ARRANGEMENT FOR PROVIDING STERILE WATER FOR INJECTION PURPOSES

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for providing sterile water for injection purposes. A device for heating drinking water above the boiling point, a device for maintaining a chamber inner pressure which lies below the atmospheric pressure, and an electronic controller are provided, and the chamber is equipped with at least one membrane which is impermeable for liquids and a film or plate at a distance from the membrane, wherein steam which is permeated through the membrane is condensed on the film of plate. The membrane and the film or plate form a module, and the condensed water can be removed from the chamber via an outlet as sterile water for injection purposes.

Claims

1. An arrangement for providing sterile water for injection purposes, the arrangement comprising a device (5) for maintaining a chamber (28) inner pressure which lies below atmospheric pressure in order to reduce the boiling point of feed water, and a device (2) for heating feed water up to above the boiling point within a chamber (28), wherein the chamber (28) is equipped with at least one membrane (30) which is impermeable for liquids and a condensation surface at a distance from the membrane (30), wherein steam which is permeated through the membrane (30) is condensed on the condensation surface, and wherein the arrangement further comprises an outlet (12) for removing the steam condensed on the condensation surface from the chamber (28) as sterile water for injection purposes.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one electronic controller (40) configured for heating the entire arrangement in the interior of the chamber (28) to a temperature of at least 85? C. before each start-up and/or at predeterminable time intervals.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one outlet (9) for the removal of drainage, which already condenses in the chamber (28) prior to reaching the condensation surface (32), out of the chamber (28).

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor (8, 14) for the detection of damage to the membrane (30) and/or to the condensation surface (32).

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to monitor the temperature, at at least one outlet (9, 10, 12) for sterile water and/or drainage and/or concentrate and/or in a condenser (13) and/or in a cooling circuit (21) and/or in a collection line for sterile water and/or in a heating circuit.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor (8, 14) configured to detect whether a predeterminable threshold value is undershot or exceeded, wherein, when the sensor detects that the predeterminable threshold value is undershot or exceeded, an acoustic and/or optical signal can be generated and/or a warning signal is supplied to the electronic controller (40) in order to indicate a defect.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a pump, wherein sterile water for injection purposes contained in an outlet (12), a collection line or an internal collection tank, in which a pressure is maintained below the atmospheric pressure, is conveyed by the pump through a filter element (18) into a further external collection tank (20) for sterile water for injection purposes, in which atmospheric pressure is maintained.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a line (15), wherein sterile water for injection purposes contained in a discharge line (12), a collection line or an internal collection tank for sterile water, in which line/tank a pressure is maintained below the atmospheric pressure, is supplied via the line (15) to a heating element (16) or respectively to a heating circuit (2) for the purpose of being heated.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one return line (17) is connected to at least one discharge line (12) for sterile water, wherein water for injection purposes is returned via the return line to the device (7) for membrane distillation during periods of time within which a temperature raised to at least 85? C. is maintained in the chamber (28).

10. The arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the filter element (18) is configured to provide an additional sterilization and/or disinfection.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a metering device for feeding a test solution of high electric conductivity in a supply line (1), preferably the feed water supply line.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying sterile water for injection purposes to the sensor (14), whereby at least one measured variable, preferably an electric conductivity or a specific electric resistance, can be tested for the monitoring of the functionality of the membrane (30) and/or when a threshold value of the measured variable has been exceeded or undershot, the generated sterile water for injection purposes can be discharged via a discard line (19).

13. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a recirculation line (23) connected to a discharge line (10) of a concentrate, via which recirculation line at least portions of the concentrate, in particular for achieving a high recovery ratio, can be returned into the feed line (1) for the feed water.

14. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising means for pretreating the feed water, which can be supplied via the feed line (1).

15. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising outlets for ease of discharge of residues of the arrangement at the steam generator (3) and/or at the device (7) for membrane distillation and/or at the condenser (13).

16. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the condensation surface is a film (32) or a plate, and wherein steam which is permeated through the membrane (30) is condensed on the film (32) or the plate.

17. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a metering device for feeding a test solution of high electric conductivity in the feed water supply line.

18. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying sterile water for injection purposes to the sensor (14), whereby an electric conductivity or a specific electric resistance can be tested for the monitoring of the functionality of the membrane (30) and/or when a threshold value of the measured variable has been exceeded or undershot, the generated sterile water for injection purposes can be discharged via a discard line (19).

19. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a recirculation line (23) connected to a discharge line (10) of a concentrate, via which recirculation line at least portions of the concentrate, for achieving a high recovery ratio, can be returned into the feed line (1) for the feed water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention is explained in greater detail below using exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an example of an arrangement according to the invention during normal operation;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example of an arrangement according to the invention in operation so that a heating of the entire arrangement can be achieved in the interior of the chamber to a temperature of at least 85? C.;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an example of an arrangement according to the invention comprising a testing device;

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a main block diagram of the membrane distillation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] A block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention during normal operation is shown in FIG. 1. Drinking water as feed water enters into a steam generator 3 for providing heating steam via a feed water line 1. The steam generator 3 generates under vacuum heating steam, which heats the cold feed water in a first effect 34. A heating circuit 2 is furthermore provided, by means of which the steam generator 3 is supplied with a heating medium. The heating medium is heated by a heating element 16. Feed water travels out of the steam generator 3 via the feed water line 1 and heating steam via a heating steam line 6 to a device 7 for membrane distillation. Concentrate travels out of the device 7 for membrane distillation via a concentrate line 10, pure steam via a pure steam line 11 as well as distillate via a distillate line 12 to a condenser 13. In addition, drainage is discharged via a drainage line 9. A measuring probe, respectively a sensor, is provided in the drainage line 9 for determining the electric conductivity and/or the specific electric resistance of the drainage. The condenser 13 is connected to a cooling circuit 21. Distillate travels out of the condenser 13 via a distillate line 12 into a distillate return line 15 to the heating circuit 16, for example a heat exchanger through which a heating medium passes. The potentially heated distillate is again fed back to a filter 18 and finally enters as WFI into a storage tank 20 for the distillate. A discard line 19 for the distillate branches off downstream of the filter 18. Concentrate is furthermore discharged from the condenser 13 via a concentrate line 10. The concentrate discharge line 10 branches off into a concentrate discharge line 22 which opens out into the waste water as well as into a recirculation line 23 for the concentrate. Via the recirculation line 23, the concentrate can be supplied via the feed water line 1 to the steam generator 3. Furthermore, a vacuum generator or respectively a device 5 for vacuum generation is provided. The device 5 fir vacuum generation is connected via vacuum connections 4 to the steam generator 3 and/or to the device 7 for membrane distillation and/or to the condenser 13. As described earlier, a suitable vacuum is generated in the corresponding chambers 28 for boiling point reduction. The components described are at least partially required for the so-called distillate operation.

[0033] During normal operation, drinking water enters as feed water into the device 7 for membrane distillation, with which a heating of the drinking water to a temperature above the boiling point that is reduced within the module can be achieved.

[0034] The device 5 for the maintenance of a pressure below the atmospheric pressure is connected to the entire arrangement; thus enabling the boiling point of the feed water to be reduced within the system by means of the pressure dependence of the boiling point.

