Hollow fiber membrane cartridge

Abstract

A hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a body portion in which the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are arranged and in which mesh portions are formed at the upper and lower parts, the mesh portion including a plurality of window frames and a window formed by being surrounded by the plurality of window frames, and the radius of curvature of the window frame is 1 to 7 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membranes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane cartridge. [Background technology]

[0002] A fuel cell is a power generating battery that generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike conventional chemical batteries such as dry batteries and storage batteries, a fuel cell can continuously generate electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, has the advantage of not losing heat, and is twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine. In addition, because the chemical energy generated by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen is directly converted into electrical energy, fuel cells emit fewer pollutants, making them not only environmentally friendly but also reducing concerns about resource depletion due to increased energy consumption. Such fuel cells can be broadly classified into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), etc., depending on the type of electrolyte used. Although each of these fuel cells operates on the same fundamental principle, they differ in the type of fuel used, operating temperature, catalyst, electrolyte, etc. Among them, polymer electrolyte fuel cells are known to be the most promising for use in small-scale stationary power generation equipment as well as transportation systems, as they operate at lower temperatures than other fuel cells, have high power density, and can be miniaturized. One of the most important factors in improving the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is to maintain a certain level of moisture in the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM or proton exchange membrane) of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). If the PEM dries out, the power generation efficiency drops sharply. There are three methods for humidifying a polymer electrolyte membrane: 1) a bubbler humidification method in which a pressure-resistant container is filled with water and the target gas is passed through a diffuser to supply moisture; 2) a direct injection method in which the amount of moisture required for the fuel cell reaction is calculated and moisture is supplied directly to the gas flow pipe via a solenoid valve; and 3) a humidification membrane method in which moisture is supplied to the gas flow bed using a polymer separation membrane. Among these, the humidifying membrane method, which utilizes a membrane that selectively allows only water vapor contained in exhaust gas to pass through and provides water vapor to gas supplied to the polymer electrolyte membrane to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane, is advantageous in that it allows the humidifier to be made lighter and smaller.

[0003] The selectively permeable membrane used in the humidification membrane system is preferably a hollow fiber membrane, which has a large permeation area per unit volume when forming a module. That is, when a humidifier is manufactured using such hollow fiber membranes, it is possible to highly integrate hollow fiber membranes with a large contact surface area, and even with a small volume, it is possible to sufficiently humidify the fuel cell, it is possible to use low-cost materials, and it is possible to recover moisture and heat contained in unreacted gases discharged at high temperatures from the fuel cell and reuse them in the humidifier. However, in the case of a humidifier using hollow fiber membranes, a large number of hollow fiber membranes are stacked together to increase the capacity, but in this case, the gas flow outside the hollow fiber membranes cannot be uniformly formed throughout the entire interior of the humidifier due to the resistance of the highly packed hollow fiber membranes. To improve this, hollow fiber membrane modules are implemented in the form of multiple cartridges, which are installed in a membrane humidifier housing to ensure uniform gas flow. That is, hollow fiber membrane bundles are housed inside individual cartridges, and multiple cartridges are installed in the membrane humidifier housing, so that the introduced gas flows inside the cartridges, ensuring uniform gas flow. However, in conventional cartridge systems, when fluid flows in or out through a window, the air flow vibrates the hollow fiber membrane, causing the hollow fiber membrane to come into contact with the cartridge window. If this contact occurs repeatedly, the hollow fiber membrane may be damaged (scratched or broken) by friction while in contact with the window. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a hollow fiber membrane cartridge that can minimize damage to the hollow fiber membrane due to friction with the window. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a body portion in which the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are disposed and in which mesh portions are formed at the top and bottom, the mesh portion including a plurality of window frames and a window formed by being surrounded by the plurality of window frames, and the radius of curvature of the window frame is more than 0 to 5 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membranes. The window frame includes a first surface facing an adjacent window frame, a second surface intersecting the first surface and positioned adjacent to the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a corner portion positioned in a region where the first surface and the second surface meet, and the radius of curvature of the corner portion is more than 0 to 5 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane. The width of the first surface of the window frame excluding the corner portions is more than 0 to 5 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane. The width of the second surface of the window frame excluding the corner portions is more than 0 to 10 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane. At least one of the width of the first surface excluding the corner portions and the width of the second surface excluding the corner portions of the window frame is zero.

[0006] A hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention includes a locking portion formed on one side of the body portion, and the locking portion includes a locking cover connected to one end of the body portion and a locking protrusion protruding from the other end of the body portion. The window frame may have a first radius of curvature along a first direction parallel to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membrane, which is different from a second radius of curvature along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The window may have a width that is 2 to 15 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane. A hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a body portion in which the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are disposed and which has mesh portions formed at its upper and lower portions, the mesh portion including a plurality of window frames and a plurality of windows formed by being surrounded by the plurality of window frames, and the plurality of windows may have one of a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, or a shape formed by combining at least one of a portion of the circle, a portion of the ellipse, and a portion of the polygon. The windows may be arranged side by side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] As described above, in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention, the shapes of the window frame and window of the cartridge are optimized, thereby minimizing damage to the hollow fiber membrane due to friction with the window frame and window. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a hollow fiber membrane cartridge and a housing part according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 2 in an open state. [Figure 4]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which hollow fiber membranes are being introduced into the open-type hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram illustrating the flow direction of a fluid flowing in through a mesh portion according to the shape of a window frame; FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a view taken along line A-A' of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of FIG. 6B. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a window frame according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a window frame according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a modified cross-section of a window frame according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the shape of a window according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a modified example according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 10 is a modified example according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 10 is a modified example according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 10 is a modified example according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 10 is a modified example according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 10 is another modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 10 is another modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 10 is another modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Although the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated and described in detail in the detailed description, but it should be understood that they do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, but include all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The terms used in the present invention are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present invention, terms such as "comprise" or "have" specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals whenever possible. Detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted. For the same reason, some components are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in a schematic manner, with exaggerated or omitted details. A hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a hollow fiber membrane cartridge and a housing part according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the open state of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a view showing the state in which hollow fiber membranes are inserted into the open-type hollow fiber membrane cartridge of FIG. 2. 1 to 4, a hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is installed inside a housing unit 200, and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes H can be accommodated in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100. In the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the corner portion 131c of the window frame 131 has a predetermined curvature radius R, thereby reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing in through the window 132 and reducing damage to the hollow fiber membranes H.

[0010] Prior to describing the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the housing portion 200 in which the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 is provided will first be described. The housing 200 is an external case that houses the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100. The housing 200 includes a housing body 210 and a housing cap 220, which may be combined into one unit. The housing body 210 and the housing cap 220 may be made of a hard plastic such as polycarbonate or a metal. The cross-sectional shape of the housing body 210 and the housing cap 220 in the width direction may be polygonal or circular. The polygon may be a rectangle, square, trapezoid, parallelogram, pentagon, hexagon, etc., and the polygon may have chamfered corners. The circle may be an ellipse. A first fluid inlet 231 through which the first fluid is supplied and a first fluid outlet 232 through which the first fluid is discharged may be formed at both ends of the housing body 210, respectively. A plurality of hollow fiber membrane cartridges 100, each containing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes H that selectively allow moisture to pass through, may be disposed inside the housing 200. Here, the material of the hollow fiber membranes H is well known, and detailed description thereof will be omitted in this specification. Potting portions (not shown) that bind the hollow fiber membranes and fill the gaps between the hollow fiber membranes H may be formed at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100. As a result, both ends of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 are closed by the potting portions, and a flow path through which the first fluid passes may be formed inside the potting portions. The material of the potting portion is well known, and detailed description thereof will be omitted in this specification. The housing caps 220 may be coupled to both ends of the housing body 210. Each housing cap 220 may be formed with a second fluid inlet 221 and a second fluid outlet 222. The second fluid flowing into the second fluid inlet 221 of one housing cap 220 flows into the cartridge, passes through the internal conduit of the hollow fiber membrane, and is then discharged to the outside of the cartridge, and then exits through the second fluid outlet 222 of the other housing cap 220.

[0011] A plurality of insertion openings 240 into which the hollow fiber membrane cartridges 100 can be attached are formed within the housing 200, and a hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 is inserted into each insertion opening 240. At this time, the protruding projections of the anti-detachment hooks 112 formed on the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 protrude from the ends of the insertion openings 240, completing the attachment of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100, and the protruding projections of the anti-detachment hooks 112 prevent the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 from being pulled out in the opposite direction, thereby preventing the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 attached to the insertion opening 240 from being detached in the opposite direction. However, the method of connecting the housing 200 and the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 is not necessarily limited thereto and may be changed within the scope of what can be adopted by a person of ordinary skill in the art. When the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 needs to be removed from the insertion port 240 for repair or cleaning, the protruding protrusion can be pressed with a strong force, and the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 can be pushed in the opposite direction to the insertion direction to remove it. In addition, various methods for inserting and removing the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 can be used. Next, the moisture exchange process between the second fluid and the first fluid will be described. In the following description, the second fluid may be a low-humidity fluid and the first fluid may be a high-humidity fluid. Alternatively, the first fluid may be a low-humidity fluid and the second fluid may be a high-humidity fluid. The second fluid is supplied into the housing part 200 and the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 through the second fluid inlet 221 of one side housing cap 220, flows into the hollow fiber membrane, and is discharged to the outside through the second fluid outlet 222 of the other side housing cap 220. The second fluid may also flow in the direction from the second fluid outlet 222 to the second fluid inlet 221.

[0012] The first fluid is supplied to the housing body 210 through the first fluid inlet 231 of the housing body 210, then flows to the outside of the hollow fiber membrane through the mesh portion 130 of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100, is discharged into the housing body 210 through the mesh portion 130 of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100, and then is discharged to the outside through the first fluid outlet 232 of the housing body 210. The first fluid may flow in a direction from the first fluid outlet 232 to the first fluid inlet 231. That is, the second fluid and the first fluid may flow in opposite directions or in the same direction. The second fluid and the first fluid flow through the inside and outside of the hollow fiber membrane H, respectively, and exchange substances such as moisture, heat, etc., via the hollow fiber membrane. A hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail. A plurality of hollow fiber membrane cartridges 100 are arranged in a housing portion 200, and hollow fiber membranes H can be housed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridges 100. The hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 also includes hollow fiber membranes H, a body portion 110, and a locking portion 120. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this embodiment relates to that the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 may further include other general-purpose components in addition to the components illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. The body portion 110 may have a plurality of hollow fiber membranes H disposed therein, and may have mesh portions 130 formed at the top and bottom. The body portion 110 may be a rectangular parallelepiped with rounded sides, a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section, or an elliptical cylindrical shape with an elliptical cross section. The body portion 110 is preferably made of a material that has excellent dimensional stability, resin flow properties, and is resistant to thermal deformation. Examples of such materials include ABS resin (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin) and nylon.

