US 6,280,626 B1Granted

Membrane separator assembly and method of cleaning the assembly utilizing gas diffuser underneath the assembly

AssigneesMitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., Mitshubishi Rayon Engineering Co., Ltd.

InventorsSatoshi Miyashita, Kenji Honjyo, Osami Kato, Kenji Watari, Takamitsu Takashima, Masanori Itakura, Hiroyuki Okazaki, Ikuo Kinoshita, Noriko Inoue

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Abstract

A membrane separator assembly for separating solids from water includes opposing enclosure wall structures, a membrane module unit, and a gas diffuser disposed below the membrane module unit. The membrane module unit includes a plurality of membrane modules respectively having at least one separating membrane extending between at least two membrane fixing members. At least one of the membrane fixing members has a main passage which is in fluid communication with a membrane passageway. The membrane passageway is accessible to water via permeation through the separating membranes and is inaccessible to solids which are impermeable relative to the separating membranes. The membrane separator assembly is preferably used with a detergent containing percarbonate, preferably sodium percarbonate. The assembly also includes a gas diffuser with two opposing main pipes and branch pipes extending therebetween to avoid undesired pressure differentials when cleaning the assembly.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A membrane separator assembly for separating solids from water comprising:

a membrane module unit comprising a plurality of membrane modules, at least some of said membrane modules each respectively comprising:
at least two membrane fixing members, at least one of said membrane fixing members having a main passageway formed therethrough;
and
one or more vertically oriented separating membranes extending between said membrane fixing members, said separating membranes collectively or individually defining one or more membrane passageways in fluid communication with said main passageway, said membrane passageways being accessible to water via permeation through said separating membranes and being inaccessible to solids which are impermeable relative to said separating membranes;
a gas diffuser disposed below said membrane modules, said gas diffuser comprising two opposing identical main pipes and branch pipes, said branch pipes extending between said main pipes and containing gas discharge ports, wherein a cross sectional area A2 of said branch pipes is less than a cross sectional area A1 of said main pipes;
and
an enclosure subassembly constructed and arranged to permit the passage of liquid therethrough along a vertical direction, said enclosure subassembly comprising at least two opposing enclosure walls arranged parallel to said membrane modules and positioned with said membrane module unit therebetween, said two opposing enclosure walls respectively being spaced from separating membranes of outermost ones of said membrane modules.

4 more elements

A membrane separator assembly for separating solids from water comprising:

a plurality of membrane module units, each of which comprises a respective plurality of membrane modules, at least some of said membrane modules each respectively comprising:
at least two membrane fixing members, at least one of said membrane fixing members having a main passageway formed therethrough;
and
one or more vertically oriented separating membranes extending between said membrane fixing members and in parallel relation to each other yet spaced from each other at regular intervals W, said separating membranes collectively or individually defining one or more membrane passageways in fluid communication with said main passageway, said membrane passageway being accessible to water via permeation through said separating membranes and being inaccessible to solids which are impermeable relative to said separating membranes;
a gas diffuser disposed below said membrane modules, said gas diffuser comprising two opposing identical main pipes and branch pipes, said branch pipes extending between said main pipes and containing gas discharge ports, wherein a cross sectional area A2 of said branch pipes is less than a cross sectional area A1 of said main pipes;
and
an enclosure subassembly constructed and arranged to permit the passage of liquid therethrough along a vertical direction, said enclosure subassembly comprising at least two opposing enclosure walls arranged parallel to said membrane modules and positioned with said membrane module unit therebetween, said two opposing enclosure walls respectively being spaced from separating membranes of outermost ones of said membrane modules,
wherein said membrane module units each have at least one side of length A extending parallel to vertically oriented membranes,
wherein said membrane units are arranged in series so that vertically oriented membranes of adjacent ones of said membrane units are arranged parallel to one another, with opposing outermost membranes of adjacent ones of said membrane units being spaced by a clearance which is 1.2 to 5 times as large as said regular intervals W.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.