JP2011045842A - Membrane element and membrane filtration apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a membrane element for successfully supplying power to the sensor or the like and to provide a membrane filtration apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A first electroconductive wire 102 is arranged in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element 10 and connected to sensors 104, 105, 106 for detecting the characteristic of at least one of an object to be filtered and a filtered material. When power supply and/or data communication are performed from the outside through the first electroconductive wire 102, a distance between an external unit and the first electroconductive wire 102 can be made as short as possible. As a result, power can be supplied successfully to the sensors 104, 105, 106 or the like from the outside through the first electroconductive wire 102 and signals outputted from the sensors 104, 105, 106 can be sent successfully to the outside through the first electroconductive wire 102. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a membrane element and a membrane filtration device that generate a permeate by filtering an object to be filtered with a filtration membrane.

  A membrane filtration device configured by arranging a plurality of membrane elements in a straight line in a pressure vessel is known (for example, see Patent Document 1 below). This type of membrane filtration device is generally used to obtain purified permeated water (permeate) by filtering raw water (filtered object) such as waste water or seawater. In particular, in a large plant or the like, a large number of membrane filtration devices are held in a rack called a train, so that processing characteristics (pressure, quality of permeated water, amount of water, etc.) are managed for each train.

  However, when processing characteristics are managed for each train as described above, only a membrane element or a connection part in some membrane filtration devices out of a large number of membrane filtration devices held by the train has a problem. In some cases, it is difficult to identify the defective portion, and there is a problem that a great deal of labor is required for the identification work.

  Moreover, in the configuration in which a large number of membrane filtration devices each having a plurality of membrane elements are held by a train as described above, the position of each membrane filtration device in the train or the position of each membrane element in each membrane filtration device Accordingly, the degree of contamination of the filtration membrane and the load when raw water is filtered by the filtration membrane are different. Therefore, when replacing a membrane element, a new membrane element and a membrane element that can still be used are appropriately combined and housed in a pressure-resistant vessel so that the optimum performance of the entire train can be finally achieved. In addition, the arrangement and combination of each membrane element is optimized. However, at present, since there are many cases where optimization is performed based only on the period of use, it cannot be said that the optimization is sufficiently performed.

  If the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used to solve the above-described problems, data relating to the processing characteristics is stored in advance in each wireless element (RFID tag) provided in the membrane element. In addition, the processing characteristics can be managed for each membrane element by reading data from each wireless tag. However, even if management is performed based only on data stored in advance in such a wireless tag, the state of each membrane element changes from moment to moment, so it can be said that the management accuracy is sufficient. If the state of each membrane element can be detected in real time, management can be performed with higher accuracy.

  The following Patent Document 2 describes that a flow sensor, a conductivity sensor, and the like are provided for a plurality of membrane elements in order to collect data relating to operation performance. In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2, data collected from various sensors is temporarily stored in the RFID, and the data is read out. In this case, data calculation and storage, and further It is necessary to secure sufficient power to operate the sensor.

  However, there is a problem that the power supply to the membrane filtration device through which the filtration object such as raw water or the permeate such as permeate flows is relatively difficult. In particular, in the case of a configuration in which a plurality of membrane elements are arranged in a straight line in a pressure vessel, for membrane elements other than the membrane elements provided at both ends of the pressure vessel, sensors associated with the membrane elements, etc. Is provided closer to the center of the pressure vessel, it becomes more difficult to supply power. Such a problem is a problem that also occurs when data from a sensor in the membrane filtration device is transmitted to the outside via a wiring.

  Patent Document 3 below describes a configuration in which sensors for detecting breakage and breakage of a filtration membrane are incorporated in a plurality of filtration modules, respectively.

  The following Patent Document 4 describes an assembly of a filter including an electronic label provided with a storage device that stores information that can be read by a reading unit, and a filtration device.

  Patent Document 5 below describes a configuration in which data peculiar to an exchange member can be stored in a memory provided in the exchange member and the data can be read by a reading device.

Special table 2007-527318 International Publication No. 2007/030647 Pamphlet JP 2008-80254 A Japanese National Patent Publication No. 9-500816 Special table 2003-519880 gazette

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and it aims at providing the membrane element and membrane filtration apparatus which can perform the electric power supply to a sensor etc. favorably. Another object of the present invention is to provide a membrane element and a membrane filtration device that can transmit data from a sensor satisfactorily.

