CN107661696B

CN107661696B - Method and apparatus for manufacturing hollow fiber membrane module

Info

Publication number: CN107661696B
Application number: CN201710624999.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 糸山靖幸
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp
Priority date: 2016-07-28
Filing date: 2017-07-27
Publication date: 2021-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-27
Also published as: CN107661696A

Abstract

The invention aims to provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module, which can easily and stably inject casting resin without widening an opening of a water collecting pipe, can inhibit contact of a nozzle and damage of a hollow fiber membrane sheet, and can easily perform mechanical automatic injection operation. A method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module provided with a hollow fiber membrane sheet (10) and a water collection pipe (12b), comprising a casting step: the end of the hollow fiber membrane sheet (10) is fixed by a water collecting pipe (12b), and a liquid casting resin P is injected into the water collecting pipe (12b) from a nozzle (50) by a holding device (110) in a state that the sheet surface (10a) of the hollow fiber membrane sheet (10) is inclined relative to the vertical direction, and is solidified, and the hollow fiber membranes are mutually fixed at the receiving part in the water collecting pipe (12b) of the hollow fiber membrane sheet (10).

Description

Method and apparatus for manufacturing hollow fiber membrane module

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module.

Background

As a hollow fiber membrane module for producing sterilized water, drinking water, high purity water, and the like, a hollow fiber membrane module is known in which a water collecting pipe is provided at an end of a hollow fiber membrane sheet in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are aligned in a sheet shape (patent documents 1 and 2).

Examples of the method for producing such a hollow fiber membrane module include the following methods. An end portion of a hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material is inserted into a header pipe having an opening formed at one end thereof, and a liquid casting resin (casting liquid) is poured into the header pipe from the sheet surface side of both ends of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material in a state of standing in the vertical direction, and is solidified, whereby the end portion is liquid-tightly fixed to the header pipe.

However, in the above production method, the gap between the hollow fiber membrane sheet and the water collecting pipe is narrow, and thus the injection work of the casting resin is difficult. Patent document 2 discloses a method of widening the space between a hollow fiber membrane sheet and a water collecting pipe by widening the tip portions of a pair of side wall portions forming an opening of the water collecting pipe outward, respectively, to facilitate the injection work of a casting resin. However, in this method, the thickness of the header pipe at the portion where the opening is widened is increased. Therefore, when a plurality of hollow fiber membrane modules are arranged in parallel in the thickness direction of the header pipe, the installation area thereof increases, and it is difficult to save space. In addition, for example, when air cleaning treatment is performed to prevent sludge or the like from adhering to the membrane surface, aeration is difficult to pass between the hollow fiber membrane modules, and it is difficult to obtain sufficient effects.

In the above production method, the casting resin is discharged obliquely downward from the nozzle and injected into the gap between the hollow fiber membrane sheet and the water collecting pipe. Therefore, in order to prevent the casting resin from leaking to the outside of the header pipe during injection, the tip of the nozzle for discharging the casting resin needs to be as thin as possible and close to the hollow fiber membrane sheet. Therefore, the resin poured into the nozzle is easily clogged, the discharge amount is limited, and the hollow fiber membrane sheet is damaged by the contact of the tip of the nozzle. Further, if the injection work of the casting resin is to be automated by a machine, it is necessary to control the position of the nozzle in multiple axes with high accuracy, and thus a combination of a multiple axis robot and a sensor is required on both sides of the hollow fiber membrane sheet, which leads to a sharp rise in initial cost.

Background of the invention

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2000-288357

Patent document 2: international publication No. 2015/152401

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The invention aims to provide a method and a device for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module, which can easily and stably inject casting resin, can inhibit a nozzle from contacting and further damaging a hollow fiber membrane sheet, and can easily perform mechanical automatic injection operation.

Means for solving the problems

The present invention has the following structure.

[1] A method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module, which comprises a hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material formed by aligning a plurality of hollow fiber membranes into a sheet-like shape, and a water collection pipe provided at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes on the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material, wherein the hollow fiber membranes are fixed to each other by a cured product of a casting resin at a housing portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material housed in the water collection pipe; it has the casting process: the end portion is fixed by a casting jig, and a liquid casting resin is injected into the casting jig from a slit-shaped opening of the casting jig through a nozzle in a state where a sheet surface of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object is inclined with respect to a vertical direction, and is cured, thereby fixing each hollow fiber membrane at the storage portion.

