Patent ID: 7731784
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: B01D,B60T,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A membrane air dryer comprising: a housing with an air inlet adjacent a first end of the housing, an air outlet adjacent a second end of the housing, a sweep air inlet and a sweep air outlet, the air inlet and the air outlet being axially disposed at first and second ends of the housing; a manifold defining at least a portion of the first end of the housing, the manifold defining passageways for the sweep air inlet and the sweep air outlet, the sweep air inlet and the sweep air outlet being axially disposed adjacent to one another and also being axially disposed adjacent to the air inlet; a membrane module, with first and second ends, extending axially between and connected to the air inlet and the air outlet; a first sweep air passage in the housing extending axially between the first and second ends of the membrane module, the first sweep air passage comprising a first sweep air passage inlet adjacent the air outlet and a first sweep air passage outlet connected to the sweep air outlet; a second sweep air passage in the housing extending axially between the first and second ends of the membrane module, the second sweep air passage comprising a second sweep air passage inlet connected to the sweep air inlet and a second sweep air passage outlet adjacent the air outlet and connected to the first sweep air passage inlet; and wherein the membrane module is disposed in the first sweep air passage, the membrane module comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes defining interior passages to conduct air from the air inlet to the air outlet and defining exterior passages to conduct sweep air from the first sweep air passage inlet to the first sweep air passage outlet.