Water transport method and assembly including a thin film membrane for the addition or removal of water from gases or liquids
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B01D-053/22
A61M-015/08
출원번호
UP-0158210
(2005-06-21)
등록번호
US-7753991
(2010-08-02)
발명자
/ 주소
Kertzman, Jack
출원인 / 주소
Kertzman Systems, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Greenberg, Laurence A.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
13인용 특허 :
30
초록▼
A water transport assembly, is provided including a housing having a first chamber therein, which is accessible through an opening in the housing. The housing additionally includes a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of which are in fluid communication with the first chamber. A flat i
A water transport assembly, is provided including a housing having a first chamber therein, which is accessible through an opening in the housing. The housing additionally includes a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of which are in fluid communication with the first chamber. A flat ion exchange membrane is attached to the housing in a plane over the opening in the housing, to seal the opening in a vapor tight seal. Water will pass through the membrane based upon the vapor pressure on each side of the membrane, to either dry or humidify sample passing through the first chamber. When the flat ion exchange membrane is a flat, thin ion exchange membrane it is preferable that the thin ion exchange membrane have a thickness of between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils.
대표청구항▼
I claim: 1. A water transport assembly, comprising: a first evaporator including: a first housing including a first chamber, a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of said ports being in fluid communication with said first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic
I claim: 1. A water transport assembly, comprising: a first evaporator including: a first housing including a first chamber, a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of said ports being in fluid communication with said first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type attached to said housing in a plane over said first chamber to seal said first chamber in a vapor tight seal; said first flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; a second evaporator including: a second housing including a second chamber, a second sample inlet port and a second sample outlet port, both of said ports being in fluid communication with said second chamber; a second flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type attached to said housing in a plane over said second chamber to seal said second chamber in a vapor tight seal; said second flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; said first evaporator and said second evaporator connected to one another in a multiple effect evaporator configuration. 2. The water transport assembly of claim 1, wherein said first flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 3. The water transport assembly of claim 2, wherein said first flat thin ion exchange membrane is made using a thin film cast from a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 4. The water transport assembly of claim 2, wherein said first flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed by a dispersion of perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 5. The water transport assembly of claim 1, wherein said first flat thin ion exchange membrane is in the hydrogen (H+) form. 6. The water transport assembly of claim 1, wherein said first housing additionally includes a third chamber and said water transport assembly additionally including a third flat thin ion exchange membrane attached to said housing in a plane over said third chamber to seal said second third chamber in a vapor tight seal, and wherein said third flat thin ion exchange membrane is between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness. 7. The water transport assembly of claim 6, wherein at least one of said first flat thin ion exchange membrane and said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 8. The water transport assembly of claim 1, including a purge chamber located above said first flat thin ion exchange membrane. 9. The water transport assembly of claim 8, wherein said purge chamber includes a purge gas inlet in fluid communication with said purge chamber and a purge gas outlet in fluid communication with said purge chamber. 10. The water transport assembly of claim 6, including a first purge chamber located above said first flat thin ion exchange membrane and a second purge chamber located above said second flat thin ion exchange membrane. 11. The water transport assembly of claim 10, wherein said purge chamber includes a purge gas inlet in fluid communication with at least said first purge chamber and a purge gas outlet in fluid communication with at least said first purge chamber. 12. The water transport assembly of claim 11, wherein at least one of said first flat thin ion exchange membrane and said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 13. A humidification system, comprising: a humidifier assembly, including: a housing including a first chamber, said first chamber being accessible through an opening in said housing, said housing additionally including a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of said ports being in fluid communication with said first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type attached to said housing in a plane over said opening to seal said opening in a vapor tight seal; said first flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; and said housing additionally includes a second chamber, said second chamber being accessible through a second opening in said housing, said humidifier assembly additionally including a second flat thin ion exchange membrane attached to said housing in a plane over said second opening to seal said second opening in a vapor tight seal, and wherein said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; and a temperature controlled water bath containing said humidifier assembly. 14. The humidification system of claim 13, wherein at least one of said first flat thin ion exchange membrane and said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 15. A dryer system, comprising: a dryer assembly, including: a housing including a first chamber, a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of said ports being in fluid communication with said first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type being located in a plane over the first chamber of the housing in a vapor tight seal; said first flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; and a temperature control mechanism for adjusting the temperature of the dryer assembly to produce a dried sample at the sample outlet port, said temperature control mechanism being adjustable to reduce the liquid content of the dried sample. 16. The dryer system of claim 15, including a purge chamber located above said first flat thin ion exchange membrane. 