[2] The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to [1], wherein a water collecting pipe is used as the casting jig.

[3] According to the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module described in [1], after the casting step, the casting jig is removed from the end portion, and the header pipe is attached to the end portion.

[4] The method for producing a hollow-fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein an angle formed by the sheet surface and a vertical direction is 10 to 60 °.

[5] The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the casting resin is injected into the casting jig while the nozzle is moved in a width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

[6] The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the casting resin is injected into the casting jig while the hollow fiber membrane sheet is moved in a width direction with respect to the nozzle.

[7] The method for producing a hollow-fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the nozzle is positioned above the hollow-fiber membrane sheet.

[8] The method for producing a hollow-fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the casting resin is injected into the casting jig from the slit-shaped opening of the casting jig along the surface of the sheet layer and is cured.

[9] The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the casting resin is supplied to only one of the pair of sheet surfaces of the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

[10] The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to [9], wherein both side ends in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material are fixed by the casting jig, respectively, the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material is bent so as to be convex upward in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes, and a liquid casting resin is injected into the casting jig from slit-shaped openings of the casting jig fixed to both side ends by 2 nozzles and cured while the sheet surface is inclined on both side end portions.

[11] A manufacturing installation of the hollow fiber membrane module, this hollow fiber membrane module possesses hollow fiber membrane sheet-like thing and water-collecting pipe, stated hollow fiber membrane sheet-like thing is aligned into the lamellar form by many hollow fiber membrane, the stated water-collecting pipe is set up on the stated hollow fiber membrane sheet-like thing on the end of the stated hollow fiber membrane length direction, in the stated hollow fiber membrane sheet-like thing accommodates the department that accommodates in the stated water-collecting pipe, every hollow fiber membrane is fixed each other by the solidification of the casting resin; the apparatus for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module comprises a casting device having:

a holding device: holding the hollow fiber membrane sheet material, the end of which is fixed by a casting jig, in a state in which the sheet surface of the hollow fiber membrane sheet material is inclined with respect to the vertical direction;

and a nozzle: discharging the liquid casting resin.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention, the potting resin can be easily and stably injected, damage to the hollow fiber membrane sheet due to contact of the nozzle with the hollow fiber membrane sheet can be suppressed, and automation of injection work by a machine can be facilitated.

The apparatus for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention can stably inject a casting resin easily, and can suppress damage to a hollow fiber membrane sheet due to contact of a nozzle with the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a hollow fiber membrane module produced by the production method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view A-A of the hollow fiber membrane module of FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a hollow fiber membrane sheet in the hollow fiber membrane module of fig. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing one step of the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing one step of the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention.

Reference numerals

1 hollow fiber membrane module

10 hollow fiber membrane sheet

10a, 10b sheet surface

12a, 12b header pipe

14 pouring part

16 hollow fiber membrane

Detailed Description

The method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module including a hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are aligned in a sheet shape, and a water collecting pipe provided at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes on the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object, wherein the hollow fiber membranes are fixed to each other by a cured product of a casting resin at a housing portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object housed in the water collecting pipe.

[ hollow fiber membrane Module ]

An example of a hollow fiber membrane module produced by the production method of the present invention will be described below.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the hollow fiber membrane module 1 of the present embodiment includes 4 superposed hollow fiber membrane sheets 10 and a pair of elongated

water collection pipes

12a and 12b attached to both longitudinal ends of the 4 superposed hollow fiber membrane sheets 10. The housing portions 13a and 13b on the side of the

respective end portions

11a and 11b of the 4 superposed hollow fiber membrane sheets 10 are liquid-tightly fixed to the water collecting

pipes

12a and 12b by the pouring portion 14 containing a cured product of the fixing pouring resin in a state of being inserted into and housed in the water collecting

pipes

12a and 12b, respectively.

The hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is formed by aligning a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 16 in parallel with each other in a sheet shape, and is concentrated in a state where all of the opening end faces 16a on both sides in the longitudinal direction of each hollow fiber membrane 16 are opened.

