Abstract: The present invention is a hollow fiber separation assembly having one or more bundles of hollow fiber membranes with a tubesheet at each end enclosed by an end cap. An impermeable housing, preferably made from a flexible polymeric material, most preferably a shrinkable tubing, contacts and encloses the bundle, extending between the end caps. The polymeric, impermeable housing contacts and compacts the array of fibers in the bundle to enhance axial flow along the outside of individual fibers, protects the fiber bundle between the end caps, and contains the permeated fluid and diverts it to a port or ports at the end(s) of the bundle. This hollow fiber separation device provides a large capacity, and is also low cost, lightweight, may be used as a stand-alone separation device, and does not have a high-pressure section which requires testing.

Abstract: A high strength and low weight hollow fiber membrane tubesheet can be achieved by incorporating with the potting material a loading of a nominally spherical filler. The microsphere filler is preferably nonsmooth, hollow and nonporous and may be treated with a surface modifier agent. Other advantages are also obtained including improved machineability with more open, nonsmeared and nondistorted hollow fibers.

Abstract: A permeable membrane apparatus having one or more hollow-fiber bundles enclosed in a single housing with end caps adapted so as to segment the bundles into a plurality of portions that can be separately used for fluid separation and its use.