Tangential flow membrane panel and tangential flow membrane module, and preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of materials science, disclosing a tangential flow membrane assembly and a tangential flow membrane module, as well as their preparation method and applications. The tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention comprises, in sequence, an ultrafiltration membrane layer I, a feed water grid layer, an ultrafiltration membrane layer II, and a product water grid layer. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channels, and the product water grid layer includes product water channels. Both ultrafiltration membrane layers I and II include feed water channels and product water channels. Each layer, as well as the feed water channels and / or product water channels, are sealed and bonded using hot melt adhesive. The tangential flow membrane module provided by this invention is formed by sequentially stacking and bonding 1-30 of the above membrane assemblies. This membrane module has a small volume, high packing density, and high processing precision, and can be applied in fields such as biology and pharmaceuticals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of materials science, specifically to a tangential flow membrane assembly and a tangential flow membrane module, as well as their preparation methods and applications. Background Technology

[0002] Tangential flow filtration (or cross flow) refers to a filtration method where the liquid flow direction is perpendicular to the filtration direction. It is widely used in ultrafiltration and some microfiltration processes. Compared to traditional vertical filtration, where the liquid flow direction is the same as the filtration direction, tangential flow filtration can filter larger volumes of liquid. This is because in tangential flow filtration, the liquid flow generates shear force on the surface of the filter media, reducing the accumulation of filter cake or gel layers and thus ensuring filtration speed. In contrast, in vertical filtration, the liquid comes into contact with the filter media, causing a rapid decrease in flow rate. This drawback is particularly pronounced when the filter media has small pore sizes or the liquid has a high solids content.

[0003] Currently, tangential flow filtration systems are mainly used in the concentration, purification, dialysis, replacement of buffer solutions or culture media, and pyrogen removal of biological products and pharmaceuticals. A typical tangential flow filtration system includes a pump, membrane pack, clamps, storage tank, connecting pipes, valves, and pressure gauges. The membrane pack, an ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane module, is the core of the tangential flow filtration system. Tangential flow filtration membrane packs operate at high pressures, require repeated sterilization, and demand low residual liquid volumes; therefore, conventional ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane modules cannot meet the needs of tangential flow filtration.

[0004] Common membrane modules used for tangential flow filtration include spiral-wound and plate-and-frame types. Spiral-wound membrane modules are tangential flow membrane modules made by spirally winding flat membrane sheets onto a central tube; for example, the spiral-wound filter module disclosed in CN110756051A is a spiral-wound membrane module. However, spiral-wound membrane modules use a large ultrafiltration membrane area, resulting in a large residual volume and higher operating costs. Plate-and-frame membrane modules consist of two flat membrane sheets glued or welded to both sides of a support plate, utilizing negative pressure to produce water. However, plate-and-frame membrane modules have a low packing density during membrane stacking, and when using liquid adhesive for bonding, the small amount of adhesive makes precise control difficult, easily leading to air bubbles and affecting the quality of the membrane module. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the difficulties in fabricating planar tangential flow membrane modules in existing technologies, and the problems that traditional plate-and-frame planar membranes can only have two layers of membrane welded or glued on both sides of a support plate, resulting in low packing density and difficulty in controlling membrane module quality. This invention provides a tangential flow membrane assembly and a tangential flow membrane module, as well as a method for their fabrication. The tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention uses hot melt adhesive to bond multiple layers of ultrafiltration membranes, permeate mesh, feed water mesh, etc., together, thereby improving the membrane packing density.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tangential flow membrane assembly, the membrane assembly comprising an ultrafiltration membrane layer I, a feed water grid layer, an ultrafiltration membrane layer II, and a product water grid layer stacked sequentially. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channels, the product water grid layer includes product water channels, and both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channels and product water channels. Each layer and the feed water channels and / or product water channels are sealed and bonded with hot melt adhesive.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention provides a tangential flow membrane assembly, wherein the membrane assembly contains 1-30 tangential flow membrane sheets stacked and bonded together in sequence, wherein the tangential flow membrane sheets are as described above, and preferably, in the tangential flow membrane assembly, the permeate flow channels of two adjacent membrane sheets are aligned with each other, and the inlet flow channels are aligned with each other.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing a tangential flow membrane module, the method comprising:

[0009] (1) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: Cut ultrafiltration membrane, feed water grid, product water grid and hot melt adhesive membrane, and stack them in the order of ultrafiltration membrane layer I, feed water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer II and product water grid layer. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channel holes, the product water grid layer includes product water channel holes, and both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channel holes and product water channel holes. Cut hot melt adhesive membrane is placed between adjacent layers to seal and bond the periphery of each layer and the periphery of the feed water channel holes and / or the periphery of the product water channel holes.

