Highly efficient antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module containing MOF structure
By optimizing the materials and structure of the reverse osmosis membrane module and using corrosion-resistant materials and commercial MOF materials, the high cost problem has been solved, achieving efficient anti-fouling and low-cost water treatment results.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DALTON MEMBRANE TECH (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-17
AI Technical Summary
The high production cost of existing high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane modules with MOF structure limits their large-scale application.
Corrosion-resistant materials and optimized component structures are employed, including the fixed connections of the shell, active separation layer, transition layer, and support layer. Commercial MOF materials such as ZIFs and UiO series are used, and material selection and processing technology are optimized to ensure the stability and efficient connection between each layer.
It significantly reduces production and operation costs, improves the mechanical strength and antifouling ability of membrane modules, and enhances water treatment efficiency and economy.
Smart Images
Figure CN224506758U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of reverse osmosis membranes, and in particular to a high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure. Background Technology
[0002] Reverse osmosis membrane is an artificial semi-permeable membrane with certain characteristics, made by simulating biological semi-permeable membranes. It is the core component for realizing reverse osmosis technology. It is usually made of polymer materials and is widely used in large, medium and small water treatment systems.
[0003] The high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure is a reverse osmosis membrane modified with MOF material, which is designed to improve the membrane's antifouling performance and separation efficiency.
[0004] An existing high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure has the following shortcomings:
[0005] In water treatment, high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane modules with MOF structures are widely used due to their superior performance. However, existing technologies face high manufacturing costs when producing such membrane modules, resulting in a significant increase in overall production costs, which in turn limits their large-scale promotion and application. Utility Model Content
[0006] This invention facilitates processing, assembly, and subsequent maintenance (such as standardizing spare parts models), thereby comprehensively reducing production and maintenance costs, improving the system's economy and sustainability, and solving the problems mentioned in the background art.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model adopts the following technical solution: a high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure, comprising a shell, a water collection pipe fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell, an active separation layer fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell, a transition layer fixedly connected to the outer wall of the active separation layer, a support layer fixedly connected to the outer wall of the transition layer, a set of sealing gaskets fixedly connected to the outer wall of the shell, a top cover and a bottom cover fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing gaskets respectively, and an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe fixedly connected to the outer walls of the top cover and the bottom cover respectively. Through the above component, the material selection is optimized, effectively improving the problem of high cost and significantly enhancing the overall economy and feasibility.
[0008] Preferably, the inner wall of the outer shell is fixedly connected to the outer walls of the transition layer and the support layer, and the inlet pipe is internally connected to the outlet pipe and the collection pipe. By strengthening the fixation of each layer structure to the outer shell, the overall mechanical strength of the membrane module is improved, avoiding membrane layer detachment or displacement caused by pressure impact during filtration. Furthermore, the connectivity of the inlet pipe, outlet pipe and collection pipe is clearly defined, ensuring that purified water can be efficiently collected and discharged, reducing water flow resistance and energy loss, and improving water treatment efficiency.
[0009] Preferably, the housing is made of corrosion-resistant engineering plastic or metal, with a smooth inner wall to reduce liquid flow resistance. The corrosion-resistant material can extend the service life of the housing in the water treatment environment and reduce the frequency of component replacement due to housing corrosion. The smooth inner wall design reduces the resistance of liquid flow in the housing, reduces energy consumption, and at the same time avoids the deposition of pollutants on the inner wall of the housing, reducing the cleaning cost of the components.
[0010] Preferably, the inlet pipe is a corrosion-resistant pipe, and its material includes, but is not limited to, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, or polypropylene. The outlet pipe is made of the same or similar material as the inlet pipe. The corrosion-resistant pipe can withstand corrosive components in the water to be treated (such as chloride ions, organic matter, etc.), reducing water leakage caused by pipe aging or damage, and extending the service life of the pipe. The inlet and outlet pipes are made of the same or similar materials, which facilitates processing, assembly, and subsequent maintenance (such as uniform spare parts models), and reduces production and operation and maintenance costs.
