Patent ID: 8465569

Claim:
A separation unit for separating a permeate gas from a pressurized feed mixture comprising: a support frame comprising a substantially continuous perimeter wall entirely surrounding a hollow cavity, wherein the support frame includes a top frame surface; a first microscreen element comprising a substantially non-porous material formed with substantially parallel and opposing first top and first bottom microscreen surfaces and further formed with a substantially continuous first non-porous perimeter wall entirely surrounding a first porous central area that includes a plurality of fluid passages extending from the first top microscreen surface to the first bottom microscreen surface wherein the first bottom microscreen surface is supported with the first non-porous perimeter wall portion in mating contact with the top frame surface and with the first porous central area extending over at least a portion of the hollow cavity, and the first top microscreen surface is substantially planar; a first permselective membrane comprising a permselective material formed with substantially parallel and opposed first top and first bottom membrane surfaces supported with the first bottom membrane surface in mating contact with the first top microscreen surface, wherein the first permselective membrane is disposed over the entire porous central area; and, a porous spacer, disposed in the hollow cavity, comprising a structural material disposed to structurally support the first bottom microscreen surface wherein the porous spacer is further configured with a first void volume in fluid communication with the first porous central area for receiving fluid passing through the first porous central area and for conveying the fluid through the hollow cavity.