[0010] (2) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: The tangential flow membrane assemblies obtained in steps 1-30 of (1) are stacked and bonded in sequence, and the periphery of the stacked membrane assemblies is bonded and sealed with sealant to form a sealing edge.

[0011] The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a tangential flow membrane module prepared by the method described above.

[0012] The fifth aspect of the present invention provides the use of the tangential flow membrane assembly or tangential flow membrane module as described above in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products.

[0013] Through the above technical solution, this invention utilizes hot melt adhesive to bond multilayer ultrafiltration membrane sheets, as well as feed water grids and permeate water grids, together, thereby increasing the membrane packing density. Furthermore, by setting the direction of the permeate and feed water flow channels, the feed water channel and permeate water channel are effectively isolated, facilitating membrane module encapsulation. Moreover, the permeate and feed water flow channels in the membrane assembly provided by this invention can be opened before edge sealing, which facilitates the positioning of each layer in the membrane assembly and improves the module processing accuracy. In addition, this invention also solves the problem of air bubbles easily generated during the application of liquid sealant due to its small dosage, ensuring the integrity of the membrane module and making it more suitable for large-scale production and operation. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a SEM image of the influent grid / product water grid used in the preparation of membrane assembly A1 in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of two adjacent membrane groups in the membrane module provided by the present invention (only the bonding of each layer at the inlet channel and the sealing of the product water channel holes of the inlet grid layer and the inlet channel holes of the product water grid layer by hot melt adhesive are shown. The bonding of each layer at the product water channel, the hot melt adhesive film sealing bonding between each layer, the sealing of the sealant between the two membrane groups, and the sealing of the sealant around the membrane group are not shown).

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0017] 1 is the inlet water channel, 2 is the product water channel, 3 is the hot melt adhesive, 4 is the product water grid layer, 5 is the ultrafiltration membrane support layer, 6 is the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer, and 7 is the inlet water grid layer. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The endpoints and any values ​​of the ranges disclosed herein are not limited to the precise ranges or values, and these ranges or values ​​should be understood to include values ​​close to these ranges or values. For numerical ranges, the endpoint values ​​of the various ranges, the endpoint values ​​of the various ranges and individual point values, and individual point values ​​can be combined with each other to obtain one or more new numerical ranges, which should be considered as specifically disclosed herein.

[0019] Traditional plate-and-frame flat sheet membrane modules typically employ a structure in which membrane sheets are glued or welded to both sides of a support plate. This structure not only results in a low membrane module packing density and a relatively large volume, but the gluing or welding process also makes it difficult to guarantee the quality of the membrane module. Consequently, traditional plate-and-frame flat sheet membrane modules can generally only be used in processes with low requirements for filtration systems, such as wastewater treatment.

[0020] The inventors of this invention ingeniously discovered during their research that by cutting grid and flat-sheet ultrafiltration membranes into specific shapes, stacking them in a particular order, and then sealing them with hot-melt adhesive membranes cut to the shapes and sealing areas, and by creating dedicated inlet and outlet water channels on the grid and flat-sheet ultrafiltration membranes, a tangential flow membrane assembly with high processing precision and easy packaging can be obtained. By further bonding and sealing multiple tangential flow membrane assemblies, a tangential flow membrane module with high packing density, good integrity, and high quality can be obtained. This membrane module not only has higher filtration precision but also a relatively small module volume and liquid residue volume during use, meeting the ultrafiltration / microfiltration needs of the biological and pharmaceutical fields.

[0021] The present invention provides a tangential flow membrane assembly, the membrane assembly comprising an ultrafiltration membrane layer I, a feed water grid layer, an ultrafiltration membrane layer II, and a product water grid layer stacked sequentially. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channels, the product water grid layer includes product water channels, and both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channels and product water channels. Each layer and the feed water channels and / or product water channels are sealed and bonded with hot melt adhesive.

[0022] In the above description, "the inlet grid layer includes inlet flow channel holes, and the product water grid layer includes product water flow channel holes" means that the inlet flow channel holes of the inlet grid layer are kept open, allowing liquid to enter the membrane assembly from the inlet flow channel holes of the inlet grid layer, while the product water flow channel holes of the product water grid layer are kept open, allowing liquid to flow out of the membrane assembly from the product water flow channel holes of the product water grid layer. For ease of production, both the inlet grid layer and the product water grid layer can be cut to have both inlet and product water flow channel holes simultaneously, as long as these are sealed during the bonding and sealing process. For example, in this invention, hot melt adhesive is used to bond and seal each layer. Therefore, when bonding around the water flow channel holes of the water inlet grid layer, the melted hot melt adhesive can enter the mesh of the water inlet grid layer. After cooling and solidification, the bonding around the water flow channel holes of the water inlet grid layer and the sealing of the water flow channel holes are completed at the same time.

