Gel potting method and method to reduce twinning for filtering hollow fibre membranes
First Claim
1. A method of potting filtering hollow fibre membranes in a header, cap or end of a module comprising the steps of:
- (a) collecting a plurality of hollow fibre membranes together;
(b) inserting ends of the membranes into a fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel in a container, the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel having sufficient viscosity to not wick up the fibres significantly and sufficient density to not float on top of a fixing liquid to be placed in the container above the fugitive potting liquid;
(c) placing fixing liquid in the container over the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel which fixing liquid surrounds each membrane and then becomes a solid sealingly connected to the outside of each membrane but not blocking the lumens of the membranes;
(d) separating the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel from the fixing liquid after the fixing liquid has solidified;
(e) opening the ends of the membranes; and
, (f) attaching the solidified fixing liquid to a header pan, cap or end of a module in a position where the open ends of the membranes can be in fluid communication with a permeate channel in the header.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To pot membranes in a header, a dense, viscous liquid, suspension or, preferably, a thixotropic, water soluble gel, is placed in a header pan in space reserved for a permeate channel. A plurality of hollow fibre membranes are collected together and their open ends are inserted into the gel. A fixing liquid, typically a resin, is placed over the gel. The fixing liquid surrounds each membrane and then solidifies, simultaneously sealing the outer surfaces of the membranes and forming a plug in the opening of the header to complete the permeate channel. After the fixing liquid has solidified, the gel is removed by various means. The space initially occupied by the gel becomes part of the permeate channel after the gel is removed. In one embodiment, membranes are grouped by a cushioning adhesive which later surrounds the membranes where they exit the completed header.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of potting filtering hollow fibre membranes in a header, cap or end of a module comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a plurality of hollow fibre membranes together;
(b) inserting ends of the membranes into a fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel in a container, the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel having sufficient viscosity to not wick up the fibres significantly and sufficient density to not float on top of a fixing liquid to be placed in the container above the fugitive potting liquid;
(c) placing fixing liquid in the container over the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel which fixing liquid surrounds each membrane and then becomes a solid sealingly connected to the outside of each membrane but not blocking the lumens of the membranes;
(d) separating the fugitive potting liquid, suspension or gel from the fixing liquid after the fixing liquid has solidified;
(e) opening the ends of the membranes; and
,(f) attaching the solidified fixing liquid to a header pan, cap or end of a module in a position where the open ends of the membranes can be in fluid communication with a permeate channel in the header. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of potting filtering hollow fibre membranes in a header comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a plurality of hollow fibre membranes together;
(b) inserting ends of the membranes into a thixotropic material in a container, the thixotropic material having sufficient viscosity to not wick up the fibres significantly and sufficient density to not float above a fixing liquid to be placed in the container above the thixotropic material;
(c) placing fixing liquid in the container over the thixotropic material which fixing liquid surrounds each membrane and then becomes a solid sealingly connected to the outside of each membrane but not blocking the lumens of the membranes;
(d) separating the thixotropic material from the fixing liquid after the fixing liquid has solidified;
(e) opening the ends of the membranes; and
,(f) attaching the solidified fixing liquid to a header pan, cap or end of a module in a position where the open ends of the membranes can be in fluid communication with a permeate channel in the header, cap or end of a module. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification