WO2001002084A1

WO2001002084A1 - Detachable separation module

Info

Publication number: WO2001002084A1
Application number: PCT/JP2000/004467
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ryohichi Sugita
Original assignee: Pall Corporation
Priority date: 1999-07-05
Filing date: 2000-07-05
Publication date: 2001-01-11
Also published as: AU5848200A; JP4698105B2

Abstract

A detachable separation module allowing housing elements to be replaced easily, comprising a head part (10) and a connection member (30) for connecting the head part (10) detachably to the housing elements (20), wherein positioning means (18, 22) determining the relative positional relation between the head part (10) and the housing elements (20) are formed in the head part or housing elements, whereby the separation module can be used as a membrane filtration module, particularly used to filtrate super clean fluid, for example, a fluid used in a semiconductor production process.

Description

Description Detachable detachable module Technical field

The present invention relates to a detachable separation module. Such a separation module can be suitably used as a membrane filtration module, and in particular, can be suitably used for filtering an ultraclean fluid such as a fluid used in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Background art

Controlling particulate contamination in semiconductor manufacturing processes requires the use of ultra-clean filters (ie, membrane filters) with membranes that remove submicron particulates. It is well known that particles deposited on a semiconductor wafer, if large enough, cause defects in the semiconductor wafer.

In the semiconductor industry, killer defects can typically be caused by particles as small as 110, the smallest feature size of a semiconductor chip. Therefore, at all stages of the semiconductor manufacturing process, a membrane filter for cleaning both liquid and gas is used. In a semiconductor manufacturing process device, if the membrane filtration module is designed to be sandwiched between a pair of connecting portions, it becomes difficult to connect the membrane filtration module to the process device.

Therefore, in order to simplify the assembly to the process equipment and facilitate replacement of the membrane filter, the design shape of the membrane filtration module requires that all the connecting parts be provided on one end side of the membrane filtration module. Many. In this type of membrane filtration module, the feed and permeate ports are typically placed in a horizontal orientation on top of the membrane filtration module or on the end called the "head". Is done. This membrane filtration module is referred to as "T" shaped because of its shape. This T-shaped membrane filtration module simplifies coupling to the rest of the fluid processing system.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-66684 describes a power cartridge type filter installed inside a vending machine or the like for filtering tap water or the like. This filter Has a cap and a filter main body, and the filter main body has a double structure including a metal outer cylinder and a synthetic resin inner cylinder that can be detachably mounted in the outer cylinder. Then, the engagement piece attached to the inside of the cap and the projection provided on the outer cylinder can engage with each other.

Disclosure of the invention

In the conventional membrane filtration module, it was not always easy to attach and detach the head part provided with the port and the housing element in which the separation element was incorporated. For example, you may want to replace a housing element while the head port remains connected to the process piping. Then, depending on the position where the membrane filtration module is arranged, the engaging portion between the housing element and the head cannot always be visually confirmed. For example, when the membrane filtration module is placed near the floor due to design reasons, it is cumbersome for workers to squat down or lie down on the floor to see the engagement. It is hoped that they can be replaced without relying on the eyes to see and feel.

Also, when replacing the housing element, the work may need to be done by the participant.Therefore, the head and the housing element must be connected with the same level of strength, regardless of who removes and attaches the housing element. Is desired. Furthermore, not all workers are muscular, some are delicate and not strong. It is desired that even a worker having limited strength can easily replace the housing element.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a filtration module that can be easily attached and detached. In one aspect of the present invention, a head having an inflow port and an outflow port, a housing having a separation element incorporated therein,

A connection member for detachably connecting the head part and the housing element, a separation module comprising:

A separation module, wherein positioning means for determining a relative positional relationship between the head part and the housing element is formed on at least one of the head part and the housing element. Is provided.

In the present invention, the positioning means includes the housing element and the head portion. At least one fitting portion formed on one of the housing element and the other of the housing element and the head portion so as to be detachably fitted to the fitting portion. It is preferable that the connecting member includes a fitting portion.

As one embodiment of such a fitting portion and a fitted portion, the housing element has a contact surface that comes into contact with the head portion, and the head portion comes into contact with the housing element. A contact surface, wherein the positioning means comprises: at least one protrusion formed on one of the contact surface of the housing element and the contact surface of the head portion; It preferably comprises at least one recess formed in the other of the contact surface of the housing element and the contact surface of the head portion so as to be detachably fitted to the housing element.

