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US 4,326,960 AGranted
Tubular permselective membrane module and method
AssigneeNitto Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi Iwahori, Shigetoshi Matsumoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Module and method for providing a safe treatment of noncondutive organic solutions containing inflammable solvents by passing such solutions under pressure through electrically conductive perforated tubes supporting membrane assemblies therein and being grounded through the case of the module.
Claims16
A tubular permselective membrane module for use in the concentration of solutions of solutes in non-conductive and inflammable organic solvents, the module of which comprises:
- (1) a membrane assembly, said membrane being resistant to said organic solvents and being a reverse osmosis membrane, an ultrafiltration membrane or a microfiltration membrane,
- (2) an electrically conductive support tube supporting said membrane assembly therein;
- the wall of said support tube being constructed with spaced perforations,
- (3) an electrically conductive cylindrical case enclosing said support tube therein and having a permeate port,
- (4) an electrically conductive spacer maintaining the space between said support tube and said case,
- (5) electrically conductive headers sealing the ends of said case in a solution-tight engagement by means of packing materials;
- one of said headers having at least one of an entry port for feed-solution connected to one end of said support tube and an exit port for the treated solution connected to the other end of said support tube,
- (6) an electrically conductive stay-bolt locking said case and said headers by means of nuts, and
- (7) a grounding means for grounding said support tube through electrically conductive elements of said module.
6 more elements
A method for the treatment of a solution of a solute in an organic solvent to achieve concentration thereof, comprising:
- (1) grounding an electrically conductive support tube for supporting a membrane assembly therein;
- said support tube having spaced perforations in its wall, said membrane being resistant to said organic solvent and being a reverse osmosis membrane, an ultrafiltration membrane or a microfiltration membrane, said grounding being achieved through electrically conductive elements including (a) an electrically conductive cylindrical case;
- said case being sealed in a solution-tight engagement within electrically conductive headers at each of its ends and having entry and exit ports between which said support tube extends, and a permeate port, (b) an electrically conductive spacer maintaining the space between said support tube and said case, (c) said electrically conductive headers and (d) an electrically conductive stay bolt locking said case and said headers by means of nuts, and
- (2) passing said solution under a given pressure through said support tube from the entry port to the exit port, whereby the permeate collects inside said case through the perforations of said support tube and exits from said permeate port, and the residual solution exits as a concentrated solution from said exit port.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.