Hollow fiber membrane fluid separation device adapted for boreside feed which contains multiple concentric stages

Claim 1

A concentric multistage hollow fiber membrane fluid separation device adapted for boreside feed comprising: A. a bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes adapted for the separation of one or more fluids from one or more other fluids in a feed fluid mixture, wherein the bundle is partitioned into multiple stages comprising concentric annular regions comprising a feed stage and at least one non-permeate stage, wherein each stage possesses a feed end and a non-permeate end, wherein the feed end of each non-permeate stage is located at the opposite end of the bundle from the feed end of the immediately preceding stage and the non-permeate end of each non-permeate stage is located at the opposite end of the bundle from the non-permeate end of the immediately preceding stage; B. a first tubesheet comprising a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric material located adjacent to the first end of the bundle, wherein the first tubesheet is arranged such that the hollow fiber membranes are embedded in the first tubesheet and communicate through the first tubesheet and are open on the exterior face of the first tubesheet; C. a second tubesheet comprising a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric material located adjacent to the second end of the bundle opposite the first end of the bundle, wherein the second tubesheet is arranged such that the hollow fiber membranes are embedded in the second tubesheet and communicate through the second tubesheet and are open on the exterior face of the second tubesheet; D. a first end capping means arranged and adapted for sealing at the vicinity of the first end of the bundle and/or the first tubesheet; E. a first attachment means arranged for attaching the first end capping means at the vicinity of the first end of the bundle and/or the first tubesheet; F. a first means for forming a seal between the first end capping means and the first end of the bundle and/or the first tubesheet; G. a second end capping means arranged and adapted for sealing at the vicinity of the second end of the bundle and/or the second tubesheet; H. a second attachment means arranged for attaching the second end capping means at the vicinity of the second end of the bundle and/or the second tubesheet; I. a second means for forming a seal between the second end capping means and the second end of the bundle and/or the second tubesheet; J. a feed inlet means adapted for introducing the feed fluid mixture to be separated into the device; K. a feed inlet region, wherein the feed inlet region is sealed such that fluid enters the feed inlet region through the feed inlet means or leaves the feed inlet region through the hollow fiber membranes disposed within the feed stage, wherein the feed inlet region is arranged to introduce the feed fluid mixture into the bores of the hollow fiber membranes disposed within the feed stage at the feed end of said feed stage; L. at least one non-permeate mixing region encompassing the non-permeate end of a stage and the feed end of the immediately successive stage, wherein the non-permeate from said stage enters each non-permeate mixing region from the bores of the hollow fiber membranes disposed within said stage at the non-permeate end of said stage, and each non-permeate mixing region cooperates with the immediately successive non-permeate stage to introduce fluid into the bores of the hollow fiber membranes disposed within said immediately successive non-permeate stage at the feed end of said immediately successive stage; M. a non-permeate outlet means adapted for removing fluid which does not permeate through the hollow fiber membranes from the device; N. a non-permeate outlet region, wherein the non-permeate outlet region is sealed such that fluid which does not permeate the hollow fiber membranes enters the non-permeate outlet region through the hollow fiber membranes or leaves the non-permeate outlet region through the non-permeate outlet means, wherein the non-permeate outlet region is arranged to remove the fluid which does not permeate the hollow fiber membranes from the device through the non-permeate outlet means; and O. means for forming a seal between the non-permeate end of each non-permeate stage and the feed end of each immediately preceding stage.