Filter Membrane Module Plastic Potting Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter membrane modules face challenges in achieving high filter performance and cost-effective manufacturing, particularly due to issues with sealing and thermal expansion caused by materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion, which can lead to impermissible thermal stresses.
Innovation Solution
The use of plastic potting material, such as thermoplastic, to create mounting rings around the filter elements, which helps in sealing the interstices and allows for a loose bearing between the ceramic parts and the housing to mitigate thermal stresses, while also enabling efficient filtration through flat membranes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If face-end boundary plates of special steel are used to seal the annular chamber, then sealing reliability is improved, but thermal stress increases due to different coefficients of thermal expansion between steel and ceramic filter elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter (coefficient of thermal expansion) by replacing special steel with plastic material for the face-end boundary plates and mounting rings. This parameter change allows the sealing components to have similar thermal expansion characteristics to the ceramic filter elements, thereby reducing thermal stress while maintaining sealing reliability through the plastic material's inherent flexibility and sealing capability.
2Reliability
If ceramic filter elements are used, then filter performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to sealing and thermal expansion issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material strategy by combining plastic mounting rings with ceramic filter elements. The plastic material serves as both a sealing component and a mounting structure, integrating multiple functions into a single material system. This composite approach simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for separate sealing mechanisms and reducing assembly steps while maintaining the high filter performance of ceramic elements.
3Reliability
If tight sealing is implemented between housing and filter elements, then sealing reliability is improved, but thermal stress increases due to restricted thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the flexible nature of plastic material for mounting rings and face-end boundary plates. This flexibility allows the sealing components to accommodate thermal expansion of ceramic filter elements without generating excessive stress. The plastic material can deform elastically during thermal cycles, maintaining sealing contact while absorbing expansion stresses, thus resolving the contradiction between tight sealing and thermal stress reduction.
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
This approach results in a filter membrane module with enhanced filter performance and reduced manufacturing costs, while minimizing thermal stresses and ensuring efficient filtrate bleeding through large interstices between filter elements.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic thus blocks off the interstices between the filter elements. It forms a mounting ring, which in turn surrounds the filter elements in their end region.
Implementation Method 2
Along the course of the unfiltrate, filtrate passes through the wall surface of the longitudinal conduit, enters the aforementioned collection chamber between the filter element and the housing
Implementation Method 3
during operation varying temperatures prevail, which lead to expansion and contraction of structural parts, in fact in different ways
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a membrane module, comprising a plurality of elongated filter elements disposed in parallel adjacent to one another, each element comprising a longitudinal channel, a housing enclosing the filter elements, and a collector chamber between the housing and the filter elements.