# US 10,478,780 B2 · Separating device for separating at least one undesired fluid from a liquid, membrane of a separating device, filter, filter element, and liquid system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,780 B2 - Document ID: US10478780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/685,120 - Filed: 2017-08-24 - Published: 2017-12-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-27 - Assignees: Mann+Hummel GmbH - Applicants: MANN+HUMMEL GmbH - Inventors: Heike Rupp; Steffen Schuetz; Dagmar Winkler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478780B2 ## CPC - F02M 37/32: characterised by filters or filter arrangements - B01D 17/085: {with membranes} - B01D 36/008: {Means to filter or treat the separated liquid} - B01D 63/04: comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies - B01D 63/08: Flat membrane modules - B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties - B01D 69/06: Flat membranes - B01D 69/08: Hollow fibre membranes (manufacture of hollow fibres D01D5/24, D01F1/08) - F01M 1/10: Lubricating systems characterised by the provision therein of lubricant venting or purifying means, e.g. of filters - F01M 11/03: Mounting or connecting of lubricant purifying means relative to the machine or engine; Details of lubricant purifying means (filters B01D) - F02M 37/24: characterised by water separating means - B01D 2315/08: Fully permeating type; Dead-end filtration - B01D 2315/10: Cross-flow filtration - B01D 2325/36: Hydrophilic membranes - B01D 2325/38: Hydrophobic membranes - F01M 2001/1028: {characterised by the type of purification} - F02M 37/0052: {Details on the fuel return circuit; Arrangement of pressure regulators} - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - 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) - F01M: LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING ## Abstract A separating device for separating an undesired fluid from a multi-component liquid has a region flowed through by the multi-component liquid and at least one membrane disposed in the region to separate a first fluid region from a second fluid region. The membrane has a first permeability to the undesired fluid and a second permeability to the multi-component liquid. The first permeability is different from the second permeability. The membrane is equally permeable to all components of the multi-component liquid. The membrane is permeable to the multi-component liquid and impermeable to the undesired fluid, or the membrane is impermeable to the multi-component liquid and is permeable to the undesired fluid, wherein the multi-component liquid is a liquid multi-component operating medium. A filter with such a separating device and a filter element, in particular for diesel fuel, as well as a liquid system with such a separating device are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A separating device for separating at least one undesired liquid fluid from a liquid composition to be treated, the liquid composition comprising the at least one undesired liquid fluid and the at least one multi-component liquid, the separating device comprising: an interior region flowed through by the at least one multi-component liquid; a plurality of hollow fiber membranes connected together in combination to form a hollow fiber membrane structure of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes in the separating device, the plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed in the region in the interior region of the separating device and arranged to separate a first fluid region from a second fluid region within the interior region of the separating device; wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes comprise: a first permeability to the at least one undesired liquid fluid and a second permeability to the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the first permeability is different from the second permeability; wherein the at least one membrane is configured to be equally permeable to all components of the at least one multi-component liquid; wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be permeable to the at least one multi-component liquid and is configured to be impermeable to the at least one undesired liquid fluid, or the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be impermeable to the at least one multi-component liquid and is configured to be permeable to the at least one undesired liquid fluid, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is hydrophilic or hydrophobic, wherein the at least one multi-component liquid is a liquid multi-component operating medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be equally permeable to all the components of the liquid multi-component operating medium comprising a liquid fuel or oil and wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes further comprise at least one additive that influences properties of the liquid fuel or oil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be permeable to the at least one undesired liquid fluid that is containing water and is configured to be impermeable to the liquid multi-component operating medium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The separating device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is arranged to be flowed against by the liquid multi-component operating medium according to a cross-over flow principle or a cross-flow principle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The separating device according to claim 4, wherein the first fluid region is connected with an inlet for the liquid multi-component operating medium and is connected with an outlet for the liquid multi-component operating medium and wherein the second fluid region comprises a drain for draining the at least one undesired fluid from the second fluid region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be impermeable to at least one undesired liquid fluid that is containing water and is configured to be permeable to the liquid multi-component operating medium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The separating device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is arranged to be flowed through by the liquid multi-component operating medium according to a dead-end flow-through principle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The separating device according to claim 7, wherein the first fluid region is connected with an inlet for the liquid multi-component operating medium and the second fluid region is connected with an outlet for the liquid multi-component operating medium, wherein the first fluid region comprises a drain for draining the at least one undesired liquid fluid from the first fluid region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one undesired liquid fluid contains water and wherein the liquid multi-component operating medium contains at least one liquid hydrocarbon, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be permeable to the at least one liquid hydrocarbon and impermeable to the at least one undesired liquid fluid, or the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be impermeable to the at least one liquid hydrocarbon and permeable to the at least one undesired liquid fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be attractive or repellent to the at least one undesired liquid fluid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein one or more properties of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes at are predetermined for predetermining the first and second permeabilities, wherein the one or more properties are selected from the group consisting of a surface property, pore size, porosity, a repellent effect relative to the liquid multi-component operating medium and/or relative to the at least one undesired liquid fluid, and an attractive effect relative to the liquid multi-component operating medium and/or relative to the at least one undesired liquid fluid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The separating device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow fiber membrane structure has a predetermined shape. ### Claim 13 A filter for at least one multi-component liquid, the filter comprising a separating device for separating at least one undesired liquid fluid from a composition to be treated, the composition comprising the at least one undesired fluid and the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the separating device comprises an interior region flowed through by the at least one multi-component liquid; wherein the separating device further comprises a plurality of hollow fiber membranes connected together in combination to form a hollow fiber membrane structure of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes in the separating device, the plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed in the interior region and arranged to separate a first fluid region from a second fluid region; wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes comprise: a first permeability to the at least one undesired liquid fluid and a second permeability to the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the first permeability is different from the second permeability, and wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be equally permeable to all components of the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is hydrophilic or hydrophobic. ### Claim 14 A filter element of a filter for filtering a composition to be treated, the composition comprising at least one undesired liquid fluid and at least one multi-component liquid, the filter element configured to be arranged in the filter such that the filter element separates an inlet of the filter from an outlet of the filter, the filter element comprising: a filter medium configured to be flowed through by the at least one multi-component liquid and at least one undesired liquid fluid; at least one part of a separating device for separating the at least one undesired liquid fluid from the at least one multi-component liquid; wherein the at least one part of the separating device is a plurality of hollow fiber membranes connected together in combination to form a hollow fiber membrane structure, wherein the hollow fiber membrane structure is configured to be arranged in a region of the filter flowed through by the at least one multi-component liquid in such a way that the plurality of hollow fiber membranes separates a first fluid region from a second fluid region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The filter element according to claim 14, wherein the at least one membrane comprises a first permeability to the at least one undesired liquid fluid and a second permeability to the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the first permeability is different from the second permeability, and wherein the at least one membrane is configured to be equally permeable to all components of the at least one multi-component liquid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The filter element according to claim 14, wherein the at least one multi-component liquid is diesel fuel, wherein the at least one undesired liquid fluid is water, and wherein the filter medium is a particle filter medium. ### Claim 17 A liquid system comprising at least one separating device for separating at least one undesired fluid from a composition to be treated, the composition comprising the at least one undesired liquid fluid and at least one multi-component liquid, the at least one separating device comprises a region flowed through by the at least one multi-component liquid and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes connected in combination to form a hollow fiber membrane structure disposed in the region and arranged to separate a first fluid region from a second fluid region; wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is hydrophilic or hydrophobic, wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes comprise a first permeability to the at least one undesired liquid fluid and a second permeability to the at least one multi-component liquid, wherein the first permeability is different from the second permeability, and wherein the plurality of hollow fiber membranes is configured to be equally permeable to all components of the at least one multi-component liquid.