阅读说明：本技术 中空丝膜组件 (Hollow fiber membrane module ) 是由 林文弘 室谷保彦 桥本隆昌 宇野敦史 铃木良昌 于 2019-09-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开的一个方式的中空丝膜组件具有多个开口端口,并且包括至少一侧壁开口的四角筒状的外部壳体、和构成为可放置沿上述外部壳体的长度方向对齐的多个中空丝膜且构成为可插入上述一侧壁的内部壳体。(A hollow fiber membrane module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a quadrangular tube-shaped outer case having a plurality of open ports and at least one side wall open, and an inner case configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and configured to be insertable into the one side wall.)

1. A hollow fiber membrane module having a plurality of open ports, comprising

An outer case having a rectangular tubular shape with at least one side wall open;

an inner housing configured to receive a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer housing and configured to be inserted into the one sidewall.

2. The hollow fiber membrane module of claim 1, wherein

The plurality of open ports are disposed on a same wall of the outer housing.

3. The hollow fiber membrane module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

The filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane relative to the outer shell is more than 10%.

4. The hollow fiber membrane module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

The side plate of the inner case functions as a lid body of the one side wall.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to hollow fiber membrane modules. The present application claims that all the description contents described in japanese application No. 2018-193633, which was filed on 12/10/2018, are applied as priority.

Background

In order to filter various kinds of liquid to be treated, a so-called cross-flow type hollow fiber membrane module is used in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in one direction are accommodated in a cylindrical casing, the liquid to be treated is supplied into the casing from a liquid-to-be-treated nozzle provided at one end portion of the casing, a filtrate that has permeated an inner space of the hollow fiber membranes is discharged from a filtrate nozzle provided at the other end portion of the casing, and a concentrated liquid obtained by concentrating the liquid to be treated is discharged from a concentrated liquid nozzle provided at a side surface near the other end portion of the casing.

A cylindrical body is widely used as a housing of such a hollow fiber membrane module, and after a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are inserted into the housing in the axial direction, both ends of the cylindrical body are sealed. The method of sealing the end of the cylindrical body is generally performed by screwing the lid (see japanese patent application laid-open No. 11-5024).

[ Prior art documents ]

[ patent document ]

[ patent document 1 ] Japanese patent application laid-open No. 11-5024

Disclosure of Invention

A hollow fiber membrane module according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of open ports, and includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case having at least one side wall open, and an inner case configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and being insertable into the one side wall.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an outer housing of a hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A is a schematic perspective view showing an insertion step of an inner housing of a hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3B is a schematic perspective view illustrating an insertion step of the inner housing of the hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a liquid flow path in the hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an outer housing of a hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a flow path of a liquid in the hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 3 of the present disclosure.

Description of the reference numerals

1. 50, 100 hollow fiber membrane module

2. 12, 22 outer casing

3 inner case

4 hollow fiber membrane

5. 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 open port

8 side plate

10. 20, 60 openings

30. 40, 70 sealing the hole

32. 42, 72 bottom wall

33. 43, 73 upper wall

34. 35, 44, 45, 74, 75 side wall

36 sealing part

38. 48 1 st communication path

39. 49 2 nd communication path

41 liquid introduction path

Detailed Description

Problems to be solved by the disclosure

Further improvement in separation performance is required for the hollow fiber membrane module. As a method for improving the separation performance, it is considered to increase the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module, but it is not easy to greatly increase the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the cylindrical housing of the above-mentioned conventional hollow fiber membrane module.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a hollow fiber membrane module capable of improving a filling rate of a hollow fiber membrane and achieving an improvement in separation performance.

Effects of the disclosure

The hollow fiber membrane module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can improve the filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane and improve the separation performance.

Description of embodiments of the disclosure

The present inventors considered that in order to improve the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module, it is effective to form the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module in a quadrangular tube shape, and studied it. On the other hand, when the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module has a quadrangular tube shape, it is difficult to adopt the screw structure of the cylindrical module at the end of the housing. Therefore, the present invention has been achieved in consideration of whether or not the end of the housing can be easily sealed by adopting a specific structure as a sealing means of the housing.

A hollow fiber membrane module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of open ports, and includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case having at least one side wall open, and an inner case configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and to be insertable into the one side wall.

In the hollow fiber membrane module, the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module is formed in a quadrangular tube shape, and more hollow fibers can be contained than in a cylindrical housing, so that the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module can be increased, the separation performance can be improved, and a high-performance module having higher filtration performance and degassing performance can be provided. The hollow fiber membrane module includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case having at least one side wall opened, and an inner case configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and configured to be inserted into the one side wall. Thus, the housing can be easily sealed without using a screw structure as a sealing means for the outer housing after the hollow fiber membrane is inserted into the housing.

