JP2000343078A - Water purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water purifier less prone to cause a clogging of a hollow fiber membrane and low in reduction of filtering flow rate. SOLUTION: The water purifier 1 has a hollow fiber membrane module part 3 at its inside. In the hollow fiber membrane module part 3, plural hollow fiber membranes are arranged so that the fiber axis direction of the hollow fiber membrane may be almost parallel. The main stream of the water to be filtered is let flow from almost right-angle direction with the fiber axis direction to the hollow fiber membrane module part 3. In this way, the clogging of the hollow fiber membrane is low and the filtering is executed over a long period of time with high filtering flow rate since the water to be filtered is 1et flow from the side surface direction of the hollow fiber membrane to the hollow fiber membrane module part 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of filtering raw materials (tap water) through a filtering agent in a water purifier to remove chlorine or 2
The present invention relates to a water purifier for supplying delicious and safe water by removing odorous substances such as MIB, harmful organic compounds such as trihalomethane and pesticides.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is well known that tap water or well water contains trace substances that are harmful to the human body and substances that impair the taste of water due to river or soil pollution. In order to remove these, various filter agents such as activated carbon, ion exchange resin, coral sand, and ceramic are used. In addition, for the purpose of removing minute suspended substances, bacteria, and the like in raw water, a water purifier provided with a hollow fiber membrane in addition to the above-described filtering agent is widely used.

[0003] Fig. 4 is an example of a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventionally used water purifier, in which a hollow fiber membrane module unit 3 provided with a hollow fiber membrane and a granular or powdery filter medium are filled. The filtering agent filling portions 4 are connected in series. The raw water introduced into the water purifier from the water inlet 6 passes through the filter agent filling section to remove residual chlorine, trihalomethane, and the like in the tap water.
The suspended water and the like are removed, and the resulting purified water is supplied to the purified water outlet 7.
The water is discharged to the outside of the water purifier.

[0004]

In the water purifier shown in FIG. 4, a filter medium filling section and a hollow fiber membrane module section are disposed horizontally, and raw water is introduced from one end of a side face of the filter medium filling section. The purified treated water is sent to the hollow fiber membrane module. However, in such a water purifier,
Since the direction of the length of the hollow fiber membrane and the direction of the flow of the treated water introduced into the hollow fiber membrane module are the same, clogging of the hollow fiber membrane occurs early and the filtration flow rate decreases early. Has inconvenience. Further, when water is continuously passed, a void is generated in an upper portion in the filter agent filling portion. Since the pressure loss is low in the portion where the voids are generated, the flow velocity is increased, and the water is passed without making sufficient contact with the filter medium. As a result, there is an inconvenience that the filtration performance is reduced.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such inconvenience, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a water purifier in which the hollow fiber membrane is less likely to be clogged and the flow rate of filtration is less reduced. It was done. That is, the gist of the present invention is a water purifier having a hollow fiber membrane module part therein, wherein the hollow fiber membrane module part has a plurality of hollow fiber membranes in which the fiber axis directions of the hollow fiber membranes are substantially parallel. Are arranged,
The water purifier is characterized in that a main flow of water to be filtered is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module from a direction substantially perpendicular to the fiber axis direction. Preferably, raw water is passed from the lower end surface of the filter agent filling portion filled with the filter agent toward the upper direction or directly downward from the upper end surface, and the obtained treated water is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module unit. If it does so, a space | gap will not generate | occur | produce in a filtration filling part, and there will be little fall of filtration water capacity.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an embodiment of a water purifier according to the present invention. A cartridge having a filter agent filling section 4 and a hollow fiber membrane module section 3 in the water purifier 1 is shown. 2 are provided. In the present invention, the filtering agent filled portion refers to a portion filled with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, an ion exchange resin, a mineral eluting material, and the like. In the water purifier of the present embodiment, the side surface of the filtering agent filling portion is sealed by the cartridge wall, and a perforated plate, a mesh, and the like are disposed on the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the filtering agent filling portion. A granular or powdery filtering agent 5 is filled. The raw water introduced into the water purifier through the water inlet 6 is passed from the lower end face of the filter medium filling section in a direction directly above. The water flow direction in the filtering agent filling section may be such that water flows from the upper end surface directly downward. When such a water passage method is used, no voids or the like are partially generated, and therefore, a portion where the water flow amount is locally increased does not occur. It is preferable that the water flow direction is from the lower part of the filter medium filling section to the upper part of the medium because the filter medium is stirred by the rising water flow and the thickness of the filter medium becomes more uniform.

