Patent ID: 7938884

Claim:
A membrane separation device having an integral sweep controlling apparatus, comprising: a membrane separation component, comprising: a membrane having a permeate portion and a non-permeate portion; a membrane housing which encases the membrane; a feed gas inlet conduit connected to the membrane; and a non-permeate product gas outlet conduit fluidly connected to the non-permeate portion of the membrane, wherein a major portion of a non-permeate gas is directed out of the membrane separation device through the non-permeate product gas outlet conduit; and sweep controlling components coupled to the membrane separation component, comprising: a sweep inlet conduit providing a gas connection from the sweep controlling components to the non-permeate portion of the membrane; an electronically controlled valve controlled by an electronic signal from either an air service or a compressor based on air demand to vary with a duty cycle of an air compressor, the valve having multiple positions and connected to said sweep inlet conduit, wherein: the multiple positions of the valve control passage of a minor portion of the non-permeate gas into an orifice, wherein the minor portion of the non-permeate gas is diverted from the major portion within the membrane housing; and, said orifice controls a sweep stream that passes the minor portion of the non-permeate gas along the permeate portion of the membrane; a sweep outlet conduit connected to the membrane housing, and carries the sweep stream out of the sweep controlling components; and a sweep manifold attached to the membrane housing and attached to the sweep valve.