Boreside feed hollow fiber membrane device

Claim 1

A hollow fiber membrane device comprising means for providing countercurrent flow distribution on the shellside of said device relative to the feed fluid mixture within the bores of the hollow fiber membranes of said device, including: A. at least two bundles, each bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes capable of separating at least one fluid from a feed fluid mixture, each bundle having a first end and a second end and a radial Peclet number of less than about 30, each bundle being contained within a separate and distinct enclosure substantially impermeable to the fluids being separated and arranged together for substantially parallel flow of a feed fluid mixture through each bundle; B. a first tubesheet comprised of a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric material located at the first ends of the bundles, arranged such that the hollow fiber membranes are embedded in the first tubesheet and communicate through the first tubesheet and are open on the opposite face of the first tubesheet; C. a second tubesheet comprised of a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric material located at the second ends of the bundles opposite the first ends of the bundles, arranged such that the hollow fiber membranes are embedded in the second tubesheet and communicate through the second tubesheet and are open on the opposite face of the second tubesheet; D. a first end capping means arranged and adapted for attaching and sealing to the first end of the bundles or enclosures at or near the first tubesheet; E. a second end capping means arranged and adapted for attaching and sealing to the second end of the bundles or enclosures at or near the second tubesheet; F. a means for introducing a feed fluid mixture into the bores of the hollow fiber membranes at the first tubesheet; G. a means of withdrawing non-permeate fluid from the bores for the hollow fiber membranes at the second tubesheet; and H. a means for withdrawing permeate fluid from the outside of the hollow fiber membranes located at the end nearest the means for introducing fluid into the bores of the hollow fiber membranes at the first tubesheet.