DEFECT DETECTION METHOD FOR MONOLITHIC SEPARATION MEMBRANE STRUCTURES, REPAIR METHOD, AND MONOLITHIC SEPARATION MEMBRANE STRUCTURES

摘要

Provided is a simple defect detection method for detecting defects in monolithic separation membrane structures in which a separation membrane is formed in a cell. Moreover, a repair method for repairing a monolithic separation membrane structure having a defective cell, and repaired monolithic separation membrane structures are provided. Each cell (4) is pressurized with gas from outside of the cell (4), the amount of permeation of the gas in the cell (4) is measured, and a cell (4) with a permeation amount greater than (mean of all cells + A) (provided that A is a prescribed value of &sgr; to 6&sgr;, where &sgr; is the standard deviation) is considered to be defective. Alternatively, pressure is reduced for each cell (4), the vacuum in the cell (4) is measured, and a cell (4) with a vacuum value worse than (mean of all cells + A) is considered to be defective. In addition, a polymer compound (27) is poured into the defect cells (4) of the monolithic separation membrane structure (1) and cured so that the defective cell (4) is sealed. Alternatively, the defective cell (4) is sealed by inserting the polymer compound (27) formed in advance into the defective cell (4).