JPS6361042B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention The separation device of the invention of claim 1 of Patent No. 1318835 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-43181, the patentee is the same as the present applicant) is a separator that is rotatably driven and stacked. The thin film pack includes a pair of thin films that allow only permeate to pass through, and a support means positioned between the thin films to support the thin films without restricting the movement of the permeate. There is a gap between adjacent packs except at the outer periphery, and the gap is fluid-tightly sealed at the outer periphery. In the separation device of the patented invention, fluid under high pressure flows through the gap between the membrane packs, and the pure liquid or permeate passes through the membranes and then through the periphery of the membrane packs. They go outside and are collected. Fluid that has not passed through the membranes becomes concentrated fluid that flows through matching fluid evacuation holes in the membrane packs and exits from the ends of the stacked membrane packs. The membrane used is of a type that must be kept moist.

In the manufacture of membrane packs, care must be taken to ensure that the membrane is firmly attached to the support means, especially at the fluid outlet holes. A small gap between the membrane and the support means at the fluid outlet allows concentrated fluid to flow into the support means and contaminate the permeate flowing through the support means. Mechanical sealing and retention means are inadequate. This is because such means extend considerably above the surface of the membrane and cause the membrane packs to be far apart from each other;
This is because the flow capacity of the separator is reduced. Furthermore, mechanical sealing and retention means tend to be unreliable when rapidly rotating the membrane pack.
Problems can also arise with respect to ensuring that permeate flows through the support means. That is, as long as the gasket separating the membrane packs is pressed against the periphery of the membrane pack with great force, preventing the supply fluid from flowing outside the membrane pack.
Large pushing forces can crush the support means and result in only a very small flow of permeate.

In accordance with the present invention, the membrane packs are densely spaced slightly apart from each other to ensure that the permeate flows through the membrane packs and is prevented from being contaminated by the feed fluid. The thin film pack is
It has fluid drainage holes extending through the entire membrane pack and includes a membrane and a porous intermediate support plate. The area surrounding the fluid drainage hole of the porous intermediate support plate is
It is sealed by an adhesive which also serves to hold the membrane against the porous intermediate support plate.

In the fluid separation apparatus of the present invention, a gasket portion is located at the outer edge of the membrane pack and a large pressure is applied to prevent the feed fluid from flowing outside the membrane pack. A complete collapse of the porous intermediate support plate due to this pressure is prevented by additionally arranging a guide plate made of a plastic sheet below the porous intermediate support plate. The conductive plate has grooves that carry the permeate through the pressurized area of the membrane pack. If the flow rate of permeate is large, the grooves in the conductor plate can be made to be distributed over almost the entire membrane pack so that a large amount of permeate can easily flow to the outside of the membrane pack.

The features of each invention of the present application are described in the claims, and will be understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a fluid separation device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fluid separation device 10 includes a pump 1
4, a permeate outlet 16 from which a permeate, such as purified water, is obtained, and a concentrate outlet 18, from which a concentrate, such as extremely dirty water, is discharged. Equipped with. A rotor 20 is provided within the housing of the fluid separation device 10 for rotation about an axis 22 by a motor 24 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor 20 includes a plurality of stacked membrane packs 26. Membrane pack 26 has a peripheral edge 26p separated by gasket 28 and a hub or hub 26h separated by separator 30. The supply fluid is inlet 1
2 through the axial groove 32 of the separator 30 into the space 34 between the membrane packs.

Each thin film pack 26 as illustrated in FIG.
has a pair of membranes 36, 38 and a support means 40 sandwiched between the membranes. The support means 40 includes 1
It consists of a pair of perforated intermediate support plates 60 and 62 and an embossed plastic guide plate 64 disposed therebetween.

When the feed fluid moves between the membrane packs 34,
Due to the properties of the membrane, permeate such as pure water can pass through the membrane and enter the membrane pack by permeation or osmosis. The permeate, such as water, that has passed through the membrane and been purified flows radially outward within the membrane pack, reaches the periphery 48 of the membrane pack, and flows radially outward through the slot 50 in the gasket 28. Head to the shell body 52 where you collect things. Fluid that does not permeate the membrane and is thus concentrated by non-filtered material or waste passes through fluid outlet holes 54 through the membrane pack to the rotor top plate 56 and to the concentrate outlet 18.
is discharged through.

