Membrane filtration unit and cassette, and method of making a membrane filtration unit

Abstract: A membrane filtration unit (6,42) comprises a stack (60) of rectangular membranes (61), arranged in pairs (62), where longitudinal edges of the membranes (61) define a surface, at which the interior (103) between the two membranes (61) of each pair (62) is open (at 104) in the entire length of the edges of the membranes, while the interior (105) between adjoining membranes (61) of each two consecutive pairs (62) is closed in a marginal zone by means of a cured binder (106). Advantageously, the stack (60) of membranes (61) may be enclosed in a cage-like structure, that may comprise a permeate collection chamber (70), solid end plates (65), a solid bottom plate (66) and supporting ribs (67) extending between the end plates. A membrane filtration cassette comprises a membrane filtration unit (6,42) as set forth above mounted in a cassette frame (1-5, 35-38). In a method of making a filtration unit as set forth above, envelope-shaped membrane units (62) are placed in a stack, a curable liquid binder (101) is introduced between the membrane units from at least one surface of the filtration unit to a predetermined depth (a), and upon curing of the binder a layer of the binder together with the marginal portions of the edges of the membrane units embedded therein is removed, such as by surface cutting or machining, up to a depth (b) smaller than the depth (a).

Description: The invention relates to a membrane filtration unit of the kind set forth in the introductory clause of claim 1. By feed liquid is to be understood the liquid to be treated, by permeate the liquid that has penetrated through the membranes, and by concentrate the liquid that has not penetrated through the membranes. A membrane filtration unit or device of the kind referred to is known from GB-A-2 192 812. In this known device each pair of membranes consists of a rectangular envelope, which is closed along all four edges. Each envelope is embedded at its upper end in a cured resin compound which spaces the envelopes apart in a marginal zone. A permeate channel is drilled through the assembly of resin and envelopes, the channel terminating at a permeate outlet in an end cap of the device. Since the flow of permeate out of the device has to take place through the drilled channel, which has a small cross-sectional area, the resistance to the outflow of permeate will be relatively high, and the device therefore requires a relatively high operating pressure on the feed liquid/concentrate side. It is an object of the invention to provide a membrane filtration unit of the kind referred to in which the resistance to the flow of permeate out of the unit is reduced to a minimum. This is achieved by the combination of features set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1. In a filtration unit thus constructed the permeate can flow freely out of the interior between the two membranes of each pair along the entire length of the longitudinal edges of the membranes, i.e. practically with no flow resistance at all. At the same time the low resistance permeate flow passages thus formed between the two membranes of each pair are isolated from the feed liquid/concentrate passages formed between adjoining membranes of each two successive pairs by the fluid tight seal between their marginal portions. When the filtration unit is placed in a filtration housing, e.g. a cassette of the kind to be described below, having an inlet chamber for feed liquid or concentrate and an outlet chamber for permeate, a reliable isolation of these from one another can therefore be obtained without any need of providing special sealing means. Advantageously, the membrane filtration unit can be constructed with a permeate collection chamber or two opposite permeate collection chambers and with other outward structural elements as set forth in claims 4-8. Owing to the disposition of its flow passages for permeate and feed liquid/concentrate, the membrane filtration unit according to the invention is ideally suited for mounting in a cassette frame to form a membrane filtration cassette, such as set forth in claim 9. Such a membrane filtration cassette can be manufactured as a commercial article for delivery to customers for assembly with identical cassette units in a multiple array to build up a membrane filtration apparatus of the kind disclosed in EP-A-0 322 604. The invention also relates to a method of making a membrane filtration unit of the kind characterized in claim 1. The method is characterized by the sequence of steps set forth in claim 10. By this method it becomes possible to establish the required opening between the longitudinal edges of the two membranes of each pair and the required seal between the longitudinal edges of adjoining membranes of each two successive pairs by a few