding the gas into the module (60) and drawing off a gas having a reduced oxygen concentration from the module (60), (3) said vacuum pump (65) is adapted to be cooled by the gas having a reduced oxygen concentration which has left the module (60), and (4) a passage is provided through which the oxygen-enriched gas from the vacuum pump (65) flows while it is cooled fully by the cooling (63) and water-removing (68) means cooled by the air taken into the oxygen enricher from the air take-in port (62) and the cooled oxygen-enriched air is then drawn out of the oxygen enricher without heat exchange with the gas having a reduced oxygen concentration which has cooled the vacuum pump (65).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
42 words
An oxygen enricher according to claim 30 wherein the gas having a reduced oxygen concentration which has left the module (60), after cooling the vacuum pump (65), is discharged out of the oxygen enricher through a winding path (66) within the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.