JP2017070934A - Hollow fiber membrane module - Google Patents

Abstract

SOLUTION: There is provided a hollow fiber membrane module in which, on both ends of a module case which stores a hollow fiber membrane, a gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case is sealed with a potting agent, for integrating the follow fiber membrane and the case, the module case comprising: a module case body for storing the hollow fiber membrane; a lid member for closing both end opening parts of the case body for forming a channel; and a lid member for closing both side surface opening parts of the case body for forming a channel, a seal material is interposed between the potting member and both end parts of a case inner peripheral face, therefore the seal material seals the gap between both end opening parts of the module case body and the lid members simultaneously, both end parts of an inner peripheral face of the module case body to which the potting agent is applied, comprise a continuous two-stages step part formed of a first step part and a second step part, the potting agent is arranged on the first step part, and the seal material is arranged on the second step part which is adjacent to a part of the potting agent.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane module. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane module that is effectively used as a humidifying membrane module.

  Since the hollow fiber membrane retains a large porous structure in the membrane due to its structure, expansion and contraction due to changes in the external environment such as temperature increase. In addition, the solvent may be subjected to treatment such as filtration, concentration, degassing, etc., and in this case, depending on the solvent, the material of the hollow fiber membrane itself may swell.

  In the hollow fiber membrane module, such hollow fiber membranes are accommodated in a bundled tube in units of, for example, hundreds to thousands, so that all the accommodated hollow fiber membranes are expanded and contracted. Even if the expansion / contraction force per book is small, a force corresponding to the number of accommodations acts on the bundled tube.

  The applicant previously provided a groove into which a part of the potting member enters on the inner peripheral surface of the module case, which is a bundled tube that also serves as a housing function, and is discontinuous with this groove. A step portion of one step is provided at both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, which is a part, and a sealing member serving as a sealing material is interposed between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case using the step portion. Has proposed a hollow fiber membrane module in which the sealing member simultaneously seals the gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case and the lid members provided at both ends of the module case (Patent Document 1).

  Since such a hollow fiber membrane module can reliably prevent the module case and the potting member from being separated, for example, the effect of being able to maintain a liquid-tight space between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case even when thermally affected. Play.

  Further, since the sealing member can simultaneously seal the gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case and the lid members provided at both ends of the module case, a housing for housing the module that has been required so far is not necessarily required. In addition, the weight of the entire module is reduced, the manufacturing cost is low, and the size can be reduced.

  However, such a hollow fiber membrane module requires an undercut for preventing the potting member from being removed, that is, a groove into which a part of the potting member enters, and is manufactured by resin molding. In such a housing, cutting after molding is performed, and the cost of post-cutting processing is also increased.

Japanese Patent No. 5354248

  An object of the present invention is to use a module case obtained without cutting a resin molded product or the like, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the cost, and also by changing the external environment such as temperature. Another object of the present invention is to provide a hollow fiber membrane module that can maintain a liquid-tight state between the inner periphery of the module case and the module case.

  The object of the present invention is to seal the gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case with a potting agent at both ends of the module case containing the hollow fiber membrane, and to integrate the hollow fiber membrane and the module case, The module case forms a flow path by closing a module case main body that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, a lid member that closes both ends of the module case main body to form a flow path, and openings on both sides of the module case main body. The sealing material is interposed between the potting member and both end portions of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, so that the sealing material has a gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case body and each lid member. Both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case body where potting agent is applied A continuous two-step step portion comprising a first step portion and a second step portion is provided, a potting agent is disposed on the first step portion, and a sealing material is disposed on a second step portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent. This is achieved by the hollow fiber membrane module.

  The hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention is provided with a two-step continuous step portion including a first step portion and a second step portion at both end portions of the inner peripheral surface to which the potting agent of the module case body is applied. By adopting a configuration in which a potting agent is arranged in the portion and a sealing material is arranged in the second step portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent, for example, a simple configuration obtained without cutting a resin molded product A module case can be used, and the manufacturing process can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect that it is possible to maintain the liquid-tightness between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case even when the external environment such as temperature changes.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the center line of the hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the seal material vicinity part of the centerline cross section of the hollow fiber membrane module which concerns on this invention.

