A tubular support for use with a hollow fiber membrane is made with an apparatus that comprises a forming machine and an ultrasonic welding machine. The apparatus may also include a coating nozzle for depositing a dope on the support. In operation, filaments are formed into a tubular structure in which the filaments cross each other in radial and circumferential directions, for example a braid. The filaments are ultrasonically welded together at intersections between them. The support is combined with a polymeric membrane wall to form a hollow fiber membrane.
1. A hollow fiber membrane comprising:
a plurality of filaments forming a braided tubular support, and
a polymeric membrane wall attached to the tubular support,
wherein the filaments cross each other in both radial and circumferential directions,
and wherein the filaments are ultrasonically welded together at one or more intersections where the filaments cross each other.
2. The hollow fiber membrane of claim 1 wherein the membrane wall has pores in the microfiltration or ultrafiltration range.