Patent ID: 7497895

Claim:
A separation process, comprising: (a) contacting a feed stream with a first surface of a membrane unit containing at least one membrane, with the feed stream containing at least a first species and a second species; (b) selectively absorbing at least the first species into the first surface; (c) selectively permeating at least the first species through the membrane from the first surface to an opposed second surface using a vacuum on the second surface in order to form a permeate rich in the first species and lean in the second species compared to the feed stream, the vacuum being produced by a fluid conducted through a converging/diverging nozzle, wherein the fluid comprises at least one solvent that is poorly miscible with and/or of low solubility in the permeate; (d) conducting the permeate from the second surface into a heat exchanger whereby the permeate is partially condensed; (e) conducting the partially condensed permeate into the nozzle and into the fluid in order to form an effluent comprising at least a portion of the permeate and the fluid; and (f) separating the permeate from the fluid.