Hollow fiber membrane module

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of hollow fiber membranes, and discloses a hollow fiber membrane assembly. The hollow fiber membrane module comprises a shell, a hollow fiber membrane tow, an end cover and a fixing piece, an opening is formed in the end part of the shell; the hollow fiber membrane tows are arranged in the shell; the end cover is detachably arranged at the opening of the shell; the fixing piece is arranged in the shell and is used for fixing the end part of the hollow fiber membrane tow; wherein the fixing piece is in sealing connection with the end cover, and a movable gap is formed between the fixing piece and the shell. According to the hollow fiber membrane module, the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and cold contraction of a chemical sealing structure which is formed by integrating a traditional membrane shell and a hollow fiber membrane tow and directly casting epoxy is solved; meanwhile, the structure of the hollow fiber assembly is simpler, and the economic value in the aspects of weight, materials, manpower and the like of the assembly is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of hollow fiber membranes, in particular to a hollow fiber membrane module. Background Art

[0002] In addition to filtration, the hollow fiber membrane module is also used for purposes such as humidification. In the hollow fiber membrane module, a plurality of hollow fiber membrane filaments are arranged in a bundle state in a shell to form a membrane core. And, at the end of the bundle of hollow fiber membrane filaments, a sealing and fixing structure is provided. This sealing and fixing structure seals the gaps between the respective hollow fiber membrane filaments while opening the hollow interior of each hollow fiber membrane filament by means of a casting material, and fixes the ends of the respective hollow fiber membrane filaments.

[0003] The traditional membrane shell and the membrane core are integrally formed, and the chemical sealing structure directly cast by epoxy usually has the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction. For the assembly of the split membrane core and the membrane shell, due to factors such as the membrane core being prone to movement in the shell and poor sealing effect, a membrane core protection shell needs to be provided between the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle and the shell, resulting in relatively high costs in terms of weight, materials, and labor. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] The purpose of the utility model is to provide a hollow fiber membrane module to solve the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction in the chemical sealing structure formed by directly casting epoxy with the traditional membrane shell and the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle being integrated.

[0005] To achieve this purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions: A hollow fiber membrane module, comprising: a shell, one end of the shell is provided with an opening; a hollow fiber membrane filament bundle, installed in the shell; an end cap, detachably arranged at the opening of the shell; a fixing member, installed in the shell and used for fixing the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle; wherein, the fixing member is hermetically connected to the end cap, and a movable gap is provided between the fixing member and the shell.

[0006] Preferably, the shell includes a main body portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion is arranged at the end of the main body portion, and the wall thickness of the connecting portion is greater than the wall thickness of the main body portion.

[0007] Preferably, a connecting flange is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting portion, a end cap flange is provided on the outer periphery of the end cap, and the connecting flange is detachably connected to the end cap flange.

[0008] Preferably, either the connecting flange or the end cap flange is provided with a threaded hole, and the other is provided with a through hole, and they are connected by bolts.

[0009] Preferably, the fixing member includes a fixing portion and a limiting portion. The fixing portion is disposed within the connecting portion and there is an active gap between the fixing portion and the connecting portion. The limiting portion is sealingly connected to the end cap.

[0010] Preferably, the diameter of the limiting portion is greater than that of the fixing portion, and one side of the limiting portion connected to the fixing portion can abut against the connecting portion.

[0011] Preferably, a receiving groove is provided on the inner side of the end cap, and a sealing member is disposed within the receiving groove. The end cap and the fixing member are sealed by the sealing member.

[0012] Preferably, an active gap is also provided between the end cap and the fixing member, and the sealing member seals the active gap.

[0013] Preferably, an air inlet / outlet pipe is formed on the end cap, and the extending direction of the air inlet / outlet pipe is parallel to the extending direction of the end of the hollow fiber membrane bundle.

[0014] Preferably, the active gap is 150 - 200 microns.

