Liquid purification or separation – Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet – Each section having inlet
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-03
2001-06-26
Kim, John (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet
Each section having inlet
C210S321790, C210S321800, C210S321870, C210S321880, C210S321890, C210S340000, C210S433100, C210S435000, C210S500230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251275
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a membrane filtration module, comprising a housing, a semi-permeable membrane, which is accommodated in the housing and has a liquid side for the introduction of liquid to be filtered and a concentrate side opposite the liquid side, as well as a permeate chamber, which surrounds the membrane and is in communication with a permeate-discharge line for discharging permeate.
PRIOR ART
A membrane filtration module of this kind is known in the art. In known membrane filtration systems, a plurality of modules are often disposed in series in a single housing of the system or parallel to one another. In a known system with modules connected in series, the housing has (radial) feed openings on either side for the purpose of feeding in the liquid to be filtered. The modules are disposed in an accurately fitting manner in the housing, with spaces, into which the concentrate flows out, present between the modules. These spaces also serve as liquid-feed chambers for a subsequent module, as seen in the direction of flow. The perforated permeate-discharge line extends centrally through each module and through the spaces, those parts of the permeate-discharge line which are situated in the spaces not having any perforations, or else the perforations in those parts being sealed off. This discharge line emerges axially outwards on both sides of the housing of the system. A semi-permeable membrane, such as a bundle of hollow fibres, a number of outside textile reinforced hollow fibre tubes or a membrane pattern wound into a spiral, is situated in the housing of the module. The permeate chamber is the chamber around the membrane, which is delimited by the housing. These known systems are used with membranes which are suitable for microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration or for reverse osmosis.
It has been found that if the membrane consists of hollow fibres or small outside textile reinforced hollow fibre tubes with a smooth outer surface, the flow of liquid between the hollow fibres and/or outside textile reinforced hollow fibre tubes and/or through the perforations of the permeate-discharge line is inhibited as a result of the radial transport of permeate towards the central permeate discharge becoming increasingly strong towards the inside, resulting in a decrease in the filtering action of the system. For this reason, there are features in known modules for enhancing the radial transport of permeate. However, these features have the drawback that they are difficult to produce and take up space which could otherwise be used for fitting a membrane.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a membrane filtration module which makes it possible to ensure efficient discharge of permeate in a simple manner and to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks.
The membrane filtration module of the type described above according to the invention is characterized in that the wall of the housing comprises one or more longitudinal channels which are closed towards the liquid side and the concentrate side and are in communication with the permeate chamber.
In the filter module according to the invention, the permeate can be discharged not only to the central permeate discharge but also towards the outer casing, where an additional collection and discharge of permeate is enabled. As a result, the radial transportation (directed from the outside inwards) of liquid through, for example, the bundle of fibres or outside textile reinforced hollow fibre tubes is considerably reduced, thus preventing the bundle from being pressed directly together and the flow of liquid from being impeded. Moreover, the entire internal volume of the housing remains available for accommodating the membrane, so that the effective membrane surface is not reduced by the presence of the additional permeate channels. The housing is produced in the usual way from plastic or metal.
The invention also relates to a membrane filtration system having a liquid feed and a permeate discharge, which comprises one or more membrane filtration modules according to the invention.
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Akerman & Senterfitt
Kim John
X-Flow B.V.
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