[0023] Preferably, hot melt adhesive is not used to seal the edges around the inlet flow channel holes between ultrafiltration membrane layer I, the inlet grid layer, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II.

[0024] Preferably, hot melt adhesive is not used to seal the perimeter of the permeate flow channel between the ultrafiltration membrane layer II and the permeate grid layer.

[0025] The shape of the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by the present invention can be adjusted and set according to actual needs. Considering the convenience of preparation and use, and to improve the compatibility with existing tangential flow filtration systems, each layer of membrane and grid in the membrane assembly can be cut into a rectangle.

[0026] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, there are no particular restrictions on the distribution of the inlet and product water channels on the ultrafiltration membrane layers (I and II), as long as the inlet and product water channels on the same ultrafiltration membrane layer do not overlap. To better isolate the inlet and product water channels and improve the filtration effect of the membrane assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the inlet and product water channels on the ultrafiltration membrane layers (I and II) are located at both ends of the membrane (e.g., at both ends along the length of a rectangle).

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inlet flow channels of the inlet grid layer and the product flow channels of the product grid layer (in the same tangential flow membrane group) are arranged intersectingly (at intervals). For example, they are located at opposite ends of the rectangle along its length.

[0028] Preferably, (in the same tangential flow membrane assembly) the inlet flow channels on the feed grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at the same position, have the same size, and the inlet flow channels between the upper and lower layers are aligned with each other. This forms inlet flow channels within the membrane assembly.

[0029] Preferably, (within the same tangential flow membrane assembly) the permeate flow channels on the permeate grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at the same position, have the same size, and the permeate flow channels between the upper and lower layers are aligned with each other. This forms permeate flow channels within the membrane assembly.

[0030] In the membrane assembly provided by this invention, there are no particular limitations on the specific dimensions of the inlet and product water channels, which can be adjusted according to actual conditions (e.g., characteristics of the filtrate, requirements for filtration effect, etc.). For consideration of balancing the flow rates and pressures of the feed liquid, concentrate, and permeate, preferably, the size of the inlet water channel is larger than the size of the product water channel. More preferably, the size of the inlet water channel is 1.2-1.5 times that of the product water channel. The size refers to the diameter of a single inlet water channel / product water channel (i.e., the diameter of the inlet / product water channels in the membrane assembly).

[0031] In the membrane assembly provided by this invention, each layer can have multiple inlet water channels and / or product water channels (i.e., the membrane assembly can contain multiple inlet water channels and / or product water channels). Preferably, the number of inlet water channels in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I is the same as the number of product water channels. Preferably, each has 2-10 channels. Based on the aforementioned positional and dimensional relationships of the inlet water channels and product water channels between layers, those skilled in the art can understand that the number of inlet water channels and product water channels in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I is the same as the number of product water channels. Preferably, each has 2-10 channels. That is, in the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, the number of inlet water channels and product water channels is the same, preferably 2-10 channels.

[0032] Preferably, the total area of ​​the inlet channel holes does not exceed 5% of the diaphragm area. More preferably, it does not exceed 2% of the diaphragm area.

[0033] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, the function of the feed water grid layer / product water grid layer is to create gaps between the ultrafiltration membranes, allowing the liquid to be treated to enter. This invention does not impose any particular restrictions on the material selection of the feed water grid layer / product water grid layer, as long as it can perform the aforementioned function in the tangential flow membrane assembly.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water inlet grid layer is made of polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate. To control material leachates and ensure safety, the water inlet grid layer is preferably made of medical-grade polypropylene and / or medical-grade polyethylene terephthalate.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water-producing grid layer is made of polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate. To control material leachates and ensure safety, the water-producing grid layer is preferably made of medical-grade polypropylene and / or medical-grade polyethylene terephthalate.

[0036] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, the product water grid layer and the feed water grid layer can be made of the same material or different materials. To simplify the manufacturing process, it is preferable that the product water grid layer and the feed water grid layer are made of the same material.

[0037] To provide sufficient support for the diaphragm and adequate flow channels for the feed liquid while reducing flow resistance, the feed grid layer preferably uses a mesh size of 20-80 mesh. More preferably, it uses 30-80 mesh.