[0035] Feed water 1 flows on the one side of the membrane 30. Vacuum is applied to the other side of the membrane 30. As a result, the boiling steam pressure of the heated feed water is undershot at the boundary surface: membrane-feed water, and a steam passage through the membrane 30 occurs. Due to the hydrophobic configuration of the membrane 30, said membrane allows only steam through and thus separates the steam phase from the liquid phase. The permeated steam can condense on condensation surfaces, such as, for example, films 32, which can be cooled, and be drawn off as sterile water via lines or respectively discharge lines 12 and then supplied to the collection tank 20. In order to cool water being used, said water can be supplied to the condensation unit via inlets and outlets 21 in the cooling circuit. Pure steam, which up until now is not condensed on films 32, can thereby be condensed almost completely to WFI in a last processing step.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the at least partially required components for the operating mode: hot water-sanitization. Distillate is supplied here to the heating element 16 via the line 15. The distillate heated by the heating element 16 is supplied to the device 7 for membrane distillation via a distillate return line 17. In this operating mode, the return of the distillate to the filter 18 or respectively the filling of the storage tank 20 with WFI stops.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows the operating mode, in which a temperature raised to at least 85? C. preferably for a time period of 60-90 min is maintained within the arrangement. It can be seen that the WFI collection tank 20 was separated and the entire product or distillate is heated via the heating element 16 to a temperature of at least 85? C. and can be fed via the return line 17 into the device 7 for membrane distillation. As a result, the hot water sanitization of the system is supported at at least 85? C.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram with the option of checking the functionality of the integrity of the membranes 30. Testing units or respectively sensors 8, 14 are provided here, in which WFI can be fed and at least one measured variable can be monitored. This is preferably the electric conductivity or the specific electric resistance. A test solution of high electric conductivity or respectively low specific electric resistance is introduced into the feed water line 1 via an inlet 24, and the electric conductivity or respectively the specific electric resistance is monitored at the measuring positions by means of corresponding sensors 8, 14 in the drainage discharge line 9 and in the WFI- or distillate discharge line 12. A defect in a membrane 30 leads to the passage of non-evaporated feed water 1 into the drainage discharge line 9 and therefore here to a deflection at the measuring position 8. A defect in a film 32 leads to a passage of feed water into the WFI and therefore to a deflection at the measuring position 14.

[0039] Thus, the functionality of the membranes 30 and/or films 32 can be monitored if a predeterminable threshold value of the respective measured variable is exceeded or undershot. If such a state is detected, the connection to the collection tank 20 for sterile water is disconnected and the entire product is discarded into the waste water via the discard line 19. A purification of the system from biological and inorganic contaminations can be achieved by the introduction 24 of suitable bases and acids. In order to prevent inorganic deposits and to increase the service life of the system, the feed water can be subjected to different pretreatments.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows the operating mode of the integrity test of the membranes 30s with the at least partially required components. A test solution travels via a feed line 24 into the feed water line 1. The test solution relates, for example, to a cooking salt solution. The sensors or respectively the measuring probes 8, 14 detect, for example, the conductivity or the specific resistance of the drainage or respectively the distillate, step 101. A control detects whether a limit value has been exceeded, step 103. If the limit value has been exceeded, a membrane integrity does not exist, step 105. The membrane 30 is damaged. Otherwise the membrane integrity is fulfilled, step 107.

[0041] In the operating mode of FIG. 3, the heating element 16 is no longer necessary. Thus, a recirculation of the distillate also stops. Instead, the distillate moves directly from the condenser 13 to the filter 18 and subsequently into the tank 20.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows the principle of the underlying process of the membrane distillation known per se, for example from the EPO patent application EP 2427263 B1. Feed water is heated in a steam generator 3 and moves via a membrane 30 to a first effect 34. The membrane 30 relates to a semipermeable, hydrophobic membrane 30. The first effect 34 consists of an alternating sequence of membrane frames (membranes 30) empty frames and film frames (condensation surface as, for example, films 32). Here the heating steam condenses out on the condensation surfaces, for example the films 32, and thus heats the feed water 1, which thereby evaporates to pure steam at the membranes 30. Said pure steam is guided to the next effect and condenses out on the films 32 to WFI and heats the feed; thus enabling a further portion to evaporate on the membranes 30. This process runs parallel in many frames and repeats itself up to the last effect 36. An alternating sequence of empty and film frames (films), which are cooled, is located in the condenser 13 in order to condense the residual pure steam.