HOLLOW-FIBER ELEMENT FOR ORGANIC-VAPOR SEPARATION

• US 20120031831A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBE Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: UBE Industries Limited
• Inventors: Kanougi, Tomonori, Irisa, Yuma, Fukunaga, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 9,248,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/321.61
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/08 Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/022 Encapsulating hollow fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/023 Encapsulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/033 Specific distribution of fibres within one potting or tube-sheet

Abstract

In a hollow fiber element constituting a separation membrane module for separating an organic vapor, at least one end part of a fiber bundle consisting of multiple hollow fiber membranes having a selective permeability is fixed and bound with a tube sheet formed by a cured material, in which an epoxy composition (A) has been cured by using a hardener (B). A glass transition temperature of said cured material is not less than 160° C., a minimum elongation at break thereof is not less than 7.0%, and an elution ratio thereof is less than 5%. For this reason, the hollow fiber element has enough endurance to retain a gas-tightness of an internal space of the hollow fiber membrane and an external space of the hollow fiber membrane even in use under organic vapor with an elevated temperature and high pressure.

Claims

1. A hollow fiber element constituting a separation membrane module for separating an organic vapor, in which at least one end part of a fiber bundle consisting of multiple hollow fiber membranes having a selective permeability is fixed and bound with a tube sheet formed by a cured material, in which an epoxy composition (A) has been cured by using a hardener (B), wherein

a glass transition temperature of the cured material is not less than 160°

C., a minimum elongation at break thereof is not less than 7.0%, and an elution ratio thereof is less than 5%.

2. A hollow fiber element for organic vapor separation according to claim 1, wherein the epoxy composition (A) comprises:

an epoxy compound (a1) represented by the following chemical formula (a1) and/or an epoxy compound (a2) represented by the following chemical formula (a2), and an epoxy compound (a3) represented by the following chemical formula (a3); and

wherein the epoxy compound (a3) in the epoxy composition (A) is in 7 to 50% by weight;

3. A hollow fiber element for organic vapor separation according to claim 1, wherein the epoxy composition (A) comprises an epoxy compound (a2) represented by the following chemical formula (a2), and wherein the hardener (B) is an aromatic amine compound (b1) represented by the following chemical formula (b1);

4. A hollow fiber element for organic vapor separation according to claim 1, wherein the epoxy composition (A) comprises an epoxy compound (a4) represented by the following chemical formula (a4), and wherein the hardener (B) is an aromatic amine compound (b1) represented by the following chemical formula (b1);

5. A hollow fiber element for organic vapor separation according to claim 1, wherein the hardener (B) is an aromatic amine compound (b2) represented by the following chemical formula (b2):

6. A hollow fiber element for organic vapor separation according to claim 1, wherein the epoxy composition (A) comprises an epoxy compound (a5) represented by the following chemical formula (a5):