Separation Membrane Module Sealing Friction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing separation membrane modules face challenges in easily attaching and removing the separation membrane complex from the housing container while maintaining hermeticity, especially under vibration or impact, due to high frictional forces between the sealing member and the membrane complex and container surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The separation membrane module design incorporates a sealing member with a static friction coefficient not higher than 0.5 between the sealing member and the supported/supported surfaces, ensuring the product of the friction coefficient and compressive force divided by the membrane complex's mass is greater than 0.7, allowing for easy attachment/removal and maintaining hermeticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing member is made to be in close contact with the inner surface of the container body and the outer surface of the separation membrane complex, then hermeticity is ensured, but the frictional force becomes high making it cumbersome to exchange the sealing member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a lubricant to the sealing member surface, changing the physical parameter of surface friction. This reduces the static friction coefficient between the sealing member and contact surfaces, enabling easy removal and installation while maintaining the close contact necessary for hermeticity during operation
2Ease of operation
If the frictional force between the sealing member and contact surfaces is reduced to make exchange easier, then ease of operation improves, but slip occurs under vibration or impact causing loss of hermeticity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the static friction coefficient to fall within a specific range (0.05-0.5) through lubricant application. This parameter optimization ensures that friction is low enough for easy exchange during maintenance but high enough to prevent slip under vibration or impact during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies lubricant in a controlled amount to achieve the target friction coefficient range. The lubrication is applied partially (only to the sealing surfaces) rather than excessively, ensuring sufficient friction for vibration resistance while providing enough slip for easy exchange
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 design enables easy assembly and maintenance of the separation membrane module while ensuring the separation performance is not compromised, with a gas permeance ratio of at least 80% after heating, and a lubricant mass decrease rate of no more than 5% at 100°C for 72 hours.
Implementation Method 1
a first static friction coefficient between the sealing member and the supported surface and/or a second static friction coefficient between the sealing member and the supporting surface are/is not higher than 0.5
Data Source
AI summary
A separation membrane module includes a separation membrane complex having a support and a separation membrane provided on the support, a housing container for housing the separation membrane complex, and a sealing member existing between a supporting surface provided inside the housing container and a supported surface of the separation membrane complex, being in close contact with the supporting surface and the supported surface. A first static friction coefficient between the sealing member and the supported surface and/or a second static friction coefficient between the sealing member and the supporting surface are/is not higher than 0.5. A value obtained by multiplying the first static friction coefficient and/or the second static friction coefficient by a compressive force [N] of the sealing member and dividing the product by a mass [kg] of the separation membrane complex is larger than 0.7.