FLUID SEPARATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

The separation of different components of a fluid, e.g. of He, H2, O2, or the like from gaseous mixtures, separation of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon, water separation from organic mixtures, waste water purification etc., is effected by passing the treated fluid over a row of permeation cells each formed by a container subdivided, by a wall more readily permeable by one component of the fluid, into an inlet chamber and a permeate chamber. The respective chambers are arranged in series directed opposite to each other and the respective products are withdrawn at the respective ends of the series. A part of the product of the permeate chamber series is fed back into the inlet chamber series. Preferably, the delivery of untreated fluid into the inlet chamber series is effected at a point selected such as to obtain the smallest possible difference in the concentration of a respective component in the incoming untreated fluid and in the fluid being circulated through the system. A number of combinations of the basic unit of the method is disclosed. The invention results in reduced energy and permeable area requirements by limiting the volume of recirculated fluid and by strategic location of the inlet for untreated fluid.