  The membrane element according to the present invention is a membrane element that generates a permeate by filtering an object to be filtered with a filter membrane, and includes a sensor that detects the property of at least one of the object to be filtered and the permeate, and the sensor. And a first conductive line provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element.

  According to such a configuration, since the first conductive line connected to the sensor is provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element, power supply and / or data communication from the outside via the first conductive line For example, the distance between the external device and the first conductive line can be made as short as possible. Accordingly, it is possible to satisfactorily supply power from the outside to the sensor or the like via the first conductive line, and it is possible to satisfactorily transmit an output signal from the sensor to the outside via the first conductive line.

  The membrane element according to the present invention includes an end member provided at an end of the membrane element, and the first conductive wire is provided in a shape along an outer peripheral surface of the end member. And

  According to such a configuration, the first conductive wire is provided on the end member provided separately from the filtration membrane, so that the first conductive wire is compared with the configuration in which the first conductive wire is provided on the filtration membrane. Lines can be easily provided. In addition, if the first conductive wire is embedded in the end member, the chance of the first conductive wire contacting the filtration target or permeate can be reduced as compared with the case where the first conductive wire is provided in the filtration membrane. Thereby, the durability of the first conductive wire can be improved.

  The membrane element according to the present invention is characterized in that the sensor is provided on the end member.

  According to such a configuration, since the first conductive line and the sensor are both provided on the end member, the wiring between the first conductive line and the sensor can be further shortened. Or data communication etc. can be performed more favorably.

  The membrane element according to the present invention is characterized in that the end member is detachable.

  According to such a configuration, since the first conductive wire is provided on the detachable end member, the end member used for the old membrane element is replaced with a new one even when the membrane element is replaced. By using it for the membrane element, the first conductive line can be reused.

  In the membrane element according to the present invention, the sensor includes a conductivity sensor for measuring the conductivity of the permeate, a flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of the permeate, and a pressure of the object to be filtered. And at least one of the following pressure sensors.

  According to such a configuration, at least one of the conductivity sensor, the flow rate sensor, and the pressure sensor can be satisfactorily supplied with electric power via the first conductive wire, and an output signal can be output via the first conductive wire. Can be transmitted to the outside satisfactorily.

  The membrane filtration device according to the present invention has a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container at a position facing the first conductive wire in the pressure-resistant container and the pressure-resistant container that houses the membrane element. And a second conductive line provided.

  According to such a configuration, the first conductive wire provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element in the pressure vessel and the second conductive wire provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel are provided. Thus, power supply and / or data communication can be performed satisfactorily.

  In particular, since the second conductive line is provided at a position facing the first conductive line in the pressure vessel, the first conductive line and the second conductive line can be relatively close to each other. Therefore, even in an environment in which an object to be filtered such as raw water or a permeate such as permeate flows through the pressure vessel, power supply and / or data communication can be performed satisfactorily.

  The membrane filtration device according to the present invention is characterized in that at least one of the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire is coiled.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to satisfactorily perform power supply and / or data communication through the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire, at least one of which is coiled.

  The membrane filtration device according to the present invention includes a power feeding device that wirelessly supplies power from the second conductive wire to the first conductive wire.

  According to such a structure, even if it is a structure where a sensor etc. are provided in a pressure-resistant container by supplying electric power wirelessly from the 2nd conductive line to the 1st conductive line, the sensor concerned Etc. can be easily supplied with power.

  The membrane filtration device according to the present invention is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel, and an internal communication device that wirelessly transmits data from the sensor, and the internal communication device outside the pressure vessel And an external communication device that is provided at an opposing position and receives data from the internal communication device.

  According to such a configuration, the internal communication device is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel, and the external communication device is provided at a position facing the internal communication device outside the pressure vessel. The communication device and the external communication device can be relatively close to each other. Therefore, the data from the sensor can be satisfactorily transmitted even in an environment where an object to be filtered such as raw water or a permeate such as permeate flows through the pressure vessel. However, depending on the frequency band (for example, 2.4 GHz), the internal communication device and the external communication device do not necessarily have to be close to each other.

  The membrane filtration device according to the present invention is provided outside the pressure vessel, and receives an external communication device wirelessly via the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire, and the power feeding device. And a modulation / demodulation device for modulating / demodulating a radio signal in different modes depending on whether power is supplied wirelessly and data communication is performed wirelessly by the external communication device.

  According to such a configuration, the first conductive line and the second conductive line can be shared for power supply and data communication. Even in such a case, the power supply and the data communication are performed in order to modulate and demodulate the radio signal in different modes depending on whether the power is supplied wirelessly by the power supply device and the data communication is performed wirelessly by the external communication device. Can be performed satisfactorily.

