JP6467982B2 - Separation membrane module - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a separation membrane module used for separating a part of components from a fluid such as a solution or a mixed gas.

  A separation membrane module is known as an apparatus for separating components in a solution or mixed gas. The tubular separation membrane used in this separation membrane module has a tubular porous ceramic support and a porous separation membrane made of zeolite or the like provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support. In order to separate a specific component from a fluid such as a solution or a mixed gas, the fluid of the solution is brought into contact with one (outer surface) of the separation membrane element, and the other (inner surface) is depressurized to thereby remove the specific component. A method of vaporizing and separating, a method of vaporizing a solution and bringing it into contact with a separation membrane in a gaseous state, and depressurizing a non-contact surface side to separate a specific component, and bringing a pressurized mixed gas into contact with the separation membrane Methods for separating specific components are known (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which a tubular member is fixed to a fixing member by screwing, and one end of a zeolite membrane is fitted to an insertion portion of the tubular member.

JP 2013-39546 A JP 2011-152507 A

  In the case of fixing the tubular member to the fixing member by screwing, if the number of the zeolite separation membranes is large, the threading operation and the screwing operation are remarkably troublesome, the manufacturing period of the separation membrane module becomes long, and the manufacturing cost increases.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a separation membrane module in which an end tube connected to one end of a tubular separation membrane is easily attached to a support plate and the support plate can be easily manufactured.

  The separation membrane module of the present invention has a cylindrical housing and a plurality of tubular separation membranes disposed in the housing in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and a fluid to be treated is passed through the housing from one end side to the other end. A separation membrane module in which a fluid that flows to the side and permeates through the tubular separation membrane is taken out through the tubular separation membrane, and an end tube is connected to one end of the tubular separation membrane, and the end tube passes through the housing. In the separation membrane module protruding from one plate surface of the support plate installed so as to cross, an insertion hole is provided in one plate surface of the support plate, and the end tube is inserted into the insertion hole. The end pipe and the insertion hole are sealed with an O-ring.

  In the separation membrane module of the present invention, the end tube is connected to the support plate by inserting the end tube into the insertion hole provided in the support plate. This insertion work is extremely easy. Further, even a large number of insertion holes can be easily drilled. Therefore, according to the present invention, the support plate can be easily manufactured.

It is sectional drawing which follows the housing axial center line direction of the separation membrane module which concerns on embodiment. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view of an end pipe and a support plate. FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4. It is sectional drawing which follows the housing axial center line direction of the separation membrane module which concerns on embodiment.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-6, the separation membrane module which concerns on one embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  This separation membrane module 1 is provided in a cylindrical housing 2 with the cylindrical axis direction as the vertical direction, a plurality of tubular separation membranes 3 arranged in parallel to the axial line of the housing 2, and a lower part in the housing 2. The support plate 5, the bottom cover 6 A attached to the lower end of the housing 2, the top cover 6 B attached to the upper end, and the first and the second arranged in the lower and upper portions of the housing 2 in parallel with the support plate 5. A baffle (rectifier plate) 7 and a second baffle (rectifier plate) 8 are included. The first baffle 7 is disposed on the upper side of the support plate 5.

  In this embodiment, outward flanges 2a, 2b, 6b, 6c are provided on the lower and upper ends of the housing 2 and the outer peripheral edges of the bottom cover 6A and the top cover 6B, respectively, and these are fixed by bolts (not shown). Has been. The peripheral edge of the support plate 5 is sandwiched between the flanges 2a and 6b via a gasket (not shown).

  In this embodiment, the end tube 4 is connected to the lower end of the tubular separation membrane 3. An end plug 20 is connected to the upper end of the tubular separation membrane 3. Although only seven tubular separation membranes are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a large number are actually provided as shown in FIG. Further, the two tubular separation membranes 3 may be formed as a tubular separation membrane coupled body connected by a joint pipe 17 as shown in FIG.