Perforated intermediate support plates 60, 62 of thin film pack 26
has high wet strength and high permeability, making it a thin film 3
6 and 38 are supported, and the permeate such as pure water is passed toward the guide plate 64. Porous intermediate support plates 60, 62
The filter paper can be of the type used in oil filters and as battery plate separators, and any sheet with high permeability and wet strength can be used.

The conductor plate 64 shown in FIG. 5 has radially extending grooves 66 along which the permeate can easily flow to the periphery of the membrane pack. Textile screens can be used as guiding plates providing radial channels for the permeate, but embossed plastic plates are inexpensively made.

As shown in FIG. 5, the guide plate 64, which is an embossed plastic plate, has a number of narrow radial grooves 66 through which the permeate passes, and fluid outlet holes 54 for the removal of the non-permeate. The area around the area is not embossed. The lack of relief avoids the flow of fluid into the membrane pack from the fluid outlet holes 54 and provides a flat surface to which the adhesive can adhere.

The fluid drainage holes of the membrane pack are such that a permeate such as pure water flows radially along the support means 40 and a concentrate such as water containing a high concentration of bacteria or salt flows through the fluid drainage hole 54. It is important to seal off the area 54 to prevent concentrate from entering the support means 40.

In the present invention, the fluid discharge hole 54 is
The intermediate support plates 60, 62 are sealed by impregnating them with an adhesive 70, which also punctures the membranes 36, 38, as shown in FIG.
The intermediate support plates 60 and 62 are tightly sealed. Using adhesive 70 in this manner provides a free durable seal that does not require the application of mechanical pressure to seal the membrane to the porous intermediate support plate. In addition, the porous intermediate support plate is sealed against the passage of concentrate by capillary action or otherwise in the area of the fluid outlet holes 54, and the holes are
The intermediate fluid plate is sealed to the conductive plate 64.

The most suitable type of membrane available for many applications, particularly reverse osmosis applications, must be kept constantly moist to prevent damage. Typical of such thin films also cannot withstand moderately high temperatures, such as about 149°C (300°C). Certain types of adhesives are best cured at such temperatures. A water-repellent pressure sensitive adhesive, such as a silicone type, is used to seal the porous intermediate support plates and adhere them to the membrane. Silicones have a lower surface energy (latent heat plus surface tension) than most conventional materials, with the exception of tetrafluoroethylene resins, and are therefore more resistant to wetting by almost all other materials, including water. .

Each membrane pack is made up of a conductive plate made of plastic material, a porous intermediate support plate made of filter paper, etc., and a thin membrane to form a large circle, for example about 61 cm (24 inches) in diameter, with a A large hole is featured and a small fluid drainage hole near the periphery 5
4 is formed. A conductive plate of plastic material is embossed to form a plurality of grooves 102, as shown in FIG. The porous intermediate support plate is
In the peripheral portion of the central hole and the fluid discharge hole 54,
Adhesive injection is performed by placing a mold around it and placing the adhesive into the mold.

FIG. 6 shows a mold 72 including two members 74, 79 joined by a nut 78. FIG.
The perforated intermediate support plate 60 is tightly gripped between the mold members 74, 76 so that the handle 80 of one mold member projects into the perforated intermediate support plate through the fluid outlet 54p. ing. Uncured pressure-sensitive silicone material is forced into the mold through the sprue passage 82 and the hole surrounding the fluid outlet 54p.
It is moved through an entry passageway 84 leading to the area of the intermediate support plate. The adhesive is then moved through the cavity in the porous intermediate support plate to soak and seal the porous area surrounding the fluid outlet. The mold members have recesses 86, 88 below the plane of the peripheral mold surfaces 90, 92 that tightly grip the perforated intermediate support plate 60 so that a thin layer of adhesive It will remain on the opposing surface of the perforated intermediate support plate 60 in the area surrounding the outlet.

