MEMBRANE MODULE SYSTEM WITH BUNDLE ENCLOSURES AND PULSED AERATION AND METHOD OF OPERATION

摘要

A membrane filter module configured to treat a liquid contained in a tank at an ambient pressure. The module may have a header, with a bundle containing a plurality of substantially vertical hollow fiber membranes, wherein a lower end of each hollow fiber membrane is fixed in the header. The module may also have a gasification device adapted to periodically generate a gaseous bubble and configured to release the gaseous bubble within the bundle. The module may further have an enclosure that substantially surrounds the bundle that extends from a lower region to an upper region of the membrane bundle, wherein the enclosure is configured to retain the liquid introduced into the enclosure such that the liquid surrounds the membrane bundle. The gaseous bubble has a cross-sectional area that corresponds with a cross-sectional area of the enclosure, such that the cross-sectional area of the gaseous bubble occupies substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the enclosure as it flows along the bundle.

主权项

1. A method of operating a membrane filter module having hollow fiber membranes arranged in a substantially vertical orientation, that are immersed in a liquid in a tank, the method comprising:
operating the module submerged in the liquid wherein the module includes:
a header;a bundle containing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, wherein a lower end of each hollow fiber membrane is fixed in the header;a gasification device adapted to periodically generate a gaseous bubble and configured to release the gaseous bubble within the bundle; andan enclosure that substantially surrounds the bundle that extends from a lower region to an upper region of the membrane bundle, wherein the enclosure is configured to retain the liquid introduced into the enclosure such that the liquid surrounds the membrane bundle; applying a pressure that is less than an ambient pressure of the tank to a permeate collection chamber, that is in fluid communication with the hollow fiber membranes, wherein applying the pressure is configured to cause a portion of the liquid to pass through the hollow fiber membranes as permeate into the permeate collection chamber; supplying a gas stream to the gasification device; wherein the gaseous bubble has a cross-sectional area that corresponds with a cross-sectional area of the enclosure, such that the cross-sectional area of the gaseous bubble occupies substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the enclosure as it flows along the bundle.