WO2021254733A1

WO2021254733A1 - Fluid-filter device and sealing device having a sheet-metal seal carrier

Info

Publication number: WO2021254733A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/063836
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich Dehnen; Michael Fasold
Original assignee: Mann+Hummel Gmbh
Priority date: 2020-06-16
Filing date: 2021-05-25
Publication date: 2021-12-23
Also published as: DE102020115848A1

Abstract

The invention relates preferably to a fluid-filter device (10) having an axially extending hollow-fibre module (12), which is arranged in a likewise axially extending filter housing (14). A respective sealing device (38) can be arranged at both ends, as seen in the radial direction, between the hollow-fibre module (12) and the filter housing (14). The sealing device (38) has, in particular, a seal carrier (44) in the form of a sheet-metal ring. The sheet-metal ring can have a first, inwardly open accommodating groove (46) with a first sealing ring (48) and a second, outwardly open accommodating groove (50) with a second sealing ring (52). This means that the filter housing (14) can be formed without any accommodating grooves for seals in the radial direction. The sealing of the hollow-fibre module (12) in relation to the filter housing (14) nevertheless takes place in a reliable and structurally simple manner.

Description

description

Fluid filter device and sealing device with a sheet metal seal carrier

Technical area

The invention relates to a fluid filter device with a sealing device for sealing the radial outside of a hollow fiber module from the radial inside of a filter housing. The invention further relates to a sealing device for such a fluid filter device.

State of the art

Fluid filter devices can be designed for the filtration of substances or mixtures of substances contained in a fluid, in particular by means of micro, nano or ultrafiltration of the fluid. They are used in particular in the concentration and purification of pharmaceutical precursors and intermediates. For this purpose, these fluid filter devices can preferably be thermally sterilized. However, the application is not limited to this; Other applications can be in the manufacture of life science products such as cosmetics or in the processing of food.

The fluid filter devices have hollow fibers. To summarize and seal the hollow fibers are cast in bundles with a casting resin. These shed bundles (hollow fiber modules) can then be inserted into a filter housing. To separate the raw and clean side, these hollow fiber modules or cartridges must be sealed at their ends to the filter housing.

As stated above, the filter housings are usually used in chemical or pharmaceutical plants and should be durable, which is why they are usually made of stainless steel. Many sealing solutions between the filter housing and the hollow fiber module with an O-ring or a U-ring require grooves for these types of seals. These grooves are to be provided in the filter housing, since they cannot be reliably manufactured with the required roundness or the required tolerances in the resin material of the hollow fiber modules. This makes the production more expensive the filter housing, as no standard flanges, pipes, etc. from the plant construction can be used.

Fluid filter devices with flea fiber modules are known from CN 205700169 U, CN 203090771 U, US 2011/0036764 A1, US 2004262789 A, DE 44 38 327 C1, US 2014/0208947 A1, US 2012/0304856 A1, US 2006/0113235 A1 and US 2010/0224549 A1 become known. In the known fluid devices, however, there is often due to rigid fixations or due to the introduction of forces and Mo elements into the flea fiber modules to tolerance-related overpressed seals.

Furthermore, DE 30 32 417 A1 discloses embodiments of generic fluid filter and sealing devices. However, these can only be implemented with great effort in terms of construction and, due to their axial length and the multiple O-rings, lead to the introduction of forces and torques on the hollow fiber modules.

Disclosure of the invention

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a structurally particularly simple but nevertheless well-sealing fluid filter device for sealing a hollow fiber module from a filter housing. The invention is also based on the task of providing a sealing device for such a fluid filter device.

This object is achieved by a fluid filter device with the features of claim 1 and by a sealing device with the features of claim 16. The Un subclaims indicate expedient further training.

The object of the invention is thus achieved by a fluid filter device with a filter housing and a hollow fiber module arranged therein, the fluid filter device having a first sealing device which is arranged between the hollow fiber module and the filter housing, the first sealing device for the radial sealing of the hollow fiber module against the Inside the filter housing is formed, and wherein the first sealing device has an annular seal carrier made of sheet metal. The seal carrier has a circumferentially formed first receiving groove for a first sealing ring and a circumferentially formed second receiving groove for a second sealing ring on. The first receiving groove is open to the inside and the second receiving groove is open to the outside. The seal carrier is designed to be fluid-impermeable between the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove. The second receiving groove is spaced from the first receiving groove. A first sealing ring is inserted into the first receiving groove. A second sealing ring is inserted into the second receiving groove.