  A fluid inlet 9 is provided on the lower outer peripheral surface of the housing 2, and a fluid outlet 10 is provided on the upper outer peripheral surface. The inflow port 9 is provided so as to face the chamber 11 between the support plate 5 and the first baffle 7. The outlet 10 is provided so as to face the upper chamber 12 of the second baffle 8. Between the baffles 7 and 8 is a main chamber 13 for performing membrane separation.

  A plurality of rods 14 are erected from the bottom support plate 5, and the baffles 7 and 8 are supported by the rods 14. A male screw is engraved at the lower end of the rod 14 and is screwed into the female screw hole of the support plate 5. The baffles 7 and 8 are supported at a predetermined height by sheath tubes 14A and 14B (FIG. 4) fitted on the rod 14. The sheath tube 14 </ b> A is disposed between the support plate 5 and the baffle 7. The sheath tube 14 </ b> B is disposed between the baffles 7 and 8. The baffle 8 is mounted on the upper end surface of the sheath tube 14 </ b> B and is fixed by a nut screwed to the upper end of the rod 14. Three or more baffles may be used regardless of the number of baffles.

  Seal members such as an O-ring, a V-packing, and a C-ring are interposed between the outer peripheral surfaces of the baffles 7 and 8 and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 2.

  Each baffle 7, 8 is provided with circular insertion holes 7 a, 8 a for inserting the tubular separation membrane 3, and a connection body of the tubular separation membrane 3, the end tube 4 and the end plug 20 is provided in each insertion hole 7 a. , 8a. The diameters of the insertion holes 7a and 8a are larger than the diameters (outer diameters) of the tubular separation membrane 3, the end tube 4 and the end plug 20, and the inner peripheral surfaces of the insertion holes 7a and 8a, and the end tube 4 and the end plug 20 There is a gap between the outer peripheral surface and the entire circumference.

  An insertion hole 5 a into which the lower end of the end tube 4 connected to the tubular separation membrane 3 is inserted is provided on the upper surface side of the support plate 5. The insertion hole 5a has a cylindrical shape and extends from the upper surface of the support plate 5 to the middle in the thickness direction. The bottom of the insertion hole 5a faces the outflow chamber 16 below the support plate 5 through the small hole 5b and the large hole 5c.

  The tube hole 4a of each end tube 4 communicates with the outflow chamber 16 between the bottom cover 6A and the support plate 5 via the small hole 5b and the large hole 5c. The bottom cover 6A is provided with an outlet 6a for the separated permeated fluid.

  A groove 4b is provided around the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity of the lower end of the end tube 4, and an O-ring 30 made of fluororubber, fluororesin, or the like is attached. In this embodiment, a plurality of grooves 4a are provided.

  Further, a groove 4 c concentric with the tube hole 4 a of the end tube 4 is also provided around the lower end surface of the end tube 4, and an O-ring 31 is mounted. The O-ring 30 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 5a, and the O-ring 31 is in close contact with the bottom surface of the insertion hole 5a, thereby sealing between the outer surface of the end tube 4 and the insertion hole 5a. .

  Note that only one of the O-ring 30 on the outer peripheral surface of the end tube 4 and the O-ring 31 on the lower end surface may be provided.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the upper end portion of the end tube 4 has a small diameter portion 4 g and is inserted into the lower portion of the tubular separation membrane 3. An O-ring 32 is mounted in a groove provided around the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 4g. An O-ring 33 is also interposed between the lower end surface of the tubular separation membrane 3 and the step surface of the end tube 4. The connecting portion between the end tube 4 and the tubular separation membrane 3 may be sealed by using a heat shrinkable tube without using the O-ring as described above. It may be used.