The number of hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module is not limited to 4, and may be 1 or any number of 2 or more.

Examples of the material of the hollow fiber membrane include polysulfone-based resins, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose derivatives, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, fluororesins such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PDVF) and polytetrafluoroethylene, polyamides, polyesters, polymethacrylates, and polyacrylates. Further, a substance in which a substituent is introduced to a part of these resins can be used. The hollow fiber membrane may be made of 1 kind or 2 or more kinds.

The hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is provided with a 1 st bundling part 18a and a 2 nd bundling part 18b, which are respectively provided on the

ends

11a and 11b of the hollow fiber membrane 16 on both sides in the longitudinal direction and have a band shape extending in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane 16 and having a constant width. The plurality of hollow fiber membranes 16 are collected by the 1 st bundling part 18a and the 2 nd bundling part 18 b.

In the portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 where the 1 st bundling part 18a and the 2 nd bundling part 18b are provided, the distance between adjacent hollow fiber membranes 16 is preferably 0 to 1 mm. When the distance between adjacent hollow fiber membranes 16 is within the above range, the amount of the bundled parts to be used for the number of hollow fiber membranes can be reduced while securing the effective membrane area, and the cost can be reduced.

The 1 st bundling part 18a is provided at each of the

end parts

11a and 11b on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. The 1 st bundling part 18a is inserted into the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12 b. In this example, the open end face 16a of the hollow fiber membrane 16 and the side end face on the open end face 16a side of the 1 st bundling part 18a are flush with each other. The 1 st bundling part 18a is designed in this way, so that the reduction of the effective membrane area is easily suppressed.

The 2 nd bundling part 18b is provided near the

end parts

11a, 11b of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, respectively, and is provided at a distance L2 from the 1 st bundling part 18a toward the center side in the longitudinal direction. The 2 nd bundling part 18b is located at a part of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 exposed to the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12 b.

The distance L2 can be set as appropriate, and is preferably 8 to 50 mm.

The width L1 of the 1 st binding part 18a and the width L3 of the 2 nd binding part 18b are preferably 3 to 30mm, respectively. When the widths L1 and L3 are equal to or greater than the lower limit values, sufficient binding strength can be easily obtained. When the widths L1 and L3 are not more than the upper limit values, the reduction in the membrane area is easily suppressed. The widths L1 and L3 may be the same or different.

The thicknesses of the 1 st binding part 18a and the 2 nd binding part 18b are preferably 0.1 to 1mm, respectively. When the thickness is not less than the lower limit, a bundled part having sufficient strength is easily formed, and the hollow fiber membrane-shaped material is less likely to break. If the thickness is not more than the upper limit, the cost can be reduced, and the packing density of the hollow fiber membranes in each hollow fiber membrane module can be easily increased.

Examples of the material for forming the 1 st binding portion 18a and the 2 nd binding portion 18b include an elastomer having an elongation (E) of 200% or more, preferably 300% or more, as defined in JIS K6251. The upper limit of the elongation (E) of the elastomer is not particularly limited, and is usually about 600%.

When the 1 st bundling part 18a is formed of the elastic body, the sealability between the overlapping 1 st bundling parts 18a or between the

side wall parts

20a, 20b of the 1 st bundling part 18a and the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12b can be sufficiently exhibited. Therefore, when pouring the casting resin in a liquid state into the

header pipes

12a, 12b, the leakage of the casting resin to the bottom portion 20c side of the 1 st binding portion 18a is easily suppressed. When the 2 nd bundling part 18b is formed of the elastic body, excessive rising of the casting resin due to the capillary phenomenon is easily suppressed when the casting resin in a liquid state is poured into the

header pipes

12a and 12 b.

The Shore hardness of the elastomer is preferably A40 to 80 as defined in JIS K6253. When the shore hardness of the elastomer used for the 1 st bundling part 18a is within the above range, leakage to the bottom part 20c side of the casting resin is easily suppressed at the time of injection. When the shore hardness of the elastic body used for the 2 nd bundling part 18b is within the above range, damage to the hollow fiber membranes during the air cleaning treatment can be easily suppressed.

