Filtration equipment for hollow fiber module

• US 5,484,528 A
• Filed: 08/26/1994
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Organo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Organo Corporation
• Inventors: Yagi, Masayoshi, Sunaoka, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Fortuna, Ana M.
• Application Number:
  US08/296,834
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 210/321.8, 210/321.89, 210/321.87, 210/321.78, 210/321.79, 210/456, 210/500.23, 210/350, 210/357, 210/323.2, 210/232, 96/10
• US Class Current: 210/321.8
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/24 Tools used for the removal of filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/06 External membrane module supporting or fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/13 Specific connectors
• 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

Abstract

A filter vessel is partitioned into a first, second and third compartments with upper and lower watertight partitions. A plurality of hollow fiber modules each having upper and lower filtrate outlet ports are vertically disposed in the second compartment, and upward-detachably fixed in the filter vessel. Each hollow fiber module is watertightly joined with a lower water collection tube communicating with the third compartment by means of a jointing means capable of vertical elastic movement. Feed water fed into the second compartment is filtered through walls of porous hollow fibers in the hollow fiber modules into the bores of the porous hollow fibers, through which the filtrate is conducted into the first compartment via the upper filtrate outlet ports of the hollow fiber modules as well as into the third compartment via the lower filtrate outlet ports of the hollow fiber modules and lower water collection tubes joined with the respective hollow fiber modules. The filtrate collected in the first and third compartments is then discharged therefrom out of the filter column.

Claims

1. Filtration equipment comprising a filter vessel, a first fluid-tight partition and a second fluid-tight partition horizontally disposed at upper and lower positions respectively remote from each other in said filter vessel to form a first compartment, a second compartment and a third compartment in this order from above, and a hollow fiber modules having upper and lower filtrate outlet ports, vertically disposed in said second compartment, said hollow fiber modules are individually upward-detachably fixed in said filter vessel, and having the ends fitted in said partitions, and fluid tightly joined with a lower water collection tube communicating with said third compartment by means of jointing means capable of vertical elastic movement;

an inlet connected to said second compartment, wherein fluid fed into said second compartment through said inlet is filtered through the walls of porous hollow fibers in said hollow fiber modules, while the filtrate is conducted in to said first compartment via said upper filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules as into said third compartment via said lower filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules and said lower water collection tube, said filtrate collected in said first and third compartments is then discharged therefrom out of said vessel through outlet means.

2. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide plate having a perforation for thrusting therethrough the lower part of said hollow fiber module to facilitate positioning of said hollow fiber module to a predetermined position is provided in said filter vessel.

3. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bubble distribution mechanism essentially consisting of a gas distributor panel having a perforation just under said jointing means and a perforated bubble distributor tube attached to said gas distributor panel and extending downward from said perforation of said gas distributer panel is provided in said filter vessel;

and wherein gas fed on the lower side of said gas distributor panel is conducted in the form of bubbles to the lower part of said hollow fiber module via the perforations of said perforated bubble distributor tube and said perforation of said gas distributor panel.

4. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow fiber module is disposed along with at least one hollow fiber module having upper and lower filtrate outlet ports, vertically disposed in said second compartment, upward-detachably fixed in said filter vessel, and fluid-tightly joined with a lower water collection tube communicating with said third compartment by means of a jointing means capable of vertical elastic movement;

and wherein fluid fed into said second compartment is filtered through the walls of porous hollow fibers in the hollow fiber modules, while the filtrate is conducted into said first compartment via the upper filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules as well as into said third compartment via the lower filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules and the lower water collection tubes joined with the respective hollow fiber modules, and the filtrate collected in said first and third compartments is then discharged therefrom out of said filter vessel.

5. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein a guide plate having perforations for thrusting therethrough the lower parts of said hollow fiber modules to facilitate positioning of said hollow fiber modules to predetermined positions is provided in said filter vessel.

6. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein a bubble distribution mechanism essentially consisting of a gas distributor panel having perforations just under the respective jointing means and perforated bubble distributor tubes attached to said gas distributor panel and extending downward from the respective perforations of said gas distributer panel is provided in said filter vessel;

and wherein gas fed on the lower side of said gas distributor panel is conducted in the form of bubbles to the lower parts of said hollow fiber modules via the perforations of said perforated bubble distributor tubes and said perforations of said gas distributor panel.

7. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jointing means is integrated with the hollow fiber module.

8. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jointing means is integrated with the lower filtrate collection tube.

9. Filtration equipment comprising a filter vessel, a number of hollow fiber modules each having upper and lower filtrate outlet ports and vertically disposed and individually upward-detachably fixed in said filter vessel, a common upper filtrate collection compartment provided in an upper part of said filter vessel and communicating with the upper filtrate outlet ports of said number of said hollow fiber modules, a plurality of lower manifolds each fluid-tightly joined with a plurality of hollow fiber modules and set on the lower filtrate outlet ports thereof by means of respective jointing means capable of vertical elastic movement and each provided for one hollow fiber module, each lower manifold being provided with at least one conduit communicating with said common upper filtrate collection compartment for conducting the filtrate outlet ports of said plurality of the hollow fiber modules into said common upper filtrate collection compartment;

an inlet connected to said filtering vessel, and wherein fluid fed into said filter vessel through said inlet is filtered through the walls of porous hollow fibers in the hollow fiber modules, while the filtrate is conducted into said common upper filtrate collection compartment via said upper filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules as well as via the lower filtrate outlet ports of said hollow fiber modules, said lower manifolds and conduits thereof, and the filtrate collected in said common upper filtrate collection compartment is then discharged therefrom out of the filter vessel.

10. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein each jointing means is integrated with each hollow fiber module.

11. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein each jointing means is integrated with corresponding lower manifold.

12. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein a guide plate having perforations for thrusting therethrough the lower parts of said hollow fiber modules to facilitate positioning of said hollow fiber modules to predetermined positions is provided in said filter vessel.

13. Filtration equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein a bubble distributing mechanism essentially consisting of a gas distributor panel having perforations just under the respective jointing means and perforated bubble distributor tubes attached to said gas distributor panel and extending downward from the respective perforations of said gas distributer panel is provided in said filter vessel;

and wherein gas fed on the lower side of said gas distributor panel is conducted in the form of bubbles to the lower parts of said hollow fiber modules via the perforations of said perforated bubble distributor tubes and said perforations of said gas distributor panel.