[0038] More preferably, the thickness of the water inlet grid layer is 120-150 μm.

[0039] In order to provide sufficient support for the membrane and sufficient flow channels for the permeate to reduce the flow resistance of the liquid, the permeate grid layer preferably uses a grid with a mesh size of 60-100 mesh.

[0040] More preferably, the thickness of the water production grid layer is 140-200 μm.

[0041] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, the mesh count of the product water grid layer is greater than that of the feed water grid layer (i.e., the pore size of the product water grid layer is smaller than that of the feed water grid layer). Preferably, the mesh count of the product water grid layer is 1.3-5 times that of the feed water grid layer.

[0042] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, the ultrafiltration membrane layers (I and II) can be prepared using existing (flat-sheet) ultrafiltration membranes that meet the pore size requirements. The pore size requirements are determined by the characteristics of the solution being treated and the purpose of filtration. To make the membrane assembly easier to cut and assemble, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the ultrafiltration membranes used in ultrafiltration membrane layers I and II include an ultrafiltration membrane separation layer and an ultrafiltration membrane support layer. The ultrafiltration membrane separation layer is the membrane material layer that performs the filtration and separation function, and the ultrafiltration membrane support layer provides support for the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer, keeping it flat.

[0043] In this invention, the ultrafiltration membrane layers (I and II) can be directly made from a (flat) organic ultrafiltration membrane with a support layer. Alternatively, an ultrafiltration membrane material with a support layer can be used, which is composited by coating or other methods before preparing the membrane assembly. Alternatively, the ultrafiltration membrane support layer and the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer, which are independently existing, can be stacked (and bonded) sequentially during the preparation of the membrane assembly to form the ultrafiltration membrane layers.

[0044] Preferably, the thickness ratio of the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer to the ultrafiltration membrane support layer is 1:1-3.

[0045] Preferably, the ultrafiltration membrane support layer material is selected from at least one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Considering factors such as safety, the ultrafiltration membrane support layer material is preferably selected from at least one of medical-grade polyethylene terephthalate, medical-grade polypropylene, and medical-grade polyethylene.

[0046] More preferably, the weight-average molecular weight of the ultrafiltration membrane support layer material is 2 × 10⁻⁶. 4 -6×10 5 .

[0047] Preferably, the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer material is selected from at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethersulfone, and regenerated cellulose. Considering factors such as safety, the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer material is preferably selected from at least one of medical-grade polyvinylidene fluoride, medical-grade polyethersulfone, and medical-grade regenerated cellulose.

[0048] The tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention does not have a particular limitation on the thickness of the ultrafiltration membrane layers (I and II). However, to improve the filtration effect, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the thickness of the ultrafiltration membrane layer is 200-300 μm. That is, for one ultrafiltration membrane layer, the total thickness of the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer and the ultrafiltration membrane support layer is 200-300 μm.

[0049] Preferably, the ultrafiltration membrane layer I and the ultrafiltration membrane layer II have the same thickness.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the membrane assembly, the ultrafiltration membrane separation layers of ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are both located on the side close to the feed water grid layer.

[0051] Preferably, when the ultrafiltration membrane support layer used in the membrane assembly is formed by stacking (and bonding) independently existing ultrafiltration membrane support layer membrane sheets and ultrafiltration membrane separation layer membrane sheets in sequence during the preparation of the membrane assembly, the membrane sheets can be stacked and bonded in the following order: ultrafiltration membrane support layer I - ultrafiltration membrane separation layer I - feed water grid layer - ultrafiltration membrane separation layer II - ultrafiltration membrane support layer II - product water grid layer. Wherein, ultrafiltration membrane support layer I and ultrafiltration membrane separation layer I form ultrafiltration membrane layer I, and ultrafiltration membrane support layer II and ultrafiltration membrane separation layer II form ultrafiltration membrane layer II.

[0052] In the tangential flow membrane assembly provided by this invention, there are no particular restrictions on the hot melt adhesive material used. Considering that this membrane assembly is mainly used in fields such as biology and medicine, and may undergo (short-term high-temperature) sterilization during use, this invention preferably uses a hot melt adhesive that can withstand short-term high-temperature sterilization. According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the hot melt adhesive is selected from at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-propylene-1-butene copolymer, polyester, and polyurethane. Preferably, it is at least one of medical-grade polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-propylene-1-butene copolymer, polyester, and polyurethane.

[0053] Preferably, the thickness of the hot melt adhesive between two adjacent layers is 0.015-0.4 mm, and the edge sealing width is 2-10 mm. The edge sealing width refers to the width of the portion sealed with hot melt adhesive.

