# US 10,478,779 B2 · Hollow fiber membrane module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,779 B2 - Document ID: US10478779B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/128,750 - Filed: 2015-03-23 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-24 - Assignees: Kolon Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Kolon Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Kyoung Ju Kim; Young Seok Oh; Jin Hyung Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478779B2 ## CPC - B01D 63/04: comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies - B01D 63/02: Hollow fibre modules - B01D 63/033: {Specific distribution of fibres within one potting or tube-sheet} - B01D 63/043: {with separate tube sheets} - H01M 8/04149: {by diffusion, e.g. making use of membranes} - B01D 2313/08: Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus - B01D 2313/083: Bypass routes - B01D 2313/2031: Frame or cage-like structures - B01D 2313/26: Specific gas distributors or gas intakes - B01D 2319/04: Elements in parallel - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Disclosed is a hollow fiber membrane module. The hollow fiber membrane module includes a housing including a first fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet, a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, and hollow fiber membrane bundles, each hollow fiber membrane bundle including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, disposed within the housing so that a first fluid flows inside the hollow fiber membranes and a second fluid flows outside the hollow fiber membranes, and each hollow fiber membrane bundle further includes porous tubes having both ends closed and including a plurality of pores formed on the side surfaces thereof. The hollow fiber membrane module removes a region, into which a fluid flowing outside a hollow fiber membrane bundle has difficulty in permeating, thus allowing the fluid to uniformly flow. Therefore, even if hollow flow membranes are highly integrated, performance of the hollow fiber membrane module may be maximized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hollow fiber membrane module comprising: a housing including a first fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet, a second fluid inlet, and a second fluid outlet; diaphragms each extending from an inner surface of the housing thereby partitioning an inner space of the housing into a plurality of sections; a vacant porous tube disposed in each of the plurality of sections, the vacant porous tube having closed ends and including a plurality of pores formed on a side surface thereof; and a hollow fiber membrane bundle disposed in every each of the plurality of sections, the hollow fiber membrane bundle including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes so that a first fluid flows inside the hollow fiber membranes and a second fluid flows outside the hollow fiber membranes, wherein each of the diaphragms has at least one fluid flow hole through which the second fluid flows. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the vacant porous tube is disposed so that the length direction of the vacant porous tube coincides with the length direction of the hollow fiber membranes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the side surface of the vacant porous tube is formed in a mesh type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the vacant porous tube is 2 to 20 times the diameter of the hollow fiber membranes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the pores of the vacant porous tube is 1 to 10 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the whole area of the pores of the vacant porous tube to the whole area of the side surface of the vacant porous tube is 10 to 50% by area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the hollow fiber membrane bundle includes 200 to 2000 hollow fiber membranes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the housing has a circular shape or a polygonal shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, wherein the housing further includes: a housing body having both ends opened and including the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet formed on the outer surface thereof; and housing caps combined with the respective ends of the housing body and including the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, further comprising potting parts configured to fix both ends of the hollow fiber membranes to the housing and contacting both ends of the housing so as to be sealable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1, being any one selected from the group consisting of a water exchange module, a heat exchange module, a gas separation module and a water treatment module.