After the silicone adhesive is injected, the mold is removed and the adhesive is dried to remove excess solvent. It is then baked in an oven for about 5 minutes at a temperature of about 149°C (300°C) in order to bond the adhesive well. This greatly increases the adhesive strength of the adhesive. Then, the thin film pack
It is coupled on the fuser with a guide plate consisting of an embossed plastic plate sandwiched between a pair of perforated intermediate support plates and thus between a pair of membranes. The bonded assembly is pressed together to create adhesion of the membrane and conductive plate to the porous intermediate support plate. To ensure that the membrane is not dry, the porous intermediate support plate is immersed in water before being bonded to the membrane, which is also moistened. The use of a water-repellent adhesive not only allows adhesion of the wetted porous intermediate support plate to the wetted membrane, but also enhances the sealing of the porous intermediate support plate at the peripheral portion of the fluid outlet. Even if a crack were to form in the adhesive-stained area of the porous intermediate support plate, it would not act as an entry point for concentrated fluids because the adhesive is water repellent. Instead of using pressure-sensitive adhesives, you can also use adhesives that harden while in contact with the membrane. However, this requires holding the film pack on the bonding fuser for an extended period of time until the adhesive is cured.

In fluid separation devices in which the proportion of permeate passing through the membrane is small, only a sheet of filter paper is used as a support means, without the use of guide plates consisting of embossed plastic plates, as shown in FIG. be able to. This is because the filter paper can carry a not excessive amount of outward flow of permeate. However, the thickness is approximately 0.125mm (5 mils)
Using the above rigid plate with considerably high rigidity,
Such a plate may be used without any grooves as an intermediate support plate sandwiched between a pair of filter papers, as it is effective in facilitating the manipulation of the membrane pack.

In devices where large pressures are applied to the fluid, the filter paper will not allow the permeate to flow outward through the pressurized area in the area where the gasket 28 (FIG. 2) is pressed against the membrane pack. Pressure can be applied to a certain extent. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a conductive plate 100 having grooves 102 only in areas where the gasket 28 is pressed very strongly against the membrane pack. FIG. 8 shows an inner ridge or sealing ring 104 that forms a seal that compresses the membrane and prevents membrane fluid from flowing outward. The permeate cannot pass through the perforated intermediate support plate 60 in the area above this sealing ring 104, but can move outward through the grooves 102 in the guide plate.

For example, if very high pressures of the order of 56 Kg/cm ² (800 p.si) are applied to the supply channel body,
Even the structure shown in the figure is insufficient.
This is because the sealing ring 104 presses the perforated intermediate support plate 60 into the grooves 102 of the guide plate, blocking these grooves. Figure 9 shows another construction of a membrane pack, similar to the membrane pack of Figure 8, but with a pair of protectors made of a material such as Mirror (trade name for Mylar reinforced polyester film). The plates 110 and 112 are the conductive plate 100
provided on both sides of the A pair of protection plates 110, 11
2 prevents the perforated intermediate support plate 60 from being pushed into the groove 102 of the guide plate and prevents the groove from being blocked.

FIG. 10 shows the structure of yet another thin film pack. In the structure of this membrane pack, in order to prevent the groove of the guide plate from being blocked in the area where the gasket is tightly pressed against the membrane pack, two
Two plastic guide plates 116, 118 are used. 2 plastic title plates 116,1
18 have grooves 120, 122, each extending in only a portion of the conductive plate. Grooves 120, 122
are made to face each other. Therefore, the compressed perforated intermediate support plate 60 is not pushed into the groove and obstructed the groove. A hole 124 is provided and the groove 12
The permeate is allowed to flow inward into the 0,122.

The thin film pack shown in Figure 4 has a thickness of approximately 0.254 mm.
mm (10 mil) high impact styrene conductor plate 64, perforated intermediate support plates 60, 62 each consisting of filter paper approximately 0.635 mm (25 mil) thick, and each approximately 0.0635 mm (0.0635 mm) thick ( 2.5 mil) thin film 36,3
8 is used. As a result, the total thickness of the membrane pack reaches approximately 1.65 mm (65 mils). In another thin film pack, the thickness between the two thin films is approximately 1.27 mm.
A porous intermediate support plate consisting of a single piece of (50 mil) filter paper and a thin membrane each approximately 0.0635 mm (2.5 mil) thick is used. In this case, the total thickness of the membrane pack would be approximately 1.5 mm (60 mils).