The Shore hardness of JIS K6253 is specified in accordance with ISO 7619.

As the material of the elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer is preferable. The type of the thermoplastic elastomer may be selected in consideration of the environment in which the hollow fiber membrane module is used, the resistance to the environment, and the like. Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include styrene elastomer (TPS), polyolefin elastomer (TPO), vinyl chloride elastomer (TPVC), ester elastomer (TPC), polyurethane elastomer (TPU), and amide elastomer (TPA). Among them, styrene-based elastomers (TPS) are preferred because of their high rubber elasticity and excellent chemical resistance. The number of the elastic bodies may be 1 or 2 or more.

The

header pipes

12a and 12b are formed of a pair of

side wall portions

20a and 20b that are long and face each other, and a bottom portion 20c that connects the short-side-direction end portions of the pair of

side wall portions

20a and 20b and has a semicircular cross section. Slit-shaped openings 22 extending in the longitudinal direction are formed at the other ends in the short-side direction of the

header pipes

12a, 12 b. Thus, the

header pipes

12a, 12b are long members. The cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b is U-shaped.

In the hollow fiber membrane module 1, 4 hollow fiber membrane sheet-like objects 10 are stacked, and the 1 st bound parts 18a and the 2 nd bound parts 18b are bonded to each other. In this way, in the superposed state, the

end portions

11a, 11b of the hollow fiber membrane sheets 10 provided with the 1 st bundling part 18a are inserted into the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12 b.

The distance L between the opening 22 of the 2 nd binding part 18b and the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12b is preferably 1 to 30mm, more preferably 3 to 10 mm. If the distance L is not less than the lower limit, it is easy to fill the liquid casting resin (casting liquid) into the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b, and therefore the casting resin is easily cured in a state of being sufficiently filled in the water collecting pipes, and the leakage occurrence rate is low. When the distance L is not more than the upper limit, the decrease in the effective membrane area of the hollow fiber membrane module is easily suppressed.

The distance L is a length from the opening 22 of the header pipe 12b (from the distal end surfaces of the

side wall portions

20a and 20 b) to the side end of the header pipe 12b side of the 2 nd bundled part 18b in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes 16 in the case of the 2 nd bundled part 18b on the header pipe 12b side. The same applies to the distance L of the 2 nd bundling part 18b on the water collection pipe 12a side.

The inside surfaces of the side wall portions 20a of the

header pipes

12a, 12b of this example are formed at positions facing each other with step portions 24 extending in the longitudinal direction of the

header pipes

12a, 12 b. The distance (gap) between the side wall 20a and the side wall 20b on the bottom 20c side is smaller than the distance (gap) between the side wall 20a and the side wall 20b on the opening 22 side, with the step portion 24 as a boundary. In this example, the position of the stepped portion 24 coincides with the side end of the center side in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes 16 in the 1 st bundling portion 18 a.

The distance between the side wall portion 20a and the side wall portion 20b on the bottom portion 20c side of the stepped portion 24 is set to be the same as or slightly smaller than the total thickness of the portion of the 1 st bundling portion 18a of the overlapped hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. Accordingly, the portion of the 1 st bundling part 18a of the overlapped hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is liquid-tightly bonded to the inner surfaces of the

side walls

20a and 20b, and the sealing property is exhibited. The 1 st bundling portions 18a that are overlapped are also attached to each other in a liquid-tight manner, and the sealing property is exhibited.

The water collecting pipe is preferably made of a material having excellent mechanical strength and durability. For example, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyolefin, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), acrylic resin, ABS resin, modified PPE (polyphenylene ether), and the like can be mentioned. The number of the water collecting pipes may be 1, or 2 or more.

Pouring section 14 is formed so as to fill the portion from first bundling section 18a to opening 22 on the outside of each hollow fiber membrane 16 in

header pipes

12a, 12 b. Accordingly, the water collecting space 26 is formed on the pouring section 14 and the 1 st bundling section 18a on the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12b on the bottom section 20c side.

In the hollow fiber membrane module 1, the liquid after the filtration treatment by the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 16 forming the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is once collected in the water collecting space 26 of the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b, and then taken out to the outside of the hollow fiber membrane module 1 through the water intake port 28 formed at the end in the longitudinal direction of the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12 b.