[0013] The body part 110 also includes a folding part 111 that allows the cartridge 100 to open when the locking state by the locking part 120 is released. The folding part 111 may be a V-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove formed inside the body part 110. The body part 110 may be divided into a right body part 110a and a left body part 110b by the folding part 111. The body part 110 includes a separation prevention hook 112 that prevents the cartridge 100 from separating from the housing part 200 when the cartridge 100 is inserted into the housing part 200. The separation prevention hook 112 may be in the form of a protrusion that protrudes a predetermined length from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the body part 110. The locking part 120 may be formed on one side of the body part 110. The locking part 120 includes a locking cover 121 connected to one end of the body part 110 in the open state, and a locking protrusion 122 protruding from the other end of the body part 110. However, the locking part 120 is not limited thereto, and may also include a locking protrusion (not shown) formed on the locking cover 121 and a locking groove (not shown) in the body part 110 into which the locking protrusion is fitted. 4, the locking part 120 may be embodied in a manner that opens one entire side of the body part 110. In this case, the locking part 120 includes a locking cover 121 having a curved surface that opens and closes one entire side of the body part 110, and a locking protrusion 122 protruding from the body part 110. In this case, the body part 110 does not need to be formed with a folding part 111, and the durability of the cartridge 100 can be improved. Although not shown, the locking part 120 may also be embodied by sliding on one side of the body part 110. In this case, the locking part 120 may also be composed of a curved locking cover that slides up and down on one side of the body part 110 to open and close, and a sliding groove (not shown) formed on one side of the body part so that the locking cover can slide. In this case, the body part 110 does not need to be formed with the folding part 111, thereby improving the durability of the cartridge 100. However, the shape and configuration of the locking part 120 are not necessarily limited thereto and may be changed within the scope of what can be adopted by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] The mesh unit 130 also includes a window frame 131 and a window 132. The mesh unit 130 may be formed on both the upper and lower parts of the body unit 110. The mesh unit 130 allows the humid first fluid flowing into the first fluid inlet 231 to flow into the cartridge 100 through the window 132, where it exchanges moisture with the dry second fluid flowing into the second fluid inlet 231. The mesh unit 130 prevents a portion of the flowing first fluid from directly colliding with the hollow fiber membranes disposed inside the cartridge 100, thereby preventing damage to the hollow fiber membranes. The length (L2+L3) of the mesh portion 130 is set to 10 to 70% of the total cartridge length (L1), and the total area of ​​the window 132 formed by being surrounded by the window frame 131 is set to 30 to 70% of the total cartridge area. If the total area of ​​the window 132 exceeds 70%, the space through which the humid first fluid flowing into the first fluid inlet 231 can transfer moisture through the hollow fiber membrane becomes narrow, adversely affecting the overall humidification efficiency. In addition, in the past, a separate mesh net was required to prevent breakage of the hollow fiber membrane, but the cartridge 100 of the present invention is equipped with a mesh portion 130 and can prevent breakage of the hollow fiber membrane, so a separate mesh net is no longer required. FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the flow direction of fluid flowing in through the mesh portion depending on the shape of the window frame, FIG. 6 is a view cut along A-A' in FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of B in FIG. 6.

[0015] 5 to 7, the window frames 131 can function as multiple frameworks surrounding the windows 132 in the mesh portion 130. The window frames 131 also include a first surface 131a facing the adjacent window frames, a second surface 131b intersecting the first surface 131a and positioned adjacent to the multiple hollow fiber membranes H, and corner portions 131c positioned in the area where the first surface 131a and the second surface 131b meet. The radius of curvature R of the window frames 131 is determined by the diameter D of the hollow fiber membranes. h More preferably, the radius of curvature R of the window frame 131 is 1 to 7 times, and more preferably 1 to 5 times, the diameter D of the hollow fiber membrane. h Here, the radius of curvature R of the window frame 131 may refer to the radius of curvature R of a certain corner including the corner portion 131c of the window frame 131. The radius of curvature R of the corner portion 131c is the radius of curvature R of the hollow fiber membrane diameter D h More preferably, the radius of curvature R of the corner portion 131c is 1 to 7 times, and preferably 1 to 5 times, the diameter D of the hollow fiber membrane. h It is also greater than 0 and less than 5 times. 5(a), if the corner portion 131c of the window frame 131 is not bent, the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may flow in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membrane H. At this time, the fluid flow causes the hollow fiber membrane H to vibrate, and as the hollow fiber membrane H vibrates, it may come into contact with the window frame 131 of the mesh portion 130. If this state continues, friction with the window frame 131 may cause damage to the hollow fiber membrane H (scratches, breaks, etc.). When the corner portion 131c of the window frame 131 is bent as shown in FIG. 5(b), a portion of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may be guided along the bend of the corner portion 131c. The hollow fiber membrane H located immediately below the window frame 131 can be prevented from being damaged when the first fluid flows in obliquely as shown in FIG. 5(b) rather than when the first fluid flows in perpendicular to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membrane H as shown in FIG. 5(a). In this case, the degree of damage to the hollow fiber membrane H may vary depending on the curvature of the corner portion 131c. The radius of curvature R of the corner portion 131c is proportional to the diameter D of the hollow fiber membrane. h When the thickness is 1 to 7 times, the fabrication of the mesh portion 130 is not affected and the degree of damage to the hollow fiber membranes H can be reduced.

[0016] The window frame 131 has a first width I1, which is the width of the first surface 131a excluding the corner portions 131c, and a diameter D of the hollow fiber membrane. h The first width I1 is preferably 1 to 5 times the diameter Dh of the hollow fiber membrane. More preferably, the first width I1, which is the width of the first surface 131a of the window frame 131, is more than 0 to 5 times the diameter Dh of the hollow fiber membrane. The corner portion 131c of the window frame 131 and the first width I1 can guide the path through which the first fluid flows in through the window 132. Therefore, the flow of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 can be adjusted by adjusting the first width I1. The window frame 131 has a second width I2, which is the width of the second surface 131b excluding the corner portions 131c, that is, a diameter D of the hollow fiber membrane. hThe second width I2 is preferably 1 to 10 times the hollow fiber membrane diameter Dh. More preferably, the second width I2, which is the width of the second surface 131b of the window frame 131, is more than 0 to 10 times the hollow fiber membrane diameter Dh. If the second width I2 is narrow, the contact area between the hollow fiber membrane H and the window frame 131 becomes narrow, which may increase the pressure applied to the hollow fiber membrane H. If the second width I2 is wide, the width of the window 132 becomes narrow, which may increase the pressure of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132. If the second width I2 is 1 to 10 times the hollow fiber membrane diameter Dh, the contact area between the hollow fiber membrane H and the window frame 131 becomes wide, which may reduce the pressure of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 and reduce the degree of damage to the hollow fiber membrane H. The window frame width I4 is the second width I2 plus twice the radius of curvature R, and can be determined by the second width I4 and radius of curvature R determined above. The window 132 is surrounded by a plurality of window frames 131 and serves as a passage through which the first fluid flows in. The window 132 also has a rectangular hole shape formed in the mesh unit 130. The window frames 131 surrounding the window 132 serve as a stopper that limits the movement of the hollow fiber membrane H when the hollow fiber membrane H vibrates due to the flow of the first fluid. Therefore, if the width I3 of the window 132 is large, the gap between the window frames 131 that act as stoppers becomes large, and the displacement of the hollow fiber membrane H becomes large, which may cause damage to the hollow fiber membrane H. If the width I3 of the window 132 is small, the pressure of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 becomes high, which may cause damage to the hollow fiber membrane H. Therefore, the window 132 is large enough to accommodate the hollow fiber membrane diameter D h When the width is 2 to 15 times, preferably 2 to 10 times, the pressure of the first fluid can be appropriately maintained while limiting the displacement of the hollow fiber membranes H, and damage to the hollow fiber membranes H can be prevented.