  An end plug 20 is connected to the upper end of the tubular separation membrane 3. The end plug 20 has a cylindrical shape or a shape obtained by cutting a part thereof, and seals the upper end of the tubular separation membrane 3. A small diameter portion inserted into the tubular separation membrane 3 is provided at the lower end of the end plug 20. The end plug 20 and the tubular separation membrane 3 are sealed with an O-ring. Although not shown, the sealing structure between the end plug 20 and the tubular separation membrane 3 is the same as the sealing structure between the end tube 4 and the tubular separation membrane 3. Further, the end plug 20 and the tubular separation membrane 3 may be sealed by using a heat shrinkable tube without using an O-ring, or a heat shrinkable tube may be further used after using an O-ring.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, a plurality of, for example, two tubular separation membranes 3 are connected via a joint pipe 17. The joint pipe 17 has a through hole penetrating in the pipe axis direction. Both end sides (upper end side and lower end side) of the joint pipe 17 are small-diameter portions that are inserted into the tubular separation membrane 3. A groove is provided around the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion, and an O-ring (not shown) is attached.

  Moreover, between the small diameter parts of the both ends of the joint pipe 17, it is a large diameter part, and the boundary part of a small diameter part and a large diameter part is a level | step difference surface. An O-ring is also interposed between the step surface and the end surface of the tubular separation membrane 3. The joint tube 17 and the tubular separation membrane 3 may be sealed by using a heat-shrinkable tube without using an O-ring, or a heat-shrinkable tube may be further used after using an O-ring.

  In this embodiment, since the end plug 20 is disposed on the upper end side of the tubular separation membrane 3, the end surfaces thereof are pressed against the tubular separation membrane 3, the end plug 20, the end tube 4 and the joint tube 17. Load is applied in the direction.

  However, in the present invention, the end tube 4 and the support plate 5 may be disposed on the upper end side of the tubular separation membrane 3, and the end plug 20 may be disposed on the lower end side of the tubular separation membrane 3. In this case, by providing an urging member such as a spring for urging the end plug 20 upward, the end surfaces thereof are pressed against the tubular separation membrane 3, the end plug 20, the end tube 4 and the joint tube 17. It is preferable to apply a load in the direction to be applied.

  In this embodiment, the lower end portion of the end tube 4 of the connection body of the tubular separation membrane 3, the end tube 4 and the end plug 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 5 a provided in the support plate 5, and the tubular separation membrane 3 and the end A connecting body of the tube 4 and the end plug 20 is erected on the support plate 5. The end tube 4 and the support plate 5 can be easily connected in an airtight or liquid-tight manner simply by inserting the lower end portion of the end tube 4 into the insertion hole 5a. Moreover, since the insertion hole 5a is cylindrical, the operation | work which drills the insertion hole 5a in the support plate 5 is easy, and manufacture of the support plate 5 is also easy. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the manufacturing period of the separation membrane module and reduce the manufacturing cost.

  In the separation membrane module 1 configured as described above, the fluid to be treated is introduced into the chamber 11 of the housing 2 from the inlet 9, and between the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 7 a of the baffle 7 and the outer peripheral surface of the end tube 4. Flows into the main chamber 13 through the gap, and flows out into the chamber 12 through the gap between the insertion hole 8 a of the baffle 8 and the end plug 20 after passing through the main chamber 13. While flowing through the main chamber 13, some components of the fluid to be treated permeate the tubular separation membrane 3 and are taken out from the tubular separation membrane 3 through the outflow chamber 16 and the outlet 6a. The fluid that has not permeated flows out of the separation membrane module 1 from the outlet 10.

  The flow in the main chamber 13 and the flow in the tubular separation membrane 3 may be cocurrent or counterflow, and the inflow port 9 and the outflow port 10 of the fluid to be processed may be interchanged.

  The separation membrane module 1 may be used with the top cover 6B side up as shown in FIG. 1 or may be used with the bottom cover 6A side up. Further, the separation membrane module 1 may be installed and used horizontally so that the direction connecting the bottom cover 6A and the top cover 6B is substantially horizontal.

  In this embodiment, a large number of tubular separation membranes 3 are arranged in parallel and the membrane area is large, so that membrane separation is performed efficiently.

  In this embodiment, the end pipe 4 and the end plug 20 connected to the upper and lower ends of the tubular separation membrane 3 are inserted into the insertion holes 7a and 8a of the baffles 7 and 8, respectively. Therefore, even if the tubular separation membrane 3 vibrates or swings so that the end tube 4 and the end plug 20 come into contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the insertion holes 7a and 8a, the zeolite membrane is not damaged and is stably operated over a long period of time. It can be performed.

