A fluid separation assembly and method are provided. The assembly has a hollow fiber bundle with a plurality of hollow fiber membranes. The assembly further has a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle. The assembly further has a plurality of radial through
A fluid separation assembly and method are provided. The assembly has a hollow fiber bundle with a plurality of hollow fiber membranes. The assembly further has a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle. The assembly further has a plurality of radial through openings formed along a circumference of one or both of the tubesheets and radially through a body portion in one or both of the tubesheets. The radial through openings include center connected radial through openings and partial radial through openings, and intersect each, or substantially each, of the hollow fiber membranes. The assembly further has a housing surrounding the hollow fiber bundle and the tubesheets. The housing has a feed inlet port, a permeate outlet port, and a non-permeate outlet port. The feed inlet port and the non-permeate outlet port are in parallel alignment with a longitudinal central axis of the housing.
대표청구항▼
1. A fluid separation assembly comprising: a hollow fiber bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle;a plurality of radial through openings formed along a circumference of one or both of the tubesheets a
1. A fluid separation assembly comprising: a hollow fiber bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle;a plurality of radial through openings formed along a circumference of one or both of the tubesheets and radially through a body portion in one or both of the tubesheets, the plurality of radial through openings comprising both center connected radial through openings and partial radial through openings both formed along the circumference and through the body portion in one or both of the pair of tubesheets, and the plurality of radial through openings intersecting each, or substantially each, of the hollow fiber membranes; and,a housing surrounding the hollow fiber bundle and the pair of tubesheets, the housing having a feed inlet port, a permeate outlet port, and a non-permeate outlet port, wherein the feed inlet port and the non-permeate outlet port are in parallel alignment with a longitudinal central axis of the housing,wherein a feed gas, a permeate gas, or a non-permeate gas are introduced into or removed from the plurality of hollow fiber membranes via the plurality of radial through openings formed in one or both of the tubesheets. 2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one first seal adjacent one tubesheet of the pair of tubesheets, and at least one second seal adjacent the other tubesheet of the pair of tubesheets, wherein the first and second seals are fluid tight. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a first end cap coupled to the feed inlet port, and a second end cap coupled to the non-permeate outlet port. 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the feed inlet port is in flow communication with the center connected radial through openings, so that a first portion of the feed gas flows into a first portion of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a second portion of the feed gas flows around the circumference of one tubesheet of the pair of tubesheets into the partial radial through openings and flows into a second portion of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes. 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the non-permeate outlet port is in flow communication with one of the tubesheets, so that the non-permeate gas can flow out of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and out of the housing. 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the permeate outlet port is in flow communication with an interior of the housing, so that the permeate gas can permeate out of the hollow fiber membranes that have been intersected and flow out of the housing. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the feed gas, permeate gas, and non-permeate gas are introduced into or removed from the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and wherein the feed gas comprises air, natural gas, or flue gas; the non-permeate gas comprises nitrogen enriched air (NEA), nitrogen, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, or sulfur oxide; and the permeate gas comprises methane or one or more of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water. 8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the partial radial through openings are formed in a repeating four opening pattern, each repeating four opening pattern consisting of four partial radial through openings in a substantially square configuration. 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is part of an inert gas generating system in an aircraft. 10. An aircraft comprising: a fuselage;at least one fuel tank mounted to the fuselage;at least one fuel tank vent operatively connected to the fuel tank; and,an inert gas generating system for generating a non-permeate gas on board the aircraft, the inert gas generating system comprising: a fluid separation assembly comprising: a hollow fiber bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle;a plurality of radial through openings formed along a circumference of one or both of the tubesheets and radially through a body portion in one or both of the tubesheets, the plurality of radial through openings comprising both center connected radial through openings and partial radial through openings both formed along the circumference and through the body portion in one or both of the pair of tubesheets, and the plurality of radial through openings intersecting each, or substantially each, of the hollow fiber membranes; and,a housing surrounding the hollow fiber bundle and the pair of tubesheets, the housing having a feed inlet port, a permeate outlet port, and a non-permeate outlet port, wherein the feed inlet port and the non-permeate outlet port are in parallel alignment with a longitudinal central axis of the housing,wherein a feed gas, a permeate gas, or a non-permeate gas are introduced into or removed from the plurality of hollow fiber membranes via the plurality of radial through openings formed in one or both of the tubesheets. 