[0015] Advantages of the present utility model:

[0016] The hollow fiber membrane module of the present utility model includes a housing, a hollow fiber membrane bundle, an end cap, and a fixing member; an opening is provided at an end of the housing; the hollow fiber membrane bundle is installed within the housing; the end cap is detachably disposed at the opening of the housing; the fixing member is installed within the housing and is used for fixing the end of the hollow fiber membrane bundle; wherein, the fixing member is sealingly connected to the end cap, and an active gap is provided between the fixing member and the housing. The provision of this active gap solves the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction in the traditional chemical sealing structure where the membrane housing and the hollow fiber membrane bundle are integrated and directly cast with epoxy. At the same time, compared with the module assembled by the separate hollow fiber membrane bundle and the membrane housing, due to factors such as the easy movement of the hollow fiber membrane bundle within the housing and poor sealing effect, a protective shell for the hollow fiber membrane bundle needs to be provided between the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the housing. In the hollow fiber module of the present utility model, the hollow fiber membrane bundle is directly installed within the housing, which has good limiting and sealing performance and a simpler structure, thus enhancing the economic value to a considerable extent in terms of the weight, materials, labor, etc. of the module. The structure of this hollow fiber module is between the separate and integrated structures and simultaneously possesses the advantages of both. Also, due to its convenient preparation, installation, and low cost, it can adapt to large-scale industrial production. Description of the Drawings

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of one end of the hollow fiber membrane module in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 Yes Figure 1 It is a partial enlarged view of part A in the figure.

[0019] In the figure:

[0020] 1. Housing; 11. Main body part; 12. Connecting part; 121. Connecting flange; 2. Hollow fiber membrane bundle; 3. End cap; 31. End cap flange; 32. Accommodating groove; 4. Fixing part; 41. Fixing portion; 42. Limiting portion; 5. Activity gap; 6. Sealing member. Specific embodiments

[0021] The following further describes the present utility model in detail with reference to the drawings and embodiments. It can be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present utility model, rather than limiting the present utility model. Additionally, it should be noted that for the convenience of description, only the parts related to the present utility model rather than all the structures are shown in the drawings.

[0022] In the description of the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "connected", "connected to", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0023] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the direct contact between the first and second features, or may include the situation where the first and second features are not in direct contact but in contact through other features between them. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above and over", and "on the top of" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "underneath", and "beneath" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0024] In the description of this embodiment, the orientation or positional relationships such as "above", "below", "right", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of description and simplifying the operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation to the present utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0025] The present utility model discloses a hollow fiber membrane module, as Figure 1 shown, which includes a housing 1, a hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2, an end cap 3 and a fixing member 4; the housing 1 is of a tubular structure, and an opening is provided at the end of the housing 1; the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2 is installed inside the housing 1, and the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2 is composed of a plurality of hollow fibers and is installed in the housing 1 in a bundled manner; the end cap 3 is detachably arranged at the opening of the housing 1; the fixing member 4 is installed inside the housing 1 and is used for fixing the end of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2; wherein, the fixing member 4 is hermetically connected to the end cap 3, and a movable gap 5 is provided between the fixing member 4 and the housing 1. It can be understood that by providing the movable gap 5 between the fixing member 4 and the housing 1, the situation that the fixing member 4 cracks due to thermal expansion and contraction, and the fixing effect of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2 is lost or decreased can be avoided.

[0026] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 shown, the housing 1 includes a main body portion 11 and a connecting portion 12, the connecting portion 12 is arranged at the end of the main body portion 11, and the wall thickness of the connecting portion 12 is greater than that of the main body portion 11. It can be understood that the main body portion 11 serves as the tubular main body of the housing 1, and the connecting portion 12 is arranged at the end of the main body portion 11 for connecting with structures such as the end cap 3, which can prevent problems such as unstable connection and easy deformation caused by the too thin tube body of the housing 1. In some specific embodiments, the connection between the connecting portion 12 and the main body portion 11 is smoothly transitioned.

[0027] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 shown, a connecting flange 121 is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting portion 12, and an end cap flange 31 is provided on the outer periphery of the end cap 3. The connecting flange 121 and the end cap flange 31 are detachably connected. It can be understood that by the mutual cooperation and fixation of the connecting flange 121 and the end cap flange 31, the change in the main structural shape of the end cap 3 and the housing 1 can be reduced, the strength of the structure can be improved, and it is also easier to dock, facilitating installation and disassembly.