  Hereinafter, suitable materials for each member constituting the separation membrane module of the present invention will be described.

  Examples of the material of the end tube 4 and the end plug 20 include, but are not limited to, metals and ceramics that do not allow fluid to permeate. The material of the baffles 7 and 8 and the joint tube 17 is usually a metal material such as stainless steel, but is not particularly limited as long as it has heat resistance and supply under separation conditions and resistance to a permeation component. It can be changed to other materials.

  The tubular separation membrane 3 preferably has a tubular porous support and a zeolite membrane as an inorganic separation membrane formed on the outer peripheral surface of the porous support. Examples of the material of the tubular porous support include inorganic sintered porous ceramics and metal sintered bodies containing silica, α-alumina, γ-alumina, mullite, zirconia, titania, yttria, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and the like. A quality support may be mentioned. Among these, an inorganic porous support containing at least one of alumina, silica, and mullite is preferable. The average pore diameter of the surface of the porous support is not particularly limited, but those having a controlled pore diameter are preferred, usually 0.02 μm or more, preferably 0.05 μm or more, more preferably 0.1 μm. The above is usually in the range of 20 μm or less, preferably 10 μm or less, more preferably 5 μm or less.

Zeolite is crystallized on the surface of the porous support to form a zeolite membrane.
The main zeolite constituting the zeolite membrane usually contains a zeolite having an oxygen 6-10 membered ring structure, and preferably contains a zeolite having an oxygen 6-8 membered ring structure.

  Here, the value of n of the zeolite having an oxygen n-membered ring indicates the one having the largest number of oxygen among the pores composed of oxygen and T element forming the zeolite skeleton. For example, when there are 12-membered and 8-membered pores of oxygen, such as MOR type zeolite, it is regarded as a 12-membered ring zeolite.

  An example of a zeolite having an oxygen 6-10 membered ring structure is AEI, AEL, AFG, ANA, BRE, CAS, CDO, CHA, DAC, DDR, DOH, EAB, EPI, ESV, EUO, FAR, FRA, FER, GIS, GIU, GOO, HEU, IMF, ITE, ITH, KFI, LEV, LIO, LOS, LTN, MAR, MEP, MER, MEL, MFI, MFS, MON, MSO, MTF, MTN, MTT, MWW, NAT, NES, NON, PAU, PHI, RHO, RRO, RTE, RTH, RUT, SGT, SOD, STF, STI, STT, TER, TOL, TON, TSC, TUN, UFI, VNI, VSV, WEI, YUG, etc. There is.

  The zeolite membrane may be a single membrane of the zeolite, or the zeolite powder is dispersed in a binder such as a polymer to form a membrane, and the zeolite is fixed in a film form on various supports. A zeolite membrane composite may be used. The zeolite membrane may partially contain an amorphous component or the like.

  The thickness of the zeolite membrane is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.1 μm or more, preferably 0.6 μm or more, more preferably 1.0 μm or more. Moreover, it is 100 micrometers or less normally, Preferably it is 60 micrometers or less, More preferably, it is the range of 20 micrometers or less.

  However, the present invention may use a tubular separation membrane having a separation membrane other than the zeolite membrane.

  The outer diameter of the tubular separation membrane 3 is preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 6 mm or more, further preferably 10 mm or more, preferably 20 mm or less, more preferably 18 mm or less, and further preferably 16 mm or less. If the outer diameter is too small, the strength of the tubular separation membrane may be insufficient and may be easily broken. If it is too large, the membrane area per module will be reduced.

  The length of the portion of the tubular separation membrane 3 covered with the zeolite membrane is preferably 20 cm or more, and preferably 200 cm or less.

  In the separation membrane module of the present invention, the tubular separation membrane may be a single tube type or a multi-tube type, and usually 1 to 3000, particularly 50 to 850 are arranged, and the shortest distance between the tubular separation membranes is 2 mm to 10 mm. It is preferable to arrange so as to be. The size of the housing and the number of tubular separation membranes are appropriately changed depending on the amount of fluid to be processed. The tubular separation membrane may not be connected by the joint tube 17.

