JPS5932161B2 - Processing equipment for multi-component fluids - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating specific components from a multi-component solution using a hollow fiber or thin tube made of a selective semi-permeable separation membrane.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel device for introducing a multi-component solution to be treated into the center or outermost part of a semi-permeable multi-hollow fiber (tube) to separate the above specific components.

Conventionally, methods using selectively permeable membranes include reverse osmosis, in which a pressure higher than the osmotic pressure is applied to a fluid mixture to leach out only the solvent; diaphragm separation, in which specific components are passed through or concentrated by applying pressure to a gas mixture; When there is a difference in molecular radius or particle size between each component of a mixture fluid, there are methods for separating specific components by applying pressure difference energy such as the ultrafiltration method, which separates specific components by applying pressure or depressurization. Dialysis methods are known in which fluid mixtures are separated using concentration difference energy, such as by causing diffusion between fluid mixtures.

At present, this semipermeable separation membrane is used in the form of a flat membrane, a flat cylinder, a tube, a capillary hollow fiber, and the like.

Among them, since capillary hollow fibers were announced in Japanese Patent Publication No. 39-28625, devices using hollow fibers have been extremely useful, as they can provide a large membrane area and a high permeation rate. It has been used in fields such as concentration, separation, seawater desalination, and medicine.

However, in conventional separation devices using hollow fiber semipermeable membranes, a large number of semipermeable hollow fibers of a single type are supported at both ends, and the liquid to be treated is fed into the hollow fibers from one end, while the other end During the process, specific components are leached out by applying pressure, or the dialysate is brought into contact with the outside of the hollow fibers to diffuse and extract specific components, so specific components are separated according to the properties of the membrane. only.

Therefore, in order to separate multiple types of components, it was necessary to connect multiple types of equipment.

In the present invention, unlike the conventional method, a plurality of components are separated at once using one device.

That is, the present invention concentrically combines multiple hollow fibers (tubes) with different permselectivity and different diameters, and supports both ends of each hollow fiber (tube) separately, so that the permeate does not mix with each other. After the multi-component fluid to be treated is introduced into the innermost or outermost hollow fiber (tube) of the multiple hollow fiber (tube) or the gap between the multiple hollow fiber (tube), This device separates part or all of two or more components from the solution using pressure difference energy and/or concentration difference energy.

In the present invention, in order to accommodate a large number of sets in one container, it is preferable to use hollow fibers (tubes) with an outer diameter of at most 30 mm, preferably 5 mm -0, OI.

A preferred combination of devices of the present invention is a multiple hollow fiber (tube) in which two or more hollow fibers or tubular membranes are concentrically combined in order of permeability, and in this case, the hollow fiber with the highest permeability (
When the hollow fiber (tube) with the highest permeability is located on the outermost side, the multicomponent fluid to be treated should be introduced on the outermost side. preferable.

This will be explained below with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows a double hollow fiber (pipe) type fluid treatment device.
The figure is a schematic diagram of a double hollow.

To make it easier to understand, we will first explain the case where a raw fluid to be treated is introduced into the innermost part of a double hollow fiber (pipe). When the raw fluid is introduced into the inlet A, the first component and It is guided to a hollow fiber (2) consisting of a first membrane that mainly allows only or both of the second components to pass through.

The fluid that has passed through the plurality of thin hollow fibers is collected and exits from B.

Here, it is desirable that necessary and sufficient pressure be applied at the inlet A.

Next, the first component and the second component that have passed through the hollow fiber (2) exude into the second hollow fiber (J).

This thick second hollow fiber J is made of a membrane that allows only or mainly the first component to permeate therethrough, and exits C or D
A fluid rich in the second component exits.

The first component or fluid enriched therein which has passed through the hollow fibers J is collected in a container and flows out from the outlet E or F.

G has the function of supporting the thin hollow fiber I and H the function of supporting the thick hollow fiber J at both ends and isolating fluid.

Conversely, the present device can also be used when the raw fluid to be treated is introduced to the outermost side.

That is, in FIG. 1, the properties of the membranes ``■'' and ``J'' are the opposite of those in the above case, and the raw fluid is introduced under higher pressure than the population E.

The raw fluid exits from the outlet F while coming into contact with the outer wall of the hollow fiber J, which has the property of primarily allowing only or both of the first and second components of the fluid to pass through.

During this time, the fluid rich in the first and second components seeps into the hollow fibers J and then contacts the internal hollow fibers (2).

The hollow fiber I is composed of a membrane having a property of selectively permeating a fluid containing only the first component or a fluid rich in the first component, and the fluid passing through the fiber I becomes a fluid containing only the first component or rich in the first component.

Accordingly, from the outlet C or D a fluid exclusively or enriched in the second component exits, and from the outlet A or B a fluid exclusively or enriched in the first component exits.

In the apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the separation method using only pressure difference energy, multi-component separation can also be performed using both this and concentration difference energy.

That is, in Fig. 1, the raw fluid to be treated is introduced from the inlet A by applying the necessary pressure, and while passing through the hollow fibers (2), the fluid rich in the first component and the second component is The treated fluid exudes into the interior of the thread J and exits from B. The hollow fiber J consists of a membrane wall having a property of selectively permeating only or mainly the first component.

At this time, if a dialysate that does not contain the first component or has a low concentration of the first component is introduced from the inlet E and is also allowed to flow out from the outlet F, only the first component or a fluid rich in the first component passes through the membrane wall of the hollow fiber J. It is extracted into the dialysate and separated.

