Honeycomb Spinning Beam Layout for Higher Spinneret Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spinning trains for producing hollow fiber membranes require duplication of equipment for capacity expansion and have impaired heat transfer due to eccentric screw fixation, leading to inefficient use of resources and limited spinneret placement.
Innovation Solution
A spinning beam with honeycombed structures featuring hexagonal seats for individual spinnerets and a central feed unit, allowing for increased spinneret capacity and improved heat transfer through electric heating elements and self-locking mechanisms, reducing the need for multiple pumps and facilitating modular maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rectangular spinnerets are fixed using eccentric screws in rectangular pockets, then the spinnerets can be positioned and fixed, but heat transfer from the spinning beam to the spinneret and fluids is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The spinning beam is divided into multiple hexagonal honeycomb cells, each containing a spinneret. This segmentation allows each spinneret to be independently positioned and heated, improving both positioning reliability and heat transfer efficiency simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from rectangular to hexagonal geometry for both the spinning beam cells and spinnerets. The hexagonal shape provides better contact surface area between the spinning beam and spinneret, enhancing heat transfer while maintaining precise positioning through the geometric fit.
2Productivity
If the number of spinnerets is increased to triple the production capacity, then productivity increases, but the spinning beam length and equipment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple spinnerets are arranged within hexagonal honeycomb cells that are nested or closely packed together in the spinning beam. This nesting arrangement allows a high density of spinnerets to be accommodated in a compact structure, tripling capacity without proportionally increasing beam length or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the spatial arrangement of spinnerets by using hexagonal packing in a two-dimensional cross-section of the spinning beam. This dimensional optimization allows maximum density of spinnerets per unit area, increasing capacity without linearly increasing the overall beam dimensions.
3Manufacturing precision
If individual pumps are used for each spinneret, then fluid supply is precise, but the number of pumps and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple individual pump functions into a single centralized pump system that supplies fluid to all spinnerets through the honeycomb structure. This reduces the number of pumps from one per spinneret to one for the entire array, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining precision through the integrated fluid distribution network.
4Ease of manufacture
If rectangular spinning beams are used with side-by-side pocket arrangement, then manufacturing is simple, but the number of spinnerets is limited by beam length
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces rectangular pockets with hexagonal honeycomb cells in the spinning beam. This geometric change allows more efficient packing of spinnerets within the same beam volume, increasing the number of spinnerets that can be accommodated while maintaining manufacturability through standard hexagonal casting or machining processes.
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 spinning beam enables tripled spinneret capacity without additional space, efficient heat transfer, and reduced pump requirements, while allowing for easy assembly and maintenance, ensuring consistent fiber dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
electric heating elements arranged in the base of the honeycombed structures for heating the polymer solution and the center fluid
Implementation Method 2
Water is circulated through channels provided in the spinning beam to control the temperature of the fluids fed to the spinnerets
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a spinning beam for producing hollow fiber membranes in a phase inversion process, and to a process using the spinning beam.