[0007] In addition, a water flow passage for supplying the treated water purified by the filter filling section to the hollow fiber membrane module section is provided above the filter filling section. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are cross-sectional views in the AA direction showing specific examples of the water flow passage. As illustrated here, a tubular water conduit may be provided, or a flat flow passage may be provided. It may be provided. It is more effective for the flow passage to have the largest possible cross-sectional area in consideration of pressure loss, etc.
If the flow passage is too thick, the filling volume of the filter medium decreases, so that the pressure loss is less affected by φ4 mm to φ8.
It is preferable to have an area of about mm or an area equivalent thereto.

[0008] The water flow channel sends the treated water purified by the filter filling section to the hollow fiber membrane module section. In the hollow fiber membrane module part of the present embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane is disposed in the horizontal direction, and the other end of the hollow fiber membrane in which one end is sealed, or both ends of the hollow fiber membrane are fixed to the resin fixing part in an open state. Is done. Since the water flow channel is provided open at the top of the hollow fiber membrane,
The treated water that has been fed is introduced into the hollow fiber membrane from the top of the hollow fiber membrane downward in the drawing, that is, from the side of the hollow fiber membrane. This flow is a flow in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (horizontal direction in this embodiment) of the hollow fiber membrane, and the side surface of the hollow fiber membrane is effectively used, and the flow is deposited on the surface of the hollow fiber membrane by this flow. The sediment is dropped, and as a result, the life of the hollow fiber membrane is prolonged as compared with an axially horizontal flow thing.
This effect is particularly remarkable when the filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane into the container is high. The purified water that has passed through the hollow fiber membrane module is
Water is discharged from the water outlet 7 to the outside of the water purifier.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below. <Example> A water flow test was conducted using a water purifier having the form shown in FIG. Raw water is introduced into the water purifier through the water inlet,
Water is passed through the lower end surface of the filled filter medium filling section 4 filled with 26 g of granular activated carbon (T-SB48 / 100 manufactured by Kuraray Chemical Co., Ltd.). A mesh is provided on the lower end surface of the filter agent filling section, from which raw water flows into the filter agent filling section. The filter agent filling portion has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 45 mm and a length of 50 mm.

[0010] The treated water that has passed through the filter agent filling section is sent to the hollow fiber membrane module from the side of the hollow fiber membrane on the side of the hollow fiber membrane through the water passage 8. In this embodiment, the pore size is 0.01 to 0.1.
A porous hollow fiber membrane (270TS, manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.) having a diameter of 270 μm and an inner diameter of 270 μm was used so that the total membrane area was 0.16 m ² . The purified water that has been filtered through the hollow fiber membrane of the hollow fiber membrane module is discharged from the water outlet 7 to the outside of the water purifier.

[0011] Water containing 2.0 ppm of chlorine was passed through the water purifier at a flow rate of 2 L / min, and residual chlorine when a predetermined amount of water was passed was measured by the ortho-tolidine method. Table 1 shows the results. Table 1 shows the results. The amount of water discharged at a dynamic water pressure of 0.1 MPa at the time of passing 1000 L of water was 1.9 L.
/ Min.

[0012]

[Table 1]

<Comparative Example> Using a water purifier having the shape shown in FIG. 4, tap water was passed under the same conditions as in the above-described embodiment.
The filtration performance was measured. In addition, the size of the filter agent filling portion of the used cartridge and the filling amount of the activated carbon were the same as those of the examples. Table 1 shows the obtained results. The amount of water discharged at a dynamic water pressure of 0.1 MPa at the time of passing 1000 L of water is 1.5
L / min.

[0014]

According to the water purifier of the present invention, there is provided a water purifier having a hollow fiber membrane module inside, and water for filtration is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module from the side of the hollow fiber membrane. Therefore, clogging of the hollow fiber membrane is small, and filtration can be performed at a high filtration flow rate for a long period of time. Also,
Raw water is allowed to flow from the lower end surface of the filter agent filled portion filled with the filter agent in the upward direction or in the downward direction from the upper end surface, and the obtained treated water is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module from the side surface direction of the hollow fiber membrane. When water is allowed to pass through the filter medium, no voids are generated in the filter medium filling section, and the function of the filter medium can be sufficiently exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a water purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a shape of a water passage in the water purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the shape of a water passage in the water purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of a conventional water purifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Water purifier 2. Cartridge 3. Hollow fiber membrane module 4. Filter agent filling section 5. Filter agent 6. Inlet 7. Outlet 8. Water passage

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water purifier having a hollow fiber membrane module inside, wherein the hollow fiber membrane module is arranged such that a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are arranged such that the fiber axis directions of the hollow fiber membranes are substantially parallel. A water purifier characterized in that a main flow of water to be filtered is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module from a direction substantially perpendicular to the fiber axis direction. 2. Raw water is allowed to flow from the lower end face of the filter medium filling portion filled with the filter medium, or directly downward from the upper end face, and the obtained treated water is passed through the hollow fiber membrane module section. The water purifier according to claim 1, wherein the water is purified.