The plurality of open ports are preferably provided on the same wall of the outer case. By thus collectively providing the plurality of opening ports on the same wall, the hollow fiber membrane module can be easily attached to the equipment, and the installation space can be made compact.

The filling ratio of the hollow fiber membrane to the outer case is preferably 10% or more.

In the hollow fiber membrane module, the filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane is more than 10%, so that the separation performance can be further improved. Here, the "filling ratio of the hollow fiber membranes" refers to a filling density of the hollow fiber membranes filled in the outer case, and is a ratio (%) of a total cross-sectional area occupied by the hollow fiber membranes obtained from the outer diameter of each hollow fiber membrane in the same cross-section to an area of a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membranes in the internal space formed by the inner surface of the outer case (filling ratio based on the outer diameter of the hollow fiber membranes).

The side plate of the inner case preferably functions as a lid body of the one side wall. Thus, the housing can be easily sealed without using a screw structure as a sealing means for the outer housing after the hollow fiber membrane is inserted into the housing.

Detailed description of the present disclosure

Hereinafter, embodiments of the hollow fiber membrane module according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[ embodiment 1 ]

Fig. 1 to 3A and 3B show a hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The hollow fiber membrane module 1 of embodiment 1 includes an inner case 3, and an outer case 2 accommodating the inner case 3. The outer case 2 has a rectangular tubular shape, has a plurality of open ports, and has at least one side wall open. The inner case 3 is configured to be able to receive a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 aligned in the longitudinal direction of the outer case 2, and is configured to be inserted into the one side wall of the outer case 2. The hollow fiber membrane module 1 is used for various membrane separation applications such as filtration and degassing. Therefore, the hollow fiber membrane module 1 differs in the object that passes through the hollow fiber membranes 4 depending on the purpose of filtration, deaeration, or the like. For example, when the hollow fiber membrane module 1 is used as a filtration module, a solvent in a liquid to be treated is permeated, and impurities having a predetermined particle diameter or more contained in the liquid to be treated are prevented from permeating. Further, when the hollow fiber membrane module 1 is used as a degassing module, both liquid and gas can permeate the hollow fiber membrane.

In the hollow fiber membrane module 1, the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module is formed in a quadrangular tube shape, and thus more hollow fibers can be contained than in a cylindrical housing, so that the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module can be increased, the separation performance can be improved, and a high-performance module having higher filtration performance and degassing performance can be provided. Further, the hollow fiber membrane module can be easily attached to the equipment by forming the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module into a quadrangular tube shape. Further, the hollow fiber membrane module includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case having at least one side wall opened, and an inner case configured to be able to accommodate a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and to be able to be inserted from the opening of the one side wall, and thus the outer case 2 can be easily sealed without using a screw structure as a sealing means of the outer case 2.

The respective structural components of the hollow fiber membrane module are described in detail below.

< outer case >

As shown in fig. 1 to 3A, B, in the rectangular tubular outer case 2, the opposing side walls 2 are open and include an upper wall 33, a bottom wall 32, and a pair of opposing side walls 34 and 35.

That is, the outer case 2 has an opening 10 and an opening, not shown, facing the opening 10. The outer case 2 has a plurality of opening ports 5, 6, and 7.

The outer case 2 accommodates an inner case 3 in which a bundle of hollow fiber membranes 4 composed of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 is placed. The inner case 3 is inserted from the opening 10 of the outer case 2. In addition, in the case of a structure in which the outer case 2 can be inserted into and removed from the inner case 3, the inner case 3 can be replaced.

Examples of the material of each component of the outer case 2 include metals such as iron, stainless steel, and aluminum, and resin compositions containing PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and ABS resin (acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene copolymer) as a main component.

(opening port)

The outer case 2 has a plurality of opening ports 5, 6, and 7.

The opening port is an outlet/inlet for a fluid, and is intended as an inlet/outlet for supplying a liquid and for recovering a liquid or a gas that has passed through. The opening ports 5, 6, and 7 have a joint structure capable of connecting a pipe to an outer end portion. Examples of the joint structure include a ferrule, a flange, and a male screw.