Further, it is preferable that the convex portion or the concave portion extends substantially parallel to a radial direction of the housing element or the head portion. Furthermore, it is preferable that a taper is formed in the convex portion or the concave portion. Further, it is preferable that a step is formed in the convex portion or the concave portion.

Further, it is preferable that the housing element or the head portion has a locking portion, and the connecting member has a locked portion that is removably locked to the locking portion.

Further, it is preferable that the locking portion is formed at a radial end of the positioning means.

Further, the locking portion is a radially projecting portion, and the locked portion corresponds to the projecting portion, an insertion portion extending in the axial direction, and a continuous with the insertion portion, and a circumferential direction orthogonal to the insertion portion. Preferably, the groove extends. More preferably, the groove is tapered.

Preferably, the separating element includes a filter element or a plurality of hollow fiber membranes. Preferably, the separation element comprises a microporous membrane, an ultrafiltration membrane, a reverse osmosis membrane.

Further, it is preferable that the connecting member has a ring shape.

In another aspect of the present invention, a step of permeating a feed solution through the separation module to obtain a permeate solution;

A step of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the permeate; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaging element having a separation element incorporated therein, which can be used in the separation module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the separation module of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the separation module shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the separation module shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the separation module shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a port that can be used in one embodiment of the separation module of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 6 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 6 (b) is a side view of a housing element.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 7 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 7 (b) is a side view of a housing element.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 8 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 8 (b) is a side view of a housing element.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 9 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 9 (b) is a side view of a housing element.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 10 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 10 (b) is a side view of a housing element. FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 11 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 11 (b) is a side view of a housing element. . FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention. FIG. 12 (a) is a top view of a housing element, and FIG. 12 (b) is a side view of a housing element.

Ft good form to apply the invention

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the separation module of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the separation module 1 of the present embodiment includes a head part 10, a housing element 20 in which a separation element 40 is incorporated, the head part and the housing part. And a connecting member 30 for detachably connecting the housing element to the housing element.

According to one aspect of the present invention, positioning means 18, 22 for determining a relative positional relationship between the head portion 10 and the housing element 20 include the head portion 10 and the housing element 2. It is formed on at least one of zero.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning means includes at least one fitting portion, for example, a convex portion 22 formed on one of the housing element and the head portion, and It is preferable that the housing element and the head portion include at least one fitted portion, for example, a concave portion 18 formed on the other of the housing portion so as to be detachably fitted.

Therefore, the positioning between the head part and the housing element can be facilitated, and it is possible to confirm with the touch from the hand at the time of work without visually confirming the engagement part of both. it can. Therefore, the housing part can be easily fixed to the head part.

Further, in one embodiment, when a force is applied to the connecting member 30 so as to connect the head portion 10 and the housing element 20, when the force is applied to the connecting member 30, the positioning means is connected to the ports lla, llb, 1 1 of the head portion 10. 1c can be prevented from being applied with force. For example, when a force is applied to the head part 10 and the housing element 20 so as to rotate the connecting member 30, the positioning means 18, 22 resist the rotational force. This prevents the ports lla, llb, and 11c from being stressed.

Further, in the present invention, the housing element or the head portion has a locking portion 23, and the locked member 35 is provided so that the connecting member 30 is removably locked to the locking portion. It is preferred to have. As described above, by using the connecting member having the locked portion, the housing element can be always fixed to the head with a constant strength. On the other hand, for example, when fixed with bolts and nuts, there are cases where it is tightened strongly and cases where it is loosely tightened. The terms “locking portion” and “locked portion” are only used herein to clarify that they are paired with each other, and the locking portion 35 is attached to the connecting member 30. It may be said that it is provided.

The head section 10 is preferably located at the top of the membrane filtration module. It can be positioned at the bottom or bottom without leaving the essence. From now on, the terms "top" and "head" refer to the end of the membrane filtration module where the connection port is located, and the terms "bottom" and "bottom" refer to the opposite end. Is used to indicate The membrane filtration module is not always used in the vertical direction, that is, in the axial direction of the module, but may be used in the horizontal direction.

