Patent ID: 8795526

Claim:
A membrane filtration apparatus comprising: a hollow fiber membrane element having a plurality of hollow fiber membranes with an upper end and a lower end, a hollow fiber membrane fixing member which bundles and fixes upper parts of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and leaves the upper ends open, a hollow fiber membrane closing member which bundles and fixes lower parts of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and closes the lower ends, and a water collecting cap which is engaged liquid-tightly with the hollow fiber membrane fixing member, the water collecting cap has a water collecting port and grooves formed on an outer periphery thereof; and a frame for a hollow fiber membrane element which supports the hollow fiber membrane element of the membrane filtration apparatus, the frame comprising a plurality of supporting beams in parallel to each other, at a part to be engaged with the hollow fiber membrane element; wherein the grooves of the hollow fiber membrane element are engaged with at least one of the supporting beams of the frame for a hollow fiber membrane element, and wherein the water collecting port includes a hollow part having a central axis that extends in a direction parallel to liquid flow through the water collecting port and perpendicular to a directional axis of the grooves and the central axis is positioned between the grooves.