Spiral wound separation membrane module

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable membrane module for removing hazardous components without the risk of a feed-source fluid and a concentrated fluid intermixing inside a hollow tube. The spiral wound separation membrane module is characterized in that: a spiral wound separation membrane element accommodated in a cylindrical container, the spiral wound separation membrane element having a structure in which a laminated body having a separation membrane, a feed-side spacer and a permeation-side spacer is wound around a porous hollow tube in a spiral shape, the feed-side spacer is positioned on a feed side of the separation membrane, the permeation-side spacer is positioned on a permeation side of the separation membrane, and a feed-side flow path and a permeation-side flow path are sealed so as not to communicate directly with each other.

Claims

1. A spiral wound separation membrane module, comprising a spiral wound separation membrane element accommodated in a cylindrical container, the spiral wound separation membrane element having a structure in which a laminated body having a separation membrane, a feed-side spacer and a permeation-side spacer is wound around a porous hollow tube in a spiral shape, the feed-side spacer is positioned on a feed side of the separation membrane, the permeation-side spacer is positioned on a permeation side of the separation membrane, and a feed-side flow path and a permeation-side flow path are sealed so as not to communicate directly with each other; wherein the cylindrical container has a feed-source fluid inlet, a permeation fluid outlet and a concentrated fluid outlet; the upstream-side end of the hollow tube is closed off integrally with the tube side surface; the downstream-side end of the hollow tube protrudes to the outside via the permeation fluid outlet in the cylindrical container; wherein the cylindrical container has one permeation fluid outlet at each end; two spiral wound separation membrane elements are accommodated in the cylindrical container; and the downstream-side end of each hollow tube of each spiral wound separation membrane element protrudes to the outside via each permeation fluid outlet in the cylindrical container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional membrane module.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a membrane module of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a membrane module of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a downstream-side end of a membrane module of the present invention.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(5) Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(6) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the membrane module of the present invention. A membrane module 1 is one in which one membrane element 3 is accommodated in a cylindrical container 2. The cylindrical container 2 has a feed-source fluid inlet 6, a permeation fluid outlet 8, and a concentrated fluid outlet 10. The membrane element 3 has a general structure other than a hollow tube 4. Specifically, the membrane element 3 has a structure in which a laminated body having a separation membrane, a feed-side spacer and a permeation-side spacer is wound around a porous hollow tube 4 in a spiral shape, the feed-side spacer is positioned on a feed side of the separation membrane, the permeation-side spacer is positioned on a permeation side of the separation membrane, and a feed-side flow path and a permeation-side flow path are sealed so as not to communicate directly with each other.

(7) The hollow tube 4 has a hole(s) (not shown) for passing the permeation fluid through the tube at the portion where the laminated body is wound, an upstream-side end 11 thereof being integrally closed with the tube side face and a downstream-side end 12 thereof protruding to the outside via the permeation fluid outlet 8 in the cylindrical container 2. It is preferable that a seal member 13 (for example, an O-ring or the like) for sealing a gap with the hollow tube 4 is provided inside the permeation fluid outlet 8. Further, the downstream-side end 12 may have a joining member 15 for joining to an external piping 14.

(8) By adopting the above-described structure of the membrane module 1, there is no possibility that the feed-source fluid or the concentrated fluid will be mixed in the hollow tube 4, so that the reliability in removing hazardous components is improved.

(9) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the membrane module of the present invention. The description overlapping with the description in FIG. 2 is omitted. The membrane module 1 is one in which two membrane elements 3 are accommodated in the cylindrical container 2. The cylindrical container 2 has one permeation fluid outlet 8 at each end. The two membrane elements 3 are accommodated in the cylindrical container 2 in such a manner that the upstream-side end 11 of each hollow tube 4 faces each other. The downstream-side end 12 of each hollow tube 4 of the two membrane elements 3 protrudes to the outside via each permeation fluid outlet 8 in the cylindrical container 2.

(10) By adopting the above-described structure of the membrane module 1, there is no possibility that the feed-source fluid or the concentrated fluid will be mixed in the hollow tube 4, so that the reliability in removing hazardous components is improved. Further, since the membrane module 1 accommodates two membrane elements 3, the membrane module 1 is superior in water permeation efficiency to the case where one membrane element 3 is accommodated.

(11) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a downstream-side end of the membrane module of the present invention. In many cases, the cylindrical container 2 is made of a metal in order to secure pressure resistance, but penetration of the hollow tube 4 in a metal end plate may damage the surface of the hollow tube 4. In particular, when there is a groove for providing the seal member 13 in the permeation fluid outlet 8, there is a high risk that the hollow tube 4 is scratched. By providing a resin-made protective sleeve 16 in the permeation fluid outlet 8, it is possible to prevent the hollow tube 4 from being scratched.

(12) Although the representative embodiments of the membrane module of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any structure suitable for various uses can be appropriately adopted.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(13) The membrane module of the present invention can be used for advanced treatment such as concentration of active ingredients for food applications, removal of hazardous components in water clarification and sewage treatment, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(14) 1: Spiral wound separation membrane module 2: Cylindrical container 3: Spiral wound separation membrane element 4: Hollow tube 5: Inner joint 6: Feed-source fluid inlet 7: Seal stopper 8: Permeation fluid outlet 9: End joint 10: Concentrated fluid outlet 11: Upstream-side end 12: Downstream-side end 13: Seal member 14: External piping 15: Joining member 16: Protective sleeve