[0011] Preferably, the MOF material of the active separation layer is selected from one or more of the ZIFs series, UiO series, MIL series, HKUST series, or MOF-2. The MOF material is uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix of the active separation layer in particulate form, or combined with the polymer matrix through in-situ growth or other methods. The selection of commercially mature MOF series (such as ZIF-8, UiO-66) reduces the difficulty of material screening and procurement costs. The combination method of MOF with the polymer matrix (dispersion or in-situ growth) ensures the uniform distribution of MOF in the separation layer, giving full play to its advantages of high specific surface area, hydrophilicity and antifouling, improving the water flux and antifouling ability of the membrane module, and reducing the fluctuation of filtration performance caused by uneven distribution of MOF.
[0012] Preferably, the transition layer is composed of materials with good affinity to the active separation layer and the support layer, such as polymers containing specific functional groups. The affinity material of the transition layer can enhance the bonding force between the active separation layer and the support layer, avoid the peeling problem caused by poor compatibility between membrane layers, and improve the structural stability of the membrane module. At the same time, the transition layer can buffer the direct impact of filtration pressure on the active separation layer, protect the structural integrity of the MOF material, and extend the service life of the active separation layer.
[0013] Preferably, the support layer is made of high-strength polymer materials such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, or polyetheretherketone. The water collection pipe has a porous structure with small holes evenly distributed on its wall. The material of the water collection pipe is the same as or similar to that of the inlet pipe, and the surface of the water collection pipe is treated with hydrophilicity to promote water collection and flow. The high-strength polymer support layer provides stable mechanical support for the active separation layer and transition layer, can withstand the high-pressure environment during reverse osmosis, and avoids membrane deformation. The porous structure and hydrophilic treatment of the water collection pipe ensure that purified water can quickly and evenly flow into the water collection pipe, reducing water retention and the risk of secondary pollution, and improving water collection efficiency. The fact that the water collection pipe is made of the same material as the inlet pipe further simplifies the production and maintenance process and reduces costs.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0015] 1. In this utility model, the active separation layer uses commercially mature MOF materials such as ZIFs and UiO, which not only reduces the difficulty of material selection and procurement costs, but also significantly improves production efficiency. MOFs are combined with polymer matrices through particle dispersion or in-situ growth, effectively reducing performance fluctuations and material waste caused by uneven distribution, and further optimizing the production process. The inlet pipe, outlet pipe and water collection pipe are made of conventional materials such as stainless steel and polyvinyl chloride that are corrosion-resistant and cost-controllable. The outlet pipe is made of the same material as the inlet pipe, which facilitates processing, assembly and later maintenance (such as uniform spare parts models), thereby comprehensively reducing production and operation and maintenance costs and improving the economy and sustainability of the system.
[0016] 2. In this utility model, the inner wall of the outer shell is firmly fixedly connected to the transition layer and the support layer, which significantly improves the overall mechanical strength and effectively avoids membrane layer detachment or displacement caused by pressure impact during filtration, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the system. The MOF material used in the active separation layer, with its high specific surface area and excellent hydrophilicity, significantly enhances the antifouling ability and water flux of the membrane module, thereby reducing the problem of decreased filtration efficiency caused by fouling. At the same time, the transition layer is made of a material with good affinity to the active separation layer and the support layer (such as polymers containing specific functional groups), which further enhances the bonding force between the membrane layers, effectively avoids the occurrence of peeling, and ensures the continuous stability of separation performance. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This utility model provides a three-dimensional view of the main structure of a high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module containing a MOF structure;
[0018] Figure 2 This invention presents an enlarged perspective view of the water collection pipe connection structure in a high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure.
[0019] Legend: 1. Outer shell; 2. Sealing gasket; 3. Top cover; 4. Inlet pipe; 5. Bottom cover; 6. Outlet pipe; 7. Collection pipe; 8. Active separation layer; 9. Transition layer; 10. Support layer. Detailed Implementation
[0020] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.
[0021] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the following specification.