The opening ports 5, 6, and 7 are provided in the upper wall 33 of the outer case 2. The opening ports 5 and 7 are respectively provided on the end side of the upper wall 33 with respect to a seal hole 30 described later. Further, the opening port 6 is provided at a central portion between the opening ports 5 and 7. Such a plurality of open ports are preferably provided on the same wall of the outer housing 2. By thus collectively providing the plurality of opening ports on the same wall, the hollow fiber membrane module can be easily attached to the equipment, and the installation space can be made compact. The number of the opening ports is not particularly limited, and the present invention can be applied to a wiring line of a pressure sensor or the like, in addition to the use as an inlet and an outlet for a fluid. Here, the same wall means that, for example, the upper wall, the bottom wall, and any one of the pair of opposing side walls 2 constituting the outer peripheral surface of the unit case are the same.

The lower limit of the diameters of the opening ports 5, 6, and 7 is preferably 2mm, and more preferably 3 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the aperture of the opening port is preferably 30mm, and more preferably 20 mm. When the diameter of the opening port is less than the lower limit, the opening port may be easily clogged with impurities. On the other hand, if the diameter of the opening port exceeds the upper limit, the flow rate decreases, and deposits may be generated.

< inner case >

The inner case 3 is configured to be able to place a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in the longitudinal direction of the outer case 2. The inner case 3 integrates the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 by the side plates 8 and the sealing portions 36, and the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 are held in a state of being aligned in one direction in the outer case 2. The inner case 3 is configured to be inserted into the opening 10 of the outer case 2.

(hollow fiber Membrane)

The hollow fiber membrane 4 is a hollow fiber-shaped separation membrane. The material, film shape, film form, and the like of the hollow fiber membrane 4 are not particularly limited, and for example, a material containing a resin as a main component can be used. Here, the "main component" refers to the component having the largest content.

Examples of the resin include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and poly (4-methylpentene-1), silicon resins such as polydimethylsiloxane and copolymers thereof, fluorine resins such as polytetrafluoroethylene, modified polytetrafluoroethylene and polyvinylidene fluoride, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyamides, polyimides, polyetherimides, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, cellulose acetate, polyacrylonitrile and the like. Among these, porous PTFE having excellent mechanical strength, chemical resistance, heat resistance, weather resistance, incombustibility, and the like is preferable. The material for forming the hollow fiber membrane 4 may be appropriately blended with other polymers, additives such as lubricants, and the like.

Examples of the shape of the side wall of the hollow fiber membrane 4 include a porous membrane, a microporous membrane, and a non-porous homogeneous membrane (non-porous membrane). Examples of the membrane form of the hollow fiber membrane 4 include a symmetric membrane (homogeneous membrane) in which the chemical or physical structure of the whole membrane is homogeneous, and an asymmetric membrane (heterogeneous membrane) in which the chemical or physical structure of the membrane differs depending on the part of the membrane. An asymmetric membrane (heterogeneous membrane) is a membrane having a dense layer and a porous layer which are not porous. In this case, the dense layer may be formed anywhere in the membrane, such as in the surface layer portion of the membrane or inside the porous membrane. The heterogeneous membrane also includes a composite membrane having a different chemical structure, a multilayer membrane having a 3-layer structure.

The lower limit of the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane module 1 is preferably 10%, and more preferably 15%. On the other hand, the upper limit of the filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane is preferably 90%, and more preferably 80%. When the filling ratio of the hollow fiber membranes is less than the lower limit, the separation performance of the hollow fiber membrane module 1 may be reduced. On the other hand, if the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes exceeds the upper limit, the hollow fiber membranes may be broken when the hollow fiber membranes are filled in the container, or difficulty may occur when the outer case 2 is filled. In the hollow fiber membrane module 1, the separation performance can be further improved by setting the filling rate of the hollow fiber membranes to 10% or more.

(sealing part)

The sealing part 36 keeps the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 aligned in one direction without entanglement by respectively holding both end parts of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4.

The sealing portion 36 is formed of resin. That is, in the sealing portion 36, the resin is filled between the hollow fiber membranes 4. Examples of the resin used for the sealing portion 36 include epoxy resin, urethane resin, ultraviolet curable resin, fluorine-containing resin, polyamide resin, polyolefin resin such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Among these, epoxy resins and urethane resins are more preferable from the viewpoint of the performance as adhesives.

As shown in fig. 3A, the sealing portions 36 are not filled inside the hollow fiber membranes 4, but filled only between the hollow fiber membranes 4 and the inner wall of the side plate 8.