  According to the present invention, when power supply and / or data communication is performed from the outside via the first conductive line, the distance between the external device and the first conductive line can be made as short as possible. Power can be satisfactorily supplied from the outside to the sensor or the like via the conductive line, and an output signal from the sensor can be satisfactorily transmitted to the outside via the first conductive line.

It is the schematic sectional drawing which showed an example of the membrane filtration apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which showed a part of internal structure of the membrane element of FIG. It is the figure which showed one structural example of the edge part member, (a) is sectional drawing, (b) has shown the front view. It is the schematic sectional drawing which showed the internal structure of the membrane filtration apparatus. It is the figure which showed one structural example of the edge part member with which the membrane filtration apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention was equipped, (a) is sectional drawing, (b) has shown the front view. It is the schematic sectional drawing which showed the internal structure of the membrane filtration apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  The membrane element according to the present invention includes a sensor that detects the property of at least one of an object to be filtered and a permeate, and a first conductive wire that is connected to the sensor and provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element. It is characterized by having it. Therefore, as an embodiment of the present invention, a configuration in which the membrane element is accommodated in the pressure vessel can be exemplified, but the membrane element according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration provided in the pressure vessel. Further, when the membrane element is accommodated in the pressure vessel, a configuration in which the second conductive wire is provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel at a position facing the first conductive wire in the pressure vessel can be exemplified. It is not restricted to the structure provided with the 2nd conductive wire.

  Although the said pressure vessel can illustrate a cylindrical thing, it is not restricted to a cylindrical thing. Therefore, the membrane element accommodated in the pressure vessel is not limited to having a circular cross-sectional shape, and may have another cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the pressure vessel. In addition, the conductive wire is not limited to a coil shape wound in a circular shape, but may have other shapes corresponding to the shape of the pressure vessel, or a shape that does not correspond to the shape of the pressure vessel. It may have.

  A plurality of membrane elements may be provided in the pressure vessel, or only one membrane element may be provided. Examples of the filtration object and the permeate include liquid or gas, and are liquids in water treatment, for example. Various sensors can be adopted as long as the sensor detects at least one property of the filtration object and the permeate. There may be one sensor or a plurality of sensors.

  As an example of the membrane element, a spiral membrane element having a filtration membrane spirally wound around a central tube can be exemplified, but other membrane elements such as a membrane element having a hollow fiber structure (capillary structure) It may be. For example, a membrane element of a filtration membrane laminated type as disclosed in JP 2008-183561 A may be used. In the case of a spiral membrane element, adjacent membrane elements may have their central tubes connected by an interconnector.

  The conductive wire is provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element. The conductive wire may be provided in any part of the membrane element, for example, may be provided in a filtration membrane, or may be provided in an end member provided in an end portion of the membrane element. The end member is not limited to a member provided exclusively, and a conventionally provided member such as a telescope preventing member or a seal carrier can also be used. The end member may be provided at both ends of the membrane element or may be provided only at one end. The conductive wire may be provided only on an end member provided at one end of the membrane element. The end member may be detachably provided on the membrane element or may be integrally formed.

  An external unit that wirelessly performs at least one of power supply and data communication with the first conductive line may be provided at a position facing the outside of the first conductive line. The external unit may have a structure formed integrally with the pressure vessel, for example, a movable and feeding type reader / writer, a seal type using an FPC (flexible printed circuit board), or the device and the FPC. It may be configured as a separate member such as a composite type. When the external unit is configured as a separate member from the pressure vessel, the external unit may be attached to the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel, or may be arranged away from the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel. Also good.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a membrane filtration device 50 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the internal configuration of the membrane element 10 of FIG. The membrane filtration device 50 is configured by arranging a plurality of membrane elements 10 in a straight line in the pressure vessel 40.

  The pressure vessel 40 is a resin cylinder called a vessel, and is formed of, for example, FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics). In this example, the pressure vessel 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape.