17. The dryer system of claim 16, wherein said housing additionally includes a second chamber and said dryer additionally including a second flat thin ion exchange membrane attached to said housing in a plane over said second chamber to seal said second chamber in a vapor tight seal, and wherein said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness. 18. The dryer system of claim 17, wherein at least one of said first flat thin ion exchange membrane and said second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 19. The dryer system of claim 17, including a plurality of said dryer assemblies aligned in parallel. 20. The dryer system of claim 19, including a plurality of purge gas chambers, at least one purge gas chamber being located between each two membranes of said plurality of dryer assemblies. 21. A method for drying a wet sample, comprising the steps of: providing a dryer assembly, including: a housing including a first chamber, a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of the ports being in fluid communication with the first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type being located in a plane over the first chamber of the housing in a vapor tight seal; the first flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; providing the wet sample to the sample inlet port; recovering a dried sample from the sample outlet port; and adjusting the temperature of the dryer assembly to reduce the liquid content in the dried sample. 22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of providing a purge gas in communication with one side of the first flat thin ion exchange membrane, to draw moisture from the wet sample through the first flat thin ion exchange membrane. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the providing a dryer assembly step includes providing a plurality of dryer assemblies connected in parallel. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the housing additionally includes a second chamber, and the dryer assembly additionally includes a second flat thin ion exchange membrane attached to the housing in a plane over the second chamber in a vapor tight seal, and wherein the second flat thin ion exchange membrane is between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first flat thin ion exchange membrane and the second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 26. A method of humidifying a gas, comprising the steps of: providing a humidifier assembly, including: a housing including a first chamber, the first chamber being accessible through an opening in the housing, the housing additionally including a sample inlet port and a sample outlet port, both of the ports being in fluid communication with the first chamber; a first flat thin ion exchange membrane of the sulfonic acid type attached to the housing in a plane over the opening to seal the opening in a vapor tight seal; the first flat thin ion exchange membrane being between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; the housing additionally including a second chamber, the second chamber being accessible through a second opening in the housing, the humidifier assembly additionally including a second flat thin ion exchange membrane attached to the housing in a plane over the second opening to seal the second opening in a vapor tight seal, and wherein the second flat thin ion exchange membrane is between about 0.1 and about 3.0 mils in thickness; immersing the humidifier assembly in a temperature controlled water bath; providing a dry sample to the sample inlet port; and recovering a humidified sample from the sample outlet port. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first flat thin ion exchange membrane and the second flat thin ion exchange membrane is formed with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. 28. A medical device including a water transport assembly, the medical device comprising: a cannula having an inner passageway, said cannula including: a first nostril tube located at a first position along said cannula; a second nostril tube located at a second position along said cannula; a thin ion exchange film membrane of the sulfonic acid type, being located across said inner passageway, between said first position and said second position, so as to block the flow of gasses through said inner passageway from said first position to said second position. 29. The medical device of claim 28, further including a restricted diameter tube in communication with one of said first nostril tube and said second nostril tube, to direct a gas from said nostril tube towards said thin ion exchange film membrane. 30. The medical device of claim 28, further including: a capnometer connected to said cannula, proximal said second position; and a gas source connected to said cannula, proximal to said first position. 31. A method of drying a patient's breath, comprising: providing a cannula having an inner passageway, the cannula including: a first nostril tube located at a first position along the cannula; a second nostril tube located at a second position along the cannula; a thin ion exchange film membrane of the sulfonic acid type, being located across the inner passageway, between the first position and the second position, so as to block the flow of gasses through the inner passageway from the first position to the second position; positioning in communication with the patient, such that the first nostril tube is in one of the patient's nostrils, and the second nostril tube is in the patient's second nostril; providing a first gas to the cannula, proximal to the first position; receiving into the inner passageway of the cannula, a second gas from the second nostril tube; removing a dried second gas from the cannula, proximal to the second position; and the first gas containing less moisture than the second gas, in order to draw moisture from the second gas through the thin ion exchange film membrane to produce the dried second gas. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first gas is a dry, oxygen containing gas, and the dried second gas is provided to a capnometer for analysis. 33. The water transport assembly of claim 1, further including at least a third evaporator configured as a multiple effect evaporator with said first evaporator and said second evaporator. 34. The water transport assembly of claim 1, wherein said multiple effect evaporator produces deionized water at an output of the multiple effect evaporator. 35. The water transport assembly of claim 1, further including a temperature control mechanism for applying heat to the second evaporator. 36. The water transport assembly of claim 1 wherein steam produced in said second evaporator assembly is used to heat said first evaporator assembly. 37. The dryer system of claim 15, wherein the temperature control mechanism adjusts the temperature of the dryer assembly to dry the sample to a liquid level of no more than a few parts per million. 38. The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting step adjusts the temperature of the dryer assembly to dry the sample to a liquid level of no more than a few parts per million.
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