Patent ID: 9737857
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B01D,Y02C

Claim:
1. A method of retrofitting a conventional gas separation membrane module including spiral-wound-type membranes arranged in series so as to have hollow fiber-type membranes arranged in parallel, comprising the steps of: providing a conventional gas separation membrane module to be retrofitted that comprises: removing the upstream seal and the plurality of connected, spiral-wound-type membrane elements arranged in series from within the pressure vessel; sliding a downstream hollow fiber membrane element into the pressure vessel, leaving an end of the downstream hollow fiber membrane element accessible from an open end of the pressure vessel, a downstream end of the downstream hollow fiber membrane element being provided with a sealing body; sequentially connecting one or more hollow fiber membrane elements to the accessible end of the downstream hollow fiber membrane element to provide a growing chain of membrane elements connected in parallel while sequentially sliding the growing chain of membrane elements into the pressure vessel away from the open end of the pressure vessel; connecting an upstream hollow fiber membrane element to the growing chain of connected membrane elements to provide a completed chain of membrane elements connected in parallel; sliding the completed chain of membrane elements further downstream into the pressure vessel; and fluidically connecting the upstream end of the upstream hollow fiber membrane element to at least one of the permeate outlets in gas-tight fashion, wherein: