Replenishing liquid material to membrane

Abstract

There is provided a process for effecting separation of at least a gaseous permeate-disposed operative material from a gaseous supply material that is being supplied to a gaseous supply material receiving space that is disposed in mass transfer communication with a permeate receiving space through a membrane, the gaseous supply material including an operative material that defines a gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and the membrane including a gel. The process includes replenishing liquid material that has become depleted from the gel.

1 . A process for effecting separation of at least a gaseous permeate-disposed operative material from a gaseous supply material that is being supplied to a gaseous supply material receiving space that is disposed in mass transfer communication with a permeate receiving space through a membrane, the gaseous supply material including an operative material that defines a gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and the membrane including a gel, comprising:
 supplying the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space, and while the supplying of the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space is being effected, effecting permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material from the gaseous supply material receiving space, through the membrane, and into the permeate receiving space, wherein the permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material to the permeate receiving space effects production of the gaseous permeate-disposed operative material, and wherein the permeation is effected in response to a differential in chemical potential of the operative material, as between the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space, and wherein the permeation includes transporting of a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane, wherein the carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is defined by at least a fraction of the at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and while the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is being transported through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, and during at least a fraction of the transporting of the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is associated with a carrier material that is dissolved within a liquid material that is disposed within the membrane gel; and   effecting contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material includes a replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material that is dissolved within replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material of the replenishment liquid material defines liquid material of the replenishment liquid material, and wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material that is dissolved within the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material defines dissolved carrier material of the replenishment liquid material, such that, in response to the contacting of the membrane with the replenishment liquid material, at least a fraction of the replenishment liquid material becomes disposed within the membrane gel.   
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material is effected while the supplying of the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space is being effected. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material is periodic, such that the minimum concentration of dissolved carrier material within the replenishment liquid material being supplied during at least one of the periods is greater than the maximum concentration of dissolved carrier material within the replenishment liquid material being supplied during at least another one of the periods. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material is effected after at least a fraction of the liquid material, which is disposed within the membrane gel, becomes depleted. 
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material is effected in response to sensing that at least a fraction of the liquid material, which is disposed within the membrane gel, becomes depleted. 
     
     
         18 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , as effected within a membrane module, wherein the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space are defined by respective compartments, wherein the supplying of the replenishment liquid material to either one or both of the gaseous supply material receiving compartment and the permeate receiving compartment, for the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material, is effected by flowing the replenishment liquid material in an upwardly direction. 
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the replenishment liquid material is supplied to one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space such that transport is effected through the membrane from the one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space to the other one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space, and wherein the pressure within the other one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space is below atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         20 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the membrane includes a polysaccharide, and the replenishment liquid material includes an aqueous solution including a molar concentration of silver ion of at least 1.0. 
     
     
         21 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the replenishment liquid material includes between 10 and 90 weight % water, based on the total weight of the replenishment liquid material. 
     
     
         22 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the permeation of the at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is effected while at least one slower-permeating compound is permeating from the gaseous supply material receiving space, through the membrane, and into the permeate receiving space. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein, while the permeating is being effected, the gaseous permeate is discharged from the permeate receiving space as the gaseous permeate product. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A process for effecting separation of at least a gaseous permeate-disposed operative material from a gaseous supply material that is being supplied to a gaseous supply material receiving space that is disposed in mass transfer communication with a permeate receiving space through a membrane, the gaseous supply material including an operative material that defines a gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and wherein the membrane includes a gel, comprising:
 while supplying the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space and effecting permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material from the gaseous supply material receiving space, through the membrane, and into the permeate receiving space, wherein the permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material to the permeate receiving space effects production of the gaseous permeate-disposed operative material, and wherein the permeation is effected in response to a differential in chemical potential of the operative material, as between the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space, and wherein the permeation includes transporting of a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane, wherein the carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is defined by at least a fraction of the at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and while the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is being transported through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, and during at least a fraction of the transporting of the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is associated with a carrier material that is dissolved within a liquid material that is disposed within the membrane gel, periodically, effecting contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material includes a replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material that is dissolved within replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material of the replenishment liquid material defines liquid material of the replenishment liquid material, and wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material which is dissolved within the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material defines dissolved carrier material of the replenishment liquid material, such that, in response to the contacting of the membrane with the replenishment liquid material, at least a fraction of the replenishment liquid material becomes disposed within the membrane gel.   
     
     
         27 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the minimum concentration of dissolved carrier material within the replenishment liquid material being supplied during at least one of the periods is greater than the maximum concentration of dissolved carrier material within the replenishment liquid material being supplied during at least another one of the periods. 
     
     
         28 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , as effected within a membrane module, wherein the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space are defined by respective compartments, wherein the supplying of the replenishment liquid material to either one or both of the gaseous supply material receiving compartment and the permeate receiving compartment, for the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material, is effected by flowing the replenishment liquid material in an upwardly direction. 
     
     
         40 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the replenishment liquid material is supplied to one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space such that transport is effected through the membrane from the one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space to the other one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space, and wherein the pressure within the other one of the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space is below atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         41 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the membrane includes a polysaccharide, and the replenishment liquid material includes an aqueous solution including a molar concentration of silver ion of at least 1.0. 
     
     
         42 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the replenishment liquid material includes between 10 and 90 weight % water, based on the total weight of the replenishment liquid material. 
     
     
         43 . The process as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the permeation of the at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is effected while at least one slower-permeating compound is permeating from the gaseous supply material receiving space, through the membrane, and into the permeate receiving space. 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The process as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein, while the permeating is being effected, the gaseous permeate is discharged from the permeate receiving space as the gaseous permeate product. 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A process for effecting separation of at least a gaseous permeate-disposed operative material from a gaseous supply material that is being supplied to a gaseous supply material receiving space that is disposed in mass transfer communication with a permeate receiving space through a membrane, the gaseous supply material including an operative material that defines a gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and wherein the membrane includes a gel, comprising a repeating set of steps, the repeating set of steps comprising:
 supplying the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space and, while the supplying of the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space is being effected, effecting permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material from the gaseous supply material receiving space, through the membrane, and into the permeate receiving space, wherein the permeation of at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material to the permeate receiving space effects production of the gaseous permeate-disposed operative material, and wherein the permeation is effected in response to a differential in partial pressure of the operative material, as between the gaseous supply material receiving space and the permeate receiving space, and wherein the permeation includes transporting of a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane, wherein the carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is defined by at least a fraction of the at least a separation fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material, and while the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is being transported through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, and during at least a fraction of the transporting of the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material through the membrane and towards the permeate receiving space, the at least a carrier-transported fraction of the gaseous supply material-disposed operative material is associated with a carrier material that is dissolved within a liquid material that is disposed within the membrane gel;   suspending the supplying of the gaseous supply material to the gaseous supply material receiving space;   after the suspension of the supplying of the gaseous supply material has been effected, effecting contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material includes a replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material that is dissolved within replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material, wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material of the replenishment liquid material defines liquid material of the replenishment liquid material, and wherein the replenishment liquid material-disposed carrier material that is dissolved within the replenishment liquid material-disposed liquid material defines dissolved carrier material of the replenishment liquid material, such that, in response to the contacting of the membrane with the replenishment liquid material, at least a fraction of the replenishment liquid material becomes disposed within the membrane gel; and   suspending the effecting of the contacting of the membrane with a replenishment liquid material.   
     
     
         48 - 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 - 77 . (canceled)