  At one end of the pressure vessel 40, a raw water inlet 48 into which raw water (filtered object) such as drainage and seawater flows is formed. The raw water flowing from the raw water inlet 48 is filtered by the plurality of membrane elements 10. By doing so, purified permeated water (permeate) and concentrated water (concentrated liquid) that is raw water after filtration are obtained. At the other end of the pressure vessel 40, a permeate outlet 46 through which permeate flows out and a concentrated water outlet 44 through which concentrated water flows out are formed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the membrane element 10 is spirally wound around the central tube 20 in a state in which the filtration membrane 12, the supply-side channel material 18, and the permeation-side channel material 14 are laminated. RO (Reverse Osmosis) element formed by

  Filtration membranes 12 having the same rectangular shape are superposed on both sides of a rectangular permeation-side flow path material 14 made of a resin-made net-like member, and the three sides are bonded to each other so that an opening is formed on one side. A bag-like film member 16 having the above is formed. And the opening part of this membrane member 16 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the center pipe | tube 20, and it winds around the center pipe | tube 20 with the supply side flow-path material 18 which consists of resin-made mesh members, The said membrane element 10 is formed. The filtration membrane 12 is formed, for example, by sequentially laminating a porous support and a skin layer (dense layer) on a nonwoven fabric layer.

  When raw water is supplied from one end side of the membrane element 10 formed as described above, the raw water passes through the membrane element 10 through the raw water flow path formed by the supply-side flow path material 18 that functions as a raw water spacer. To do. At that time, the raw water is filtered by the filtration membrane 12, and the permeated water filtered from the raw water penetrates into the permeated water flow path formed by the permeate side flow path material 14 functioning as a permeated water spacer.

  Thereafter, the permeated water that has permeated into the permeated water flow path flows to the central tube 20 side through the permeated water flow path, and the central tube is formed from a plurality of water passage holes (not shown) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the central tube 20. 20 is led. As a result, the permeated water flows out from the other end side of the membrane element 10 through the central tube 20, and the concentrated water flows out through the raw water flow path formed by the supply side flow path material 18.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the plurality of membrane elements 10 accommodated in the pressure vessel 40, the central tubes 20 of the adjacent membrane elements 10 are connected by a tubular interconnector (connecting portion) 42. Therefore, the raw water flowing in from the raw water inlet 48 flows into the raw water flow path in order from the membrane element 10 on the raw water inlet 48 side, and the permeated water filtered from the raw water in each membrane element 10 is connected by the interconnector 42. The permeated water outlet 46 flows out through the single central pipe 20. On the other hand, the concentrated water that is filtered and concentrated by passing through the raw water flow path of each membrane element 10 flows out from the concentrated water outlet 44.

  In the present embodiment, end members 100 are provided at both ends of the membrane element 10. These end members 100 are attached so as to face both end portions in the axial direction of the wound membrane member 16. As a result, each end member 100 functions as a telescope prevention member for preventing the wound membrane member 16 from becoming a telescope shape by being displaced in the axial direction. The end member 100 has a shape in which the outer peripheral surface thereof corresponds to the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element 10, and the outer peripheral surface of the end member 100 is opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40. Yes. The distance between the outer peripheral surface of the end member 100 and the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40, that is, the thickness of the liquid (raw water in this example) existing between the outer peripheral surface of the end member 100 and the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40. Is preferably within 10 cm. In this case, the distance between the first conductive wire 102 and / or the antenna 103A, which will be described later, and the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 does not necessarily have to be within 10 cm. And / or radio waves can be transmitted and received using the antenna 103A. In this example, end members 100 are detachably provided at both ends of each membrane element 10.

  An external unit 200 is provided at a position facing the end member 100 outside the pressure vessel 40. The external unit 200 is for performing wireless power supply and data communication with the end member 100, and is formed integrally with the pressure vessel 40 in this example.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a configuration example of the end member 100, where FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 3B is a front view. However, in FIG.3 (b), the internal structure of the edge part member 100 is shown with the continuous line instead of the broken line.

  The end member 100 includes a main body 101, a first conductive wire 102 held by the main body 101, an internal communication device 103, a plurality of sensors 104, 105, 106, and an IC chip 107. The main body 101 has a configuration in which a first annular portion 111 and a second annular portion 112 having a smaller diameter than the first annular portion 111 are connected through a rib 113 so as to be integrally formed. Yes. In this example, the main body 101 is formed of resin, but may be formed of other materials.

  The first annular portion 111 has an outer diameter that substantially coincides with the outer diameter of the membrane element 10, and is disposed so that its outer peripheral surface is close to and faces the inner peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container 40. As for the 2nd annular part 112, the internal peripheral surface comprises the flow path of permeated water. The rib 113 is a member that connects the inner peripheral surface of the first annular portion 111 and the outer peripheral surface of the second annular portion 112, and a plurality of ribs 113 are preferably provided. However, the main body 101 is not limited to the shape as described above, and may be another shape such as a disk shape.