Examples of the casting resin for forming the casting portion 14 include epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polyurethane resin, silicone filler, and various hot-melt resins. The casting resin forming the casting portion 14 may be 1 kind or 2 kinds.

[ method for producing hollow fiber Membrane Module ]

The method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention comprises the following casting steps: the method comprises fixing the longitudinal ends of the hollow fiber membranes in a hollow fiber membrane sheet with a casting jig, injecting a liquid casting resin from a nozzle into the casting jig through a slit-shaped opening of the casting jig in a state where the sheet surface of the hollow fiber membrane sheet is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and curing, thereby fixing the hollow fiber membranes to each other at a storage part of the hollow fiber membrane sheet. The sheet surface herein means a substantially planar surface formed by a plurality of aligned hollow fiber membranes on the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

The production method of the present invention may use a production apparatus for a hollow fiber membrane module provided with a casting apparatus including a holding apparatus and a nozzle. The holding device is a device for holding the hollow fiber membrane sheet fixed by the casting jig in a state where the sheet surface is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The nozzle discharges the casting resin in a liquid state.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the hollow fiber membrane module 1 using a header pipe as the casting jig will be described as an example of a method for manufacturing the hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 4, a hollow fiber membrane module manufacturing apparatus 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as "manufacturing apparatus 100") is provided with a casting apparatus 102 provided with a holding apparatus 110 and a nozzle 50. The holding device 110 includes an elongated plate-shaped substrate portion 112 and a raised strip portion 114 that projects from the upper surface of the substrate portion 112 and extends in the longitudinal direction. The cross-sectional shape of the ridge portion 114 cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is a triangle, and one side of the ridge portion 114 has an inclined surface 114 a. The inclined surface 114a of the raised strip 114 raises the

water collecting pipes

12a, 12b into which the

end portions

11a, 11b of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 are inserted. By raising the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b on the inclined surface 114a of the raised strip 114 in this manner, the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is held in a state in which the sheet surface 10a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

The nozzle 50 is disposed above the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 fixed by the holding device 110, and discharges the liquid casting resin P in a substantially vertical direction toward the sheet surface 10 a.

In the pouring device 102, the nozzle 50 is preferably moved in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 with respect to the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 held by the holding device 110. In this way, the pouring resin P is discharged while the nozzle 50 is moved, and thereby the pouring resin P is easily injected in the entire width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. Further, according to circumstances, the holding device 110 moves while holding the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, whereby the nozzle 50 can relatively move in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10.

In the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, 4 hollow fiber membrane sheet-like objects 10 are stacked, and the 1 st bundling parts 18a and the 2 nd bundling parts 18b are overlapped with each other. Then, in the casting step, the end portion 11b on one side in the longitudinal direction, at which the 1 st bundling part 18a is provided, of the stacked body of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like objects 10 is inserted into the water collecting pipe 12 b. Then, as shown in fig. 4, the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is held in a state in which the sheet surface 10a in the thickness direction is inclined with respect to the vertical direction by the holding device 110 of the pouring device 102 in the manufacturing device 100. In this state, a liquid casting resin (casting liquid) P is discharged downward from a nozzle 50 positioned above the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, and the casting resin P is poured into the header 20b along the upper sheet surface 10a and solidified. Accordingly, the hollow fiber membrane sheets 16 are fixed to each other at the housing portion 13b on the end portion 11b side of each hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, and further, the housing portion 13b of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is liquid-tightly fixed to the water collecting pipe 12 b. Similarly, the end 11a on the other longitudinal side of the laminated body of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like objects 10, where the 1 st bundling part 18a is provided, is inserted into the header pipe 12a by the pouring device 102, and the pouring resin P is injected and cured. Accordingly, the hollow fiber membranes 16 are fixed to each other at the housing portion 13a on the end portion 11a side of each hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, and further, the housing portion 13a is liquid-tightly fixed to the water collecting pipe 12 a.

In this way, the casting resin P in a liquid state is supplied from above in a state where the sheet surface 10a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is inclined, and the casting resin P is injected into the

header pipes

12a, 12b using the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 as a guide.