(sealing hole)

The outer housing 2 comprises 2 sealing holes 30 provided in the upper wall 33 and the bottom wall 32, respectively. The sealing holes 30 are provided for filling and sealing gaps between the upper and lower surfaces of both longitudinal end portions of the inner case 3 and the inner wall of the outer case 2 after the inner case 3 is inserted from the opening portion of the outer case 2. That is, the 4 seal holes 30 are configured to have openings in which the sealant can fill gaps between both longitudinal direction end portions of the inner case 3 and the inner wall of the outer case 2. That is, the sealant is filled only between the upper and lower surfaces of both longitudinal end portions of the inner case 3 and the inner wall of the outer case 2. Further, the inner case 3 is fixed inside the outer case 2 by filling the sealing agent from the sealing hole 30. The inner case 3 and the outer case 2 are adhesively sealed by a sealant, so that both longitudinal ends of the inner case 3 are kept airtight, and both longitudinal ends of the outer case 2 are opened. In this way, the first communication passages 38, 39 as the fluid flow passages shown in fig. 4 are formed by opening both ends in the longitudinal direction of the outer casing 2.

The sealant may be one that has high adhesiveness to the hollow fiber membrane 4 and can be cured in the support. In particular, when PTFE is applied as the main component of the hollow fiber membrane 4, an epoxy resin and polyurethane having high adhesiveness to PTFE and capable of reliably preventing the hollow fiber membrane 4 from falling off are preferable as the main component of the filler. The support body can hermetically seal the space between the hollow fiber membrane 4 and the support body by filling the 4 sealing holes 30 with the sealant, and can prevent the unfiltered treatment liquid from being mixed into the filtered treatment liquid from the outside.

(side plate)

As shown in fig. 3A, the 2 side plates 8 are members that respectively abut against both side portions in the longitudinal direction of the bundle of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 and support the hollow fiber membranes 4. The side plate 8 is configured to be insertable into the outer case 2 through the opening 10, and functions as a cover of a pair of opposing side walls that serve as an opening of the outer case 2. That is, the outer diameter of the side plate 8 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the opening 10 of the outer case 2. The thickness of the side plate 8 can be set as appropriate within a size range in which the length in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inner case 3 is substantially the same as the inner diameter in the width direction of the outer case 2.

In the inner case 3, a bundle of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 4 aligned in one direction is arranged between 2 side plates 8. That is, the bundle of hollow fiber membranes 4 is housed without protruding from one side end face and the other side end face of the 2 side plates 8. In this case, the length of the side plate 8 in the longitudinal direction is preferably the same as that of the hollow fiber membranes 4, but may be shorter than the hollow fiber membranes 4. In addition, fig. 3A and B show the case where the longitudinal direction of the side plates 8 has the same length as the hollow fiber membranes 4, and both longitudinal end surfaces of the hollow fiber membranes 4 are aligned at both longitudinal ends of the 2 side plates 8.

The side plate 8 may be made of the same material as that of the outer case 2.

(example of method for degassing liquid by hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 1)

Next, a method of degassing a liquid by the hollow fiber membrane module 1 according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to fig. 4. Hereinafter, a hollow fiber membrane degassing module will be described as an example of the hollow fiber membrane module. The hollow fiber membrane module 1 of embodiment 1 shown in fig. 4 is an internal perfusion type in which liquid in the hollow fiber membranes 4 is degassed by supplying and transmitting the liquid to the inside of the hollow fiber membranes 4 and depressurizing the outside of the hollow fiber membranes 4. Since the hollow fiber membrane module 1 is of the internal perfusion type, the diffusion direction is the radiation direction, and therefore the diffusion efficiency can be further improved. The opening port 7 is a liquid supply port, the opening port 5 is a liquid discharge port, and the opening port 6 is a gas discharge port. As described below, the opening port 7 communicates with the 2 nd communication passage 39, and the opening port 5 communicates with the 1 st communication passage 38.

As shown in fig. 4, the outer casing 2 has a 1 st communication passage 38 and a 2 nd communication passage 39 at both longitudinal end portions. As described above, the first communication path 38 and the second communication path 39 are formed at both longitudinal ends by inserting the outer case 2 into the inner case 3 and injecting an adhesive from the seal hole 30 to seal the outer case 2 and the inner case 3. Therefore, as indicated by an arrow F1, only the liquid supplied from the opening port 7 to the outer case 2 through the 2 nd communication passage 39 flows into the 1 st communication passage 38 through the inside of the hollow fiber membrane 4 and is discharged from the opening port 5. Further, since the outside of the hollow fiber membrane 4 communicates with the opening port 6, the outside of the hollow fiber membrane 4 is depressurized by sucking air from the opening port 6 by a suction pump not shown, and the liquid is degassed by discharging gas from the opening port 6.