[0054] The membrane assembly provided by this invention can be directly used as a membrane module in a tangential flow filtration system, or multiple tangential flow membrane assemblies as described above can be used to form a tangential flow membrane module for use in a tangential flow filtration system. Therefore, a second aspect of this invention provides a tangential flow membrane module, wherein the membrane module contains 1-30 tangential flow membrane assemblies that are stacked and sealed in sequence, wherein the tangential flow membrane assemblies are as described above, preferably, in the tangential flow membrane module, the permeate flow channels between adjacent membrane assemblies are aligned with each other (that is, the inlet flow channels of adjacent membrane assemblies are connected), and the inlet flow channels are aligned with each other (that is, the permeate flow channels of adjacent membrane assemblies are connected).

[0055] Preferably, the membrane assembly contains 1-20 tangential flow membrane sheets that are stacked and sealed together in sequence.

[0056] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the tangential flow membrane assembly, the membrane sheets are bonded together by a sealant.

[0057] Preferably, the sealant is selected from at least one of epoxy resin, polyurethane, and silicone rubber. Considering safety and other factors, it is preferable that the sealant is selected from at least one of medical-grade epoxy resin, polyurethane, and silicone rubber.

[0058] In order to make the membrane assembly more firmly bonded and improve the pressure resistance of the membrane assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealant can also form a sealing edge of a certain thickness around the stacked membrane assemblies.

[0059] Preferably, the width of the sealing edge (i.e. the thickness of the sealant forming the sealing edge) is 3-10 mm.

[0060] Figure 2 The diagram exemplarily illustrates the structure of two adjacent membrane groups in a tangential flow membrane assembly containing multiple membrane groups provided by the present invention (only the bonding of each layer at the inlet channel and the sealing of the product water channel holes of the inlet grid layer and the inlet channel holes of the product water grid layer by hot melt adhesive are shown. The bonding of each layer at the product water channel, the hot melt adhesive film sealing between each layer, the sealant sealing between the two membrane groups, and the sealant sealing around the membrane groups are not shown). The liquid to be treated enters through the inlet channel 1, and after filtration, the permeate (e.g., water) flows out through the product water channel 2. In each membrane assembly, the inlet channels of each layer are aligned with each other to form inlet channels, and the inlet channels of two adjacent membrane assemblies are aligned with each other, so that the inlet channels of each membrane assembly in the membrane module are interconnected; the permeate channels of each layer are aligned with each other to form permeate channels, and the permeate channels of two adjacent membrane assemblies are aligned with each other, so that the inlet channels of each membrane assembly in the membrane module are interconnected.

[0061] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing a tangential flow membrane module, the method comprising:

[0062] (1) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: Cut ultrafiltration membrane, feed water grid, product water grid and hot melt adhesive membrane, and stack them (from top to bottom) in the order of ultrafiltration membrane layer I, feed water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer II and product water grid layer. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channel holes, the product water grid layer includes product water channel holes, and both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channel holes and product water channel holes. Place the cut hot melt adhesive membrane between adjacent layers to seal and bond the periphery of each layer and the periphery of the feed water channel holes and / or product water channel holes.

[0063] (2) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: The tangential flow membrane assemblies obtained in steps 1-30 of (1) are stacked and bonded in sequence, and the periphery of the stacked membrane assemblies is bonded and sealed with sealant to form a sealing edge.

[0064] In the method provided by the present invention, step (1) is the method for preparing the aforementioned tangential flow membrane assembly. The materials and characteristics of the membrane assembly are as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0065] To simplify the preparation process and reduce operational difficulty, in step (1), the ultrafiltration membrane layer I, the feed water grid layer, the ultrafiltration membrane layer II, and the product water grid layer can be cut according to the same model (containing both feed water and product water flow channels). Then, when bonding the layers, the feed water flow channels of the product water grid layer and the product water flow channels of the feed water grid layer are sealed respectively, thus forming a feed water grid layer with only feed water flow channels and a product water grid layer with only product water flow channels. The above sealing operation can be achieved by retaining the hot melt adhesive film around the corresponding flow channel holes when cutting the hot melt adhesive film. That is, by retaining the hot melt adhesive film around the flow channel holes that need to be sealed, during the bonding process, after the hot melt adhesive film is heated and melted, it passes through the mesh of the grid, so that the cooled and solidified hot melt adhesive seals the flow channel holes of the grid layer while bonding the grid and the adjacent ultrafiltration membrane layers together. For example, refer to Figure 2 In one membrane assembly, the permeate grid layer and the ultrafiltration membrane (support) layer (II) are bonded together using hot melt adhesive around the inlet channel holes, while simultaneously sealing the inlet channel holes of the permeate grid layer. The permeate grid layer and the ultrafiltration membrane layer (II) are not bonded together around the permeate channel holes. Conversely, the ultrafiltration membrane (separation) layer (I), the inlet grid layer, and the ultrafiltration membrane (separation) layer (II) are bonded together using hot melt adhesive around the permeate channel holes, while simultaneously sealing the permeate channel holes of the inlet grid layer. The ultrafiltration membrane layer (I), the inlet grid layer, and the ultrafiltration membrane layer (II) are not bonded together around the inlet channel holes.

