Patent · US Expired

Frameless array of hollow fiber membranes and module containing a stack of arrays

US5104535A · kind A · utility

100Cited by
11References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 17, 1990
Grant dateApr 14, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 17, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01D63/04
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A module is disclosed for use as a membrane device, comprising, a shell with fluid couplings removably affixed to each of its ends. A stack is formed with plural frameless arrays of hollow fibers of selectively permeable material. Each array is free of any means to support the fibers intermediate split-clip headers in which the fibers are held near their opposite ends. The split-clip headers are identical. Each has longitudinal, laterally spaced apart grooves in the inner surfaces of upper and lower sections from which the split-clip header is formed. The grooves in each section placed one upon the other, together form a through-passage in which a terminal portion of a fiber is snugly embraced. The fibers lie in parallel spaced-apart relationship in a plane substantially orthogonal to the direction of flow of said feedstream. The fibers of one array lie transversely to those of another array. The stack is disposed longitudinally within the shell and comprises plural split-clip headers which when laminated, one to another, define a fluid-tight conduit with open ends through which a feedstream is flowed transversely over the fibers. The bores of the fibers are in open fluid communica…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.