Gas separating apparatus

Claim 2

A GAS SEPARATING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A CASING HAVING AN INLET THROUGH WHICH MIXED GASES ARE FED UNDER RELATIVE PRESSURE AND A PAIR OF OUTLETS THROUGH WHICH SEPARATED GASES ARE EXHAUSTED RESPECTIVELY A FIRST MEMBRANE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID CASING TO PERMIT ONE COMPONENT OF SAID MIXED GASES TO PERMEATE THERETHROUGH AND A SECOND MEMBRANE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FACING SAID FIRST MEMBRANE MEANS SUCH THAT SAID MIXED GASES ARE FED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEANS SAID SECOND MEMBRANE MEANS HAVING A GAS PERMEATION PROPERTY OPPOSED TO THAT OF SAID FIRST MEMBRANE MEANS AND SAID SECOND MEMBRANE MEANS ALLOWING THE OTHER COMPONENT OF MIXED GASES TO PERMEATE THERETHROUGH, SAID CASING BEING COMPOSED OF A PAIR OF COVER PLATES OVERLAPPED UPON EACH OTHER EACH OF WHICH HAS A HOLLOW OR RECESSED PORTION FOR RESPECTIVELY MOUNTING SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLIES THEREIN, GAS COLLECTION CHAMBERS BEING RESPECTIVELY DIFINED WITHIN SAID RECESSED PORTIONS OF SAID CASING BERWEEN SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLIES AND SAID COVER PLATES AND BEING FLUIDICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID PAIR OF OUTLETS RESPECTIVELY FOR

Claim 3

A gas separating apparatus comprising: a casing having an inlet through which mixed gases are fed and a pair of outlets through which separated gases are exhausted, respectively; a first membrane means mounted in said casing to permit one component of said mixed gases to permeate therethrough; and a second membrane means mounted in said casing facing said first membrane means such that said mixed gases are fed between said first and second means, said second membrane means having a gas permeation property opposed to that of said first membrane means, and said second membrane means allowing the other component of said mixed gases to permeate therethrough; said first and second membrane means being respectively comprised of first and second groups of hollow fibers arranged parallel to each other, one end of all of said hollow fibers being closed off, said second group of holLow fibers being longer than said first group of hollow fibers, and one component of mixed gases being permitted to permeate through the walls of said first group of hollow fibers to be collected in a first collection chamber, and another component of mixed gases being permitted to permeate through the walls of said second group of hollow fibers to be collected in a second collection chamber, said mixed gased being fed into a space between said first and second groups of hollow fibers, and separated gases being taken out of said first and second collection chambers respectively.

Claim 4

A gas separating apparatus comprising: a casing having an inlet through which mixed gases are fed and a pair of outlets through which separated gases are exhausted, respectively; a first membrane means mounted in said casing to permit one component of said mixed gases to permeate therethrough; and a second membrane means mounted in said casing facing said first membrane means such that said mixed gases are fed between said first and second means, said second membrane means having a gas permeation property opposed to that of said first membrane means, and said second membrane means allowing the other component of said mixed gases to permeate therethrough; said first and second membrane means being respectively comprised of first and second groups of hollow fibers arranged parallel to each other, one end of all of said hollow fibers being closed off, said second group of holLow fibers being longer than said first group of hollow fibers, and one component of mixed gases being permitted to permeate through the walls of said first group of hollow fibers to be collected in a first collection chamber, and another component of mixed gases being permitted to permeate through the walls of said second group of hollow fibers to be collected in a second collection chamber, said mixed gased being fed into a space between said first and second groups of hollow fibers, and separated gases being taken out of said first and second collection chambers respectively.

Claim 5

A gas separating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: a porous core formed of wire is inserted into all of said hollow fibers for reinforcement without prevention of gas flow.

Claim 6

A gas separating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: a porous core formed of granular material is inserted in all of said hollow fibers for reinforcement thereof without prevention of a gas flow.