  The first conductive wire 102 is a coiled conductive wire formed by winding a conductive wire, and is attached to the first annular portion 111 of the main body 101. The first conductive wire 102 is provided in a shape (state) along the outer peripheral surface of the first annular portion 111 inside the first annular portion 111. Thus, the first conductive wire 102 is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure resistant container 40 in the vicinity thereof. The first conductive wire 102 may be provided outside the members (the end member 100, the filtration membrane 12, etc.) constituting the membrane element 10 as long as the shape is along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element 10. It may be provided inside. The distance between the first conductive wire 102 and the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 is preferably as short as possible from the viewpoint of satisfactorily transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the outside of the pressure vessel 40. Specifically, the distance is preferably within 15 cm, more preferably within 5 cm, and even more preferably within 3 cm.

Moreover, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the thickness of the 1st conductive wire 102 is 5 mm < ² > or more from a viewpoint of the sensitivity of transmission / reception. When the diameter of the membrane element 10 increases, the conductor resistance of the first conductive wire 102 increases. Therefore, the thickness of the first conductive wire 102 is preferably increased as the diameter of the membrane element 10 increases. For example, the first conductive wire 102 may be made thicker when the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 16 inches is used than when the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 8 inches is used. As the first conductive wire 102, a copper wire having a diameter of 1.2 mm or more, for example, a diameter of 2 mm or 3 mm can be used. However, the material of the first conductive wire 102 is not limited to copper, but may be gold, silver, an aluminum conductor, or the like. The first conductive wire 102 may have a circular cross-sectional shape, or may have another shape such as a flat plate shape. The coil formed by the first conductive wire 102 increases the magnetic flux density and facilitates power transmission as the number of turns increases. However, if the first conductive wire 102 is thick, it is difficult to increase the number of turns. It is preferable to set an appropriate number of turns in relation to the thickness of one conductive wire 102. However, the number of turns may be constant regardless of the diameter of the membrane element 10.

  The internal communication device 103 is attached to the first annular portion 111 of the main body 101. The internal communication device 103 includes an antenna 103A, and can transmit and receive data via the antenna 103A. The internal communication device 103 may be configured to include RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). The internal communication device 103 can wirelessly transmit output signals of sensors 104, 105, and 106 described later from the antenna 103A.

  The antenna 103 </ b> A is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 in the vicinity. The distance between the antenna 103A of the internal communication device 103 and the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 is preferably as short as possible from the viewpoint of satisfactorily transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the outside of the pressure vessel 40. Specifically, the distance is preferably within 15 cm, more preferably within 5 cm, and even more preferably within 3 cm.

  The conductivity sensor 104 and the flow rate sensor 105 are sensors that are attached to the second annular portion 112 of the main body 101 and detect the properties of the permeated water that flows inside the second annular portion 112. Specifically, the conductivity sensor 104 is a sensor that detects the conductivity of the permeated water, and the flow rate sensor 105 is a sensor that detects the flow rate of the permeated water. The pressure sensor 106 is a sensor that is attached to the rib 113 of the main body 101 and detects the property of raw water. Specifically, the pressure sensor 106 is a sensor that detects the pressure of raw water, and can be configured by, for example, a piezoelectric element or a strain gauge.

  In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the conductivity sensor 104, the flow sensor 105, and the pressure sensor 106 are provided on the end member 100 is shown. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the liquid flowing in the pressure vessel 40 is not limited thereto. If it is a sensor which detects a property, various sensors, such as a well-known physical sensor, a chemical sensor, and a smart sensor (sensor with an information processing function), can be provided in the end member 100 according to the characteristic. However, it is preferable that at least one of the conductivity sensor 104, the flow sensor 105, and the pressure sensor 106 is provided on the end member 100. In addition, as a property of the liquid detected by the sensor provided in the end member 100, for example, a flow rate, a pressure, an electrical conductivity, a temperature, a contamination state (ion concentration, etc.) can be cited.

  The IC chip 107 is a microcomputer that controls power control, sensor control, communication control, and the like for each of the electrical components as described above provided on the end member 100. The IC chip 107 may be configured by a plurality of chips, or may be configured as a single chip.