In this way, a thin, reliable, and economically producible membrane pack for use in fluid separation devices is provided. The membranes of the membrane pack are supported to the porous intermediate support plate by an adhesive that impregnates the porous intermediate support plate that supports the membrane. The adhesive can be pressure sensitive and water repellent, such as silicone, to facilitate bonding of the adhesive to the wet film.
The adhesive is applied by holding the porous intermediate support plate in a recessed mold, leaving a layer of adhesive on the porous intermediate support plate. The adhesive impregnated porous intermediate support plate is then heated to cure the adhesive and wetted to adhere to the wet film. A guide plate is used to prevent the support means from being blocked. This conductor plate has grooves extending through the area where the highest pressure is applied to the membrane pack to seal it, and the permeate can exit through these grooves. .

Additional Relationship Each invention of the present application is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1318835 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 1318835)
No. 43181) which has an additional relationship to the device invention of claim 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "original invention"). In other words, each of the inventions of the fluid separation device set forth in claims 1 and 3 of the present patent application takes the main part of the essential part of the structure of the original invention as the main part of the essential part of the structure, It achieves the same purpose as the original invention. Also,
The inventions of Claim 7 of the present patent application, “Method of manufacturing a thin film pack for a fluid separation device” and Claim 11, “Method of manufacturing a fluid separation device” correspond to the invention of the method of manufacturing the device of the original invention. It is something.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a fluid separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partial view of the device in FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the conductive plate used in the embodiment of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a diagram of the thin film pack of FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a partial external view showing a conductive plate according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a section of a thin film pack using the conductive plate of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of a thin film pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of a thin film pack according to still another embodiment of the present invention. 12...Fluid inlet, 14...Pump, 16...
Permeate outlet, 18... Concentrate outlet, 20... Rotor, 24... Motor, 26... Thin film pack, 28
...Gasket, 30...Separator, 32...
Axial groove, 36, 38... thin film, 40... support means, 48... peripheral portion, 50... slot, 54...
...Fluid outlet, 60, 62... Hole intermediate support plate, 64, 100, 116, 118... Guide plate, 6
6,102,120,122...Groove, 70...Adhesive, 72...Mold, 78...Nut, 82...
Sprue passageway, 86, 88... recessed portion, 104... sealing gasket portion, 110, 112... protective plate, 124... hole.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A plurality of rotatably driven stacked membrane packs 26, means 56 surrounding the membrane packs and receiving fluid flowing between the membrane packs and towards the periphery 48 of the membrane packs; Stacked gaskets 28 located at the periphery of the membrane pack
a gasket having a sealing gasket portion 104 disposed between adjacent thin film packs to keep the thin film packs separated; and compressing the stacked gaskets to seal the thin film pack in the sealing gasket portion. In a fluid separation device including means for applying a force to
116, 118, a pair of porous intermediate support plates 60, 62 disposed on opposite surfaces of the thin conductive plate, and a pair of membranes 36 disposed on the surface of the porous intermediate support plate opposite the conductive plate. , 38, the conductive plate 64, 100, 116, 118 having a plurality of grooves 66, 102, 12 extending along the surface of the conductive plate.
0,122, the groove extending across the portion of the membrane pack between the sealing gasket portions 104, the groove extending from a location inside the periphery of the membrane pack to a location outside the periphery of the membrane pack. A fluid separation device characterized by guiding a fluid to a position. 2. In the fluid separation device according to claim 1, the guide plate 100 and the porous intermediate support plate 60
A pair of protective plates 110 and 112 made of a material with greater rigidity than the porous intermediate support plate are disposed in the sealing gasket portion between the two, so that the porous intermediate support plate acts as a guide plate. A fluid separation device characterized in that the fluid separation device is prevented from falling into the groove 102 and clogging the groove. 3 a plurality of rotatably driven stacked membrane packs 26, means 56 surrounding the membrane packs for receiving fluid flowing between the membrane packs and flowing to the periphery 48 of the membrane packs; Stacked gaskets 28 arranged
