Method for detecting membrane leakage

• US 4,188,817 A
• Filed: 10/04/1978
• Issued: 02/19/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Standard Oil Company (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Standard Oil Company (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Steigelmann, Edward F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swisher, S. Clement
• Application Number:
  US05/948,334
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40, 73/40.7, 73/45.5, 73/49.1
• US Class Current: 73/40.7
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/38 Liquid-membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/102 Detection of leaks in membranes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/20 using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material

Abstract

Method for detecting leakage of semipermeable membranes or hollow fibers, said membranes or fibers exhibiting salt rejection, which comprises contacting one side of the membrane or fiber with an aqueous salt solution so that purified water will pass across non-leaking members to the second side and a salt enriched aqueous solution will pass to the second side of leaking members, and measuring the salt content of the aqueous solution on the second side of the member so that leaking members can be detected.

Claims

1. A method for the detection of leaking hollow fibers, said fibers exhibiting salt rejection, said method comprising:

contacting one side of one or more fibers with an aqueous salt solution so that purified water will pass across non-leaking fibers to the second side of such fibers and a salt enriched aqueous solution will pass to the second side of leaking fibers; and

measuring the salt content of the aqueous solution on the second side of the fiber or fibers so that leaking fibers can be detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the salt content of the aqueous solution is determined by conductivity measurements.

3. A method for the detection of leaking semipermeable membranes, said membranes exhibiting salt rejection, said method comprising:

contacting one side of one or more semipermeable membranes with an aqueous salt solution so that purified water will pass across non-leaking membranes to the second side of such membranes and a salt enriched aqueous solution will pass to the second side of leaking membranes; and

measuring the salt content of the aqueous solution on the second side of the membrane or membranes so that leaking membranes can be detected.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the salt content of the aqueous solution is determined by conductivity measurements.