Square Mbr Manifold System

• US 20080210623A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Cox, David John, Johnson, Warren Thomas, Zha, Fufang, McMahon, Robert James, Phelps, Roger William, Barkho, Sargon
• Granted Patent: US 7,862,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/485
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/10 Specific supply elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/12 Specific discharge elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/21 Specific headers, end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/06 Submerged-type; Immersion type
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/185 Aeration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/20 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/021 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/022 Encapsulating hollow fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0231 using supporting structures, e.g. filaments for weaving mats
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/024 with a single potted end
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/04 comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/043 with separate tube sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/08 Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration

Abstract

A membrane module (3) comprising a plurality of porous hollow membranes (8). The membranes (8) extend between and are fixed at each end in a header (5, 6). One header (6) has one or more of openings (12) formed therein. The openings (12) are in fluid communication with a source of gas and/or liquid (13, 14, 15). The other of the headers (5) is sealingly connected to and in fluid communication with a head-piece (9). The head-piece (9) is adapted to couple to an associated head-piece of a further module to form a rack of modules (17). A potting head (6) for use in mounting porous hollow membranes (8) is also disclosed comprising a preformed potting element (29). The potting element (29) includes one or more cavities (30) for receiving curate potting material which, in use, supports said membranes (8).

Claims

1. A membrane module comprising a plurality of porous hollow membranes, said membranes extending between and being fixed at each end in a header, one header having one or more of openings formed therein;

said openings being in fluid communication with a source of gas and/or liquid;

the other of said headers being sealingly connected to and in fluid communication with a head-piece;

said head-piece being adapted to couple to an associated head-piece of a further module to form a rack of modules.

2. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the headpiece includes a filtrate conduit in fluid communication with open ends of said membranes for the withdrawal of filtrate therefrom.

3. A membrane module according to claim 2 wherein the headpiece includes a further gas/air conduit for communicating gas/air to the module.

4. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the module is square or rectangular shaped in cross-section.

5. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein a skirt is provided below said one header.

6. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein said membranes are mounted vertically and the source of liquid includes an opening in a conduit positioned below said skirt.

7. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the source of gas includes a pipe or tube passing through a sidewall of said skirt, the distal end of said pipe being positioned below said openings for feeding gas thereto.

8. A membrane module according to claim 7 wherein the pipe or tube is connected to the gas/air conduit of the headpiece.

9. A membrane module according to claim 5 wherein said skirt is arranged to mix said gas and liquid before passing through said openings.

10. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the headers are spaced and supported by one or more support members longitudinally extending between the headers.

11. A membrane module according to claim 10 wherein the support members are rods.

12. A membrane module according to claim 10 or 11 wherein one of more of the support members are hollow tubes and used to supply gas to the skirt from the gas/air conduit.

13. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the membranes are enclosed along part of their length by a screen for retaining gas/air bubbles and liquid flow within the module.

14. A membrane module according to claim 13 wherein the screen is substantially impervious to gas/air bubbles and/or liquid or both.

15. A membrane module according to claim 1 wherein the membranes comprise porous hollow fibres, the fibres being fixed at each end in a header, the lower header having a plurality of openings formed therein.

16. A membrane module according to claim 15 wherein the fibres are sealed at the lower end and open at their upper end to allow removal of filtrate.

17. A membrane module according to claim 15 wherein the fibres are arranged in partitioned bundles.

18. A membrane module according to claim 17 wherein the openings are positioned to coincide with the spaces formed between said partitioned bundles.

19. A membrane module according to claim 17 wherein said openings comprise a slot, slots or one or more rows of holes.

20. A membrane module according to claim 19 wherein the fibre bundles are located in the potting head between the slots or rows of holes.

21. A membrane module rack including a plurality of membrane modules according to claim 1 connected together by said headpieces.

22. A membrane module according to claim 21 wherein the said one headers are connected together by connection means.

23. A membrane module according to claim 22 wherein the connection means includes interlocking formations provided on said one headers of the modules.

24. A filtration system including a rack of membrane modules according to claim 1 wherein said modules are positioned vertically in a tank containing feed liquid to be filtered, means to apply a transmembrane pressure to said membranes in said modules to cause filtrate to pass through pores in said membranes and means to supply continually or intermittently a supply of gas to said openings so as to produce gas bubbles which move upwardly between said fibres to scour the outer surfaces thereof.

25. A filtration system according to claim 24 wherein the supply of gas to said openings includes a mixture of gas and liquid.

35. A membrane module according to claim 6 wherein said opening comprises a jet.

26. A potting head for use in mounting porous hollow membranes comprising a preformed potting element, said potting element including one or more cavities for receiving curable potting material which, in use, supports said membranes.

27. A potting head according to claim 26 wherein the potting element is formed from injection-molded plastic material.

28. A potting head according to claim 26 wherein the potting element has one or more through openings formed therein for communication of fluid therethrough.

29. A potting head according to claim 28 wherein said through openings are located between said cavities.

30. A potting head according to claim 26 wherein said cavities comprise channels formed in said potting element.

31. A membrane module comprising a plurality of porous hollow membranes, said membranes extending between and being fixed at each end in a header, at least one of said headers comprising a preformed potting element, said potting element including one or more cavities containing a curable potting material which fixes and supports said membranes, said potting element having one or more of through openings formed therein;

said through openings being in fluid communication with a source of gas and/or liquid.

32. A membrane module according to claim 31 wherein said through openings are located between said cavities for flowing said gas and/or liquid between said membranes.

33. A membrane module according to claim 32 wherein said membranes comprise bundles of membranes and said flow of gas and/or liquid is between said bundles and membranes.

34. A membrane module according to claim 33 wherein the bundle is in the form of a mat.