simple operations to be carried out after the membranes have been stacked. Preferably membrane pairs are employed in which both sides consist of a non-woven fabric, e.g. composite fibres comprising a core of polypropylene enclosed in polyethylene, on which a thin coating layer of the membrane material, i.e. in the form of a polysulfone, is deposited. The above mentioned spacing elements, i.e. both those serving to keep the two membrane sides apart, and those keeping adjacent membrane pairs apart, need not consist of separate elements, but may be constituted by portions integral with the membranes. The membranes can as an example be produced by the deposition of a membrane layer, e.g. consisting of polysylfone or polyvinylidene fluoride on a uniaxially profiled substrate, e.g. in the form of a knitted web, which is placed on the inner faces of the envelope-shaped membrane pair, thereby facilitating the flow of permeate towards the permeate outlet. If desired, a separate net or web may be additionally provided as a spacing element in each membrane pair. In another preferred embodiment membrane pairs are used which are formed by the deposition of a membrane layer on a strong biaxially profiled substrate, e.g. in the form of a coarse net. Hereby it is possible to obtain membranes which are profiled on both sides. By using such membranes, flow promoting passage systems are formed both in the interior of the membrane pair and in the interspaces between adjacent membrane pairs. The passage system in the said interspaces (the concentrate passages) is formed under the influence of the operating pressure in the concentrate urging the membrane layers into the mesh areas of the substrate. In a further embodiment membrane pairs are used, which consist of a membrane layer moulded onto a uniaxially profiled substrate, to the rear side of which a coarse network is fastened, e.g. by welding. The network ensures that the sides of the membrane pair are kept apart, because the operating pressure will cause the membrane layers to be deformed in the areas corresponding to the meshes of the coarse network, and the uniaxially profiled substrate ensures the formation of a passage system for permeate. Instead of using a net fastened to the rear side of the membrane substrate, a thin profiled and perforated plate may be used. The fastening of such a plate may e.g. be obtained by spot welding. Such a system has a relatively great strength and rigidity and is capable of resisting relatively great shearing forces. The said plate may be uni- or biaxially profiled. By selecting suitable separate spacing elements and/or integral spacing elements, desired main flow directions can be obtained on both the concentrate and the permeate side. It is preferred to use spacing elements which ensure that the main direction of flow on the concentrate side is perpendicular to the main direction of flow on the permeate side, and that the flow on the permeate side is guided directly towards the outlet opening/openings of each membrane pair. The envelope-shaped membrane pairs are preferably produced by `placing a membrane sheet, e.g. of rectangular shape, on top of another one and uniting the sheets along all four edges by welding or glueing, a separating element being sandwiched between the membrane layers, if desired, before the welding or glueing. After a surface treatment, if required, of the areas, which later come into contact with the curable binder, for the purpose of improving the adhesion of the binder to the membrane pairs, a stack of membrane units and spacing elements, if any, is built up and a curable binder is introduced into the interspaces between the membrane pairs, at least at one and, if desired, two opposite surfaces of the stack. The curable binder used for this purpose is preferably a polyurethane, but also other materials, such as epoxy resin, capable of establishing a binding between the membrane pairs and being resistant under the conditions prevailing in the operation of a membrane filtration apparatus, may be considered. After the binder has been cured, the marginal portions of the membrane pairs, and any spacing elements provided therebetween, as well as binder are removed from the surface or surfaces where the binder was previously introduced into the interspaces between the membrane units. The removal of material is stopped when the desired openings have been formed along the edges of the membrane pairs so that the remaining portions of the joint formed by the binder are not affected. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an example of a membrane filtration apparatus built up from membrane filtration cassettes each containing a membrane filtration unit, Fig. 2 is an end view of another example of such an apparatus, Fig. 3 is a cross-section along the line III-III in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a filtration unit according to the invention, Figs. 5-7 illustrate steps in the making of a filtration unit by the method according to the invention, Figs. 8-10 show examples of membrane pairs that may be used in carrying out the method according to the invention, Fig. 11 is an enlarged diagrammatic fragmentary section through a filtration unit built up from membrane pairs as in Fig. 10, Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section along the line XII-XII in Fig. 11, Fig. 13 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a corner of a filtration unit built up from membrane pairs as in Fig. 10 with a modification, Fig. 14 is a side view of a cassette frame adapted to accommodate a membrane filtration unit (not shown) to form a membrane filtration cassette according to the invention, Fig. 15 is a section along the line XV-XV in Fig. 14, Fig. 16 is a section along the line XVI-XVI in Fig. 14, Fig. 17 is a side view of a plate with reinforcement frame for use in assembling a plurality of membrane filtration cassettes to build up a membrane filtration apparatus, and Fig. 18 is a section along the line XVIII-XVIII in Fig. 17. The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 comprises five cassette frames 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, each containing a centrally arranged filtration unit 6 which only occupies part of the interior of the cassette frame so that free zones 7 and 8 are formed at opposite ends of each cassette frame. A cassette frame with a filtration unit arranged therein will in the following be referred to as a cassette. At the upper side of each cassette a discharge tube 9 for permeate is provided. The tube 9 communicates with a permeate collection chamber, which will be further described in the following. Between adjacent cassettes plates 10, 11, 12 and 13 are provided. Along the periphery of each plate a frame 14 is provided, which protrudes from both sides of the plate. The plates 10 are supported on two rods 16, which are mounted in end plates 17 and 18, which are again mounted on a frame 19. The end plates are connected by two additional rods 20. The rods 16, 20 are hollow and contain spindles 21, which are fastened in spindle fixtures 22 on the outer side of the end plate 18. When the apparatus is assembled, the threaded ends of the spindles 21 are threadedly engaged in nuts 23 mounted on the outer side of the end plate 17. The nuts are connected with sprockets 24, and all four sprockets 24 can be driven synchronously by a motor, not shown. As is apparent from Fig. 1, two of the cassette frames, viz. 1 and 5, are connected to a supply/discharge tube 25 for feed liquid and for concentrate, respectively. In the plates 10-13 flow passage openings 26 are provided alternately at one and the other side of the apparatus. The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 likewise comprises a frame 30, on which two pairs of hollow rods 31 and 32 are supported which are mounted in end plates 33 and 34. On the rods 31 and 32 an array of four cassette frames 35, 36, 37 and 38 are supported. Plates 39 are provided between each two cassette frames and in the region between the end plate 33 and the cassette frame 35 and between the cassette frame 38 and the end plate 34. Each plate 39 is constructed with an integrally connected reinforcement frame 40 which protrudes from both sides of the frame. The cassette frames 35-38 are sealed against the plates 39 by means of O-rings. Each cassette frame contains a filtration unit 42 in the form of a stack of pairs of membranes and interposed spacing elements. At its ends the stack is enclosed between end plates 43, and at its underside by a bottom plate 44. At its top the filtration unit is provided with a permeate collecting chamber 45 with a permeate outlet 46. In the interspaces between the outer side of the cassette frames and the portions of the reinforcement frames 40 overlapping the cassette frames, wedges 47 are provided at suitable intervals. The cassette frames are thereby protected against being deformed when subjected to high inner pressures. Each of the hollow rods 31 and 32 contains a spindle 48, which is mounted in a spindle fixture 49 attached to the outer side of the end plate 34. At its opposite end the spindle is threaded and engages a nut 50 which is fastened to a sprocket 51. All four sprockets 51 are coupled by means of a chain, not shown, to a drive, not shown. By means of this drive the end plates can be moved towards or away from one another. The filtration unit illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises a membrane stack 60 consisting of a multitude of membranes 61 - e.g. in the order of 100 or more - arranged in pairs, a spacing element in the form of a net or web 63 being provided between the membranes of each pair 62 and serving to keep the membranes at a distance from one another such that