[0028] In some specific embodiments, a threaded hole is provided on either the connecting flange 121 or the end cap flange 31, and a through hole is provided on the other, and they are connected by bolts. In other embodiments, there can also be two through holes, which are fixed by bolts and nuts. In other embodiments, the hollow fiber membrane module further includes a clamp, and the clamp clamps the connecting flange 121 and the end cap flange 31 to form a preliminary fixation. Openings matching the through holes and threaded holes are provided on both sides of the clamp. After the connecting flange 121 and the end cap flange 31 are preliminarily fixed by the clamp, they are then fixedly connected by bolts. It can be understood that through the setting of the clamp, not only is the installation of bolts convenient, but also during disassembly, it can prevent the end cap 3 and the connecting portion 12 from shifting during the disassembly process, resulting in inconvenient disassembly.

[0029] In some embodiments, as Figure 2As shown, the fixing member 4 includes a fixing portion 41 and a limiting portion 42. The fixing portion 41 is disposed within the connecting portion 12 with a movable gap 5 provided therebetween. The limiting portion 42 is hermetically connected to the end cap 3. Among them, the limiting portion 42 is coaxially arranged with the fixing portion 41, the diameter of the limiting portion 42 is larger than that of the fixing portion 41, and one side of the limiting portion 42 connected to the fixing portion 41 can abut against the connecting portion 12, that is, the annular surface of the limiting portion 42 protruding from the fixing portion 41 abuts against the connecting portion 12 of the housing 1 to fix the position of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2 in the axial direction of the housing 1.

[0030] In some specific embodiments, a receiving groove 32 is provided inside the end cap 3, and a sealing member 6 is disposed within the receiving groove 32. The end cap 3 and the limiting portion 42 of the fixing member 4 are sealed by the sealing member 6, and the position of the sealing member 6 is limited by the receiving groove 32 to prevent the sealing member 6 from shifting and causing a decline in the sealing effect.

[0031] To further prevent the fixing member 4 from cracking due to the influence of thermal expansion and contraction, a movable gap 5 is also provided between the end cap 3 and the limiting portion 42 of the fixing member 4. The movable gap 5 is sealed by the sealing member 6. It can be understood that the sealing member 6 has elasticity and is in a compressed state after assembly. When the fixing member 4 undergoes thermal expansion and contraction, the sealing member 6 can continue to be compressed or released to ensure that the sealing state is always maintained between the end cap 3 and the limiting portion 42.

[0032] In some embodiments, an air inlet and outlet pipe is formed on the end cap 3, and the extending direction of the air inlet and outlet pipe is parallel to the extending direction of the end of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2, so as to facilitate the uniform distribution of gas and its flow within each hollow fiber membrane, and improve the working efficiency of the hollow fiber module. It can be understood that gas is introduced into the hollow fiber module through the air inlet and outlet pipe of one end cap 3, that is, into each hollow fiber membrane of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle 2. A part of the gas permeates through the hollow fiber membrane to the inside of the housing 1 and flows out through the permeate side outlet on the housing 1, and the other part of the gas flows out through the inside of the hollow fiber membrane and the retentate side outlet at the other end of the hollow fiber membrane module, so that the gas flows through the flow path of the hollow fiber membrane module to achieve the effect of filtration or humidification.