The head portion 10 is, for example, disc-shaped and has a first port 11a, a second port 11b, and a third port 11c. In one embodiment, for example, the first port 11a acts as an inflow port, the second port 11b acts as an outflow port, and the third port 11c acts as a vent port. Is also good. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the first port 11a may act as an outflow port and the second port 11b may act as an inflow port. The first port 11a, the second port lib, and the third port 11c are preferably arranged linearly in parallel with the radial direction of the head portion 10. The head portion 10 has a contact surface 10b that contacts the housing element, and the housing element 20 has a contact surface 21a that contacts the head portion 10. In FIG. 2, the positioning means includes a convex portion 22 formed on the contact surface 21 a of the housing element 20 and a head portion 10 so as to be detachably fitted to the convex portion 22. And a concave portion 18 formed in the contact surface 10b of the contact hole 10b. It is preferable that the convex portions 22 and the concave portions 18 extend in parallel with the radial direction. The convex portion 22 of the housing element 20 has a first opening 24 a and a second opening 2 corresponding to the first port 11 a, the second port 11 b and the third port 11 c, respectively. 4b and a third opening 24c are preferably provided.

It is preferable that a locking portion is formed at a radial end of the convex portion 22 of the housing element 20 so as to be removably locked to the locked portion of the connecting member. 3 is formed. That is, it is preferable that the side surface of the housing element 20 on the side of the contact surface 21 a has a protruding portion 23 protruding in the radial direction. The upper surface of the protrusion 22 and the upper surface of the protrusion 23 may be on the same plane. Of course, there may be a step between the upper surface of the protrusion 22 and the upper surface of the protrusion 23, or a taper may be formed continuously.

The housing element 20 is composed of a hollow cylindrical body 2 1 and a separating element disposed therein. 40. The separating element is preferably a filter element, and as shown in FIG. 1, may be a cylindrical filter element which can be housed inside the housing element 20. Good. The filter element preferably comprises a microporous membrane, an ultrafiltration,] reverse osmosis membrane. The fill element may be a pleat. Alternatively, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-66883, the separation element is a hollow fiber membrane arranged in a cylindrical shape, and each hollow fiber membrane is a microporous membrane. Ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis membranes may also be used. Microporous, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis membranes can be used in semiconductor manufacturing processes to remove particulates or gases from liquids. However, the present invention can remove particulate matter or gas in a liquid other than the semiconductor manufacturing process. Furthermore, it does not prevent the removal of particulate matter in the gas. Furthermore, pure water from which ions have been removed can be obtained by using a granular ion exchange resin as a separation element, for example, a mixture of a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin.

The filter element 40 includes, for example, a core member 41, a filter main body 42 fixed to the core member, and a coating layer 43 fixed to the filter main body in this order in the radial direction. May be arranged. For example, the core member 41, the filter body 42, and the coat layer 43 may be sandwiched between the end members 44 and 45. The end member 44 may have an opening communicating with the port 11b, while the end member 45 may be closed.

In one embodiment, the connecting member 30 includes a cylindrical main body 31 and a pressing portion 32 extending inward of the upper edge of the main body 31. The main body 31 includes an insertion portion 33 formed from the lower edge in the axial direction of the main body 31, and a groove 34 continuous with the insertion portion 33 and extending in a circumferential direction orthogonal to the insertion portion 33. It is preferable that the locked portion 35 is formed. ^ The projection 23 of the housing element 20 is inserted into the insertion portion 33 of the connecting member 30, and then the housing element 20 is By rotating the connecting member 30, the protruding portion 23 rotates along the groove 34, and the head portion 10 and the housing element 20 can be pressed against each other and fixed. At this time, the convex portion 22 and the concave portion 18 are not capable of rotating torque. You can resist the boat 11a, llb, 11c with no force. The groove 34 is preferably provided with a taper 34a. Thus, when the protrusion 23 is inserted and when the connecting member is slightly rotated, the groove 34 has a slight play in the axial direction, and as the protrusion 23 rotates, the play in the axial direction decreases. It can be shaped to be tight and progressively tighter.

More specifically, in the present embodiment, the protrusion 23 has a rectangular shape, and is formed so as to extend outward from the peripheral edge of the cylindrical body 21. Further, two protruding portions 23 are provided so as to form a straight line with the ports 11a to 11c. The locked portion 35 is provided at two places so as to correspond to the pair of projecting portions 23, and the insertion portion 33 is formed in a rectangular shape. However, the numbers of the protruding portions and the locked portions are not limited, and may be one or three or more.