[0017] A hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a window frame according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 8, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the second embodiment has the same structure as the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the first embodiment, except for the shape of the window frame 131, so duplicated explanations of the same configuration will be omitted. According to this embodiment, the window frame 131 may have a first radius of curvature R1 along a first direction that is parallel to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membrane H, and a second radius of curvature R2 along a second direction that intersects with the first direction, which may be different. As shown in Figure 8(a), when the first curvature radius R1 is greater than the second curvature radius R2, the inflow path of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may change abruptly along the curved surface. As shown in Figure 8(b), when the second curvature radius R2 is greater than the first curvature radius R1, the inflow path of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may change gradually along the curved surface. The inflow path of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may change depending on the ratio between the first curvature radius R1 and the second curvature radius R2, and the first curvature radius R1 and the second curvature radius R2 can be changed so that the first fluid flows in through an inflow path that minimizes damage to the hollow fiber membrane H. A hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a window frame according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a modified cross-sectional view of the window frame according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the third embodiment has the same structure as the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 100 according to the first embodiment, except for the shape of the window frame 131, so duplicated explanations regarding the same configuration will be omitted. In the window frame 131, at least one of the width of the first surface 131a excluding the corner portions 131c and the width of the second surface 131b excluding the corner portions 131c is 0. As shown in Figure 9, when the first width I1, which is the width of the first surface 131a excluding the corner portions 131c, is 0, the inflow path of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132 may change more abruptly along the curved surface than when the first width I1 is not 0. In this case, the first fluid is prevented from flowing in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membranes H, and by adjusting the second width I2, the contact area between the hollow fiber membranes H and the window frame 131 is increased, thereby preventing damage to the hollow fiber membranes H due to displacement. 10 , when the second width I2, which is the width of the second surface 131b excluding the corner portions 131c, is 0, the first width I1 increases the distance between the inlet of the window 132 through which the first fluid flows and the hollow fiber membrane H, thereby reducing the pressure of the first fluid flowing in. Also, when the second width I2 is 0, the width of the window 132 increases, thereby reducing the pressure of the first fluid flowing in through the window 132. The reduced pressure of the first fluid reduces the displacement of the hollow fiber membrane H, thereby preventing damage to the hollow fiber membrane H. FIG. 11 is a view showing a schematic view of the shape of a window according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 12 to 16 show modifications according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] 17 to 19 show another modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 11 to 16, the windows 132 may be polygonal, circular, or elliptical, or a combination of polygonal, circular, and elliptical, arranged at the top and bottom of the body portion 110. As the width of the windows 132 increases, the pressure of the first fluid flowing through them decreases, preventing damage to the hollow fiber membranes H. However, as the width increases, the spacing between the window frames 131 between the windows 132, which act as stoppers to limit the displacement of the hollow fiber membranes H, increases, which may cause damage to the hollow fiber membranes H. Therefore, the width and shape of the windows 132 need to be appropriately adjusted according to the flow and direction of the first fluid flowing in. The shape of the window 132 can be circular or elliptical as shown in Figure 12, or polygonal as shown in Figures 13 to 15. Depending on the flow and direction of the first fluid, the shape of the window 132 can be a suitable combination of polygonal, circular, and elliptical shapes as shown in Figure 16. Referring to Figures 17 to 19, further variations will be described. The window 132 may be formed in the shape of a polygon, a circle, an ellipse, or a combination of parts of a polygon, a circle, and an ellipse arranged in a plurality of shapes on the upper and lower parts of the body part 110. That is, the window 132 may be formed in a shape such that a circle is cut in half and then joined to both sides of a diamond as shown in Fig. 17, or in a shape such that a triangle is entirely chamfered as shown in Fig. 18, or in a shape such that the upper side is circular and the lower side is formed by a portion of a hexagon as shown in Fig. 19. As such, the window 132 of the present invention is not limited to a specific shape and may have a variety of shapes. Additionally, the upper and lower portions of the window 132 may be different. That is, the upper portion of the window 132 may be circular or elliptical, as shown in FIG. 12, and the lower portion may be formed in a shape such that a circle is cut in half and joined to both sides of a diamond, as shown in FIG. 17.

[0020] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, a person having ordinary skill in the art may modify and change the present invention in various ways by adding, changing, deleting or adding components within the scope of the concept of the present invention as set forth in the claims, and these modifications and changes are also within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0021] The present invention is a hollow fiber membrane cartridge, and the shapes of the window frame and window of the cartridge can be optimized to minimize damage to the hollow fiber membrane due to friction with the window frame and window.

Claims

1. A plurality of hollow fiber membranes; a body portion in which the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are disposed and in which mesh portions are formed at the top and bottom, The mesh portion is Multiple window frames and a window formed by being surrounded by the plurality of window frames; The window frame is a first surface facing an adjacent window frame; a second surface that intersects the first surface and is positioned adjacent to the plurality of hollow fiber membranes; a corner portion located in an area where the first surface and the second surface meet, the corner portion has a predetermined radius of curvature; The window frame is a first radius of curvature along a first direction parallel to the extension direction of the hollow fiber membrane and a second radius of curvature along a second direction intersecting the first direction are different from each other; The window frame is At least one of a width of the first surface excluding the corner portion and a width of the second surface excluding the corner portion is 0. Hollow fiber membrane cartridge.

2. The window frame is The hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first surface excluding the corner portions is more than 0 times and not more than 5 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane.

3. The window frame is The hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the width of the second surface excluding the corner portions is more than 0 times and not more than 10 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane.

4. a locking portion formed on one side of the body portion, The hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the locking portion includes a locking cover connected to one end of the body portion, and a locking protrusion protruding from the other end of the body portion.

5. The hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the window has a width that is 2 to 15 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membrane.

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