CARTRIDGE TYPE HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE MODULE

• US 20160107125A1
• Filed: 04/24/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: KOBAYASHI, Atsushi, INUZUKA, Hayato, SHIMURA, Shun, TAKEUCHI, Norihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,895,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/02 Specific tightening or locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/04 Specific sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/041 Gaskets or O-rings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/042 Adhesives or glues
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/08 Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/08 Fully permeating type; Dead-end filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/034 Lumen open in more than two directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/04 comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268

Abstract

A cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module of the present invention includes: a housing; a plurality of hollow fiber membranes housed in the housing; a first potting part which bundles first ends of the hollow fiber membranes while keeping the first ends open; a second potting part which bundles second ends of the hollow fiber membranes while keeping the second ends sealed; a fixing part which detachably fixes the first potting part to the housing; a sealing part which liquid-tightly seals a space between the first potting part and the housing; and a holding part which holds the second potting part so that the second potting part is detachable from the housing and so that liquids can pass through a space between the second potting part and the housing.

Claims

1. A cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of hollow fiber membranes housed in the housing;

a first potting part which bundles first ends of the hollow fiber membranes while keeping the first ends open;

a second potting part which bundles second ends of the hollow fiber membranes while keeping the second ends sealed;

a fixing part which detachably fixes the first potting part to the housing;

a sealing part which liquid-tightly seals a space between the first potting part and the housing; and

a holding part which holds the second potting part so that the second potting part is detachable from the housing and so that liquids can pass through a space between the second potting part and the housing,

wherein a gap is provided between the second potting part and the housing,

the second potting part is movable in a radial direction and an axial direction of the housing, and

the holding part restricts a movement of the second potting part in the axial direction of the housing.

2. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein at least one first holding groove is provided to the housing in a position which faces an outer peripheral surface of the second potting part,

at least one second holding groove is provided to the outer peripheral surface of the second potting part in a position which faces the first holding groove, and

the holding part is a pin, and the pin is inserted into both the first holding groove and the second holding groove.

3. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein a first holding groove is provided to the housing in a position which faces the outer peripheral surface of the second potting part,

a second holding groove is provided to the outer peripheral surface of the second potting part in a position which faces the first holding groove, and

the holding part is a ring-shaped member having at least one notch, and the ring-shaped member is inserted into both the first holding groove and the second holding groove.

4. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein at least one holding groove is provided to the housing in a position which faces the outer peripheral surface of the second potting part, or provided to the second potting part in a position which faces an inner peripheral surface of the housing,

in a case where the housing has the holding groove, the holding part is provided to the second potting part in a position which faces the holding groove,

in a case where the second potting part has the holding groove, the holding part is provided to the housing in a position which faces the holding groove, and

the holding part is a pin, and the pin is inserted into the holding groove.

5. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 2, wherein when the second potting part is moved in a direction opposite from the first potting part, the holding part is in line contact with both the first holding groove and the second holding groove to thereby hold the second potting part.

6. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 4, wherein when the second potting part is moved in the direction opposite from the first potting part, the holding part is in line contact with the holding groove to thereby hold the second potting part.

7. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the housing is equipped with at least one first fastener,

the second potting part is equipped with at least one second fastener, and

the holding part is a stringy member, and the stringy member connects the first fastener and the second fastener to each other.

8. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the second potting part has one or more through holes which pierce the second potting part in the axial direction of the housing, and

an opening of at least one through hole among the through holes on a surface of the second potting part which faces the first potting part is located in a region which ranges within a height of 3 mm from the lowest portion of said surface.

9. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the second potting part has one or more through holes which pierce the second potting part in the axial direction of the housing, and

a sum of a channel area of the through holes and a channel area of the gap between the second potting part and the housing is 5 to 30% of a cross-sectional area of the housing.

10. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 1, which is equipped with a flow regulation cylinder below the first potting part, wherein a gap is provided between a lower end of the flow regulation cylinder and the housing.

11. The cartridge type hollow-fiber membrane module according to claim 3, wherein when the second potting part is moved in a direction opposite from the first potting part, the holding part is in line contact with both the first holding groove and the second holding groove to thereby hold the second potting part.