11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the feed inlet port of the assembly is in flow communication with the center connected radial through openings, so that a first portion of the feed gas flows into a first portion of the hollow fiber membranes, and a second portion of the feed gas flows around the circumference of one tubesheet of the pair of tubesheets into the partial radial through openings and flows into a second portion of the hollow fiber membranes. 12. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein one or more of the feed gas, permeate gas, and non-permeate gas are introduced into or removed from the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and wherein the feed gas comprises air, natural gas, or flue gas; the non-permeate gas comprises nitrogen enriched air (NEA), nitrogen, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, or sulfur oxide; and the permeate gas comprises methane or one or more of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water. 13. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the partial radial through openings of the assembly are formed in a repeating four opening pattern, each repeating four opening pattern consisting of four partial radial through openings in a substantially square configuration. 14. A method for reducing pressure drop in a fluid separation assembly, the method comprising: providing a fluid separation assembly comprising: a hollow fiber bundle consisting of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;a pair of tubesheets, each encapsulating respective ends of the hollow fiber bundle;a housing surrounding the hollow fiber bundle and the pair of tubesheets, the housing having a feed inlet port, a permeate outlet port, and a non-permeate outlet port, wherein the feed inlet port and the non-permeate outlet port are in parallel alignment with a longitudinal central axis of the housing;forming a plurality of radial through openings along a circumference of one or both of the tubesheets and radially through a body portion in one or both of the tubesheets, such that the plurality of radial through openings intersect each, or substantially each, of the hollow fiber membranes, and wherein the plurality of radial through openings comprise both center connected radial through openings and partial radial through openings both formed along the circumference and through the body portion in one or both of the pair of tubesheets;introducing a feed gas into the fluid separation assembly via the feed inlet port;flowing the feed gas through the center connected radial through openings, around the circumference of the one or both tubesheets, and into the partial radial through openings, thereby reducing pressure drop in the fluid separation assembly;removing a permeate gas from the fluid separation assembly via the permeate outlet port; and,removing a non-permeate gas from the fluid separation assembly via the non-permeate outlet port. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising supplying the non-permeate gas from the fluid separation assembly to at least one fuel tank of an aircraft. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the flowing the feed gas through the center connected radial through openings further comprises flowing a first portion of the feed gas into a first portion of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the flowing the feed gas around the circumference of one tubesheet of the pair of tubesheets and into the partial radial through openings further comprises flowing a second portion the feed gas into a second portion of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming the plurality of radial through openings along the circumference of one or both of the tubesheets and radially through the body portion in one or both of the tubesheets comprises forming the partial radial through openings in a repeating four opening pattern, each repeating four opening pattern consisting of four partial radial through openings in a substantially square configuration. 19. A method of generating nitrogen enriched air comprising: forming a plurality of radial through openings in a first tubesheet, by cutting or drilling along a circumference of and radially through a body portion of the first tubesheet, the plurality of radial through openings comprising both center connected radial through openings and partial radial through openings, both formed along the circumference and through the body portion of the first tubesheet;cutting or drilling the plurality of radial through openings through a first end of a hollow fiber bundle of hollow fiber membranes encapsulated by the first tubesheet;introducing a feed gas comprising air, radially through the plurality of radial through openings formed in the first tubesheet;permeating a permeate gas comprising one or more of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water through walls of the hollow fiber membranes; and,flowing out a non-permeate gas comprising nitrogen enriched air, from an opening of a second tubesheet encapsulating a second end of the hollow fiber bundle of hollow fiber membranes. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the radial through openings are formed in a repeating four opening pattern, each repeating four opening pattern consisting of four radial through openings in a substantially square configuration.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Evosevich, Barbara J.; Jojic, Ivana, Aircraft fuel tank flammability reduction method and system.
Young Thomas C. (Walnut Creek CA) Caskey Terrence L. (Concord CA) Trimmer Johnny L. (Antioch CA) Mahley ; III George E. (Berkeley CA) Yoshisato Randall A. (Vallejo CA) Jensvold John A. (Benicia CA), Boreside feed hollow fiber membrane device.
Anand Joginder N. (Clayton CA) Revak Timothy T. (Concord CA) Tsang Floris Y. (Walnut Creek CA), Helium-tight tubesheet for hollow fiber type battery cells and method of fabricating the same.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.