JPH0556227U - Hollow fiber membrane module - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a hollow fiber membrane module which is free from damage to the hollow fiber membrane and has good manufacturability. [Structure] A bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes is fixed to a container 1 with a sealing material 7 at an open end 2b. Both ends of the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes are loosely bound by non-adhesive tapes 5 and 5A.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial application]

 The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane module in which a bundle of hollow fiber membranes as a filtration membrane is loaded in a container.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Hollow fiber membrane modules are widely used as fluid treatment devices for water purifiers and artificial kidneys. An example of this type of hollow fiber membrane module is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, a hollow fiber membrane module 4 is configured by loading a hollow fiber membrane bundle 3 in which a large number of hollow fiber membranes 2 as a filtration membrane are bundled in a cylindrical shape into a container 1. The hollow fiber membrane module 4 is used, for example, as a water purifier by filling the container 1 with activated carbon (not shown) and further storing it in another container not shown.

In order to manufacture this type of hollow fiber membrane module, first, as shown in FIG. 6, from the viewpoint of shape retention at the time of manufacturing the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes, both ends of the tape (bundling member) 5 are used. To obtain a bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes in a state of being bound. After that, the right end opening of the hollow fiber membrane 2 is closed by a seal material 6 shown by a chain line, and the right end portions of the hollow fiber membrane 2 are fixed to each other by this seal material 6. After this fixing, the operator cuts the tape 5 with a cutter or the like and removes it. After this removal, the container 1 of FIG. 5 is placed upside down, and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 3 is inserted into the container 1 with the open end surface 2a of the hollow fiber membrane 2 facing downward. The bundle 3 is fixed to the container 1.

Here, the tape 5 in FIG. 6 is removed because the tape 5 is in contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane 2, so that the surface area of the hollow fiber membrane 2 that contributes to dialysis is reduced, This is because it is considered that the tape 5 may hinder the flow of the fluid to be processed.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, if the manufacture of the hollow fiber membrane module 4 is attempted to be automated, the hollow fiber membrane 2 is often damaged in the tape 5 cutting step. Therefore, after binding, the operation of loading and fixing the hollow fiber membrane 2 in the container 1 is automated. There is a problem that you can not. Further, even when not automated, it is troublesome to cut and remove the tape 5 of FIG. 6, and therefore the manufacturability is reduced. Furthermore, when the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes from which the tape 5 has been removed is tried to be inserted into the container 1 of FIG. 5, the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes spreads apart and expands. There is also a problem that the left end portion of 3 is difficult to enter the portion having a small inner diameter of the container 1, and therefore, the productivity is also deteriorated.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a hollow fiber membrane module which has no possibility of damaging the hollow fiber membrane and has good manufacturability.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an annular binding member that binds the open end of the hollow fiber membrane that is bonded to the container.

[0009]

[Action]

 According to this invention, since the binding member that binds the opening-side end of the hollow fiber membrane is provided, it is not necessary to cut the binding member, and the opening-side end of the hollow fiber membrane bundle is There is also no danger of spreading apart.

[0010]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a hollow container 1 is filled with a bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes. The open end surface 2a of the hollow fiber membrane 2 is open as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and as shown in FIG. 2 (b), a sealing material is provided in the gap between the open end portions 2b. The hollow fiber membrane bundle 3 is fixed to the container 1 by the sealing material 7. On the other hand, the other end 2c of the hollow fiber membrane 2 is closed by a sealing material 6 as shown in FIG. 2 (c), and is loosened and fixed to each block 3a.

As shown in FIG. 1, both ends 2b and 2c of the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes are loosely bound by non-adhesive annular tapes (binding members) 5 and 5A so as not to lose their shape. The tape 5 that binds the end portion 2 b on the opening side of the hollow fiber membrane 2 is embedded in the sealing material 7.