The sealing device according to the invention can be manufactured simply and inexpensively due to its construction from sheet metal. Furthermore, the sealing device according to the invention enables the use of standard flanges, pipes, etc. from plant construction in accordance with DIN 32676 or EN 1092.

The hollow fiber module can have a multiplicity of hollow fibers, which are formed in particular from ceramic. The hollow fibers can be held together at their axial ends by a potting compound. The radial dimension of the potting compound preferably exceeds the radial dimension of the hollow fibers.

Further features and advantages of the filter housing and the hollow fiber module can be found in WO 2018/185312 A1, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated into the present description (incorporated by reference).

According to a preferred embodiment, the seal carrier can have an essentially S-shaped cross section, the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove each being formed at least with one leg of the S-shaped cross section.

Alternatively or additionally, the seal carrier can have a multiple S-shaped curved cross section, the first receiving groove formed by the seal carrier and the second receiving groove formed by the seal carrier having a groove base that is radially offset relative to one another.

Due to the special shape of the seal carrier of this type, certain differential angles between the axis of the seal carrier and the axis of the hollow fiber module and the axis of the filter housing can be compensated for. This allows deviations in the concentricity of the cylindrical sealing surfaces of a potting compound on the Compensate hollow fiber module ends without introducing undesired forces and moments into the hollow fiber module. In contrast to known O-ring-based sealing solutions, the use of a seal carrier according to the invention has the advantage that it is flexible with regard to angular and concentricity tolerances and can therefore compensate for them. This flexibility is further increased by a cross section of the seal carrier which is bent in a multiple S-shape.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the first sealing device is designed to be rotationally symmetrical to its longitudinal axis.

The first sealing device is further simplified if the first sealing ring has a circular cross section or an X-shaped cross section.

More preferably, the second sealing ring has a circular cross section or an X-shaped cross section.

The first sealing device is further simplified by using identical parts. Preferably, therefore, the first sealing ring and the second sealing ring are formed from the same.

The sheet metal of the seal carrier preferably has a thickness of> 0.2 mm and <0.8 mm. As a result, the shape of the seal carrier can be easily laid down by bending processes.

More preferably, the first sealing device has a radially inwardly facing stop which rests axially on the end face of the hollow fiber module. This enables the first sealing device to be slightly displaceable while at the same time being simple to assemble.

The stop preferably covers a maximum of the potting compound of the hollow fiber module radially, but not the hollow fibers, so as not to reduce the flow through the hollow fibers.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the stop is formed in the shape of a circular ring in order to simplify the manufacture of the seal carrier. The stop can be axially spaced from the receiving grooves and / or be designed as a radially drawn-in collar.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the stop is designed in one piece with the first seal carrier in order to further facilitate the manufacture of the first seal carrier.

The first seal carrier can have a substantially S-shaped cross section, the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove each being formed by a leg of the S-shaped cross section.

Alternatively or in addition to this, the first seal carrier can have a multiple curved cross-section, in particular the first receiving groove formed by the seal carrier and the second receiving groove formed by the first seal carrier have a groove base that is radially offset from one another.

More preferably, the fluid filter device has a second sealing device, described here, which is arranged between the fluff fiber module and the filter housing in order to seal the fluff fiber module at its two axial ends.

The first sealing device and the second sealing device can be of the same design, the first sealing device being arranged in particular mirror-inverted with respect to the radial plane in the axial center of the flea fiber module to the second sealing device.

The filter housing can be designed free of radial grooves in its contact zone with the first sealing device and / or in its contact zone with the second sealing device, ie it has no circumferential groove on an inner jacket surface. To simplify the design, the filter housing is preferably completely free of radial grooves. As an alternative or in addition to this, the filter housing can be made from standard flanges or pipes in accordance with DIN 32676 or EN 1092. The filter housing can have a flange for a clamp, in particular for a tri-clamp connection, at the first axial end. As an alternative or in addition to this, the filter housing can have a flange for a clamp, in particular for a tri-clamp connection, at the second axial end. The filter housing can furthermore have an insertion bevel or Mon day bevel for the respective sealing device that can be fastened to the first flange or second flange.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the filter housing and the hollow fiber module are of equal length in the axial direction. In other words, in this case the axial ends of the filter housing and the flea fiber module coincide in the axial direction.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a sealing device described here. The features of the sealing device described here for the fluid device can be part of the sealing device on their own in any combination.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following de waisted description of an embodiment of the invention, from the claims and from the figures of the drawing, which shows the particulars essential to the invention. The various features can each be implemented individually or collectively in any combination in the case of variants of the invention. The features shown in the drawing are shown in such a way that the particularities according to the invention can be made clearly visible.

