US5032148A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Membrane fractionation process
Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research Inc
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Filing: 1989-11-07
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Granted: 1991-07-16
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Expires: 2009-11-07
Abstract
Abstract A fractionation process for treating a gas stream containing organic vapor in a concentration technically or economically difficult to treat by standard waste control methods. Typically this concentration will be about 0.1-10% organic vapor. The process involves running the stream through a membrane system containing one or more membranes selectively permeable to the organic vapor component of the gas stream. The fractionation produces two streams: a product residue stream containing the organic vapor in a concentration less than about 0.5% and a product permeate stream highly enriched in organic vapor content. Both residue and permeate streams are then suitable for treatment by conventional separations or waste control technologies. The low concentration residue stream might be passed to carbon adsorption beds, for example, and the high concentration permeate stream might be subjected to condensation or incineration.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard W. Baker
- 👤 Johannes G. Wijmans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:30
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/22; B01D53/225; B01D53/226
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a membrane having a feed side and a permeate side; providing a pressure difference between the permeate and feed sides of the membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on the permeate side to the pressure on the feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said permeate stream; withdrawing from said feed side a residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said residue stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a membrane having a feed side and a permeate side; providing a pressure difference between the permeate and feed sides of the membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on the permeate side to the pressure on the feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said permeate stream; withdrawing from said feed side a residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said residue stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second, non-membrane, treatment process comprises condensation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 2, wherein a non-condensed fraction of said permeate stream from said condensation is recycled to said feed side of said membrane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second, non-membrane, treatment process comprises incineration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said third, non-membrane, treatment process comprises carbon adsorption.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
216 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a membrane array, each membrane within said array having a feed side and a permeate side; providing a pressure difference between the permeate and feed sides of each membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on the permeate side to the pressure on the feed side of each membrane is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said membrane array with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said membrane array a product permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said product permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said product permeate stream; withdrawing from said membrane array a product residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said product residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said product residue stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
216 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a membrane array, each membrane within said array having a feed side and a permeate side; providing a pressure difference between the permeate and feed sides of each membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on the permeate side to the pressure on the feed side of each membrane is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said membrane array with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said membrane array a product permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said product permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said product permeate stream; withdrawing from said membrane array a product residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said product residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said product residue stream.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
333 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a first membrane having a first feed side and a first permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said first permeate and feed sides of said first membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said first permeate side to the pressure on said first feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said first feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said first feed side a first residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; subjecting said first residue stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said first residue stream; withdrawing from said first permeate side a first permeate stream enriched in said organic component in vapor form compared with said feedstream; providing a second membrane having a second feed side and a second permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said second permeate and feed sides of said second membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said second permeate side to the pressure on said second feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said second feed side of said second membrane with said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said second feed side a second residue stream depleted in said organic component in vapor form compared with said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said second permeate side a second permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said first permeate stream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; and subjecting said second permeate stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said second permeate stream.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
333 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a first membrane having a first feed side and a first permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said first permeate and feed sides of said first membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said first permeate side to the pressure on said first feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said first feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said first feed side a first residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; subjecting said first residue stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said first residue stream; withdrawing from said first permeate side a first permeate stream enriched in said organic component in vapor form compared with said feedstream; providing a second membrane having a second feed side and a second permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said second permeate and feed sides of said second membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said second permeate side to the pressure on said second feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said second feed side of said second membrane with said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said second feed side a second residue stream depleted in said organic component in vapor form compared with said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said second permeate side a second permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said first permeate stream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; and subjecting said second permeate stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said second permeate stream.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
338 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a first membrane having a first feed side and a first permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said first permeate and feed sides of said first membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said first permeate side to the pressure on said first feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said first feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said first permeate side a first permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said first permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said first feed side a first residue stream depleted in said organic component in vapor form compared with said feedstream; providing a second membrane having a second feed side and a second permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said second permeate and feed sides of said second membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said second permeate side to the pressure on said second feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said second feed side of said second membrane with said first residue stream; withdrawing from said second permeate side a second permeate stream enriched in said organic component in vapor form compared with said first residue stream; withdrawing from said second feed side a second residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said first residue stream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said second residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes said organic component from said second residue stream.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
338 words
A membrane fractionation process comprising: providing a first membrane having a first feed side and a first permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said first permeate and feed sides of said first membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said first permeate side to the pressure on said first feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said first feed side with a feedstream comprising an organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 0.1% and less than 50% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; withdrawing from said first permeate side a first permeate stream enriched in said organic component compared with said feedstream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration greater than 20% of the saturation concentration of said organic component at 1 atmosphere pressure and 20° C.; subjecting said first permeate stream to a second, non-membrane, treatment process that removes organic component from said first permeate stream; withdrawing from said first feed side a first residue stream depleted in said organic component in vapor form compared with said feedstream; providing a second membrane having a second feed side and a second permeate side; providing a pressure difference between said second permeate and feed sides of said second membrane, such that the ratio of the pressure on said second permeate side to the pressure on said second feed side is in the range 0.005-0.5; contacting said second feed side of said second membrane with said first residue stream; withdrawing from said second permeate side a second permeate stream enriched in said organic component in vapor form compared with said first residue stream; withdrawing from said second feed side a second residue stream depleted in said organic component compared with said first residue stream and comprising said organic component in vapor form in a concentration less than 0.5%; and subjecting said second residue stream to a third, non-membrane, treatment process that removes said organic component from said second residue stream.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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