# US 2014/0151286 A1 · Separation membrane, separation membrane element, and method for producing separation membrane > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151286 A1 - Document ID: US20140151286A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/131,231 - Filed: 2012-07-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-07 - Assignees: Toray Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa; Masakazu Koiwa; Kentaro Takagi; Yoshiki Okamoto; Hiroyuki Yamada; Yasuo Seike; Tsuyoshi Hamada; Masahiro Kimura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151286A1 ## CPC - B01D 69/10: Supported membranes; Membrane supports - B01D 63/10: Spiral-wound membrane modules - B01D 69/1213: {Laminated layers} - C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)} - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - B01D 2313/08: Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus - B01D 2313/14: Specific spacers - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - 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) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract A separation membrane includes a separation membrane main body having at least a substrate and a separation function layer; and a channel material having a composition different from that of the separation membrane main body and affixed to a substrate-side surface of the separation membrane main body, wherein the channel material is discontinuous in a first direction and continuous in a second direction from one end to another end of the separation membrane main body. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A separation membrane comprising: a separation membrane main body having at least a substrate and a separation functional layer; and a channel material having a composition different from that of the separation membrane main body and affixed to a substrate-side surface of the separation membrane main body, wherein the channel material is discontinuous in a first direction and continuous in a second direction from one end to another end of the separation membrane main body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein an interval between the channel materials in the second direction is 5 mm or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein a difference in height between the channel material and the substrate-side surface of the separation membrane is 0.03 mm or more and 0.8 mm or less. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The separation membrane according to claim 15, wherein a difference in height between the channel material and the substrate-side surface of the separation membrane is 0.03 mm or more and 0.8 mm or less. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein an interval between the channel materials adjacent to each other in the first direction is 0.05 mm or more and 5 mm or less. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein a difference in height between the channel materials adjacent to each other is 0.1 mm or less. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein a maximum value of height differences among the channel materials disposed in the separation membrane is 0.25 mm or less. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein the channel material is formed of a thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, further comprising a porous support layer, wherein the porous support layer is disposed between the substrate and the separation functional layer; and the substrate is a long fiber nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The separation membrane according to claim 22, wherein fibers at the surface layer opposite to the porous support layer-side surface layer of the long fiber nonwoven fabric are more vertically oriented than those at the porous support layer-side surface layer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein a length a of the separation membrane main body in the second direction, an interval b between the channel materials in the first direction, a difference in height c between the channel material and a permeate-side surface of the separation membrane main body, a width d of the channel material in the first direction, an interval e between the channel materials in the second direction, and a length f of the channel material in the second direction satisfy: a2f2(b+c)2(c+d)×10−6/b3c3(c+f)2≦1400, i) 850≦a≦7000, ii) b≦2, iii) c≦0.5, and iv) 0.15≦df/(b+d)(e+f)≦0.85. v) ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) A separation membrane element comprising a water collection tube, and the separation membrane according to claim 14, wherein the separation membrane is arranged such that the first direction is along an axial direction of the water collection tube and wound around the water collection tube. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) A separation membrane element comprising a water collection tube, and the separation membrane according to claim 15, wherein the separation membrane is arranged such that the first direction is along an axial direction of the water collection tube and wound around the water collection tube. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) A separation membrane element comprising a water collection tube, and the separation membrane according to claim 16, wherein the separation membrane is arranged such that the first direction is along an axial direction of the water collection tube and wound around the water collection tube. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The separation membrane element according to claim 25, arranged such that the first direction is along an axial direction of the water collection tube and wound around the water collection tube. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The separation membrane element according to claim 25, wherein an angle which is formed by a longitudinal direction of the channel material and an axial direction of a water collection tube is 60° or more and 120° or less. ### Claim 30 A method of producing a separation membrane comprising: preparing a separation membrane main body having at least a substrate and a separation functional layer; softening, by heating, a material having composition different from that of the separation membrane main body; forming a channel material on a permeate side by arranging the softened material on a substrate-side surface of the separation membrane main body such that the material is discontinuous in a first direction and continuous in a second direction from one end to the other end of the separation membrane main body; and affixing the channel material on the permeate side onto the separation membrane main body by solidifying the material. ### Claim 31 (depends on 14) A method of producing the separation membrane according to claim 14, comprising: preparing a separation membrane main body having at least a substrate and a separation functional layer; softening, by heating, a material having composition different from that of the separation membrane main body; forming a channel material on a permeate side by arranging the softened material on a substrate-side surface of the separation membrane main body such that the material is discontinuous in a first direction and continuous in a second direction from one end to the other end of the separation membrane main body; and affixing the channel material on the permeate side onto the separation membrane main body by solidifying the material.