The inside and the outside of the housing element 20 are communicated with each other via pipes 12a, 12b, and 12c. That is, the first to third openings 24a, 24b, and 24c are through holes that pass through the upper portion of the housing element 20, respectively, and the first opening 24a and the second opening 25 are respectively formed in the filter main body 42. The third opening 26 is located directly above the hollow portion surrounded by the core member 41.

At the end of the first opening 24a, the second opening 24b, and the third opening 24c on the side of the contact surface 21a, a sealing member mounting portion for placing the sealing members 28a, 28b, 28c respectively. 27a, 27b and 27c are formed. Seal member installation part 27a, 271, 27. Is formed such that the end of the first to third openings 24a, 24b, 24c on the contact surface 2la side is wider than the inner diameter of each of the openings 24a, 24b, 24c and is circularly concave.

Sealing member mounting portions 27a, 27b, 27c are provided with sealing members, for example, 0-rings 28a, 28b, 28c, respectively, and are liquid-tight by the sealing members 28a, 28b, 28c. The structure is made. However, the seal members 28a, 28b, 28c are not limited as long as the head portion and the housing element can be formed in a liquid-tight structure.

In addition, the depth of the seal member installation portion 27 is slightly smaller than the thickness of the seal members 28a, 28b, and 28c, and the outer diameter of the seal member installation portion 27 is slightly larger than the outside diameter of a, 28b, 28c. Thus, when the housing element 20 and the head member 10 are connected, the seal members 28a, 28b, 28c are crushed in the vertical direction and can be deformed in the horizontal direction. The inner diameters of the seal members 28a, 28b, 28c are substantially the same as the outer shapes of the first to third pipes 12a, 12b, 12c.

In this embodiment, when the head portion 10 and the seal members 28a, 28b, 28c are pressed against each other, the inner diameter surfaces of the pressed and crushed seal members 28a, 28b, 28c are connected to the respective pipes 12a. , 12b, 12c. For this reason, one sealing member 28a, 28b, 28c allows the contact portion between the sealing member 28a, 28b, 28c and each pipe 12a, 12b, 12c and the sealing member 28a, 28c. The seal can be made at two places of contact between the b and 28 heads and the contact surface 10b of the head portion 10, and a higher liquid-tight structure can be achieved as compared with the conventional one.

One embodiment of the first port 11a is shown in FIG. However, the shape and structure of the port are not limited to this embodiment, and there is no limitation as long as fluid can pass through.

The first port 11a, the second port 11b, and the third port 11c may all have the same shape, structure, material, or the like, or may have any or all of different shapes, structures, and materials. May be.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5, the first port 11a, the second port lib, and the third port 11c are respectively the first pipe 12a, the second pipe 12b, and the third pipe 12b. c. The first pipe 12a, the second pipe 12b, and the third pipe 12c respectively extend in the axial direction of the separation module 1, penetrate the head part 10, and face the surface 10a and abut. Surface 10b extends from the side.

Further, at the end located on the surface 10a side of the head portion 10, an L-shaped thread cut is formed at both ends, and a connecting member 15 formed by screwing a nut member 14 is used to connect the nut member 14. Through a pipe, and can be connected to a process pipe (not shown). In the present embodiment, the first port lla, the second port lib, and the third port 1lc respectively have removable sealing members 50a, 50b in order to maintain the internal cleanliness. , 50 c. Sealing members are reused They may be disposable or disposable.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a sealing member 50 is attached to each open end of the first port lla, the second port 11b, and the third port 11c. Adhesive tapes are affixed as a, 50b, and 50c. Then, the sealing members 50a, 50b, and 50c are removed, and the first port 11a, the second port 11b, and the third port 11c are respectively processed by a process not shown. Can be connected to piping. In FIG. 5, an open nut member is provided at the end of the port 11a. Here, a cap member having a U-shaped cross section may be arranged as a sealing member instead of the nut member that is open.

Thus, by separating the head portion 10 and the housing element 20 from each other, the first port 11a and the second port 11b of the head portion 10 are connected to the process piping. Then, the housing element 20 can be replaced. Thereby, when exchanging the housing element 20, the work of connecting and disconnecting the first port 11a and the second port 11b can be omitted.

Furthermore, the positioning means of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. 6 to 12 show another embodiment of the positioning means of the present invention.