Conversely, it is also possible to introduce the raw fluid from E and the dialysate from A.

The case of a double hollow fiber type device has been described above, but the present invention also provides a triple, quadruple or more multiple hollow fiber device (
This also includes cases where a combination of tubes) is used.

Figure 2 shows the left part of the side view of the quadruple hollow fiber (tube) type fluid treatment device, and Figure 3 shows the a of the quadruple hollow fiber (tube) type fluid treatment device.
It is a sectional view at a'.

That is, in FIG. 2, the hollow fiber membrane g is the first component in the raw fluid,
The hollow fiber membrane of h allows the first component, the second component and the third component to pass through, and the hollow fiber membrane of h allows the first component, the second component and the third component to pass through.
The hollow fiber membranes of j have the property of allowing the first component and the second component to pass through, and the hollow fiber membranes of j have the property of allowing the first component to pass through.

Therefore, since the raw fluid to be treated is introduced into the inlet, a fluid enriched in the fourth component is obtained from C, the third component is enriched from d, the second component is enriched from e, and the first component is enriched from f.

Figure 4 shows a type of device in which a double hollow fiber consisting of hollow fibers T and T is compactly housed in a container.When the raw fluid to be treated is introduced into the innermost part of the double hollow fiber The components are injected from A and, if introduced to the outermost part, from E, and the separated components exit from the other holes.

The above-mentioned multiple hollow fibers (tubes) can be made of conventionally known silicon-based polymers, vinylidene fluoride-based polymers, cellulose acetate, acrylonitrile-based polymers, polypropylene, aromatic polyamides, (meth)acrylic acid, or High-molecular materials such as ester polymers, styrene polymers, vinyl chloride polymers, and dynamic membranes with zirconium oxide, iron hydroxide, etc. deposited on the surface of a porous support tube, etc. A set of multiple hollow systems (tubes) need not be made of the same material.

Moreover, conventionally known methods can be used as the material and method for supporting these hollow fiber tubes at both ends.

That is, all curing resin adhesives such as polyurethane, silicone polymers, epoxy polymers, methacrylate polymers, and unsaturated polyesters can be used, and metal welding methods can also be used.

The multiple hollow fibers (tubes) used in the present invention are usually installed in multiple sets within the container.

The number of sets is arbitrarily determined depending on the purpose and method of use.

The multicomponent separation device using multiple hollow fibers (tubes) of the present invention can be applied to various uses.

For example, in desalination of seawater, if a limit filtration membrane and a reverse osmosis membrane are combined as hollow fibers, concentrated salt water from which dissolved polymers, particulates, microorganisms, etc. in seawater are removed and desalinated water can be combined. obtained at the same time.

At this time, the reverse osmosis membrane has a load of 25 to 100 kg/Cr? Since a pressure of L is applied, it is preferably supported by a porous ceramic tube, a porous metal tube, or the like.

It can also be used to concentrate milk.

That is, a hollow fiber membrane with a large pore size separates particulate matter such as milk fat and casein, and a second hollow fiber membrane with a small pore size concentrates a solution containing water-soluble proteins and sugars. Most of the liquid that passes through the membrane becomes water.

The apparatus of the present invention can also be used to treat oil-containing wastewater containing a large amount of surfactant, such as cutting oil wastewater.

In other words, when oil-containing wastewater is introduced by applying pressure between the hollow fibers and the container of a device in which a hollow fiber membrane with a large pore size is installed on the outside and a hollow fiber membrane with a small pore size on the inside, large oil particles in the form of oil droplets are generated. is collected without passing through the outer hollow.

When the emulsifier-dissolved liquid that has passed through the outer hollow fiber comes into contact with the inner hollow membrane, only water passes through it, and the emulsifier solution is concentrated.

Furthermore, this double hollow fiber type device is suitable for blood purification by introducing dialysate into the outermost part and blood into the innermost part, and can also be used in combination with an adsorbent.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show examples. Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a multi-component-containing fluid treatment device in which double hollow fibers are supported at both ends, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device consisting of quadruple hollow fibers. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a-a' in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a device in which double hollow fibers are bent into a U-shape and both ends of the fiber are supported on one side. , FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a schematic combination of the double hollow fibers of FIG. 1. A, B, C, D, E, F...Fluid inlet/outlet, ■
. J...Hollow fiber (pipe), K...Container, G
, H...Hollow fiber (pipe) support wall, b, c, d,
e, f...Fluid inlet/outlet, g, h, l, J...
...Hollow fiber (pipe), A22B, H2, H, H...
...Fluid inlet/outlet, g. Ch...Hollow fiber (pipe), Su...Container.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 In an apparatus for treating a fluid containing multi-component substances using hollow fibers or tubular membranes having semi-permeability, two or more membranes having different diameters and permselectivity, the inner one being longer, etc. In order to support both ends of all hollow fibers (tubes) by arranging multiple sets of multiple hollow fibers (tubes) concentrically at intervals, the diameter and length are The same hollow fibers (tubes) are supported in the vessel by a common support wall, which separates the feed liquid and each permeate from mixing with each other, and the multicomponent fluid to be treated is transferred to the multiple hollow fibers (tubes). or into the innermost or outermost part of the hollow fiber (pipe) or into the gap of the hollow fiber (pipe) to remove part or all of the multicomponent-containing fluid from the multicomponent-containing fluid by pressure difference energy and/or concentration difference energy. Separating device.