  The hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention integrates the hollow fiber membrane and the module case by sealing the gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case with a potting agent at both ends of the module case containing the hollow fiber membrane. In addition, the module case includes a module case main body that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, a lid member that closes both ends of the module case main body to form a flow path, and blocks the openings on both sides of the module case main body. The sealing material is interposed between the potting member and both end portions of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, respectively, so that the sealing material is open at both ends of the module case main body, and each lid member. In the hollow fiber membrane module that also seals the gap between the inner circumference of the module case body where potting agent is applied Provided in both end portions are a continuous two-step step portion composed of a first step portion and a second step portion, a potting agent is disposed on the first step portion, and a seal is provided on a second step portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent. Consists of materials arranged. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using an example shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a group of hollow fiber membranes made of polyethersulfone, polyimide, polyolefin, and the like are accommodated in the module case 2, and the hollow fiber membrane 1 and the module case main body 21 are located at both ends of the module case main body 21. The gap is sealed with the potting agents 5 and 5 ′, and the hollow fiber membrane 1 and the module case body 21 are integrated. Sealing is performed using a potting agent such as an epoxy resin, a polyurethane resin, a silicone resin, or a nylon resin.

  The module case main body 21 containing the hollow fiber membrane 1 has lid members 22 and 22 ′ each having an inlet 31 and an outlet 32 for closing the openings at both ends and constituting the flow paths 3 and 3 ′. And a lid member 23 constituting a flow path by closing the openings on both side surfaces of the module case main body to constitute a hollow fiber membrane module. Here, the sealing material 4 is interposed between the potting agents 5 and 5 ′ and both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case main body 21, which further opens the both ends of the module case main body 21 and the lid members 22 and 22 ′. The gap is also sealed. With this configuration, there is an effect that the structure of the hollow fiber membrane module can be simplified. As the sealing material, a liquid sealing material, a rubber-like elastic material, or the like is used, and a rubber-like elastic body is preferably used.

  In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, two continuous steps including a first step portion 26 and a second step portion 27 are provided at both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case body 21 to which the potting material 5 is applied. The potting material 5 is disposed on the first step portion 26, and the sealing material 4 is disposed on the second step portion 27 adjacent to a part of the potting agent. The material of the module case can be selected from metals such as aluminum and stainless steel, and resins such as polypropylene, fluororesin, polysulfone resin, and acrylic resin. The stepped portion of the stage can be formed not only by cutting but also by die molding.

  The potting agent and the sealing material are respectively formed on the first step portion and the second step portion by means such as injection. For the potting agent and the sealing material, for example, the part where the sealing material is formed is separated by using a partition plate so that the potting agent does not enter, and after the potting agent is injected and cured, the partition plate is removed and the sealing material forming part is removed. It is formed by injecting and curing a liquid sealing material, or by inserting a rubber-like elastic body.

  By arranging the potting material 5 in the first step portion 26, it becomes possible to prevent the potting member from being detached by the pressure from the inside of the hollow fiber membrane module toward the outside, and the pressure resistance can be maintained. Even in Patent Document 1 described above, it is possible to prevent the potting member from being detached by the pressure from the inside of the hollow fiber membrane module to the outside in the cutting portion provided in the module case body, and maintain pressure resistance. However, it is necessary to provide a cutting part in the module case body, and further, the cost of post-cutting processing is required, but in the present invention, the cutting process of the module case is unnecessary, and a more simplified configuration is used. An effect equivalent to that of the prior application invention can be obtained.

  Further, by providing the sealing material 4 at the second stepped portion 27, not only the gap between the module case main body 21 and the potting materials 5 and 5 ′ is sealed, but also the opening portions at both ends of the module case main body 21 and the module case. It is possible to seal the gaps between the lid members 22 and 22 'constituting the flow path by closing the opening at both ends at the same time. Thereby, the housing for housing the hollow fiber membrane module is not necessarily required, the weight of the entire module is reduced, the manufacturing cost is low, and the miniaturization can be achieved.

  The hollow fiber membrane module having the above configuration can be used in the state of the hollow fiber membrane module without requiring a housing that was further required when using the conventional hollow fiber membrane module. it can.

  The hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention maintains the liquid-tightness between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case by changing the external environment such as temperature while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the cost. Therefore, it is effectively used as a humidifying membrane module, particularly as a humidifying membrane module for a fuel cell.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow fiber membrane 2 Module case 3, 3 'Channel 4 Sealing material 5, 5' Potting agent 21 Module case main body 22, 22 'Lid member 26 1st step part 27 2nd step part

The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane module. More particularly, it relates to a hollow fiber membrane module is effectively used as a humidifying membrane module of the fuel cell.

  Since the hollow fiber membrane retains a large porous structure in the membrane due to its structure, expansion and contraction due to changes in the external environment such as temperature increase. In addition, the solvent may be subjected to treatment such as filtration, concentration, degassing, etc., and in this case, depending on the solvent, the material of the hollow fiber membrane itself may swell.

