Helical Membrane Degassing Module for High Flow Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional degassing systems are inadequate for high flow rate regimes in liquid chromatography, particularly in preparative scale, due to difficulties in manufacturing and sealing of hollow fiber or flat membrane modules, which are essential for effective removal of dissolved gases at flow rates exceeding 20 ml/min.
Innovation Solution
A degassing module featuring a helically wound tubular separation membrane within a housing chamber, with controlled radial spacings between the membrane and chamber surfaces, forming a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable barrier, and utilizing an evacuation port for efficient gas removal, supported by struts to maintain optimal spacing and reduce transport resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hollow fiber or flat membrane modules are used for degassing at high flow rates, then gas removal effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and sealing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The degassing module is segmented into distinct functional zones: a flow chamber for liquid introduction, a membrane support structure with multiple spaced-apart membranes, and an evacuation chamber. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and sealed independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining effective gas removal through the distributed membrane array.
Solution Approach 2:
The membranes are nested within the housing structure, positioned between the flow chamber and evacuation chamber. The membranes are spaced apart from each other and supported by the housing walls, creating a nested configuration that simplifies sealing requirements compared to bundled hollow fibers, while still providing sufficient surface area for gas removal at high flow rates.
2Productivity
If membrane surface area is increased to handle high flow rates, then degassing capacity is improved, but pressure drop across the membrane increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing membrane area in a single plane, the invention spaces multiple membranes apart from each other in the axial dimension between the flow chamber and evacuation chamber. This three-dimensional arrangement increases total membrane surface area for gas removal while maintaining adequate flow channels between membranes, thereby reducing pressure drop compared to a single large-area membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The membranes are positioned and spaced apart before the liquid flow encounters them, creating pre-formed flow channels that guide the liquid smoothly across the membrane surfaces. This preliminary structuring of the flow path reduces turbulence and pressure drop while maximizing contact between the liquid and membrane surface area for efficient degassing.
3Reliability
If membrane spacing is reduced to increase surface area density, then degassing efficiency is improved, but gas transport resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes membrane spacing in the axial dimension rather than reducing spacing in the lateral plane. By spacing membranes apart axially between the flow chamber and evacuation chamber, sufficient gap space is maintained for gas transport, while the increased axial density of membranes improves degassing efficiency. This dimensional approach prevents gas transport resistance from increasing.
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 solution effectively degasses liquids at high flow rates (> 20 ml/min) while being economically and reproducibly manufactured, ensuring consistent and high-quality results in applications like liquid chromatography, ink delivery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing by reducing gas transport resistance and pressure drop.
Implementation Method 1
The membrane forms a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable barrier between the interior chamber and the lumen
Implementation Method 2
The membrane defines a lumen that is in fluid communication with the evacuation port for evacuating the lumen
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A degassing module is adapted for degassing a liquidous fluid at relatively high throughput flow rates. The degassing module includes a tubular separation membrane that is helically wound within an interior chamber of a degassing module housing. The helically wound tubular separation membrane is disposed in an axial flow gap of predetermined proportions that maximizes fluid flow dynamics in reducing the gas transport resistance from the liquid phase across the membrane. Typically, the helically wound tubular separation membrane is positioned in the gap with radial spacings to surfaces bounding the gap, thereby forming axial flow channels circumaxially inwardly and/or outwardly of the wound tubular membrane.