Show it:

1 shows a longitudinal section of a fluid filter device according to the line A-A from FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the fluid filter device from FIG. 1; FIG.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged partial view of the illustration from FIG. 1; FIG. and FIG. 4 shows a further enlarged partial view of the illustration from FIG. 3.

1 shows a fluid filter device 10 with a hollow fiber module 12 which is arranged in a filter housing 14. The hollow fiber module 12 can flow axially through it. The Filter housing 14 is tubular with an outlet 16 and an outlet 18 through which a permeate can be drained. The filter housing also has an inlet 19 for the feed stream and an outlet 19 'for a retentate.

The filter housing 14 is formed from a standard component in accordance with DIN 32676 and / or EN 1092. It has a first flange 22 at its first axial end 20 and a second flange 26 at its second axial end 24. In the present case, the axial ends 20, 24 of the filter housing 14 also represent the axial ends 20, 24 of the flea fiber module 12. The flanges 22, 26 are each designed for the arrangement of a tri-clamp connection 28, 30.

The flea fiber module 12 has a multiplicity of flea fibers 32, which are held together at their free ends 20, 24 by a potting compound 34, 36. The potting compounds 34, 36 are sealed off radially from the filter housing 14 by a first sealing device 38 and a second sealing device 40, respectively. The sealing devices 38, 40 are designed identically and are arranged mirror-inverted to one another. The sealing devices 38, 40 are designed to be rotationally symmetrical to the longitudinal axis 42 of the hollow fiber module 12.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the fluid filter device 10 with the hollow fiber module 12. From FIG. 2 it can be seen that the hollow fiber module 12 has a multiplicity of hollow fibers 32 which are continuously open in the axial direction.

3 shows an enlarged section of the fluid filter device 10 from FIG. 1 in the area of the first end 20 of the filter housing 14. From FIG. 3 it can be seen that the first sealing device 38 has a seal carrier 44.

4 shows part of the first sealing device 38 of the fluid filter device 10 in an enlarged view. From Fig. 4 it can be seen that the seal carrier 44 is designed in the form of a sheet metal cap bent several times. The seal carrier 44 has a first receiving groove 46 in which a first sealing ring 48 is arranged. The first receiving groove 46 is open radially inward. The seal carrier 44 also has a second receiving groove 50. A second sealing ring 52 is arranged in the second receiving groove 50. The second receiving groove 50 is open radially outward. As a result, the seal carrier 44 provides a structurally simple possibility of sealing the hollow fiber module 12 with respect to the filter housing 14 without having to provide a receiving groove in the hollow fiber module 12 or the filter housing 14. The seal carrier 44 has a stop 54, which extends in the radial direction, for contact with the hollow fiber module 12.

The stop 54 also serves as protection for the potting compound 34 at the end of the hollow fiber module against direct axial contact with the cover 55, which can happen, for example, during a cleaning process by means of pressure surges.

Due to the special shape of the seal carrier 44, certain differential angles between the axis of the seal carrier 44 and the axis of the hollow fiber module 12 and the axis of the filter housing 14 are possible. As a result, deviations in concentricity of the cylindrical sealing surfaces of the casting resin at the hollow fiber module ends can be compensated for without introducing undesired forces and moments into the hollow fiber module.

Taking all the figures of the drawing together, the invention preferably relates in summary to a fluid filter device 10 with an axially extending hollow fiber module 12 which is arranged in a filter housing 14 which is also axially extending. A sealing device 38, 40 can be arranged between the hollow fiber module 12 and the filter housing 14 at both ends in the radial direction. The sealing device 38, 40 has, in particular, a seal carrier 44 in the form of a sheet metal ring. The sheet metal ring can have an inwardly open first receiving groove 46 with a first sealing ring 48 and an outwardly open second receiving groove 50 with a second sealing ring 52. The filter housing 14 can thus be designed free of receiving grooves for seals in the radial direction. The sealing of the hollow fiber module 12 with respect to the filter housing 14 is nevertheless carried out in a reliable and structurally simple manner. The reference symbols of the drawing are also summarized below: 10 fluid filter device