[ 2 nd embodiment ]

The hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 2 is an external perfusion type in which liquid is degassed by supplying the liquid to the outside of the hollow fiber membrane and depressurizing the inside of the hollow fiber membrane. Since the hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 2 is of the external perfusion type, the pressure loss of the liquid can be suppressed to a low level. The same or corresponding portions as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

A hollow fiber membrane module 50 according to embodiment 2 shown in fig. 5 to 7 includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case 12 and an inner case 3. The hollow fiber membrane, not shown, of the inner casing 3 of embodiment 2 is permeable to gas but impermeable to liquid. In the outer housing 12, the opposed side walls are open and include an upper wall 43, a bottom wall 42, and a pair of opposed side walls 44 and 45. The outer case 2 has an opening 20 and an opening, not shown, facing the opening 20. The outer case 12 has a plurality of opening ports 15, 16, and 17. The inner case 3 is inserted into the outer case 12, and an adhesive is applied from the seal hole 40 to seal the outer case 12 and the inner case 3, whereby the 1 st communication path 48 and the 2 nd communication path 49 are formed at both end portions in the longitudinal direction. The opening port 16 is a liquid supply port, the opening port 15 is a liquid discharge port, and the opening port 17 is a gas discharge port. The opening port 17 communicates with the 2 nd communication passage 49, and the opening port 15 communicates with the 1 st communication passage 48. Further, a liquid introduction passage 41 communicating with the 1 st communication passage 48 is provided at one end side in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall 42 of the outer case 12.

(example of method for degassing liquid by hollow fiber membrane module of embodiment 2)

Next, a method of degassing a liquid by the hollow fiber membrane module 50 will be described with reference to fig. 7. Hollow fiber membrane module 50 of embodiment 2 is an external perfusion type in which liquid is degassed by supplying the liquid from open port 16 to the outside of hollow fiber membrane 4 and depressurizing the inside of hollow fiber membrane 4. Since the hollow fiber membrane module 50 is of the external perfusion type, the pressure loss of the liquid can be suppressed to a low level. In the hollow fiber membrane module 50, as indicated by an arrow F2, only the liquid supplied from the opening port 16 passes through the liquid introduction passage 41 and the 1 st communication passage 48 from the outside of the hollow fiber membranes 4 and is discharged from the opening port 15. Since the inside of hollow fiber membrane 4 communicates with opening port 17, the inside of hollow fiber membrane 4 is reduced in pressure by sucking air from opening port 17 by a suction pump not shown, and the gas in the liquid outside of hollow fiber membrane 4 permeates hollow fiber membrane 4 and is discharged from opening port 17 to degas the liquid.

[ embodiment 3 ]

Fig. 8 shows a hollow fiber membrane module 100 of embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. The same or corresponding portions as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The hollow fiber membrane module 100 of embodiment 3 has 5 open ports 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. The hollow fiber membrane module 100 includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case 22 and an inner case 3. The outer housing 22 includes an upper wall 73, a bottom wall 72, and a pair of opposing side walls 74 and 75, the opposing side walls being open. The outer case 22 has an opening 60 and an opening, not shown, facing the opening 60. The sealing of the outer case 12 and the inner case 3 is performed by inserting the inner case 3 into the outer case 12, and applying an adhesive from the sealing hole 70. The hollow fiber membrane module according to embodiment 3 of the present disclosure can be used for both of the internal perfusion type and the external perfusion type according to the purpose by having an opening port other than the liquid supply port, the liquid discharge port, and the gas discharge port. In addition, other open ports may be used as wiring for pressure sensors and the like, in addition to the use as an outlet/inlet for fluid.

As described above, according to the hollow fiber membrane module, the filling rate of the hollow fiber membrane can be increased, the separation performance can be improved, and a high-performance module having higher filtration performance and degassing performance can be provided. Further, the hollow fiber membrane module can be easily attached to the equipment by forming the housing of the hollow fiber membrane module into a quadrangular tube shape. Further, the hollow fiber membrane module includes a quadrangular cylindrical outer case having at least one side wall opened, and an inner case configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes aligned in a longitudinal direction of the outer case and configured to be inserted into the one side wall, and after the hollow fiber membranes are inserted into the case, the case can be easily sealed without using a screw structure as a sealing means for the outer case.

[ other embodiments ]

The presently disclosed embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the structure of the above-described embodiments, but is indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

In the above embodiment, the outer case and the inner case are fixed by the sealant, but may be fixed by fitting the side plates of the outer case and the inner case.