The discharge direction of the casting resin P from the nozzle 50 is preferably a vertically downward direction. The discharge direction of the casting resin P may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction within a range not impairing the effect of the present invention. Even when the discharge direction of the casting resin P is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, the inclination with respect to the discharge direction with respect to the vertical direction is preferably 45 ° or less.

The pouring of the casting resin P is performed, for example, in such a manner that the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is not moved and the nozzle 50 is moved in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 while the casting resin P is poured into the

header pipes

12a and 12 b. Further, the pouring resin P may be injected into the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b by moving the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 without moving the nozzle 50 and by relatively moving the nozzle 50 in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. Further, the pouring resin P may be injected into the

header pipes

12a and 12b while moving both the nozzle 50 and the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 and moving the nozzle 50 relatively in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10.

In order to facilitate mechanical automation and further reduce costs, the pouring resin P is preferably poured into the

water collecting pipes

12a and 12b while the nozzle 5 is moved in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 without moving the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10.

The moving speed of the nozzle is suitably selected depending on the viscosity behavior of the casting liquid or the injection amount, and the distance between the nozzle and the hollow fiber membrane sheet, and is preferably 100mm/s or more, more preferably 500 to 1000 mm/s. When the moving speed of the nozzle is not lower than the lower limit value, productivity is improved. When the moving speed of the nozzle is not more than the upper limit value, the casting resin is easily and stably supplied in the traveling section of the casting liquid from the nozzle to the gas phase portion contacting the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object. Further, it is easy to prevent the problem of liquid leakage or the like due to bending fatigue in the flow path pipe from the injection supply pump to the nozzle.

In the pouring method of the casting resin, even if the nozzle 50 is away from the hollow fiber membrane sheet, the casting resin P discharged downward from the nozzle 50 reaches the sheet surface 10a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 to be poured into the header pipe 12 a. Therefore, the nozzle 50 does not need to be excessively close to the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. Therefore, the position of the nozzle 50 can be sufficiently separated from the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, as compared with the case where the casting resin is injected in a state where the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 stands up in the vertical direction. Accordingly, damage to the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 due to contact of the nozzle 50 can be suppressed. Further, when the injection of the casting resin P is automated by a machine, it is not necessary to provide a sensor for grasping the position of the nozzle 50 or a multi-axis robot for controlling the position of the nozzle 50 in a multi-axis manner, so that the automation is easy and the cost can be reduced.

The distance between the tip of the nozzle 50 and the sheet surface 10a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 in the vertical direction is preferably 5mm or more, and more preferably 10 to 30 mm. If the distance is equal to or greater than the lower limit value, damage to the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 due to contact with the nozzle 50 is easily suppressed. If the distance is less than the upper limit value, the injection of the casting resin P can be performed more stably.

Further, in the pouring method of the casting resin, there is no need to thin the front end portion of the nozzle 50 because it is close to the gap between the water collecting pipe 12a and the hollow fiber membrane 10. Therefore, clogging of the casting resin P in the nozzle 50 can be suppressed, the discharge amount of the casting resin P is not limited, and the discharge amount can be sufficiently increased.

The outer diameter of the tip of the nozzle 50 is preferably 2mm or more, and more preferably 3 to 6 mm. When the outer diameter of the tip of the nozzle 50 is equal to or greater than the lower limit value, clogging of the casting resin P in the nozzle 50 is easily suppressed, and the discharge amount of the casting resin P is easily sufficiently increased.

In the pouring method of the casting resin, since the nozzle 50 is located away from the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, the casting resin P can be easily poured into the opening 22 of the header pipe 12a even without widening.

In the case of using the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 having the 1 st bundling part 18a and the 2 nd bundling part 18b provided at the

end parts

11a and 11b in the longitudinal direction as in this example, it is preferable to discharge the casting resin P from the nozzle 50 to between the 1 st bundling part 18a and the 2 nd bundling part 18b on the sheet surface 10 a. Accordingly, the casting resin P supplied to the sheet surface 10a is easily and quickly injected into the header pipes 12a, 1 b. Further, since the rising of the casting resin P due to the capillary phenomenon is suppressed only up to the 2 nd bundling part 18b, the decrease of the effective membrane area is easily suppressed.