  The electrical components held by the main body 101 of the end member 100 as described above, that is, the first conductive wire 102, the internal communication device 103, the plurality of sensors 104, 105, 106, and the IC chip 107 are respectively disposed inside the main body 101. By being buried, the surroundings are covered with resin. Further, the wiring for electrically connecting the components as described above is also embedded in the main body 101 so that the periphery is covered with resin. Thereby, corrosion and damage of each component can be suppressed by seawater, wastewater, acid, alkali used at the time of washing, or the like. However, since it is necessary to expose the detection part of the sensor to the outside of the main body 101, it is preferable that the other part excluding the detection part is embedded in the main body 101.

  In the present embodiment, since the first conductive wire 102, the internal communication device 103, the sensors 104, 105, 106 and the IC chip 107 are provided on the detachable end member 100, the membrane element 10 is replaced. However, by using the end member 100 used for the old membrane element 10 for the new membrane element 10, these electrical components can be reused.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the membrane filtration device 50. In FIG. 4, as in FIG. 3B, the internal configuration of the end member 100 is indicated by a solid line instead of a broken line. As shown in FIG. 4, the external unit 200 provided outside the pressure vessel 40 includes a second conductive wire 201, an external communication device 202, and an IC chip 203.

  The second conductive wire 201 is a coiled conductive wire formed by winding the conductive wire, and has a shape (state) along the outer peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container 40 at a position facing the first conductive wire 102. ). The second conductive wire 201 may be in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container 40 or may be separated from the outer peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container 40 when adopting a separated configuration. It is preferable that they face each other in close proximity. In addition, the second conductive line 201 may be embedded in a material (for example, a resin material) constituting the pressure resistant container 40. The set of the first conductive line 102 and the second conductive line 201 facing each other is not limited to one set, and a plurality of sets may be provided, and the same effect can be obtained by providing a plurality of sets.

The distance between the second conductive wire 201 and the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 is preferably as short as possible from the viewpoint of satisfactorily transmitting and receiving radio waves between the inside of the pressure vessel 40. Specifically, the distance is preferably within 15 cm, more preferably within 5 cm, and even more preferably within 3 cm. Moreover, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the thickness of the 2nd conductive wire 201 is 5 mm < ² > or more from a viewpoint of the sensitivity of transmission / reception. When the diameter of the membrane element 10 increases, the conductor resistance of the second conductive wire 201 increases. Therefore, the thickness of the second conductive wire 201 is preferably increased as the diameter of the membrane element 10 increases. For example, the second conductive wire 201 may be made thicker when the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 16 inches is used than when the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 8 inches is used. The pressure vessel 40 accommodating the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 8 inches has an outer diameter of, for example, about 24.1 cm and an outer periphery of, for example, about 75.77 cm. The pressure vessel 40 that houses the membrane element 10 having an outer diameter of 16 inches has an outer diameter of, for example, about 44.6 cm and an outer periphery of, for example, about 140.1 cm. As the second conductive wire 201, a copper wire having a diameter of 1.2 mm or more, for example, a diameter of 2 mm or 3 mm can be used. However, the material of the second conductive wire 201 is not limited to copper, but may be gold, silver, an aluminum conductor, or the like. The second conductive wire 201 may have a circular cross-sectional shape, or may have another shape such as a flat plate shape. The coil formed by the second conductive wire 201 increases the magnetic flux density and facilitates power transmission as the number of turns increases. However, if the second conductive wire 201 is thick, it is difficult to increase the number of turns. It is preferable that the number of windings is appropriate in relation to the thickness of the two conductive wires 201. However, the number of turns may be constant regardless of the diameter of the membrane element 10.

  The external communication device 202 is provided at a position facing the internal communication device 103 outside the pressure vessel 40. The external communication device 202 functions as a relay device that receives data from the internal communication device 103 and transmits the received data to a management device or the like wirelessly. Data communication between the internal communication device 103 and the external communication device 202 is performed by transmitting and receiving radio waves in a frequency band of 2.4 GHz, for example.

  The IC chip 203 constitutes a power supply device that wirelessly supplies power from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line 102. The IC chip 203 includes an oscillation circuit and an amplification circuit, and performs power supply by transmitting radio waves from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line 102 in a frequency band of 13.56 MHz, for example. The IC chip 203 may be formed integrally with the external communication device 202.

  From the viewpoint of satisfactorily transmitting and receiving radio waves via the first conductive wire 102 and the second conductive wire 201 arranged with the pressure vessel 40 in between, the pressure vessel 40 is preferably made of non-metal, and is made of resin. More preferred.

