Device for heat-treating inner surface of braid for reinforcing hollow fiber membrane for water treatment and braid manufactured using same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hollow fiber membranes used in water treatment face issues with low tensile and compressive strength, leading to filtration reliability and water penetration degradation due to external impacts and impurities, and existing reinforcement methods either increase peeling strength but decrease inner diameter or enhance inner diameter but compromise water penetration performance.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus for heat-treating the inner side surface of a braid for hollow fiber membrane reinforcement, using a copper or copper alloy heating core and heater to expand the inner diameter and enhance circularity, increasing compressive strength and filtration reliability while maintaining water penetration performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If a braid is made using filament yarn to increase inner diameter, then the inner diameter expands, but the peeling strength becomes weak and the membrane can be easily peeled off

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner diameterVSAvoidpeeling strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies heat treatment to change the physical and chemical parameters of the braid surface, specifically increasing surface energy and creating micro-roughness. This parameter change allows the braid to achieve both expanded inner diameter (from filament yarn structure) and high peeling strength (from enhanced surface adhesion properties after heat treatment), resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If a braid is made using drawing textured yarn to increase peeling strength, then the adhering force with the membrane film increases, but the inner diameter decreases and water penetration performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeeling strengthVSAvoidinner diameter
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Heat treatment modifies the surface parameters of the braid without significantly changing its bulk dimensions. This allows the braid to maintain its drawing textured yarn structure for high peeling strength while the heat treatment creates surface micro-roughness and increases surface energy, enabling better adhesion. The inner diameter can be optimized during the braiding process itself, and the heat treatment then enhances both adhesion and circularity without sacrificing the expanded inner diameter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Length of stationary object

If the inner diameter is expanded using filament yarn, then water penetration performance improves, but the circularity of inner and outer diameters becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner diameterVSAvoidcircularity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Heat treatment fundamentally changes the physical parameters of the braid material, causing thermal expansion and relaxation of the braided structure. This parameter change allows the braid to achieve more accurate circularity and dimensional stability after heat treatment, even when using filament yarn for inner diameter expansion. The heat treatment process stabilizes the braid geometry, resolving the contradiction between expanded inner diameter and accurate circularity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The apparatus densifies the inner surface tissue of the braid, expanding the inner diameter and improving circularity, thereby enhancing the physical properties of the reinforcement membrane, extending service life and reducing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

an apparatus for heat-treating an inner side surface of a braid for a hollow fiber membrane reinforcement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat treatment: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 2

the inner diameter of the braid can be expanded

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 3

a heating core which is formed of a heating part disposed at the top thereof

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3381544B1Device for heat-treating inner surface of braid for reinforcing hollow fiber membrane for water treatment and braid manufactured using same
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 ALPHA
  • EP3381544B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3381544B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3381544B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed herein are an apparatus for heat-treating an inner side surface of a braid for a hollow fiber membrane reinforcement for a water treatment and a braid for a hollow fiber membrane reinforcement manufactured using the heat-treatment apparatus, wherein a fiber tissue forming an inner side surface of a braid becomes dense, and the inner diameter of the braid can be expanded, and the circularity of the inner and outer diameters can be accurate, and a compressive strength can be increased, whereby the physical property of a reinforcement membrane of a hollow fiber can be enhanced, and a filtration reliability and water penetration can be improved, thus obtaining an increased service life of a product and an economical saving effect.