[0066] To prevent slippage and deformation of the layers during stacking and / or bonding, in step (1), the ultrafiltration membrane layer I, the feed water grid layer, the ultrafiltration membrane layer II, the product water grid layer, and the hot melt adhesive membrane between the layers can be fixed in the bonding mold using positioning pins before bonding. Simultaneously, the thickness of the hot melt adhesive between the layers and the total thickness of the (single) membrane assembly can be controlled using the bonding mold.

[0067] In the method provided by the present invention, step (2) is the method for preparing the aforementioned tangential flow membrane module. The features of the membrane module are as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0068] Preferably, in step (2), 1-20 tangential flow membrane groups are stacked and bonded in sequence, and the periphery of the stacked membrane groups is bonded and sealed with sealant to form a sealing edge, thereby obtaining the membrane group.

[0069] refer to Figure 2 When bonding two adjacent membrane groups, the permeate grid layer of the previous membrane group is bonded to the area around the inlet channel holes of the ultrafiltration membrane (support) layer (I) of the next membrane group, while the area around the permeate channel holes is not bonded.

[0070] In order to control the overall thickness of the membrane module, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step (2), an adhesive mold can be used when bonding the membrane modules, and the overall thickness of the final membrane module can be adjusted and controlled by the limiting position of the mold.

[0071] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a tangential flow membrane assembly prepared by the method described above. The features of this tangential flow membrane assembly are as previously described and will not be repeated here.

[0072] The fifth aspect of this invention provides the use of the tangential flow membrane assembly or tangential flow membrane module as described above in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products.

[0073] In this invention, the application can be the use of a tangential flow filtration system containing the tangential flow membrane sheet group or membrane module provided by this invention to filter, concentrate, and purify products or intermediates during the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products. It can also be the use of equipment containing the tangential flow membrane sheet group or membrane module provided by this invention to perform operations such as buffer and / or culture medium replacement and pyrogen removal from culture medium and / or buffer during the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products.

[0074] The present invention will be described in detail below through embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are only used to further explain and illustrate the content of the present invention by way of example, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0075] All materials and reagents used in the following examples were commercially available.

[0076] Example 1

[0077] Tangential flow membrane assemblies were prepared according to the materials in Table 1 and the parameters in Table 2.

[0078] The weight-average molecular weights of the support layer materials in Table 1 are as follows: polyethylene terephthalate 2×10 4 Polypropylene 6×10 5 3×10 polyethylene 5 Polyethylene terephthalate (medical grade) 1×10 5 Polypropylene (medical grade) 3.2×10 5 Polyethylene (medical grade) 2.5×10 5 .

[0079] The preparation method is as follows:

[0080] refer to Figure 2 The structure of a single membrane assembly is as follows: The ultrafiltration membrane, feed water grid, and permeate grid are cut into rectangles (210mm long, 200mm wide) with circular permeate and feed water channels at both ends along the long side, according to the dimensions in Table 2. The hot melt adhesive membrane is cut according to the shape of each layer and the required sealing width. In the bonding mold, they are stacked in the following order from top to bottom: "Permeate layer hot melt adhesive membrane - Ultrafiltration membrane layer I - Feed water layer hot melt adhesive membrane - Feed water grid layer - Feed water layer hot melt adhesive membrane - Ultrafiltration membrane layer II - Permeate layer hot melt adhesive membrane - Permeate grid layer - Permeate hot melt adhesive membrane". The separation layers of ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located near the feed water grid layer. During stacking, the feed water channels and permeate channels in each layer are aligned. Each time an ultrafiltration membrane or grid layer is stacked, it is bonded to the membrane or grid layer below it using hot melt adhesive. When cutting the permeate layer hot melt adhesive membrane, the hot melt adhesive membrane around the inlet channel holes is retained, and the hot melt adhesive membrane around the permeate channel holes is retained during the cutting of the inlet layer hot melt adhesive membrane, in order to seal the inlet channel holes of the permeate grid layer and the permeate channel holes of the inlet grid layer. For ultrafiltration membrane layers using independent support layer membrane sheets and separation layer membrane sheets (marked with * in Table 1; unmarked membrane sheets use ultrafiltration membrane materials that are composited by coating before membrane sheet assembly), when sealing the inlet channel holes on the permeate grid, the inlet channel holes on the adjacent support layer are also sealed accordingly.