The casting resin P is preferably injected by supplying the casting resin P to only one of the pair of

sheet surfaces

10a and 10b in the thickness direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10.

When the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is injected in a state in which the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 stands in the vertical direction, in order to fill the inside of the header pipe 12a with a sufficient amount of the casting resin P and fix the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, the casting resin P needs to be injected from both sides of the sheet surface 10a side on one side and the sheet surface 10b side on the other side of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. However, when the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is obliquely injected, the casting resin P injected from the sheet surface 10a side easily moves toward the sheet surface 10b side by gravity. In this way, the water collecting pipe can be filled with a sufficient amount of casting resin by injecting the casting resin from the surface side of the sheet layer on one side, and the hollow fiber membrane sheet can be fixed. When the injection of the casting resin is automated by a machine, the machine can be simplified on the basis of this, and the cost can be further reduced.

The lower limit value of the angle θ formed by the inclined sheet surface 10a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 and the vertical direction is preferably 10 ° or more, more preferably 15 ° or more, and the upper limit value is preferably 60 ° or less, more preferably 40 ° or less. When the angle θ is equal to or greater than the lower limit value, the nozzle 50 is easily separated from the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10. When the angle θ is equal to or less than the upper limit value, the casting resin P does not spread on the surface of the sheet during injection, and the casting resin P is easily injected into the

header pipes

12a and 12 b.

The fixing of the

ends

11a and 11b of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 to the

header pipes

12a and 12b in the longitudinal direction by the injection of the casting resin P may be performed sequentially with respect to the

ends

11a and 11b, respectively, or may be performed simultaneously with respect to the

ends

11a and 11 b. In the present invention, it is preferable that the fixing of the water collecting pipe is performed simultaneously at both longitudinal end portions of the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

As a method of simultaneously injecting the potting resin into both

ends

11a and 11b of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 in the longitudinal direction, for example, a method using a production apparatus 100A of a hollow fiber membrane module shown in fig. 5 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "production apparatus 100A") can be mentioned. The manufacturing apparatus 100A includes a pouring device 102A including a holding device 110A and

nozzles

50A and 50B.

The holder 110A includes a long plate-shaped substrate 112A,

ridges

114A and 114B extending in the longitudinal direction and protruding from the upper surface of the substrate 112A, and a sheet layer support 116 extending in the longitudinal direction between the

ridges

114A and 114B.

The cross-sectional shape of the ridge portion 114A cut in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is triangular, and one surface thereof has an inclined surface 114A. Similarly, the raised ridge portion 114B has a triangular cross-sectional shape cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and has an inclined surface 114B on one surface. The raised strips 114A and 114B are arranged in parallel with the

inclined surfaces

114A and 114B facing each other. The water collecting pipe 12a of the end 11a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is inserted upright on the inclined surface 114A of the raised strip portion 114A. Similarly, the water collecting pipe 12B of the end portion 11B of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is inserted upright on the inclined surface 114B of the convex strip portion 114B. As described above, the water collecting pipes 12a and 12B rise on the

inclined surfaces

114A and 114B of the raised

strips

114A and 114B, respectively, and thus the portions of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 on the sheet surface 10a on both sides of the end portions 11a and 11B are held in a state inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

The sheet layer support portion 116 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is higher than the

ridges

114A and 114B. In the state where the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is held, the leading end portion of the sheet layer supporting portion 116 abuts on the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the curved hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, whereby the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 is held more stably.

The nozzle 50A is disposed above the side of the end portion 11a of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 held by the holding device 110A, and discharges the liquid casting resin downward substantially vertically toward the end portion 11a side on the sheet surface 10A. The nozzle 50B is disposed above the other end portion 11B side portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 held by the holding device 110A, and discharges the liquid casting resin downward substantially vertically toward the end portion 11B side portion on the sheet surface 10A.

