Patent ID: 7332017

Claim:
A method of removing moisture from a feed fluid, the method comprising: providing at least one moisture separation unit including a feed fluid inlet, a product outlet, a dry purge gas inlet, a thermally regenerated moisture adsorption membrane having a feed side and a waste side, a first passage on the feed side of the adsorption material, and a second passage on the waste side of the adsorption membrane; flowing the feed fluid that has been chilled into the first passage of the moisture separation unit so that the feed fluid contacts the feed side of the adsorption membrane; flowing dry purge gas into the second passage of the moisture separation unit so that the dry purge gas contacts the waste side of the adsorption membrane so that moisture is transferred to the dry purge gas; stopping the flow of the feed fluid after a predetermined time period or after the adsorption membrane is substantially loaded with moisture; heating the dry purge gas prior to flowing the dry purge gas into the second passage of the moisture separation unit; and flowing the heated dry purge gas past the waste side of the adsorption membrane to regenerate the adsorption membrane.