Patent ID: 7393486

Claim:
A method of potting hollow fiber membranes comprising the steps of: forming a bundle of hollow fiber membranes, the membranes held together by a layer of adhesive material spaced from the ends of the membranes to provide a potting region between the layer of adhesive material and the ends of the membranes, and a second layer of adhesive material adhesive material adjacent the ends and on the opposite side of the potting region from the first material, and a cavity formed in part by the first and the second layer of adhesive material; placing the bundle of membranes in a mold wherein the mold seals against the adhesive material to complete the cavity of the potting region; injecting a liquid potting material into the cavity such that the potting material flows around the membranes and wherein the potting material is a thermoplastic material that is made liquid by melting it and solidified by cooling it; solidifying the potting material in a seal with the membranes; and, removing the bundle of membranes from the mold.