JPS60106467A - Production of hollow yarn type membrane separator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane separator, typified by an artificial kidney. For more details, please refer to the case.
The present invention relates to a method for efficiently manufacturing a hollow fiber type membrane separator with excellent uniformity of density of loaded hollow fiber bundles and excellent airtightness inside the case.

As a hemodialysis device, typified by an artificial kidney.

Generally, a membrane separator based on a hollow fiber type membrane separator shown in Fig. 1 is used.The structure is such that a hollow fiber bundle 2 is loaded into a case 1, blood is introduced from a blood inlet 3, and the hollow fiber membrane separator is The blood is introduced into the hollow part, and the dialysate is introduced from the dialysate inlet 4 and the dialysate is passed through the cavity of the case 1, and the semipermeable membrane effect of the hollow fiber itself removes waste in the blood. It is configured to dialyze substances into the dialysate side.

In order to manufacture this hollow fiber type hemodialysis device, (1) first manufacture the hollow fiber bundle 2, and (2) place the hollow fiber bundle 2 in the case 1.
(3) forming a hardened layer 6 made of a sealing curing agent on the end of the case; (4) joining the hollow fiber ends to each other and joining the hollow fiber ends to the case end; A combination of the following steps: (5) providing a header 5 at the end of the case; (6) then cleaning the inside of the case and the hollow part of the hollow fibers as necessary. It is carried out by

Here, the above-mentioned steps (2) and (3) are particularly important steps that affect the performance of the obtained product, and the (2)
In the step (3), the hollow fiber bundle is evenly loaded into the case, and in the step (3), the hardened layer formed securely joins the ends of the hollow fibers and the ends of the case. death,
The case must be sealed to maintain sufficient airtightness inside the case.

However, when manufacturing a conventional hollow fiber membrane separator, the above-mentioned method (
2) The process involves aligning the center axis of the case and the center axis of the hollow fiber bundle, and inserting the hollow fibers from one end of the case while pressing. The hollow fiber bundle used for the purpose of uniformly distributing the fibers is designed to have a larger diameter in the center than the inner diameter of the case.
When inserted, the single fibers located on the outer periphery of the hollow fiber bundle touch the case inner wall t.
The strong contact causes potential tension to be applied, and the single fibers on the opposite side become sagging, often resulting in uneven density of the hollow fiber bundle loaded in the case. If the density of the hollow fiber bundle is non-uniform, when performing hemodialysis using the obtained product, the dialysate will flow concentrated in the area where the hollow fiber density is low, and the dialysis efficiency will be significantly reduced. Decrease. Furthermore, if the density of the hollow fiber bundle is uneven, the rate of penetration of the sealing curing agent between the hollow fibers and the fine air bubbles present in the curing agent may be affected in the subsequent step (3). Because the speed of bubble removal is different, the hardened layer may become thinner in areas where the hollow fibers are sagging on the inner wall of the case, causing insufficient sealing, or air bubbles may concentrate in those areas and communicate, impairing the airtightness inside the case. There are problems such as a decrease in Hemodialysis machines with insufficient seals or poor airtightness as described above have the disadvantage that blood flows out from the dialysate side or dialysate leaks from the case. The reality is that improvements in productivity and product quality are desired.

Therefore, the present inventors conducted studies aimed at improving the above-mentioned problems, and found that the latent tension of the hollow fiber bundle loaded in the case could be eliminated by a simple means, and then a hardened layer could be formed. We have discovered that it is possible to efficiently produce a product with significantly improved uniformity of yarn bundle density and airtightness within the case, and have arrived at the present invention.

That is, the present invention provides a hollow fiber membrane separator with a cylindrical case containing:
A hollow fiber bundle having a small diameter at both ends and a large diameter at the center compared to the inner diameter of the case is loaded, and then a sealing curing agent is injected into the case to form a hardening layer at both ends inside the case. When forming, prior to injecting the hardening agent, the hollow fiber bundle loaded in the case is given multiple reciprocating motions in the direction of the center axis of the case, thereby equalizing the tension applied to the hollow fiber bundle during loading. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane separator.

The hollow fiber bundle used in the present invention is a bundle of thousands to hundreds of hollow fibers obtained by spinning polymer materials such as polymethyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile copolymers, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives in the fiber direction. The diameter of each single thread is 200 to 350 μm, and the diameter of the hollow part is 150 to 300 μm.
A range of is preferred.

The sealing curing agent used to form the cured layer in the present invention refers to a two-component adhesive made by mixing a curing agent with polyurethane, epoxy resin, silicone, etc., and this mixture cures the sealing property. This is done immediately before using the drug.

The present invention will be described in detail below using FIGS. 2 to 5.

The drawings are all longitudinal sectional views relating to the method of the present invention, and the second
5 shows the state of the manufacturing process, and FIG. 5 shows an intermediate product.

1 is the case% 2 is the hollow fiber bundle, 4 is the dialysate conduit of the case,
7 and 8 are the ends of the hollow fiber bundle, 9 is the center of the hollow fiber bundle, and 10
is the outer single fiber of the hollow fiber bundle.

11.12 is a focusing tape, arrow A%A/.