6 to 12, reference numeral 20 indicates a housing element, and in FIGS. 6 to 9 and 12, reference numeral 22 indicates a projection. Reference numbers 23a to 23n and 23p indicate protrusions. 6 to 12, the opening communicating with the inside of the housing element 20 is omitted for convenience of explanation.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 6 to 12, as the positioning means, the projections 22 and the projections 23 a to 23 n and 23 p continuous with the projections 22 are provided on the housing element 20. A concave portion or a corresponding shape is formed in the head portion 10. This facilitates the positioning of the housing element 20 and the head. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 11 as well, the projection 22, in particular the center line of the projection 22, extends substantially parallel to the radial direction of the housing element 20. Also, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the center line of each of the protrusions 22 extending in three directions extends substantially parallel to the radial direction of the housing element 20. In FIG. 6, the projection 22 has a step 22 a parallel to the axial direction. In FIG. 7, the side surfaces of the convex portions 22 are tapered. In FIG. 8, the upper surface of the projection 22 is tapered. In FIG. 9, a step 22b parallel to the horizontal direction is provided. In FIG. 10, protrusions 23 i and 23 j are formed, which also function as positioning means. In FIG. 11, a recess 22c is formed between the pair of protrusions 23k and 231, based on the protrusions 23k and 231. The recess 22 protrudes upward with reference to the surface 20 a of the housing element 20. In FIG. 11, it can be said that a step is formed in the convex portion 22. In FIG. 12, the projection 22 is continuous with the three projections 23 m, 23 n, and 23 p.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 9, the head 10 is oriented in a specific direction with respect to the housing element 20, i.e. from the projections 23 a, 23 c, 23 e and 23 g, respectively. The head portion 10 can be easily fitted to the housing element by sliding in a direction parallel to the radial direction in the protruding portions 23 b, 23 d, 23 mm, and 23 h. In particular, in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the head portion 10 is difficult to slide in the reverse direction in parallel with the radial direction with respect to the housing element 20, which is preferable in certain applications.

In another embodiment, the housing element may have a concave portion and the head portion may have a convex portion. In this embodiment, a protruding portion that acts as a locking portion in the radial direction may be further provided continuously to the protruding portion of the head portion. That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 2 and FIGS. 6 to 12, the housing element 20 is formed with the protrusion 22, but instead of the protrusion 22, a recess may be formed. . The protrusion 22 and the protrusions 23a to 23n, 23p in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 6 to 12 may be formed on the head.

Alternatively, in one embodiment, the upper surface and the side surfaces of the projection 22 need not be flat, but may be curved. In this embodiment, the concave portion corresponding to the convex portion 22 may be similarly formed with a curved surface.

Alternatively, at least one convex portion and at least one concave portion are formed on the contact surface of the housing element, and the contact surface of the head portion is detachably fitted to the convex portion of the housing element. At least one concave portion, and at least one convex portion that can be detachably fitted into the concave portion of the housing element. You may. In this embodiment, each protrusion and recess may be smaller than the protrusion 22 of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 6 to 12. For example, the cross-sectional shape of each of the concave portions and the convex portions may be circular, polygonal, or the like, and the depth of one concave portion does not need to be uniform. You may. The positioning means is not limited to the convex portion and the concave portion, and includes, for example, a shape, a structure, and a mechanism that can be fitted to each other.

Next, a preferable material for forming each member of the separation module 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

As the head portion 10, for example, a fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyamide; a metal material such as stainless steel is used.

As the housing of the housing element 20, for example, a fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyamide; a metal material such as stainless steel is used.

As the filter element 40, for example, a fluorine resin such as tetrafluoroethylene, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyamide is used.

As the pipes 12a, 12b, and 12c, for example, a fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene; and a metal material such as stainless steel are used.

As the connecting member 15, for example, a thermoplastic resin such as fluororesin, polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyamide; a metal material such as stainless steel is used.

As the sealing members 28a, 28b, 28c, for example, a rubber material such as perfluoro rubber, fluoro rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and silicone rubber is used. Examples of the sealing member 50 include a fluororesin such as tetrafluoroethylene, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide; a rubber material such as polyfluoro rubber, fluoro rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and silicone rubber. Is used.

Examples of the connecting member 40 include a metal material such as stainless steel; a thermoplastic resin, Plastic materials such as thermosetting resins and engineering plastics are used.

In this specification, the plastic material includes a plastic material containing a reinforcing material such as glass fiber. For example, the connecting member 40 may be made of a plastic material containing a reinforcing material.