[0022] Please see Figures 1-2 This utility model provides a technical solution: a high-efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure, including a shell 1, a water collection pipe 7 fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell 1, an active separation layer 8 fixedly connected to the inner wall of the shell 1, a transition layer 9 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the active separation layer 8, a support layer 10 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the transition layer 9, a set of sealing gaskets 2 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the shell 1, a top cover 3 and a bottom cover 5 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing gaskets 2 respectively, and an inlet pipe 4 and an outlet pipe 6 fixedly connected to the outer walls of the top cover 3 and the bottom cover 5 respectively. Through the above-mentioned component, the material selection is optimized, the problem of high cost is effectively improved, and the overall economy and feasibility are significantly improved.
[0023] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inner wall of the outer shell 1 is fixedly connected to the outer walls of the transition layer 9 and the support layer 10. The inlet pipe 4 is internally connected to the outlet pipe 6 and the collection pipe 7. By strengthening the fixation of each layer structure to the outer shell 1, the overall mechanical strength of the membrane module is improved, avoiding membrane layer detachment or displacement caused by pressure impact during filtration. The connectivity of the inlet pipe 4, outlet pipe 6 and collection pipe 7 is clearly defined, ensuring that purified water can be efficiently collected and discharged, reducing water flow resistance and energy loss, and improving water treatment efficiency.
[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the housing 1 is made of corrosion-resistant engineering plastic or metal, and its inner wall is smooth to reduce liquid flow resistance. The corrosion-resistant material can extend the service life of the housing 1 in the water treatment environment and reduce the frequency of component replacement due to corrosion of the housing 1. The smooth inner wall design reduces the resistance of liquid flow in the housing 1, reduces energy consumption, and at the same time avoids the deposition of pollutants on the inner wall of the housing 1, reducing the cleaning cost of the components.
[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the inlet pipe 4 is a corrosion-resistant pipe, and its material includes, but is not limited to, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene. The outlet pipe 6 is made of the same or similar material as the inlet pipe 4. The corrosion-resistant pipe can withstand corrosive components in the water to be treated (such as chloride ions, organic matter, etc.), reduce water leakage caused by pipe aging or damage, and extend the service life of the pipe. The inlet pipe and outlet pipe 6 are made of the same or similar material, which facilitates processing, assembly and later maintenance (such as uniform spare parts models), and reduces production and operation and maintenance costs.
[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the MOF material of the active separation layer 8 is selected from one or more of the ZIFs series, UiO series, MIL series, HKUST series, or MOF-2. The MOF material is uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix of the active separation layer 8 in particulate form, or combined with the polymer matrix through in-situ growth or other methods. The selection of commercially mature MOF series (such as ZIF-8, UiO-66) reduces the difficulty of material screening and procurement costs. The combination method of MOF with the polymer matrix (dispersion or in-situ growth) ensures the uniform distribution of MOF in the separation layer, giving full play to its advantages of high specific surface area, hydrophilicity and antifouling, improving the water flux and antifouling ability of the membrane module, and reducing the fluctuation of filtration performance caused by uneven distribution of MOF.
[0027] like Figure 2 As shown, the transition layer 9 is composed of materials with good affinity to the active separation layer 8 and the support layer 10, such as polymers containing specific functional groups. The affinity material of the transition layer 9 can enhance the bonding force between the active separation layer 8 and the support layer 10, avoid the peeling problem caused by poor compatibility between membrane layers, and improve the structural stability of the membrane module. At the same time, the transition layer 9 can buffer the direct impact of filtration pressure on the active separation layer 8, protect the structural integrity of the MOF material, and extend the service life of the active separation layer 8.
[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, the support layer 10 is made of high-strength polymer materials such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, or polyetheretherketone. The water collection pipe 7 has a porous pipe structure with small holes evenly distributed on its wall. The material of the water collection pipe 7 is the same as or similar to that of the inlet pipe 4, and the surface of the water collection pipe 7 is hydrophilic to promote water collection and flow. The high-strength polymer support layer 10 provides a stable mechanical support for the active separation layer 8 and the transition layer 9, which can withstand the high-pressure environment in the reverse osmosis process and avoid membrane deformation. The porous structure and hydrophilic treatment of the water collection pipe 7 ensure that purified water can quickly and evenly flow into the water collection pipe 7, reducing water retention and the risk of secondary pollution, and improving water collection efficiency. The water collection pipe 7 is made of the same material as the inlet pipe 4, which further simplifies the production and maintenance process and reduces costs.