  The electric power supplied wirelessly from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line 102 is supplied to the sensors 104, 105, 106 and the like via the wiring. The sensors 104, 105, and 106 are activated only when power is supplied, and after data is transmitted from the sensors 104, 105, and 106 to the internal communication device 103, the sensors 104, 105, and 106 are inactivated again. Data obtained by operating the sensors 104, 105, 106 by supplying power is immediately transmitted from the internal communication device 103 to the external communication device 202, and the external communication device 202 is used as a relay device to the management device. Aggregated.

  The operation time (measurement time) of each sensor 104, 105, 106 is preferably set to a different time between re-operation immediately after loading of the membrane element 10 or after stoppage and normal operation. In addition, when performing calculations on data acquired by the sensors 104, 105, and 106, from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption in the pressure resistant container 40, the acquired raw data (information that has been digitally converted). Is transmitted to the outside of the pressure vessel 40 as it is, and calculation is preferably performed by a management device or the like. The power supply to each electrical component provided in the external unit 200 may be performed wirelessly or may be configured wiredly.

  In the present embodiment, since the first conductive wire 102 connected to the sensors 104, 105, 106 is provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element 10, power is supplied from the outside via the first conductive wire 102. When performing data communication and / or the like, the distance between the external device and the first conductive line 102 can be made as short as possible. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily supply power from the outside to the sensors 104, 105, 106, etc. via the first conductive wire 102, and output signals from the sensors 104, 105, 106 via the first conductive wire 102. Can be transmitted to the outside satisfactorily.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the first conductive wire 102 is provided on the end member 100 provided separately from the filtration membrane 12, thereby comparing the configuration in which the first conductive wire 102 is provided on the filtration membrane 12. The first conductive line 102 can be easily provided. Moreover, if the 1st conductive wire 102 is embed | buried in the edge part member 100 like this embodiment, the 1st conductive wire 102 will be a filtration object (raw water) rather than the case where the 1st conductive wire 102 is provided in the filtration membrane 12. FIG. It is possible to reduce the chance of contact with the permeate (filtered water), and thereby the durability of the first conductive wire 102 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, the first conductive line 102 and the sensors 104, 105, 106 are both provided on the end member 100, so that the wiring between the first conductive line 102 and the sensors 104, 105, 106 is made shorter. Therefore, power supply and / or data communication can be performed better.

  In the present embodiment, the first conductive wire 102 provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element 10 in the pressure vessel 40 and the second conductive provided in a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40 are provided. Power supply and / or data communication can be performed satisfactorily through the line 201. In particular, since the second conductive line 201 is provided at a position facing the first conductive line 102 in the pressure vessel 40, the first conductive line 102 and the second conductive line 201 can be relatively close to each other. Therefore, even in an environment where a filtration object such as raw water or a permeate such as permeate flows through the pressure vessel 40, power supply and / or data communication can be performed satisfactorily.

  In particular, in this embodiment, the internal communication device 103 is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel 40, and the external communication device 202 is provided at a position facing the internal communication device 103 outside the pressure vessel 40. Therefore, the internal communication device 103 and the external communication device 202 can be relatively close to each other. Therefore, the data from the sensor can be transmitted satisfactorily even in an environment where a filtration object such as raw water or a permeate such as permeate flows through the pressure vessel 40. Further, by supplying power wirelessly from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line 102, the sensors 104, 105, 106, and the like are provided in the pressure resistant container 40 as in the present embodiment, for example. Even if it is a structure, the electric power supply to the said sensor 104,105,106 etc. can be performed easily.

Second Embodiment

  FIG. 5 is a view showing a configuration example of the end member 100 provided in the membrane filtration device 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view and (b) is a front view. Show. However, in FIG.5 (b), the internal structure of the edge part member 100 is shown with the continuous line instead of the broken line. Only the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described below.

  The end member 100 includes a main body 101, a first conductive wire 102, a plurality of sensors 104, 105, and 106, and an IC chip 107 held by the main body 101, respectively. Unlike the configuration shown, the internal communication device 103 is not provided.

  The IC chip 107 is provided with a modulation / demodulation circuit 108. The modulation / demodulation circuit 108 is a modulation / demodulation device for modulating a radio signal transmitted through the first conductive line 102 and demodulating a radio signal received through the first conductive line 102. However, the modulation / demodulation circuit 108 is not limited to the configuration formed integrally with the IC chip 107, and may be a configuration provided separately from the IC chip 107.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the membrane filtration device 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, as in FIG. 5B, the internal configuration of the end member 100 is indicated by a solid line instead of a broken line. As shown in FIG. 6, the external unit 200 provided outside the pressure vessel 40 includes a second conductive wire 201, an external communication device 202, and an IC chip 203.