In the separation module 1 of the present embodiment, the first port 11a is connected to a supply liquid discharge pipe (not shown) for various manufacturing processes, and the second boat 11b is connected to a permeate supply pipe (not shown). ) Can be used by connecting to a gas discharge pipe (not shown) via the third port 11c and introducing the supply liquid to the first port 11a. Further, since the separation module 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the positioning means, the positioning is facilitated, and the housing element can be easily replaced. As for the separation module of the present invention, the aspect of membrane separation has been mainly described. However, the present invention is not limited to membrane separation, but can be applied to ion removal using an ion exchange resin.

The separation module of the present invention can be suitably used in a semiconductor manufacturing process. However, the property that the housing element can be easily replaced is not limited to the semiconductor manufacturing process, but is applied to, for example, nuclear power, pharmaceuticals, food, wastewater (domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater) treatment, water supply, purification of reagents, etc. be able to.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be variously modified.

For example, in FIG. 1, the pipes 12a, 12b, and 12c protrude from the contact surface 10b of the head 10 in the direction of the filter element 40. However, the pipes 12a, 12b, and 12c do not need to protrude from the contact surface 10b of the head 10 in the direction of the fill element 40. In this latter embodiment, the pipes 12a, 12b, 12 are made by injection molding or the like. Alternatively, it becomes easy to integrally mold the ports 11a, 11b, and 11c including the pipes 123, 12b, and 12c with the head portion.

For example, a liquid separator module described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-666836 may be used as the housing element.

In the above-described embodiment, the ring-shaped connecting member 30 will be described as an example. did. However, the connecting member 30 may be another embodiment. For example, an outer cylinder described in JP-A-10-66804 may be used for the connecting member. Further, the housing element and the head portion are formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and a flange is provided on each of the housing element and the head portion. Head parts may be connected.

Further, the connecting member does not need to be separate from the housing element or the head part, and may be previously connected to the housing element or the head part in some form.

In the present specification, the “circumferential direction” does not need to be strictly along the circumferential direction, and may have a slight angle instead of a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

In the present specification, the “radial direction” does not need to be strictly along the diametrical direction, but may be a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction, and may have a slight angle.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION In the separation module of this invention, positioning of a head part and a housing element is easy, and a housing element can be easily attached to a head part.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. a head having an inflow port and an outflow port;

A housing element with a separating element incorporated therein;

A separation module, wherein positioning means for determining a relative positional relationship between the head part and the housing element is formed on at least one of the head part and the housing element. .

2. The positioning means comprises: at least one fitting portion formed on one of the housing element and the head portion; The separation module according to claim 1, comprising at least one fitted portion formed on the other of the pad portions.

3. The housing element has a contact surface that contacts the head portion,

The head has an abutment surface that abuts the housing element,

The positioning means is detachably fitted to at least one projection formed on one of the contact surface of the housing element and the contact surface of the head. The separation module according to claim 1, comprising the contact surface of the housing element and at least one recess formed in the other of the contact surfaces of the head portion.

4. The separation module according to claim 3, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion extends substantially parallel to a radial direction of the housing element or the head portion.

5. The separation module according to claim 3, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion is tapered.

6. The separation module according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein a step is formed in the convex portion or the concave portion.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the housing element or the head portion has a locking portion, and the connecting member has a locked portion that is removably locked to the locking portion. Separation module.

8. The separation module according to claim 7, wherein the locking portion is formed at a radial end of the positioning means.

9. The locking portion is a radially protruding portion, and the locked portion corresponds to the protruding portion, and is continuous with the insertion portion extending in the axial direction and the insertion portion, and in a circumferential direction orthogonal to the insertion portion. 9. The separation module according to claim 7, wherein the separation module is an extending groove.

10. The separation module according to claim 9, wherein a taper is formed in the groove.

11. The separation module according to claim 1, wherein the separation element includes a filter element or a plurality of hollow fiber membranes.

12. The separation module according to claim 1, wherein the separation element includes a microporous membrane, an ultrafiltration membrane, and a reverse osmosis membrane.

13. The separation module according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member has a ring shape.

1 4. a step of permeating the feed liquid through the separation module according to any of the above claims to obtain a permeate;

A step of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the permeate;

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

15. A housing element with a separating element incorporated therein, which can be used in the separating module according to claims 1 to 13.