the permeate can flow along the membranes towards a permeate collecting chamber to be described below. The pairs of membranes are spaced from one another by means of spacing elements in the form of nets or webs 64 that are coarser than the nets or webs 63. At the ends of the stack of membranes, end plates 65 are provided which at the underside of the stack 60 of membranes are interconnected by a bottom plate 66. At the side faces of the stack 60 of membranes supporting ribs 67 are provided, the ends of which are fastened in slots 68 at the edges of the end plates. The upper side of the filtration unit is constituted by a top plate 69, which together with downwardly extending side wall portions 69a and end wall portions 69b form a permeate collection chamber 70 on top of the stack 60 of membranes. In this chamber transverse supporting ribs 71 are provided in which arcuate incisions 72 are made at their top to permit permeate collected in the chamber 70 to flow towards a permeate outlet 73. The filtration unit illustrated in Fig. 4 may advantageously be produced as follows: One end of each supporting rib 67 is inserted into the corresponding marginal slot 68 of one of the end plates 65 and is welded therein. Then the required number of pairs 62 of membranes with interposed spacing elements 63 are produced by placing a net or web 63 between the two membranes of each pair and closing each pair along three edges by means of an adhesive or by heat sealing. The pairs 62 of membranes thus produced are then stacked upon each other on the said end wall 65 with interposition of spacing elements 64 between the pairs. The other end plate 65 is now placed against the stack and connected with the supporting ribs 67 by introducing the free ends of the ribs into the marginal slots 68 of the plate and welding them therein. A moulding material or binder is now introduced into the interspaces between the pairs 62 of membranes from the top and bottom of the unit thus provided by placing the unit in inverted and upright position, respectively, in a moulding box which is partly filled with the moulding material, the moulding material also penetrating into the interstices of the spacing elements 64. The moulding material is introduced up to a distance of e.g. 40 mm from the top and bottom surface of the unit, respectively. Upon curing of the moulding material the moulding box is removed, and when both the top and the bottom have been thus treated, the bottom plate 66 is welded in position between the two end plates 65. The top of the unit thus produced is now subjected to a surface cutting or machining operation to remove material up to a depth which is substantially smaller than the above mentioned distance, e.g. 3 mm. Thereby a free passage is established to the flow passages between the two membranes of each pair 62 without establishing a communication with the flow passages formed by the spacing elements 64 between successive pairs 62 of membranes. Finally, the permeate collecting chamber is formed by welding the top plate 69 with supporting ribs 71 and wall portions 69a and 69b to the unit. Figs. 5-7 illustrate the essential steps of the method of making a filtration unit according to the invention. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional view of pairs 62 of membranes placed in a stack. The spacing elements 63 and 64 of Fig. 4 are omitted in Fig. 5, because, as will be explained later, in some modes of carrying out the method the required spacing of the membrames may be obtained by means other than separate spacing elements. Fig. 6 illustrates the introduction of a binder 101 into the interspaces between the membrane units constituted by the pairs 62 of membranes from the top surface of the stack up to a distance a from the top surface. If spacing elements 64 are provided between the membrane pairs, the binder will penetrate into the interstices of the spacing elements. The dot-dash line 102 in Fig. 6 indicates the depth b to which material is removed, e.g.. by a surface cutting or machining operation upon curing of the binder. The material removed comprises the binder, the marginal portions of the membrane units, and the spacing elements 63 and 64, if any. Fig. 7 illustrates the stack of membrane pairs in its final form. It will be seen that within each membrane pair a flow passage 103 is formed which at the top of the stack has a non-restricted opening 104 extending in the whole length of the membrane pair, so that the permeate collected within the membrane pair can flow out of this pair at a minimum of resistance. On the other hand, the whole top surface of the stack, including the free openings 104 of the membrane pairs, is sealingly separated from the concentrate flow passages 105 formed between the membrane pairs by the strings of binder 106 remaining between the membrane pairs. In the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 