  In the separation membrane module of the present invention, the target fluid to be separated or concentrated is not particularly limited as long as it is a gas or liquid mixture composed of a plurality of components that can be separated or concentrated by the separation membrane. However, it is preferably used for a gas mixture.

  For the separation or concentration, a separation or concentration method called a pervaporation method (pervaporation method) or a vapor permeation method (vapor permeation method) can be used. The pervaporation method is a separation or concentration method in which a liquid mixture is directly introduced into a separation membrane, so that a process including separation or concentration can be simplified.

  In the present invention, when the mixture to be separated or concentrated is a gas mixture composed of a plurality of components, examples of the gas mixture include carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, and propane. , Propylene, normal butane, isobutane, 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, toluene and other aromatic compounds, sulfur hexafluoride, helium, carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, water, etc. The thing containing a component is mentioned. Among the mixture of these gas components, the gas component having a high permeance passes through the separation membrane and is separated, and the gas component having a low permeance is concentrated on the supply gas side.

  The separation membrane module of the present invention can be used by being connected depending on the amount of fluid or the desired degree of separation and concentration. If the amount of fluid is large or the target separation / concentration is high and processing cannot be performed sufficiently with one module, connect the piping so that the fluid from the outlet enters the inlet of another module. It is preferable. Moreover, it can be further linked according to the degree of separation and the degree of concentration to obtain the desired degree of separation and concentration.

  The separation membrane modules of the present invention may be installed in parallel to branch the fluid and supply gas. At this time, it is also possible to install modules in series with the modules in parallel. When the parallel modules are connected in series, the amount of gas to be supplied decreases in the serial direction and the linear velocity decreases. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the number of parallel installations so as to keep the linear velocity appropriately.

  Permeated components when the modules are arranged in series may be discharged for each module, or may be discharged by connecting the modules together.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Separation membrane module 2 Housing 3 Tubular separation membrane 4 End pipe 5 Support plate 6A Bottom cover 6B Top cover 6a Outlet 7, 8 Baffle 7a, 8a Insertion hole 9 Outlet 10 Outlet 11, 12 Chamber 13 Main chamber 14 Rod 16 Outflow chamber 17 Joint pipe 20 End plug 30-33 O-ring

Claims (3)

A tubular housing;
A plurality of tubular separation membranes disposed in the housing in the longitudinal direction of the housing;
A separation membrane module in which a fluid to be treated flows from one end side to the other end side in the housing, and a fluid that has permeated the tubular separation membrane is taken out through the tubular separation membrane,
The tubular separation membrane has a tubular porous support and a zeolite membrane provided on the outer peripheral surface of the porous support,
An end tube is connected to one end of the tubular separation membrane,
In the separation membrane module, the end tube projects from one plate surface of the support plate installed so as to cross the housing.
An insertion hole is provided on one plate surface of the support plate, and the end pipe is inserted into the insertion hole,
The end tube and the insertion hole are sealed with an O-ring ,
The O-ring is mounted in a groove provided in at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the end tube and the end surface of the end tube. 2. The separation membrane module according to claim 1 , wherein the end tube and the support plate are connected by inserting the end tube with the O-ring into the insertion hole. In claim 1 or 2,
The housing has a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axial direction as a vertical direction, the support plate is disposed in a lower portion of the housing, and the insertion hole is provided on an upper surface of the support plate, The hole bottom of the insertion hole faces the lower chamber of the support plate through the hole,
The insertion hole is cylindrical, and extends from the upper surface of the support plate to the middle of the thickness direction,
The end tube is connected to the lower end of the tubular separation membrane;
The groove is provided in each of the outer peripheral surface and the lower end surface of the end pipe, and the O-ring is mounted in the groove,
A separation membrane module, wherein an O-ring mounted in a groove on a lower end surface of the end tube is in close contact with a bottom surface of the insertion hole.

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