Hollow fiber membrane cartridge and hollow fiber membrane module including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025050278-A1
Application number	US-202218291957-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a hollow fiber membrane cartridge capable of preventing fiber breakage of a hollow fiber membrane by uniformly supplying a fluid to the hollow fiber membrane and a hollow fiber membrane module.
The hollow fiber membrane is accommodated in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and allows a first fluid and a second fluid to perform moisture exchange, wherein the first fluid flows inside the hollow fiber membrane, and the second fluid introduced from outside flows outside the hollow fiber membrane, an opening through which the second fluid is introduced or discharged is formed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge, a first portion into which the second fluid is introduced and a second portion having a greater inflow flow rate of the second fluid per unit area than that of the first portion are formed in the opening, and a width of the second portion is less than a width of the first portion.

First claim

1 . A hollow fiber membrane cartridge in which a hollow fiber membrane configured to allow a first fluid and a second fluid to perform moisture exchange is accommodated, wherein the first fluid flows inside the hollow fiber membrane, the second fluid introduced from outside flows outside the hollow fiber membrane,
an opening through which the second fluid is introduced or discharged is formed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge, a first portion into which the second fluid is introduced and a second portion having a greater inflow flow rate of the second fluid per unit area than an inflow flow rate of the first portion are formed in the opening, and a width of the second portion is less than a width of the first portion.

2 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a width and a length, and the width of the opening gradually changes.

3 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the opening is formed such that the width of the opening gradually decreases from one end of the opening to another end thereof in a longitudinal direction.

4 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the opening is formed such that the width of the opening gradually decreases from a center of the opening to outside thereof in a longitudinal direction.

5 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the opening includes a portion having a uniform width and a portion having a width that gradually changes.

6 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of windows are formed in the opening.

7 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a mesh net is installed in the opening.

8 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of openings spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge are formed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge, and at least one of the plurality of openings is formed in a circular shape or an oval shape.

9 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the opening includes a constant width portion having a width that is uniform and a variable width portion having a width gradually decreasing from the constant width portion to an end of the opening in a longitudinal direction.

10 . The hollow fiber membrane cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the opening is formed in an atypical shape.

11 . A hollow fiber membrane module comprising:
a housing unit comprising a first fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet, a second fluid inlet, and a second fluid outlet; and a plurality of hollow fiber membrane cartridges disposed inside the housing unit and in which hollow fiber membranes are accommodated, wherein an opening through which the second fluid is introduced or discharged are formed in each of the plurality of hollow fiber membrane cartridges, and a first portion and a second portion having a greater inflow flow rate of the second fluid per unit area than an inflow flow rate of the first portion are formed in the opening, and a width of the second portion is less than a width of the first portion.

12 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein the opening has a width and a length, and the width of the opening gradually changes.

13 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 12 , wherein the opening is formed such that the width of the opening gradually decreases from one end of the opening to another end thereof in a longitudinal direction.

14 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 12 , wherein the opening is formed such that the width of the opening gradually decreases from a center of the opening to outside thereof in a longitudinal direction.

15 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein the opening includes a portion having a uniform width and a portion having a width that gradually changes.

16 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein the opening is formed such that a width of the opening gradually decreases toward the second fluid inlet or the second fluid outlet.

17 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of openings spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge are formed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge, and at least one of the plurality of openings is formed in a circular shape or an oval shape.

18 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein the opening includes a constant width portion having a width that is uniform and a variable width portion having a width gradually decreasing from the constant width portion to an end of the opening in a longitudinal direction.

19 . The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 11 , wherein the opening is formed in an atypical shape.

Assignees

• Kolon Inc

Inventors

• Ahn Na Hyun
• Kim Do Woo
• Kim In Ho

Classifications

• B01D63/043

  with separate tube sheets · CPC title

• B01D63/046

  in separate housings · CPC title

• H01M8/04149

  by diffusion, e.g. making use of membranes · CPC title

• B01D2313/10

  Specific supply elements · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title