[0081] Table 1

[0082]

[0083]

[0084] Table 2

[0085]

[0086]

[0087] Example 2

[0088] The membrane assembly prepared in Example 1 was fabricated into a tangential flow membrane module according to the parameters in Table 3. The specific preparation method is as follows:

[0089] Several diaphragm assemblies are placed sequentially into a glue injection mold and fixed. Sealant is injected to form a sealant of a certain thickness around the diaphragm assemblies. After demolding, the membrane assembly is obtained.

[0090] Table 3

[0091]

[0092]

[0093] Test Example 1

[0094] A simulated concentration experiment was conducted using the tangential flow membrane module prepared in Example 2 to test the filtration effect of the tangential flow membrane module provided by the present invention. The specific method is as follows:

[0095] The tangential flow membrane module prepared in Example 2 was installed in a tangential flow filtration system to filter and concentrate 500 mL of bovine serum albumin solution (1000 mg / L). The filtration conditions were 25°C and 0.1 MPa. In this tangential flow filtration system, the bovine serum albumin solution to be filtered, contained in the feed tank, was pumped into the membrane package containing the tangential flow membrane module. The concentrated bovine serum albumin solution after filtration and concentration entered the concentrate tank, while the filtered water entered the permeate tank. The results are detailed in Table 4, where the liquid recovery volume is the sum of the liquid volumes collected in the permeate tank and the concentrate tank.

[0096] Table 4

[0097]

[0098]

[0099] As can be seen from the data in Table 4, the tangential flow membrane module provided by the present invention has a fast filtration speed and a high liquid recovery rate of over 90% during use. This indicates that the membrane module can meet the needs of filtration, concentration, purification and other operations when using a tangential flow filtration system in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products.

[0100] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the inventive concept, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, including combinations of various technical features in any other suitable manner. These simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tangential flow diaphragm assembly, characterized in that, The membrane assembly comprises an ultrafiltration membrane layer I, a feed water grid layer, an ultrafiltration membrane layer II, and a product water grid layer stacked sequentially. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channels, and the product water grid layer includes product water channels. Both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channels and product water channels. Each layer and the feed water channels and / or product water channels are sealed and bonded with hot melt adhesive. In this configuration, the inlet water channels and product water channels on ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at opposite ends of the membrane sheet; the inlet water channels of the inlet water grid layer and the product water grid layer are arranged intersectingly; the inlet water channels on the inlet water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at the same position, have the same size, and are aligned with each other between the upper and lower layers; the product water channels on the product water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at the same position, have the same size, and are aligned with each other between the upper and lower layers; no hot melt adhesive is used to seal the inlet water channels between ultrafiltration membrane layer I, the inlet water grid layer, and ultrafiltration membrane layer II; no hot melt adhesive is used to seal the product water channels between ultrafiltration membrane layer II and the product water grid layer. The ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II each include an ultrafiltration membrane separation layer and an ultrafiltration membrane support layer; the thickness of ultrafiltration membrane layer I is 200-300 μm; the thickness of ultrafiltration membrane layer II is 200-300 μm; the thickness ratio of the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer to the ultrafiltration membrane support layer is 1:1-3; The thickness of the hot melt adhesive between adjacent layers is 0.015-0.4mm, and the edge sealing width is 2-10mm.

2. The tangential flow diaphragm assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The size of the inlet channel hole is larger than the size of the product water channel hole; And / or, the number of inlet channel holes in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I is the same as the number of product channel holes.

3. The tangential flow diaphragm assembly according to claim 2, wherein, The number of inlet water channels and the number of product water channels in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I are 2-10 respectively; And / or, the diameter of the inlet channel is 1.2-1.5 times the diameter of the product channel.

4. The tangential flow diaphragm assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The material of the water inlet grid layer is polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate; And / or, the grid material used in the water production grid layer is polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate; And / or, the mesh size of the inlet grid layer is 20-80 mesh; And / or, the mesh size of the water production grid layer is 20-100 mesh; And / or, the mesh size of the water production grid layer is 1.3-5 times that of the water inlet grid layer; And / or, the thickness of the inlet grid layer is 120-150 μm; And / or, the thickness of the water production grid layer is 140-200 μm.