[0033] In some embodiments, the width of the movable gap 5 is 150 - 200 microns. In some specific embodiments, the width of the movable gap 5 (the distance between the housing 1 and the fixing member 4) is set to 200 microns. On the one hand, it can ensure that there is space for thermal expansion and contraction in the part of the fixing member 4 in the housing 1 or the end cap 3, thus solving the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction in the traditional chemical sealing structure where the membrane housing and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 2 are integrated and directly cast with epoxy. On the other hand, it can ensure that the fixing effect on the hollow fiber membrane bundle 2 is not affected. In some specific embodiments, the fixing member 4 is cast from epoxy resin. Compared with the casting process in the prior art, an annular mold is used more in the manufacturing process. The thickness dimension of this mold is 200 microns. After the epoxy resin is cured, the annular mold is taken out, and the movable gap 5 can be formed. In other embodiments, the size of the movable gap 5 can also be set to 160 microns, 180 microns, etc. In scenarios where the requirement for the size of the movable gap 5 is not high, after directly casting and curing the epoxy resin to form the fixing member 4, the connection between the fixing member 4 and the housing 1 can be peeled off to form a gap, and whether secondary processing is needed to form the movable gap 5 can be selected according to the actual required size.

[0034] The hollow fiber membrane module of the present utility model not only solves the problem of epoxy cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction in the traditional sealing structure where the membrane housing and the hollow fiber membrane bundle are integrated and directly cast with epoxy, but also compared with the module assembled by the separate hollow fiber membrane bundle and the membrane housing, due to factors such as the easy movement of the hollow fiber membrane bundle in the housing and poor sealing effect, it is also necessary to separately set a protective shell for the hollow fiber membrane bundle outside the hollow fiber membrane bundle and then install it into the housing to avoid damage caused by the exposure of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The hollow fiber module of the present utility model ensures both the fixing and sealing effects of the hollow fiber membrane bundle, and has a simple structure, which improves the economic value quite a lot in terms of the weight, materials, labor, etc. of the module. The structure of this hollow fiber module is between the separate type and the integrated type, and has the advantages of both the separate type and the integrated type. At the same time, due to its convenient preparation, installation and low cost, it can adapt to large-scale industrial production.

[0035] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present utility model are merely examples for clearly explaining the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation manners of the present utility model. For those of ordinary skill in the art, various obvious changes, re-adjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of the present utility model. It is not necessary and impossible to list all the implementation manners here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present utility model shall be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A hollow fiber membrane module, characterized in that Comprising: A housing (1), with an opening provided at an end of the housing (1); A hollow fiber membrane filament bundle (2), installed inside the housing (1); An end cap (3), detachably provided at the opening of the housing (1); A fixing member (4), installed inside the housing (1) and used for fixing an end of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle (2); Wherein, the fixing member (4) is hermetically connected to the end cap (3), and a movable gap (5) is provided between the fixing member (4) and the housing (1).

2. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (1) includes a main body portion (11) and a connecting portion (12), the connecting portion (12) is provided at an end of the main body portion (11), and the wall thickness of the connecting portion (12) is greater than the wall thickness of the main body portion (11).

3. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 2, wherein A connecting flange (121) is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting portion (12), an end cap flange (31) is provided on the outer periphery of the end cap (3), and the connecting flange (121) is detachably connected to the end cap flange (31).

4. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 3, characterized in that, Either the connecting flange (121) or the end cap flange (31) is provided with a threaded hole, the other is provided with a through hole, and they are connected by bolts.

5. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing member (4) includes a fixing portion (41) and a limiting portion (42), the fixing portion (41) is provided inside the connecting portion (12) and a movable gap (5) is provided between the fixing portion (41) and the connecting portion (12), and the limiting portion (42) is hermetically connected to the end cap (3).

6. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 5, wherein The diameter of the limiting portion (42) is greater than the diameter of the fixing portion (41), and one side of the limiting portion (42) connected to the fixing portion (41) can abut against the connecting portion (12).

7. The hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, A receiving groove (32) is provided inside the end cap (3), a sealing member (6) is provided in the receiving groove (32), and the end cap (3) and the fixing member (4) are sealed by the sealing member (6).

8. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 7, wherein A movable gap (5) is also provided between the end cap (3) and the fixing member (4), and the sealing member (6) seals the movable gap (5).

9. The hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, An air inlet / outlet pipe is formed on the end cap (3), and the extending direction of the air inlet / outlet pipe is parallel to the extending direction of the end of the hollow fiber membrane filament bundle (2).

10. The hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The movable gap (5) is 150 - 200 microns.

Images