Hollow-fibre membrane module

• US 9,248,409 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coway EnTech Co., Ltd. (Coway Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Woongjin Coway Company Limited
• Inventors: Noh, Soo-Hong, Kwon, Oh-Sung, Choi, Young-Keun, Kim, Chan-Sik, Lee, Seung-Il, Choi, Woo-Seung
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon, Krishnan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spies, Bradley R
• Application Number:
  US13/575,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20120292248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/08 Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/10 Specific supply elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/12 Specific discharge elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/16 Specific vents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/18 Specific valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/20 Specific housing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/2011 Pressure vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/26 Specific gas distributors or gas intakes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/185 Aeration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/024 with a single potted end
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/04 comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/02 Membrane cleaning or sterilisation ; Membrane regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/10 Testing of membranes or membrane apparatus; Detecting or repairing leaks
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration

Abstract

Provided is a hollow-fiber membrane module comprising a submodule inside which raw water is circulated and water treatment is carried out, and a piping unit which is connected to the submodule and through which the raw water and air and treated water flow, such that flow rates can be increased and energy consumption can be minimized through the circulation of a fluid.

Claims

1. A hollow fiber membrane module comprising:

a plurality of submodules in which raw water is circulated and water treatment is carried out, each submodule extending between a proximal end and a distal end;

a piping unit connected to the submodules at the proximal end, the piping unit having multiple pipes for independently transporting the raw water, air, and treated water; and

a discharge port provided at a distal end of the submodules in communication with the air;

wherein an interior of each submodule is partitioned to a water treatment region in which water treatment is carried out using a hollow fiber membrane, and a raw water circulation passage which circulates raw water to the water treatment region;

wherein in the water treatment region, the raw water is treated during upward movement by air supplied from a diffusion pipe which is disposed in outside of the water treatment region;

wherein each submodule comprises;

a housing provided at one side thereof with a raw water inlet port through which raw water is introduced, an air inlet port through which air is introduced, and an outlet port through which treated water is discharged;

at least one partition wall installed in the housing to partition an interior of the housing into the water treatment region and the raw water circulation passage, the at least one partition wall being provided at opposite ends thereof with holes through which raw water flows;

a fixing part to couple the hollow fiber membrane to the housing;

a collector in communication with the outlet port and an internal passage of the hollow fiber membrane to collect treated water having passed through the hollow fiber membrane; and

an air diffusion pipe in communication with the air inlet port of the housing to spray air bubbles to the hollow fiber membrane; and

wherein the treated raw water is introduced into the upper part of the raw water circulation passage through an upper end hole, and the flow velocity of the treated raw water is increased during downward movement through the raw water circulation passage, and the treated raw water is circulated to the water treatment region through a lower end hole, repeatedly.

2. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall is installed at one end of the housing so that the raw water circulation passage is formed at the one end of the housing.

3. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall is installed at each end of the housing so that the raw water circulation passage is formed at each end of the housing.

4. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall is installed so as to surround a central part of the housing.

5. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided at an inside thereof with a guide plate protruding toward the hole formed at the lower end of the partition wall to guide raw water to the water treatment region through the hole.

6. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein an area of the raw water circulation passage partitioned by the partition wall is ⅓

or more that of the water treatment region.

7. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a middle partition wall installed in the water treatment region between the partition wall and an inner wall of the housing such that the middle partition wall extends in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

8. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the air diffusion pipe comprises:

a middle passage formed in the housing and communicating with the air inlet port;

a side air diffusion plate communicating with the middle passage, installed along an inside of the water treatment region of the housing, and having an air diffusion hole to spray air;

a middle air diffusion plate communicating with the middle passage, disposed at a middle of the water treatment region of the housing, and having an air diffusion hole to spray air; and

an auxiliary air diffusion plate communicating with the middle passage, disposed between the side air diffusion plate and the middle air diffusion plate, and having an air diffusion hole to spray air.

9. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the piping unit comprises:

a raw water pipe having a raw water connection port, through which raw water is supplied, formed at a side thereof, the raw water pipe being connected to the raw water inlet port of the submodule;

an air pipe having an air connection port, through which air is supplied, formed at a side thereof, the air pipe being connected to the air inlet port of the submodule; and

a water collection pipe having a treated water connection port, through which treated water is introduced, formed at a side thereof, the water collection pipe being connected to the outlet port of the submodule.

10. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 9, wherein the piping unit further comprises a water discharge pipe, through which condensed water is discharged from the submodule.

11. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 10, wherein the submodule is further provided at the upper part thereof with a discharge port, through which condensed water containing condensed contaminants or air is discharged, and the discharge port is connected to the water discharge pipe.

12. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 9, wherein the submodule comprises a plurality of submodules disposed along an outer circumference of the piping unit.

13. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 12, wherein the piping unit is configured to have a multiple pipe structure in which the air pipe is disposed in the raw water pipe and the water collection pipe is disposed in the air pipe.

14. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 11, wherein the piping unit is configured to have a multiple pipe structure in which the air pipe is disposed in the raw water pipe, the water collection pipe is disposed in the air pipe, and the water discharge pipe is disposed in the water collection pipe.

15. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 13, wherein the raw water connection port is formed at an upper end of the raw water pipe of the piping unit along an outer circumference thereof, the air connection port is formed at an upper end of the air pipe, extending to the upper end of the raw water pipe, along an outer circumference thereof, and the treated water connection port is formed at an upper end of the water collection pipe, extending to the upper end of the air pipe, along an outer circumference thereof, so that the submodules are installed along the outer circumference of the piping unit via the connection ports.

16. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 9, further comprising a module support installed outside the piping unit to support the submodule.

17. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 9, wherein the piping unit extends in a straight line, and the submodule comprises a plurality of submodules successively disposed in a longitudinal direction of the piping unit.

18. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 17, wherein the raw water pipe, the air pipe, and the water collection pipe of the piping unit are disposed in parallel at intervals, and raw water connection ports, air connection ports, and treated water connection ports are respectively formed at the raw water pipe, the air pipe, and the water collection pipe at intervals in longitudinal directions thereof, so that the submodules are connected to each other in the longitudinal direction of the piping unit via the connection ports.

19. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the piping unit includes a raw water pipe, an air pipe, and a water collection pipe disposed in parallel and nested within one another.