The hollow fiber membrane module, since the housing of such a hollow fiber membrane bundle deposition tube in units of several thousand several hundred example, by the expand or contract all of the hollow fiber membranes are accommodated, Even if the expansion / contraction force per one is small, the force corresponding to the number of accommodations acts on the bundled tube.

  The applicant previously provided a groove into which a part of the potting member enters on the inner peripheral surface of the module case, which is a bundled tube that also serves as a housing function, and is discontinuous with this groove. A step portion of one step is provided at both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, which is a part, and a sealing member serving as a sealing material is interposed between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case using the step portion. Has proposed a hollow fiber membrane module in which the sealing member simultaneously seals the gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case and the lid members provided at both ends of the module case (Patent Document 1).

  Since such a hollow fiber membrane module can reliably prevent the module case and the potting member from being separated, for example, the effect of being able to maintain a liquid-tight space between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case even when thermally affected. Play.

  Further, since the sealing member can simultaneously seal the gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case and the lid members provided at both ends of the module case, a housing for housing the module that has been required so far is not necessarily required. In addition, the weight of the entire module is reduced, the manufacturing cost is low, and the size can be reduced.

  However, such a hollow fiber membrane module requires an undercut for preventing the potting member from being removed, that is, a groove into which a part of the potting member enters, and is manufactured by resin molding. In such a housing, cutting after molding is performed, and the cost of post-cutting processing is also increased.

Japanese Patent No. 5354248

  An object of the present invention is to use a module case obtained without cutting a resin molded product or the like, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the cost, and also by changing the external environment such as temperature. Another object of the present invention is to provide a hollow fiber membrane module that can maintain a liquid-tight state between the inner periphery of the module case and the module case.

The purpose of such invention, the module case main body module case accommodating the hollow fiber membrane, blocks the opening on both sides of the lid member and the module case main body constituting the flow path block the openings at both ends of the module case main body Thus configured the lid member constituting the flow path, the module case both ends accommodating the hollow fiber membrane, the gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case is sealed by a potting material, a hollow fiber membrane and the module case As well as integrating the sealing material between the potting member and both end portions of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, the sealing material also has a gap between the opening portions at both ends of the module case body and the corresponding lid members. In the hollow fiber membrane module that is sealed at the same time, the inner circumference where the potting agent is applied to the module case body Provided in both end portions are a continuous two-step step portion composed of a first step portion and a second step portion, a potting agent is disposed on the first step portion, and a seal is provided on a second step portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent. This is achieved by a hollow fiber membrane module provided with a material.

The hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention is provided with a two-step continuous step portion including a first step portion and a second step portion at both end portions of the inner peripheral surface to which the potting agent of the module case body is applied. A module with a simple configuration that can be obtained without cutting a resin molded product, for example, by arranging a potting agent in a part and arranging a sealing material in a second step portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent A case can be used, and the manufacturing process can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect that it is possible to maintain the liquid-tightness between the potting member and the inner peripheral surface of the module case even when the external environment such as temperature changes.

1 is a longitudinal sectional perspective view of a center line of a hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention . It is a figure which shows the sealing material vicinity part of the centerline longitudinal cross-section edge part of the hollow fiber membrane module which concerns on this invention

The hollow fiber membrane module of the present invention, the module case main body module case accommodating the hollow fiber membranes, the openings of both side surfaces of the lid member and the module case main body constituting the flow path block the openings at both ends of the module case main body closed by being thus constructed lid member constituting the flow path, the module case both ends accommodating the hollow fiber membrane, to seal the gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case by potting agent, hollow fiber membrane and the module case And the sealing material between the potting member and both end portions of the inner peripheral surface of the module case, respectively, so that the sealing material is provided between the opening portions at both ends of the module case body and the corresponding lid members. In hollow fiber membrane modules that also seal the gap at the same time, the potting agent is applied to the module case body. A second stepped portion comprising a first stepped portion and a second stepped portion is provided at both end portions of the inner peripheral surface, a potting agent is disposed on the first stepped portion, and a second portion adjacent to a part of the potting agent is provided. It consists of a structure in which a sealing material is arranged on the stepped portion. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using one embodiment shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, a group of hollow fiber membranes made of polyethersulfone, polyimide, polyolefin, etc. are accommodated in the module case 2, and the hollow fiber membrane 1 and the module case main body 21 are arranged at both ends of the module case main body 21. Is sealed with potting agents 5 and 5 ′, and the hollow fiber membrane 1 and the module case body 21 are integrated. Sealing is performed using a potting agent such as an epoxy resin, a polyurethane resin, a silicone resin, or a nylon resin.

