Fluid separation element assembly

• US 6,224,767 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Koji, Fujino, Hisaaki, Ikada, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US09/264,746
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 210/232, 210/321.77, 210/321.86, 210/322, 210/323.1, 210/450, 210/451, 210/493.1, 210/493.4, 210/497.1
• US Class Current: 210/323.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/10 Spiral-wound membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/101 Spiral winding
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/106 Anti-Telescopic-Devices [ATD]
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/12 comprising multiple spiral-wound assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis

Abstract

A fluid separation element assembly comprises a fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around the membrane unit, an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of the fluid separation element at a condition free to be detached, and a feed water seal member for preventing feed water from leaking through a gap between the fluid separation element and the anti-telescoping plate. The membrane unit is formed by a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube. By providing the anti-telescoping plate detachably, when the separation membrane has reached its life, it is possible to reuse other members. By providing the feed water seal member, it is possible to ensure a large diameter of the fluid separation element as well as to appropriately prevent leakage of feed water into a gap between a pressure vessel and the fluid separation element, thereby increasing the amount of treated water and improving the quality of the treated water.

Claims

1. A fluid separation element assembly comprising:

a fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around said membrane unit, said membrane unit being formed of a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube, a plurality of said fluid separation elements including said separation membrane, said carrier material and said feed carrier material being contained in a pressure vessel;

an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of one of said fluid separation elements with freedom to be detached; and

feed water seal means sealingly connected across a gap between said fluid separation element and said anti-telescoping plate, for preventing fluid feed from leaking through said gap.

2. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 1, wherein said feed water seal means comprises a ring member provided on at least one end of said wrapping material and projecting in the axial direction of said fluid separation element.

3. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 2, wherein said ring member is composed of a material having a flexural strength of 50 MPa or more.

4. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 2, wherein said ring member is formed as a divided ring having seams at positions in the circumferential direction of said ring member.

5. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 2, wherein said ring member is positioned in contact with said anti-telescoping plate.

6. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 2, wherein a seal ring is attached at a periphery of said anti-telescoping plate.

7. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 6, wherein said seal ring is attached in a groove formed on said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate.

8. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 1, wherein a ring portion projecting toward a fluid separation element side is provided on a radially outer portion of said anti-telescoping plate.

9. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 8, wherein said feed water seal means is provided between said projected ring portion and a periphery of said fluid separation element.

10. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 8, wherein said feed water seal means covers an area extending from a periphery of said projected ring portion to a periphery of said fluid separation element.

11. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 8, wherein a seal ring is attached on a periphery of said anti-telescoping plate.

12. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 11, wherein said seal ring is attached in a groove formed on said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate.

13. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 1, wherein said anti-telescoping plate comprises a disc portion having a feed water passage and a joint tube portion provided in a central portion of said disc portion and having a permeated water passage.

14. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 13, wherein said anti-telescoping plate further comprises a member preventing feed water from entering into said permeate collection tube.

15. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 14, wherein said disc portion and said joint tube portion are integrally formed.

16. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 14, wherein said disc portion and said joint tube portion are formed separately from each other.

17. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 14, wherein said joint tube portion is inserted into said permeate collection tube.

18. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 1, wherein said feed carrier material comprises a net having meshes each shaped as a rhombus, said net is disposed so that a longer axis of said rhombus is directed in the flow direction of said feed water, the angle of a side of said rhombus is in a range of ±

15 to ±

45 degrees relative to the flow direction of said feed water, the thickness of said net is in a range of 0.5 to 0.9 mm, and the length of said longer axis of said rhombus is in a range of 3 to 8 mm.

19. A fluid separation membrane module containing a plurality of fluid separation element assemblies according to claim 1 in a pressure vessel.

20. The fluid separation membrane module according to claim 19, wherein said pressure vessel has a lid at its each axial end, and between said lid and an anti-telescoping plate of a fluid separation element assembly located at a most upstream position in the flow direction of feed water, means for pressing the anti-telescoping plate in the axial direction of said pressure vessel is provided.

21. A fluid separation element assembly comprising:

a fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around said membrane unit, said membrane unit being formed by a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube;

an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of said fluid separation element at a condition free to be detached; and

a seal ring attached on a periphery of said anti-telescoping plate for sealing a gap between said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate and an inner surface of a pressure vessel containing said fluid separation element and said anti-telescoping plate.

22. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 21, wherein said seal ring is attached in a groove formed on said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate.

23. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 22, wherein a side wall located at a position upstream of said groove in the flow direction of feed water is taller than a side wall located at a position downstream of said groove in the flow direction of said feed water, and said seal ring attached in said groove comes into contact with said fluid separation element.

24. A fluid separation membrane module containing a plurality of fluid separation element assemblies according to claim 21 in a pressure vessel.

25. The fluid separation membrane module according to claim 24, wherein said pressure vessel has a lid at its each axial end, and between said lid and an anti-telescoping plate of a fluid separation element assembly located at a most upstream position in the flow direction of feed water, means for pressing the anti-telescoping plate in the axial direction of said pressure vessel is provided.

26. A fluid separation element assembly comprising:

a fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around said membrane unit, said membrane unit being formed of a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube;

an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of said fluid separation element with freedom to be detached; and

feed fluid seal means sealingly connected across a gap between said fluid separation element and said anti-telescoping plate, for preventing feed fluid from leaking through said gap, wherein said feed fluid seal means comprises a ring member provided on at least one end of said wrapping material, and projecting in the axial direction of said fluid separation element, wherein said ring member is composed of a material having a flexural strength of 50 Mpa or more, and wherein said ring member is formed as a divided ring having seams at positions in the circumferential direction of said ring member.

27. A fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around said membrane unit, said membrane unit being formed by a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed water carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube;

an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of said fluid separation element at a condition free to be detached; and

a seal ring attached on a periphery of said anti-telescoping plate for sealing a gap between said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate and an inner surface of a pressure vessel containing said fluid separation element and said anti-telescoping plate, wherein said seal ring is attached in a groove formed on said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate, wherein a side wall located at a position upstream of said groove in the flow direction of feed water is taller than a side wall located at a position downstream of said groove in the flow direction of said feed water, and said seal ring attached in said groove comes into contact with said fluid separation element.

28. A fluid separation element assembly comprising a fluid separation element having a membrane unit and a wrapping material formed around said membrane unit, said membrane unit being formed of a separation membrane, a permeate carrier material and a feed carrier material which are spirally wound around a permeate collection tube;

an anti-telescoping plate attached to at least one end of said fluid separation element with freedom to be detached; and

feed water seal means sealingly connected across a gap between said fluid separation element and said anti-telescoping plate, for preventing fluid feed from leaking through said gap,

wherein said seal means is a seal ring and is attached at a periphery of said anti-telescoping plate, and wherein said seal ring is attached in a groove formed on said periphery of said anti-telescoping plate, wherein a side wall located at a position upstream of said groove in the flow direction of said feed water is taller than a side wall located at a position downstream of said groove in the flow direction of said feed water, and said seal ring attached in said groove comes into contact with said fluid separation element.

29. The fluid separation element assembly according to claim 28, wherein a seal ring attached in said groove comes into contact with a ring member provided on said wrapping material.