US 12,285,724 B2
Membrane distillation module and membrane distillation apparatus using same
Tomotaka Hashimoto, Tokyo (JP); and Tomoya Anan, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/420,425
Filed by Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/000744
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 2, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/145401, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-003380 (JP), filed on Jan. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0080358 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 61/36 (2006.01); B01D 69/02 (2006.01); B01D 69/08 (2006.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01)
CPC B01D 61/364 (2013.01) [B01D 61/3641 (2022.08); B01D 69/02 (2013.01); B01D 69/08 (2013.01); C02F 1/447 (2013.01); B01D 2313/042 (2022.08); B01D 2313/22 (2013.01); B01D 2325/38 (2013.01); C02F 2201/004 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A module for membrane distillation comprising a housing, and a plurality of porous hollow fiber membranes each having both ends adhesively anchored to the housing, wherein: the water contact angle of the outer surface of each of the porous hollow fiber membranes is 90° or greater, a hydrophobic polymer is adhered to at least some of the locations among the non-adhesively anchored locations of the porous hollow fiber membranes,
and wherein the locations from one end to the other end in the lengthwise direction among the non-adhesively anchored locations are represented as 0% to 100% on both the inner surface and outer surface of each porous hollow fiber membrane, either or both the amount of hydrophobic polymer per membrane area adhering to locations at 0 to 5% from the one end and the amount of hydrophobic polymer per membrane area adhering to locations at 95 to 100% from the one end are greater than the amount of hydrophobic polymer per membrane area present in locations at 40 to 60% from the one end wherein a raw water introduction unit is disposed in so that the non-adhesively anchored location of each porous hollow fiber membrane is nearest to the raw water introduction unit at a location within less than 50% from the one end, and the amount of the hydrophobic polymer per membrane area of the porous hollow fiber membrane satisfies the following relationship: [Amount of hydrophobic polymer at locations at 0 to 20% from the one end]>[a mount of hydrophobic polymer at locations at 95 to 100% from the one end]>[a mount of hydrophobic polymer at locations at 40 to 60% from the one end.