The module case main body 21 containing the hollow fiber membrane 1 has lid members 22 and 22 ′ each having an inlet 31 and an outlet 32 for closing the openings at both ends and constituting the flow paths 3 and 3 ′. And a lid member 23 constituting a flow path by closing the openings on both side surfaces of the module case main body to constitute a hollow fiber membrane module. Here, the sealing material 4 is interposed between the potting agents 5, 5 ′ and both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case body 21, respectively , which further opens the both ends of the module case body 21 and the corresponding lid members 22, The gap with 22 'is also sealed. With this configuration, there is an effect that the structure of the hollow fiber membrane module can be simplified. As the sealing material, a liquid sealing material, a rubber-like elastic material, or the like is used, and a rubber-like elastic body is preferably used.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, two continuous steps including a first step portion 26 and a second step portion 27 are provided at both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case body 21 to which the potting material 5 is applied. The potting material 5 is disposed on the first step portion 26, and the sealing material 4 is disposed on the second step portion 27 adjacent to a part of the potting agent. The material of the module case can be selected from metals such as aluminum and stainless steel, and resins such as polypropylene, fluororesin, polysulfone resin, and acrylic resin. the step portion of the step can generally be thus formed in such molding.

The potting agent and the sealing material are respectively formed on the first step portion and the second step portion by means such as injection. For the potting agent and the sealing material, for example, the part where the sealing material is formed is separated by using a partition plate so that the potting agent does not enter, and after the potting agent is injected and cured, the partition plate is removed and the sealing material forming part is removed. method for injecting hardening liquid sealing material, or is formed by interpolating fitting a rubber-like elastic material.

By arranging the potting material 5 in the first step portion 26, it becomes possible to prevent the potting member from being detached by the pressure from the inside of the hollow fiber membrane module toward the outside, and the pressure resistance can be maintained. Even in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, in the cutting portion provided in the module case main body, is capable of retaining the potting member by the pressure directed from the hollow fiber membrane module inner side to the outside direction, maintaining the pressure resistance Although it is possible to provide a cutting part in the module case main body and the cost of post-cutting processing is required, the module case cutting process is unnecessary in the present invention, which is more simplified. An effect equivalent to that of the prior invention can be obtained by the configuration.

Further, by providing the sealing material 4 at the second stepped portion 27, not only the gap between the module case main body 21 and the potting materials 5 and 5 ′ is sealed, but also the opening portions at both ends of the module case main body 21 and the module case. It is possible to seal the gaps between the lid members 22 and 22 'constituting the flow path by closing the opening at both ends at the same time. Thereby, the housing for housing the hollow fiber membrane module is not necessarily required, the weight of the entire module is reduced, the manufacturing cost is low, and further miniaturization can be achieved.

  The hollow fiber membrane module having the above configuration can be used in the state of the hollow fiber membrane module without requiring a housing that was further required when using the conventional hollow fiber membrane module. it can.

The hollow fiber membrane module according to the present invention maintains the liquid-tightness between the potting member and both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case by changing the external environment such as temperature while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the cost. Therefore, it can be used effectively as a humidifying membrane module, particularly as a humidifying membrane module for a fuel cell.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow fiber membrane 2 Module case 3, 3 'Channel 4 Sealing material 5, 5' Potting agent 21 Module case main body 22, 22 'Lid member 26 1st step part 27 2nd step part

Claims (5)

The gap between the hollow fiber membrane and the module case is sealed with a potting agent at both ends of the module case containing the hollow fiber membrane, so that the hollow fiber membrane and the module case are integrated. A module case main body, a lid member that closes both ends of the module case main body to form a flow path, and a lid member that closes the openings on both side surfaces of the module case main body to form the flow path. In addition, the sealing material seals the gaps between the opening portions at both ends of the module case body and the lid members at the same time by interposing sealing materials between the potting member and both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the module case. In the thread membrane module,
The module case main body is provided with two continuous stepped portions including a first stepped portion and a second stepped portion at both end portions of the inner peripheral surface to which the potting agent is applied, and the potting agent is disposed on the first stepped portion. A hollow fiber membrane module, characterized in that a sealing material is disposed on a second step portion adjacent to a part of the agent.   The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the module case is made of resin.   The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the module case is a resin molded product formed by die molding.   The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, which is used as a humidifying membrane module.   The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 4, wherein the humidifying membrane module is for a fuel cell.

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