4, binder is also introduced between the membrane pairs from the bottom of the stack, though not succeeded by removal of material. By this operation strings of binder will also be formed between the membrane pairs at the bottom of the stack, and besides the membrane pairs will be closed along their bottom edges, if they were not beforehand so closed. If the membrane pairs are already closed along all four edges before stacking, the processing steps at the bottom of the stack may be omitted, if desired, but may be useful for stabilizing the membrane pairs. On the other hand, the full succession of operating steps, including the removal of material, may in that case be repeated at the bottom of the stack, if it is desired to construct the filtration unit with an additional permeate outlet chamber at the bottom of the stack. Fig. 8 shows a membrane pair, which is also composed of two membranes 107 and 108. Each membrane consists of a uniaxially profiled substrate, on which a membrane coating has been deposited, the profiled surfaces of the membranes being arranged face to face. As is apparent from the detailed view in Fig. 8, the two membrane sides facing one another have a vertically extending profile structure so that a large number of narrow vertical flow passages 109 for permeate are formed. When building up a stack of membrane pairs of the type illustrated in Fig. 8, spacing elements 64 may advantageously be sandwiched between the membrane units, as in Fig. 4. Fig. 9 shows two membranes 110 and 111 corresponding to the membranes 107 and 108 shown in Fig. 8. The membrane pair further comprises a rigid spacing element 112 arranged between the membranes 110 and 111, said element being provided on both sides with rib-like projections 113 extending perpendicularly to the profile structure of the opposed membrane sides. As a consequence of the relatively high liquid pressure on the concentrate side, the membranes will, during operation, be forced into the indentations between the rib-like projections, thereby forming horizontal flow passages for the liquid to be treated, these passages extending perpendicularly to the flow passages on the permeate side. Thus, with the membrane pair illustrated, flow passage systems are formed on both the permeate and the concentrate side. A corresponding advantageous flow pattern can be obtained by using the membrane pair shown in Fig. 10, consisting of a membrane 114 having a profile structure corresponding to that mentioned with reference to Fig. 8, and another membrane 115 having a dual profile structure comprising finely profiled areas 116 separated by taller rib-like projections 117, which in the use of the membrane unit in a stack form horizontal flow passages 118 on the concentrate side, while the profiled structure of the membranes 114 forms vertical flow passages 119 on the permeate side, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. In these figures each membrane is illustrated in the form of a membrane coating 114 and 115, respectively, deposited on a substrate 114 a and 115 a consisting of knitted webs profiled as mentioned above. The filtration unit illustrated in Fig. 13 is built up from membrane pairs as shown in Fig. 10, with the modification that the membrane pairs are tapered towards the lateral edges so as to form interspaces which at the corners of the filtration unit are filled with cured binder 120. Fig. 13 also shows that the filtration unit has a great number of fine vertical flow passages 119 for permeate and, separated from these, a smaller number of horizontal flow passages 118 for liquid to be treated. The cassette frame shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, corresponding to parts 35-38 in Fig. 3, comprises four flat bars constituting the frame sides, viz. a bottom bar 80, a top bar 81 and two lateral bars 82, 83. The lateral bar 82 has an opening 84, through which the interior of the cassette frame communicates with a feed liquid supply/concentrate outlet pipe 85, in which a similar opening 86 is provided. In the top bar 81, a permeate outlet tube 87 is provided. In the edges of the lateral bars grooves 88 are provided for accomodating O-rings. Figs. 17 and 18 show a rectangular plate 121, corresponding to parts 39 in Fig. 3, which is provided at its periphery with an integral frame 122, which protrudes from both sides of the frame so as to partly overlap the adjacent cassette frames 80-83 when the array of cassettes and plates has been assembled. At the right-hand end of the plate a row of through holes 123 are provided, forming flow passages between the free zones of adjacent cassette frames. When the plate 121 is used as end plate in the array of cassettes and plates, no holes are provided in the plate. Depending on the desired flow pattern, the plate may be provided with holes at both ends instead of at one end only.