B and B' indicate the moving direction of the hollow fiber bundle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow fiber bundle 2 is inserted in the direction of arrow A from one end of the case 1 to the other end. Here, both ends 7.8 of the hollow fiber bundle 2 are attached to the focusing tape 41.12 so that the diameter N of the inner peripheral surface of the case 1 is smaller than the diameter N of the inner peripheral surface of the case 1.
However, the diameter M of the central portion 9 is larger than the diameter N of the case 1. Therefore, immediately after the hollow light beam 2 is moved in the direction of arrow A and loaded into the case 1, the outer single fibers 10 of the hollow fiber bundle 2 are at the central portion 9 in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case, as shown in FIG. Tension is applied to the end 11 side, and slack is applied to the end 8 side. From this state, the hollow fiber bundle 2 is moved in the direction of arrow B, and further in the direction of arrow A' or arrows A' and B' as shown in FIG. That is, by reciprocating the hollow fiber bundle 6 within the case 1 in the direction of the central axis of the case a plurality of times, preferably 2 to 5 times, as shown in FIG. It will be erased. This is thought to be due to the phenomenon 8 of converging the multifilaments at both ends and eliminating the diffusion inertia in the central part 9 of the hollow light beam 2 that does not bind the central part, and the dispersion and elimination phenomenon of partially applied tension. .

It is preferable to reciprocate the hollow fiber bundle inside the case immediately after loading the hollow fiber bundle into the case.If the hollow fiber bundle is loaded and left unattended and then reciprocated, the hollow fiber itself may be deformed.
This is not preferable because it becomes difficult to correct for uniform density.

The thus loaded hollow fiber bundle has a uniform density. Next, sealing caps are placed on both ends of the case, and a sealing curing agent is injected from the dialysate inlet 4 in FIG. 1, and centrifugal force is applied to the case to harden it. Move the agent to both ends of the case,
A cured layer obtained by hardening or other means also has extremely good sealing properties and airtightness.

According to the method of the present invention as explained above.

Hollow fiber membrane separators with uniform density of the hollow fiber bundle loaded in the case and excellent airtightness inside the case can be manufactured efficiently, improving productivity, product quality, and reducing costs1. It has great effects.

The present invention will be further explained from Example 1 below.

7- Example A hollow fiber hemodialysis device was manufactured using the following method.

The condition of the hollow luminous flux of the obtained product was examined and an airtightness test inside the case was conducted.

For the airtight test, apply an air pressure equivalent to +000 imHg inside the case for 30 seconds, then seal it up and use a leak tester (Model LT-1 manufactured by Nikuma Co., Ltd.) to measure the amount of air that leaks in 10 seconds. Measured and found that the amount of air was 0. Less than +73 mA' was judged as passing, and 0.173 md or more was judged as failing.

First, inside a cylindrical plastic case with an inner diameter of 41 mm and a length of 200 mm, a hollow fiber bundle (both ends with a diameter of 38 mm) is made by bundling 11,000 hollow fibers made of polymethyl methacrylate with an outer diameter of 250 μ, an inner diameter of 200 μ, and a length of 230 mm. , central diameter 45M) was inserted.

Next, place the case with sealing caps on both ends and fix it on a rotating disk, and then place the dialysate inlet (8
m) Insert the y-branched curing agent injection nozzle,
Immediately after injecting 85 g of a 28-liquid polyurethane resin as a sealing curing agent, the case was rotated at 100 Or, P, m for about 21 minutes to move the curing agent to both ends of the case.

I let it harden in that area.

Next, the sealing cap was removed from the case, and the cured layers at both ends were cut with a cutter at positions 14.5 ml from the outside, and then headers were set at both ends of the case and subjected to the airtightness test.

As a result, of the 100 manufactured hollow fiber hemodialysis devices, 78 passed the test, but 22 failed. When the condition of the hollow fiber bundle in the case of the rejected product was observed, it was confirmed that the deviation of the hollow fiber bundle on the insertion side was large, and that a communicating part of air bubbles had occurred in the insertion side cured layer.

In addition, when the above-mentioned passed product was then subjected to water washing treatment and the hollow fiber hollow part and the inside of the case were thoroughly cleaned, the single fibers and the inside of the case were thoroughly washed.
- Approximately 13 pieces were found to cause cuts.

On the other hand, after inserting the hollow fiber bundle into the case in the same way as above,
Fix the center of the case, hold both ends of the hollow fiber bundle in your hands, and move the hollow fiber bundle back and forth three times in the direction of the central axis of the case.A hardened layer was similarly applied, and both ends of the hardened layer were cut. When a similar airtightness test was conducted, all 100 products passed the test, and even when they were subsequently washed with water, no single yarn breakage occurred.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hollow fiber hemodialysis apparatus. Second
5 to 4 are longitudinal cross-sectional views at each step in manufacturing a hollow fiber hemodialysis device by the method of the present invention.
The figure is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the intermediate product. 1 ~ Case body 2 ~ Hollow fiber bundle 3.3' ~ Blood inlet 4.4' ~ Dialysate inlet 5.5' ~ Header 6.6' ~ Hardened layer 7.8 ~ Hollow fiber east end 9 ~Central part of hollow fiber bundle 10~Outer single fiber of hollow fiber bundle 11.12~Focusing tape Patent applicant Toshi Co., Ltd. Pillar part 5 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] Inside the cylindrical case of a hollow fiber membrane separator, a hollow fiber bundle is loaded, which has smaller diameters at both end convergence parts and a larger diameter at the center compared to the inner diameter of the case, and then seals the inside of the case. When injecting a hardening agent to form a hardened layer on both ends of the case, prior to injecting the hardening agent, the hollow fiber bundle loaded in the case is given reciprocating motion multiple times in the direction of the center axis of the case.
A method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane separator characterized by equalizing the tension applied to the hollow fiber bundle during loading.