MODULE CASE AND HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE MODULE USING THE SAME

• US 20120097601A1
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hifilm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kolon Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Kwang Jin, Lee, Moo-Seok, Shin, Yong-Cheol
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/495
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/02 Specific tightening or locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/21 Specific headers, end caps
• 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 63/0233 forming the bundle

Abstract

A hollow fiber membrane module is disclosed, which is capable of preventing a bundle of hollow fiber membranes from being separated from a module case, the hollow fiber membrane module for accommodating a bundle of hollow fiber membranes closely held together through the use of potting agent, including a module case including: a first inner surface serving as a projection on which the bundle of hollow fiber membranes is stably placed; a second inner surface upwardly extending from one end of the first inner surface, the second inner surface including at least one separation-preventing groove to prevent the bundle of hollow fiber membranes from being separated from the module case; a third inner surface downwardly extending from the other end of the first inner surface; and a fourth inner surface connected to the third inner surface.

Claims

1. A module case for accommodating a bundle of hollow fiber membranes closely held together through the use of potting agent, comprising:

a first inner surface serving as a projection on which the bundle of hollow fiber membranes is stably placed;

a second inner surface upwardly extending from one end of the first inner surface, the second inner surface including at least one separation-preventing groove to prevent the bundle of hollow fiber membranes from being separated from the module case;

a third inner surface downwardly extending from the other end of the first inner surface; and

a fourth inner surface connected to the third inner surface.

2. The module case according to claim 1, wherein the separation-preventing groove comprises:

an inlet provided on an extended surface of the second inner surface; and

a room for defining the separation-preventing groove together with the inlet,

wherein, on assumption that a width is defined with reference to a line parallel to the second inner surface, a width of the room is larger than a width of the inlet.

3. The module case according to claim 1, wherein the separation-preventing groove comprises:

a first inlet provided on an extended surface of the second inner surface; and

a first room, a second inlet, and a second room sequentially arranged after the first inlet,

wherein, on assumption that a width is defined with reference to a line parallel to the second inner surface, a width of the second room is larger than a width of the second inlet.

4. The module case according to claim 1, wherein the separation-preventing groove is formed from one end of the second inner surface to the other end of the second inner surface along a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

5. The module case according to claim 1, wherein the module case has a polygonal-shaped or curvilinear-shaped cross section when the module case is cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

6. A hollow fiber membrane module comprising:

a module case comprising;

a first inner surface serving as a projection on which a bundle of hollow fiber membranes is stably placed;

a second inner surface upwardly extending from one end of the first inner surface, the second inner surface including at least one separation-preventing groove to prevent the bundle of hollow fiber membranes from being separated from the module case;

a third inner surface downwardly extending from the other end of the first inner surface; and

a fourth inner surface connected to the third inner surface,

a bundle of hollow fiber membranes closely held together through the use of first potting agent, the bundle of hollow fiber membranes being placed on the first inner surface of the module case; and

a second potting agent for potting the bundle of hollow fiber membranes into the module case,

wherein the second potting agent is filled in the separation-preventing groove of the module case.

7. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the first potting agent is in contact with the first and second inner surfaces of the module case.

8. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the first potting agent is in contact with the first and third inner surfaces of the module case.

9. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 8, wherein the first potting agent is not in contact with the second inner surface of the module case.

10. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the separation-preventing groove comprises;

an inlet provided on an extended surface of the second inner surface; and

a room for defining the separation-preventing groove together with the inlet,

wherein, on assumption that a width is defined with reference to a line parallel to the second inner surface, a width of the room is larger than a width of the inlet.

11. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the separation-preventing groove comprises:

a first inlet provided on an extended surface of the second inner surface; and

a first room, a second inlet, and a second room sequentially arranged after the first inlet,

wherein, on assumption that a width is defined with reference to a line parallel to the second inner surface, a width of the second room is larger than a width of the second inlet.

12. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the separation-preventing groove is formed from one end of the second inner surface to the other end of the second inner surface along a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

13. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the module case has a polygonal-shaped or curvilinear-shaped cross section when the module case is cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

14. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 6, wherein the module case comprises:

a first module case for accommodating one end of the hollow fiber membrane module; and

a second module case for accommodating the other end of the hollow fiber membrane module.