System and method for producing hollow fibre membranes

An apparatus for the manufacture of at least one hollow fiber membrane, comprising

• a spinning unit comprising at least one annular gap nozzle which is fluidically connected to a source of a spinning mass and a source of a coagulation medium in order to extrude at least one hollow spinning thread from the spinning mass, the cavity of which hollow spinning thread is filled with the coagulation medium,
• a precipitation bath for precipitating the at least one spinning thread to form at least one hollow fiber membrane,
• optionally, at least one rinsing unit for rinsing the at least one hollow fiber membrane,
• at least one drying unit for drying the at least one hollow fiber membrane,
• optionally, a receiving unit for receiving the at least one hollow fiber membrane on a support, wherein
• the at least one drying unit comprises a pressure section which is constructed in such a way that a positive pressure compared with atmospheric pressure can be set in the pressure section,
• the pressure section comprises a pressure chamber which comprises an interior space, an inlet for introducing the at least one hollow fiber membrane into the interior space of the pressure chamber, an outlet for discharging the at least one hollow fiber membrane from the interior space of the pressure chamber and at least one gas inlet, wherein the at least one gas inlet is in fluid communication with a gas source and the pressure section is further constructed in such a way that a positive pressure can be generated in the interior space of the pressure chamber via the gas source, the positive pressure removing liquid from the at least one hollow fiber membrane without the liquid being evaporated,
• the drying unit further comprises a tempering section which has a heating device which is arranged so that a temperature of 50 to 230° C. is capable of being set in the tempering section,
• the tempering section comprises a tempering chamber which has an inlet for introducing the at least one hollow fiber membrane and an outlet for discharging the at least one hollow fiber membrane, and
• the pressure chamber and the tempering chamber are separate chambers, and the apparatus is further constructed in such a way that the at least one hollow fiber membrane or several hollow fiber membranes obtained from the precipitation bath or, optionally, from the rinsing bath is/are first passed through the pressure chamber and then through the tempering chamber.