主权项 |
1. A process for effecting permeation of at least an operative material component of an operative gaseous mixture from a higher pressure space, through a membrane, and into a lower pressure space, wherein the higher pressure space is disposed in mass transfer communication with the lower pressure space through the membrane, comprising:
after a decrease in a partial pressure differential, between the partial pressure of an operative material component within the higher pressure space and the partial pressure of the operative material component within the lower pressure space, from a higher partial pressure differential, has been effected, and wherein the decrease in the partial pressure differential includes that effected by permeation of a permeated fraction of an operative material component disposed within the higher pressure space, from the higher pressure space, through the membrane, and into the lower pressure space, in response to, at least, the partial pressure differential, and while a permeating fraction of the higher pressure space-disposed operative material component is permeating through the membrane, in response to, at least, a reduced partial pressure differential that is below that of the higher partial pressure differential, and being collected within the lower pressure space: effecting a decrease in the partial pressure of the operative material component within the lower pressure space, by effecting discharge of an operative material component discharge fraction of the operative material component, disposed within the lower pressure space, from the lower pressure space, wherein the decrease in the partial pressure of the operative material component within the lower pressure space is a decrease from a pre-discharge pressure; wherein the ratio of the volume of the higher pressure space to the volume of the lower pressure space is greater than 1. |