As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the fluid L to be treated is taken in between the blocks 3 a and the gaps between the hollow fiber membranes 2 and passes through the filtration holes (not shown) of the hollow fiber membranes 2. At that time, it is purified, passes through the hollow fiber membrane 2, and is discharged from the open end surface 2a of the hollow fiber membrane 2. Note that the other configurations are similar to those of the conventional example of FIG. 5, and the same portions or corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, a method for manufacturing the hollow fiber membrane module 4 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes having both ends 2b and 2c bound with tapes 5 and 5A is obtained. Then, the right end 2c of the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes is dipped in the resin liquid, and when the resin liquid loses its fluidity, the right end 2c is loosened, thereby As described above, the right end 2c is closed by the sealing material 6 formed by curing the resin liquid, and the blocks 3a are fixed to each other.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2C, the filler 8 shown by the broken line is embedded in the opening end 2b from the opening end 2a of the hollow fiber membrane 2 to fill the opening end 2a. After this filling, the end 1a for fixing the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes in the container 1 of FIG. 2D is directed downward, and the container 1 is screwed and set in the bonding pot 9. Into the container 1 thus set, the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes which is still bound by the tapes 5 and 5A is inserted as shown by the chain double-dashed line. After this insertion, the container 1 and the bonding pot 9 are rotated at high speed around the axis C of FIG. 3 (e) to perform so-called centrifugal bonding, whereby the sealing material 7 is attached to the bonding pot 9 and the container 1. It is injected into the end portion 1a to fix the open end portions 2b of the hollow fiber membranes 2 to each other and seal the gap between the hollow fiber membranes 2 to each other. Then, after releasing the mold and performing post-cure, unnecessary parts by centrifugal adhesion are cut to remove the clogging part. Thereby, the hollow fiber membrane module 4 of FIG. 1 is obtained.

In the above structure, the hollow fiber membrane module 4 does not need to cut and remove the tape 5 originally required for manufacturing the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes, and thus the cutting step can be omitted, so that the productivity is good. Further, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes is inserted into the container 1, since the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes which has been bound by the tape 5 is inserted, Since the open end portion 2b of the bundle 3 does not spread apart and spread, the insertion is facilitated, and thus the manufacturability is also improved.

Further, as described above, since it is not necessary to cut and remove the tape 5, in particular, when it is automated, unlike the conventional hollow fiber membrane module 4 that cuts the tape 5, the hollow fiber membrane 2 is damaged. Never.

By the way, since the tapes 5 and 5A remain as they are in the hollow fiber membrane module 4 of FIG. 1, these tapes 5 impede the flow of the fluid L to be treated and the filtration speed is lowered. I'm worried.

However, since the tape 5 on the open end 2b side is buried in the seal material 7, it does not hinder the flow of the target fluid L. Further, the tape 5A not buried in the sealing material 7 is also a non-adhesive tape, and loosely binds the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes. Since the closed other end 2c is divided for each block 3a, the fluid L to be treated in FIG. 2 is sufficiently taken in from the gaps and surroundings of each block 3a of the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes as shown by the arrow. .. Therefore, there is no fear that the filtration rate will decrease. When the present inventor compared the hollow fiber membrane module 4 having the tapes 5 and 5A with the conventional hollow fiber membrane module 4 having no tape, there was almost no difference in the filtration rate. ..

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the case of the second embodiment, the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes is of a loop type in which the hollow fiber membranes 2 are bent in a U shape. In this embodiment, only the open end 2b of the bundle 3 of hollow fiber membranes is bound by the tape 5. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

In each of the above embodiments, the tape 5 for binding the open end 2b side of the hollow fiber membrane 2 was completely embedded in the sealing material 7, but it is not always required to be embedded. Part of it may be exposed.

[0021]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, since the annular binding member that binds the opening-side end of the hollow fiber membrane that is bonded to the container is provided, it is not necessary to remove the binding member and Since the end portion of the bundle on the opening side does not spread apart when being inserted into the stack, the manufacturability is good. Moreover, since it is not necessary to cut and remove the tape, there is no possibility of damaging the hollow fiber membrane.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a hollow fiber membrane module showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 (a), (b) and (c) are an enlarged plan view, an enlarged cross-sectional view and an enlarged plan view, respectively, on the opening side.

FIG. 3 is a process drawing showing the manufacturing method.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a hollow fiber membrane module showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional hollow fiber membrane module.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an example of a bundle of hollow fiber membranes.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Container, 2 ... Hollow fiber membrane, 2b ... Open end, 3 ... Bundle of hollow fiber membranes, 4 ... Hollow fiber membrane module, 5 ... Bundling member (tape).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A hollow fiber membrane module in which a bundle of hollow fiber membranes is loaded in a tubular container, and an end of the hollow fiber membrane on the opening side is adhered to the container, the hollow fiber comprising: A hollow fiber membrane module in which a bundle of membranes has an annular binding member that binds at least the end portion on the opening side.