12 hollow fiber module 14 filter housing

16 outlet

18 outlet

19 Feed stream inlet

19 'Retentate outlet 20 first axial end

22 first flange

24 second axial end

26 second flange

28 Tri-Clamp Connection 30 Tri-Clamp Connection

32 hollow fibers

34 casting compound

36 casting compound

38 first sealing device 40 second sealing device

42 longitudinal axis

44 seal carrier

46 first groove

48 first sealing ring 50 second receiving groove

52 second sealing ring

54 stop

55 lid

Claims

Expectations

1. Fluid filter device (10) with a filter housing (14) and a flea fiber module (12) arranged therein, the fluid filter device (10) having a first sealing device (38) which radially extends between a first axial end of the fluff fiber module (12) ) and the filter housing (14), the first sealing device (38) being designed to seal the radial outside of the flea fiber module (12) from the radial inside of the filter housing (14), characterized in that the first sealing device (38) Comprises: a. An annular seal carrier (44) made of sheet metal, the device carrier (44) having a circumferentially formed first receiving groove (46) for a first sealing ring (48) and a circumferentially formed second receiving groove (50) for a second sealing ring (52), wherein the second receiving groove (50) is axially spaced from the first receiving groove (46), wherein the first receiving groove (46) is open radially inward and the second receiving groove (50) is open radially outward, and wherein the seal carrier (44) is formed fluid-tight between the first receiving groove (46) and the two th receiving groove (50); b. a first sealing ring (48) arranged in the first receiving groove (46); c. a second sealing ring (52) arranged in the second receiving groove (50).

2. Fluid filter device according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal carrier (44) has a substantially S-shaped cross section, the first receiving groove (46) and the second receiving groove (50) each having a leg of the S-shaped cross section are formed.

3. Fluid filter device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the seal carrier (44) has a multiple S-shaped curved cross-section, where the first receiving groove (46) formed by the seal carrier (44) and the through the seal carrier (44) The second receiving groove (50) formed have a groove base that is offset radially to one another.

4. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sealing ring (48) has a circular cross section or an X-shaped cross section.

5. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second sealing ring (52) has a circular cross section or an X-shaped cross section.

6. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sealing ring (48) and the second sealing ring (52) are the same ausgebil det.

7. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal sheet of the seal carrier (44) has a thickness between in each case including 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm.

8. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal carrier (44) has a radially inwardly facing stop (54) which rests axially on the end face of the flea fiber module (12).

9. Fluid filter device according to claim 8, characterized in that the stop (54) is annular.

10. Fluid filter device according to claim 9, characterized in that the stop (54) is formed at the end of the seal carrier (44) in the form of a radially retracted collar.

11. Fluid filter device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the stop (54) is axially spaced from the first receiving groove (46) is formed.

12. Fluid filter device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the stop (54) is formed in one piece with the seal carrier (44).

13. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluid filter device (10) has a second sealing device (40) which is radially between a second axial end of the flea fiber module (12) and the filter housing (14) is arranged, the second sealing device (40) having the following: a. An annular seal carrier (44) made of sheet metal, the device carrier (44) having a circumferentially formed first receiving groove (46) for a first sealing ring (48) and a circumferentially formed second receiving groove (50) for a second sealing ring (52), wherein the second receiving groove (50) is axially spaced from the first receiving groove (46), wherein the first receiving groove (46) is open radially inward and the second receiving groove (50) is open radially outward, and wherein the seal carrier (44) is formed fluid-tight between the first receiving groove (46) and the two th receiving groove (50); b. a first sealing ring (48) arranged in the first receiving groove (46); c. a second sealing ring (52) arranged in the second receiving groove (50).

14. Fluid filter device according to claim 13, characterized in that the first sealing device (38) and the second sealing device (40) are formed identically, wherein the first sealing device (38) is arranged mirror-inverted to the second Dichtvorrich device (40).

15. Fluid filter device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter housing (14) has no circumferential groove on an inner lateral surface in a contact zone with the sealing device (40).

16. Sealing device (38, 40) for a fluid filter device (10) according to one of the preceding claims for sealing the radial outside of a flea fiber module (12) against the radial inside of a filter housing (14), characterized in that the sealing device (38, 40) has: a. An annular seal carrier (44) made of sheet metal, the device carrier (44) having a circumferentially formed first receiving groove (46) for a first sealing ring (48) and a circumferentially formed second receiving groove (50) for a second sealing ring (52), wherein the second receiving groove (50) is axially spaced from the first receiving groove (46), wherein the first receiving groove (46) is open radially inward and the second receiving groove (50) is open radially outward, and wherein the Seal carrier (44) between the first receiving groove (46) and the two th receiving groove (50) is fluid-tight; b. a first sealing ring (48) arranged in the first receiving groove (46); a second sealing ring (52) arranged in the second receiving groove (50).