[0029] The operating method and working principle of this device are as follows: The liquid to be treated enters the cavity consisting of the top cover 3, sealing gasket 2, and outer shell 1 through the inlet pipe 4. Under pressure, it first flows through the active separation layer 8. The active separation layer 8 uses MOF materials such as ZIFs series and UiO series, which are combined with the polymer matrix through particle dispersion or in-situ growth. It makes full use of its high specific surface area and excellent hydrophilicity to achieve efficient separation and anti-fouling treatment. The preliminarily purified liquid then permeates to the transition layer 9. The transition layer 9 has good affinity with the active separation layer 8 and the support layer 10. The material is composed of a hydrophilic material (such as polymers containing specific functional groups), which not only enhances the bonding force between the layers, but also effectively buffers the impact of pressure on the active separation layer 8. The purified water eventually enters the water collection pipe 7. The porous structure and hydrophilic treatment of the water collection pipe 7 significantly promote the rapid collection of water, which is then discharged from the bottom cover 5 through the water outlet pipe 6. Throughout the process, the smooth inner wall of the outer shell 1 reduces the resistance to liquid flow. The interconnection design of the water inlet pipe 4, the water outlet pipe 6 and the water collection pipe 7 ensures the efficient operation of the water flow. The corrosion-resistant materials of each component ensure the long-term stable operation of the component in the water treatment environment.
[0030] The sealing gasket 2, active separation layer 8, transition layer 9, and support layer 10 used in this application are all common components on the market and are well known to those skilled in the art. In this application, the above-mentioned equipment is used in a conventional manner without any improvement to its structure and function. Regarding their settings, installation, and materials, those skilled in the art can debug and operate them according to the corresponding product instruction manuals, so they will not be described in detail here.
[0031] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model in any other way. Any person skilled in the art may make changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments for application in other fields. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present utility model without departing from the technical solution of the present utility model shall still fall within the protection scope of the technical solution of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A high efficiency anti-fouling reverse osmosis membrane module comprising a MOF structure, comprising a housing (1), characterized in that: The inner wall of the outer shell (1) is fixedly connected to a water collection pipe (7), the inner wall of the outer shell (1) is fixedly connected to an active separation layer (8), the outer wall of the active separation layer (8) is fixedly connected to a transition layer (9), the outer wall of the transition layer (9) is fixedly connected to a support layer (10), the outer wall of the outer shell (1) is fixedly connected to a set of sealing gaskets (2), the outer wall of the sealing gaskets (2) is fixedly connected to a top cover (3) and a bottom cover (5), and the outer walls of the top cover (3) and the bottom cover (5) are fixedly connected to an inlet pipe (4) and an outlet pipe (6).
2. A high efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module containing MOF structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the outer shell (1) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the transition layer (9) and the support layer (10), and the water inlet pipe (4) is connected to the interior of the water outlet pipe (6) and the water collection pipe (7).
3. The high efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer shell (1) is made of corrosion-resistant engineering plastic or metal, and its inner wall is smooth to reduce liquid flow resistance.
4. The high efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inlet pipe (4) is a corrosion-resistant pipe, and its material includes, but is not limited to, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene. The outlet pipe (6) is made of the same or similar material as the inlet pipe (4).
5. The high efficiency antifouling reverse osmosis membrane module with MOF structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support layer (10) is made of high-strength polymer material such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone or polyetheretherketone. The water collection pipe (7) is a porous pipe structure with small holes evenly distributed on its pipe wall. The material of the water collection pipe (7) is the same as or similar to that of the water inlet pipe (4), and the surface of the water collection pipe (7) is hydrophilic to promote water collection and flow.