a gasket having a sealing gasket portion 104 disposed between adjacent thin film packs to keep the thin film packs separated; and compressing the stacked gaskets to seal the thin film pack in the sealing gasket portion. In a fluid separation device, each of the membrane packs comprises a membrane 36, 38 which is kept constantly moist to prevent rapid deterioration, and a porous intermediate support plate whose surface is covered by the membrane. 60, 62, wherein a water repellent adhesive 70 impregnates selected areas of the porous intermediate support plate and bonds the porous intermediate support plate to the membrane. 4. The fluid separation device according to claim 3, wherein the water-repellent adhesive 70 is a thermosetting pressure-sensitive adhesive. 5. A fluid separation device according to claim 4, wherein the porous intermediate support plates 60, 62 are made of a hydrophilic fiber material, and the membrane and the porous intermediate support plate are aligned with the fluid discharge hole 54. characterized in that the selected area of the porous intermediate support plate comprises an area around the fluid outlet hole 54 to prevent the hydrophilic fibrous material around the fluid outlet hole 54 from getting wet and dissipating. Fluid separation device. 6. A fluid separation device according to claim 3, wherein the membrane and the porous intermediate support plate have aligned fluid discharge holes 54, and selected areas of the porous intermediate support plate are provided with fluid discharge holes. A fluid separation device comprising an area around the hole 54 and characterized in that a water-repellent adhesive 70 adheres the membrane to the porous intermediate support plate in the area around the fluid outlet hole 54. 7 a plurality of rotatably driven stacked membrane packs 26, means 56 surrounding the membrane packs for receiving fluid flowing between the membrane packs and flowing to the periphery 48 of the membrane packs; Stacked gaskets 28 arranged
a gasket having a sealing gasket portion 104 disposed between adjacent thin film packs to keep the thin film packs separated; and compressing the stacked gaskets to seal the thin film pack in the sealing gasket portion. A method of making a thin film pack in a fluid separation device including means for applying a force that by injecting a portion of the porous intermediate support plate with adhesive and leaving a thin layer of adhesive on its surface;
A method characterized in that a thin film is pressed onto a portion of the porous intermediate support plate. 8. A method for making a thin film pack in a fluid separation device according to claim 7, wherein the adhesive is thermosetting, and a part of the porous intermediate support plate is impregnated with the adhesive, and the surface thereof is dyed. After leaving a thin layer of adhesive on top and before pressing the thin film onto a portion of the porous intermediate support plate, the porous intermediate support plate and the adhesive are heated to heat cure the adhesive. How to do it. 9. A method for manufacturing a thin film pack in a fluid separation device according to claim 7, in which the thin film is disintegrated by drying, the adhesive is water repellent, and a part of the porous intermediate support plate is made. A method characterized in that a part of the porous intermediate support plate is wetted before the thin film is pressed onto the plate. 10. A method of making a membrane pack in a fluid separation device as set forth in claim 7, comprising forming fluid discharge holes 54 aligned with the membrane and the porous intermediate support plate; A method characterized in that a portion is an area around a discharge hole. 11 A plurality of stacked thin film packs 26 which are rotatably driven, each having a thin conducting plate 64, 10.
0,116,118, a pair of porous intermediate support plates 60, 62 placed on opposite surfaces of the thin conductive plate and a pair of thin membranes 36 placed on the opposite surface of the porous intermediate support from the conductive plate; 38, means 56 surrounding the membrane pack for receiving fluid flowing between the membrane packs and flowing to the periphery 48 of the membrane pack, and a stacked gasket 28 disposed at the periphery of the membrane pack. a gasket having a sealing gasket portion 104 disposed between adjacent thin film packs to keep the thin film packs separated; and compressing the stacked gaskets to seal the thin film pack in the sealing gasket portion. A method of manufacturing a fluid separation device comprising means for applying a force to
0 and 62, respectively, and the area of the porous intermediate support plate surrounding the fluid discharge holes is impregnated with adhesive, and the thin guide plate, a pair of membranes and a pair of porous intermediate supports are formed. The plates are placed face-to-face with each other with their respective fluid discharge holes aligned, and pressed together around the fluid discharge holes to create a fluid seal between the two and a porous intermediate support. A method characterized by bringing a side wall of a fluid discharge hole of a plate into a fluid-tight state.