Methods of Making a Hollow Fiber Membrane Element Adapted for use in Water Treatment and Osmotic Processes

摘要

A membrane element comprising: a hollow fiber (HF) stack comprising a plurality of loosely packed hollow fibers (HFs) comprising first ends extending through one contact structure and opposed ends extending through an opposed contact structure, each HF comprising an elongated lumen extending between the one contact structure and the opposed contact structure and comprising a hydrophilic semipermeable membrane adapted to achieve salt rejection of 98.5% or more and exhibiting a surface tension of 35 dynes/cm or more; the membrane element being adapted to be encased in a frame and submersed in a first fluid and for induced osmosis between lumens of the plurality of loosely packed HFs and the first fluid, the membrane element having sufficient mechanical integrity when encased in the frame and submersed in the first fluid to sustain turbulence flow across and along surfaces of the plurality of loosely packed HFs at a Reynolds' Number of about 3,000 or more and to maintain said mechanical integrity at feed pumping pressures of 30 bars or higher.