5. The tangential flow diaphragm assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The ultrafiltration membrane support layer material is selected from at least one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene; And / or, the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer material is selected from at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethersulfone, and regenerated cellulose; And / or, the weight-average molecular weight of the ultrafiltration membrane support layer material is 2 × 10⁻⁶. 4 -6×10 5 .

6. The tangential flow diaphragm assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The hot melt adhesive is selected from at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-propylene-1-butene copolymer, polyester, and polyurethane.

7. A tangential flow membrane assembly, characterized in that, The membrane assembly contains 1-30 tangential flow membrane sheets that are stacked and sealed together in sequence, wherein the tangential flow membrane sheet assembly is the tangential flow membrane sheet assembly as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. The tangential flow membrane assembly according to claim 7, wherein, In the tangential flow membrane assembly, the permeate flow channel holes of two adjacent membrane groups are aligned with each other, and the inlet flow channel holes are aligned with each other.

9. A method for preparing a tangential flow membrane module, characterized in that, The method includes: (1) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: Cut ultrafiltration membrane, feed water grid, product water grid and hot melt adhesive membrane, and stack them in the order of ultrafiltration membrane layer I, feed water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer II and product water grid layer. The feed water grid layer includes feed water channel holes, the product water grid layer includes product water channel holes, and both ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II include feed water channel holes and product water channel holes. Cut hot melt adhesive membrane is placed between adjacent layers to seal and bond the periphery of each layer and the periphery of the feed water channel holes and / or the periphery of the product water channel holes. (2) Preparation of tangential flow membrane assembly: The tangential flow membrane assemblies obtained in steps 1-30 of (1) are stacked and bonded in sequence, and the periphery of the stacked membrane assemblies is bonded and sealed with sealant to form a sealing edge; In step (1), the inlet water channel holes and product water channel holes on ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located at both ends of the membrane sheet; the inlet water channel holes of the inlet water grid layer and the product water channel holes of the product water grid layer are arranged crosswise and aligned; the inlet water channel holes on the inlet water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located in the same position, have the same size, and are arranged vertically aligned between the upper and lower layers when stacked; the product water channel holes on the product water grid layer, ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are located in the same position, have the same size, and are arranged vertically aligned between the upper and lower layers when stacked; no hot melt adhesive is used to seal the inlet water channel holes between ultrafiltration membrane layer I, inlet water grid layer and ultrafiltration membrane layer II; no hot melt adhesive is used to seal the product water channel holes between ultrafiltration membrane layer II and product water grid layer. The ultrafiltration membrane layer I and ultrafiltration membrane layer II are made of organic ultrafiltration membrane with a support layer; the thickness ratio of the ultrafiltration membrane separation layer to the ultrafiltration membrane support layer is 1:1-3. The thickness of the hot melt adhesive film is 0.015-0.4mm, and the sealing edge width is 2-10mm.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, In step (1), the size of the inlet channel hole is larger than the size of the product water channel hole; And / or, the number of inlet channel holes in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I is the same as the number of product channel holes.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The number of inlet water channels and the number of product water channels in the ultrafiltration membrane layer I are 2-10 respectively; And / or, the size of the inlet channel orifice is 1.2-1.5 times that of the product channel orifice.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The grid material used in the water inlet grid layer is polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate. And / or, the grid material used in the water production grid layer is polypropylene and / or polyethylene terephthalate; And / or, the hot melt adhesive film material is selected from at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-propylene-1-butene copolymer, polyester and polyurethane; And / or, the mesh size of the inlet grid layer is 20-100 mesh; And / or, the mesh size of the water production grid layer is 20-100 mesh; And / or, the support layer material is selected from at least one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene; And / or, the organic ultrafiltration membrane material is selected from at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethersulfone, and regenerated cellulose; And / or, the mesh size of the product water grid is 1.3-5 times that of the influent water grid; And / or, the weight-average molecular weight of the support layer material is 2 × 10⁻⁶. 4 -6×10 5 .

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The sealant material used in step (2) is at least one of epoxy resin, polyurethane and silicone rubber; And / or, the width of the sealing edge formed by the sealant is 3-10 mm; And / or, in the tangential flow membrane assembly, between two adjacent membrane groups, the permeate flow channel holes are aligned with each other, and the inlet flow channel holes are aligned with each other.

14. A tangential flow membrane assembly prepared by the method according to any one of claims 9-13.

15. The use of the tangential flow membrane assembly according to any one of claims 1-6 or the tangential flow membrane module according to claims 7, 8 or 14 in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and / or biological products.

Images