  The IC chip 203 is provided with a modulation / demodulation circuit 204. The modulation / demodulation circuit 204 is a modulation / demodulation device for modulating a radio signal transmitted through the second conductive line 201 and demodulating a radio signal received through the second conductive line 201. However, the modulation / demodulation circuit 204 is not limited to the configuration formed integrally with the IC chip 203, and may be a configuration provided separately from the IC chip 203.

  In this embodiment, the output signals of the sensors 104, 105, and 106 are modulated by the modulation / demodulation circuit 108 and transmitted wirelessly from the first conductive line 102, and the wireless signal received via the second conductive line 201 is converted by the modulation / demodulation circuit 204. Demodulated. The signal demodulated by the modulation / demodulation circuit 204 is received by the external communication device 202 functioning as a repeater and transmitted wirelessly to a management device or the like.

  In the present embodiment, when power is supplied wirelessly from the IC chip 203 via the second conductive line 201 and the first conductive line 102, it is modulated by the modem circuit 204 and is modulated from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line. A signal transmitted wirelessly to 102 is demodulated by the modem circuit 108. The electric power supplied wirelessly from the second conductive line 201 to the first conductive line 102 is supplied to the sensors 104, 105, 106 and the like via the wiring. The sensors 104, 105, and 106 are activated only when power is supplied. After data is transmitted from the sensors 104, 105, and 106 via the first conductive line 102 and the second conductive line 201, the sensors 104, 105, and 106 are not activated again. It becomes a state.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the second conductive line 201 and the first conductive line 102 are both used when supplying power wirelessly by the IC chip 203 and when receiving data wirelessly by the external communication device 202. The wireless signal is transmitted and received through the second conductive line 201, and the second conductive line 201 and the first conductive line 102 can be shared for power supply and data communication. The frequency band of radio waves when power supply and data communication are performed via the second conductive line 201 and the first conductive line 102 is, for example, 13.56 MHz.

  Thus, even when the second conductive line 201 and the first conductive line 102 are shared for power supply and data communication, when the power is supplied wirelessly by the IC chip 203 and when the external communication device 202 is wirelessly connected. Power supply and data communication can be performed satisfactorily by modulating and demodulating a radio signal in different modes when performing data communication. For example, at least one of the amplitude, frequency, and phase of the wireless signal is set to a different value depending on whether the power is supplied wirelessly by the IC chip 203 or the data communication is performed wirelessly by the external communication device 202. It may be a simple configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Membrane element 40 Pressure-resistant container 50 Membrane filtration device 100 End member 101 Main body 102 First conductive wire 103 Internal communication device 104 Conductivity sensor 105 Flow rate sensor 106 Pressure sensor 107 IC chip 108 Modulation / demodulation circuit 200 External unit 201 Second conductive wire 202 External communication device 203 IC chip 204 modem circuit

Claims (10)

A membrane element that generates a permeate by filtering an object to be filtered with a filtration membrane,
A sensor for detecting the property of at least one of the filtration object and the permeate;
A membrane element comprising: a first conductive line connected to the sensor and provided in a shape along an outer peripheral surface of the membrane element. An end member provided at an end of the membrane element;
2. The membrane element according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive line is provided in a shape along an outer peripheral surface of the end member.   The membrane element according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is provided on the end member.   The membrane element according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the end member is detachable.   The sensor includes at least one of a conductivity sensor for measuring the conductivity of the permeate, a flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of the permeate, and a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the filtration object. The membrane element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: A membrane element according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A pressure vessel containing the membrane element;
A membrane filtration apparatus comprising: a second conductive line provided in a shape along an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant container at a position facing the first conductive line in the pressure-resistant container.   The membrane filtration device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire has a coil shape.   The membrane filtration device according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a power feeding device that wirelessly supplies power from the second conductive wire to the first conductive wire. An internal communication device that is provided so as to face the inner peripheral surface of the pressure vessel and wirelessly transmits data from the sensor;
The membrane filtration device according to claim 8, further comprising an external communication device that is provided at a position facing the internal communication device outside the pressure vessel and receives data from the internal communication device. An external communication device that is provided outside the pressure vessel and wirelessly receives data from the sensor via the first conductive line and the second conductive line;
A modulation / demodulation device for modulating / demodulating a radio signal in different modes depending on whether power is supplied wirelessly by the power supply device and data communication is performed wirelessly by the external communication device. Item 9. The membrane filtration device according to Item 8.

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