In the manufacturing method using the manufacturing apparatus 100A, the

end portions

11a and 11b on both sides of the stacked body of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 are inserted into the water collecting pipes 12A and 12b, respectively, and are bent in the longitudinal direction on the substrate portion 112A of the holding apparatus 110A so as to be convex upward in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes 16, and are held in a state where the portions on both

side end portions

11a and 11b sides on the sheet surface 10A of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 are inclined with respect to the vertical direction, respectively. In this state, the casting resin is discharged downward from the 2

nozzles

50A, 50B on the side of the ends 11a, 11B of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10, respectively, and is poured into the water collecting pipes 12a, 12B along the upper sheet surface 10A, respectively, and cured. In this manner, since the fixing of the

end portions

11a and 11b on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet 10 to the header pipe can be performed at the same time, the productivity can be improved, and the cost in automation can be reduced.

As described above, in the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to the present embodiment, the end portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet is fixed to the header pipe, and the potting resin is injected in a state where the sheet surface of the hollow fiber membrane sheet is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Therefore, even if the slit-shaped opening of the water collecting pipe is not widened, the casting resin can be easily injected, the contact of the nozzle can be inhibited, the hollow fiber membrane-shaped object can be damaged, and the injection operation of mechanical automation is easy.

The method for producing the hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention is not limited to the above method. For example, the number of the hollow fiber membrane sheets to be stacked may be 3 or less, or 5 or more, and water collecting pipes may be provided at both ends of 1 hollow fiber membrane sheet. In the method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention, a water collecting pipe may be attached to only one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material, and the open end surface of each hollow fiber membrane may be closed with resin or the like at the other end.

In the present invention, in the pouring step, a pouring jig provided outside the header pipe and having a slit-shaped opening may be used. Specifically, the following method may be used: after the casting step, the casting jig is removed from the end of the hollow fiber membrane sheet, and the header pipe is attached to the end, in the same manner as the above method, except that a casting member other than the prepared header pipe is used instead of the header pipe. In this case, after the casting step, a method of attaching the water collecting pipe to the end portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object may be any method as long as the end portion is fixed to the water collecting pipe in a liquid-tight manner, and examples thereof include a method of using an adhesive, a method of attaching the water collecting pipe and then melting and adhering the water collecting pipe by heating, and the like. When the end portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object can be fixed in a liquid-tight manner by sandwiching it between only the pair of side wall portions of the header pipe, only the end portion may be sandwiched between the pair of side wall portions of the header pipe. In this method, for example, an apparatus for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module, which is provided with a header pipe attachment device for removing a casting jig and attaching a header pipe, in addition to a casting device, can be used.

The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention is not limited to a method using a hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material in which each hollow fiber membrane is bound by a prebinding section. For example, a method may be used in which the longitudinal ends of the hollow fiber membranes are previously gathered into a bundle-like hollow fiber membrane sheet by a cured product of a casting resin.

The apparatus for producing a hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above description, and may be modified and implemented as appropriate within a range not changing the gist thereof.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane module, which comprises a hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material formed by aligning a plurality of hollow fiber membranes into a sheet-like shape, and a water collection pipe provided at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes on the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material, wherein the hollow fiber membranes are fixed to each other by a cured product of a casting resin at a housing portion of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material housed in the water collection pipe;

it has the casting process: the end portions are fixed by a casting jig, and a liquid casting resin is injected into the casting jig from a slit-shaped opening of the casting jig along the sheet surface through a nozzle in a state where the sheet surface of the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like object is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and is cured, thereby fixing each hollow fiber membrane at the housing portion.

2. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein a water collecting pipe is used as the casting jig.

3. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein after the casting step, the casting jig is removed from the end portion, and the header pipe is attached to the end portion.

4. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an angle formed between the sheet surface and a vertical direction is 10 to 60 °.

5. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the casting resin is injected into the casting jig while moving the nozzle in the width direction of the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

6. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the casting resin is injected into the casting jig while the hollow fiber membrane sheet is moved in the width direction with respect to the nozzle.

7. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the nozzle is positioned above the hollow fiber membrane sheet.

8. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the casting resin is supplied to only one of the pair of sheet surfaces of the hollow fiber membrane module.

9. The method for producing a hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 8, wherein both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material are fixed by the casting jig, respectively, the hollow fiber membrane sheet-like material is bent so as to be convex upward in the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes, and a liquid casting resin is injected into the casting jig from slit-shaped openings of the casting jig fixed to both end portions by 2 nozzles and cured while the sheet surface is inclined on both end portions.