Patent · US Expired

Non-porous gas permeable membrane

US5914154A · kind A · utility

64Cited by
17References
49Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 30, 1997
Grant dateJun 22, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 30, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01D2239/0471
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A process for placing an ultra thin layer of a non-porous gas permeable polymer continuously over an entire filter surface area allows the fabrication of compact, high flux, fouling resistant gas filters. The process involves contacting a dilute coating solution of gas permeable polymer in a solvent with one side of a microporous substrate. The pore size of the substrate is chosen for its ability to effectively filter the gas permeable polymer from the coating solution. Solvent of the coating solution is made to flow through the microporous substrate which causes an ultra thin layer of polymer to build up on the side of substrate. When a desired thickness of polymer is built up, the solution and solvent is removed and residual solvent is evaporated, preferably by passing a gas at high rate over the surface of the polymer layer. This process can be used to coat flat sheet and hollow fiber substrates. The process is particularly useful for coating multiple hollow fibers assembled in modules which by virtue of the high surface area density of small diameter fibers and the efficient packing of many fibers in the modules, provide very high filter surface area in a small volume. The coat…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.