Claims: Membrane filtration unit for use in a membrane filtration apparatus, the unit comprising a stack (60) of membranes (61), in which two discrete systems of flow passages are provided for conducting liquids along opposite surfaces of each membrane (61), viz. a first system for conducting feed liquid or concentrate, and a second system for conducting permeate, the membranes (61) being rectangular in shape and being arranged in pairs (62), where (1) each membrane (61) has opposite longitudinal edges and opposite transverse edges, the longitudinal edges of the totality of membranes defining opposite surfaces of the stack (60) of the membranes, (2) the membranes (61) of each pair (62) are sealingly connected with each other along the entire length of their transverse edges, (3) the longitudinal edge portions of adjoining membranes (61) of each two successive pairs (62) are bound together in a cured binder (106) along the entire length of the edges such that a fluid tight seal is formed between said adjoining membranes (61) in a marginal zone behind these edges, characterized in (4) that, at one of said opposite surfaces the interior (103) between the two membranes (61) is open (at 104) along the entire length of their longitudinal edges, and (5) that, at the other one of said opposite surfaces, the longitudinal edges of the membranes of each pair are either arranged in the same manner as set forth in point (4), or are sealed or bound in a cured binder along the entire length of these edges. Membrane filtration unit as in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises integral or separate spacing elements (65) located between the two membranes (61) of each pair (62). Membrane filtration unit as in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises integral or separate spacing elements (64) located between adjoining membranes (61) of each two successive pairs (62). Membrane filtration unit as in claim 1, characterized in that a permeate collection chamber (45,70) is sealingly connected around the perimeter of at least one of said opposite surfaces of the stack (60), at which the interior between the two membranes (61) of each pair (62) is open, the collection chamber thus communicating with the interior between the two membranes of each pair. Membrane filtration unit as in claim 4, characterized in that the pairs of membranes (62) are stacked between two end plates (65) which are mechanically interconnected at the vertical upper and lower sides of the unit by sealing connections with wall portions (69a) of the collection chamber (70), or, where no collection chamber is provided at the bottom of the unit, with a bottom plate (66). Membrane filtration unit as in claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises supporting ribs (67) fastened to the edges of the end plates (65) and extending perpendicularly to the transverse edges of the pairs of membranes (62). Membrane filtration unit as in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the permeate collection chamber (70) provided at the vertical upper side of the unit comprises a top plate (69) containing a permeate outlet, two downwardly extending side walls and two downwardly extending end walls, to which the end plates of the unit are connected. Membrane filtration unit as in claim 7, characterized in that the permeate collection chamber (70) further comprises a plurality of supporting ribs (71) on the inside of its top plate (69), the ribs (71) being provided with arcuate incisions (73) at their top. Membrane filtration cassette for assembly with identical cassettes in a multiple array to build up a membrane filtration apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a membrane filtration unit (6,42) as in any of claims 4-8, which is mounted in a cassette frame (1-5, 35-38) in such a manner that two free zones (7,8) are formed between the opposite transverse edges of the pairs membranes (62) and the ends of the cassette frame (1-5, 35-38), and an outlet (9,73) from the permeate collection chamber (70) extends out through the wall of the cassette frame (1-5, 35-38), the two free zones (7,8) serving to conduct feed liquid/concentrate to and from the filtration unit (6,42). A method of making a filtration unit as in claim 1, comprising a stack of membranes pairs having side edges and between the side edges opposed surfaces and in which two discrete systems of flow passages are provided for conducting liquids along the opposite surfaces of each membrane, viz. a first system for conducting feed liquid or concentrate, and a second system for conducting permeate, the method being characterized by comprising the steps of (a) building up a stack of envelope-shaped membrane pairs (62; 107,108; 110,111; 114,115), (b) introducing a curable liquid binder (101) between adjacent membrane pairs from the edges thereof in an area extending across the whole length and width of a surface of the stack up to a predetermined distance ( a) from said surface, (c) causing or leaving the binder thus introduced to cure, and (d) removing the cured binder and the marginal portions of the membranes up to a depth ( b ) smaller than said predetermined distance. A method as in claim 10, characterized by using membrane units (62; 107,108; 110,111; 114,115) having built-in integral or separate spacing elements. A method as in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that in building up the stack, spacing elements (64) are sandwiched between the envelope-shaped membrane units. A method as in claim 10 or 11, characterized by using membrane units (62; 107,108; 110,111; 114,115) with built-in spacing elements of a structure or configuration such as to form flow passages for permeate within each membrane unit. A method as in claim 10 or 13 characterized by using membrane units (110,111; 114,115) with built-in spacing elements of a configuration to form flow passages between adjacent membrane units. A method as in claim 10, characterized by using envelope-shaped membrane units produced by uniting two rectangular membrane sheets along their edges, such as by welding, heat sealing or glueing. A method as in claim 10, characterized by using a binder consisting of a polyurethane. A method as in claim 10, in which the removal of material is performed by a surface cutting or machining operation. A method as in claim 10, characterized in that steps (b) and (c) are performed in two opposite surface areas of the stack. A method as in claim 18, characterized in that also step (d) is performed in two opposite surface areas of the stack.

Inventors: MOLLER JENS KLOPPENBORG, MOLLER, JENS KLOPPENBORG
Applicants: DOW DANMARK, DOW DANMARK A/S
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B01D63
IPC codes: B01D63