Device For The Separation Of Water From A Fluid Flow Containing Water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016296884-A1
Application number	US-201415038022-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for the separation of water, in particular water vapor, from a fluid flow containing water, in particular water vapor, may include at least a water-permeable membrane body that delimits at least one membrane body interior space, wherein at least one hydrophobic fluid is located in the membrane body interior space for receiving water, in particular water vapor, which exits the fluid flow and passes through the membrane body into the membrane body interior space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for the separation of water vapor from a fluid flow containing water vapor, the device comprising:
a water-permeable membrane body arranged in the fluid flow, the water-permeable membrane body defining a membrane body interior space, hydrophobic fluid in the membrane body interior space, wherein an outer surface of the water-permeable membrane body facing away from the membrane body interior space is exposed to the fluid flow, and an inner surface of the water-permeable membrane body facing the membrane body interior space is exposed to the hydrophobic fluid, and wherein the hydrophobic fluid at the inner surface of the water-permeable membrane body has a lower concentration of water vapor than the fluid flow at the outer surface of the water-permeable membrane, which difference in water vapor concentration defines a propulsive force for a permeation of water vapor contained in the gas flow through the membrane body and into the membrane body interior space.

2 . The device of claim 1 , including a supply system configured to supply the hydrophobic fluid into the membrane body interior space and a removal system configured to remove the hydrophobic fluid from the membrane body interior space.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the membrane body comprises a hollow cylindrical shape, the supply system configured to supply the hydrophobic fluid into the membrane body interior space is arranged proximate a first end face of the membrane body, and the removal system configured to remove the hydrophobic fluid from the membrane body interior space is arranged proximate a second end face of the membrane body.

4 . The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the membrane body comprises a hollow cylindrical shape, the supply system includes at least one supply channel that passes through certain regions of the membrane body interior space, coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the membrane body, and the removal system is arranged proximate an annular space that radially surrounds the at least one supply channel.

5 . The device of claim 1 , including at least one of:
at least one condensation system arranged downstream of the membrane body and configured to condense gaseous water contained in the hydrophobic fluid, or at least one cooling system arranged downstream of the membrane body and configured to cool hydrophobic fluid that has been heated by condensation of water vapor.

6 . The device of claim 1 , including a separating system arranged downstream of the membrane body and configured to provide a chemical and/or physical separation of the water that is taken up in the hydrophobic fluid from the hydrophobic fluid.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic fluid is at least one of a natural or synthetic organic gas, or a natural or synthetic organic liquid.

8 . A method for the separation of water vapor from a fluid flow containing water vapor, that the method comprising:
providing the fluid flow through a conduit in which a water-permeable membrane body is located; and transferring the water vapor to be separated through the water-permeable membrane body into a hydrophobic fluid located within a membrane body interior space delimited by the membrane body.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophobic fluid flows through a fluid circuit that passes through the membrane body interior space.

10 . The method of claim 8 , comprising applying a negative pressure is within the membrane body interior space.

11 . The method of claim 8 , comprising condensing gaseous water contained in the hydrophobic fluid.

12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising elevating a pressure of the gaseous water contained in the hydrophobic fluid before the condensation.

13 . The method of claim 8 , comprising chemically and/or physically separating the water contained in the hydrophobic fluid from the hydrophobic fluid.

14 . The method of claim 8 , the hydrophobic fluid comprises at least one of a natural or synthetic organic gas or a natural or synthetic organic liquid.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Tremel Alexander
• Lenk Uwe
• Ziegmann Markus

Classifications

• B01D53/22 Primary

  by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) · CPC title

• B01D63/06

  Tubular membrane modules · CPC title

• B01D5/0075

  with heat exchanging (B01D5/0039 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D53/265

  by refrigeration (condensation) · CPC title

• B01D53/28

  Selection of materials for use as drying agents · CPC title