IP Library Granted Patent US 11,065,582
Granted Patent B2
US 11,065,582 · App. 16/323,186 · Granted Jul 20, 2021

Computer-readable recording medium on which clogging location specification program for separation membrane module is recorded, water production system, and water production method

Inventors: Kazuki Hagawa (Shiga, JP); Daishi Tateoka (Shiga, JP); Kazunori Tomioka (Shiga, JP); Masayuki Shintani (Shiga, JP)
Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
B01D65/10B01D61/22B01D63/02B01D65/02B01D65/08C02F1/44B01D2311/24B01D2313/48B01D2321/04B01D2321/16B01D2321/18B01D2321/40C02F2209/006C02F2209/03C02F2303/16
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,065,582
App. No.
16/323,186
Granted
Jul 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a clogging location determination program for a separation membrane module, in which, in order to determine a clogging location of a separation membrane module in a fresh water generation system for obtaining treated water by filtrating water to be treated by a separation membrane module having a separation membrane, a computer is caused to function as a clogging location determination means for determining a clogging location of the separation membrane module from a resistance in a lower part of the separation membrane module, a filtration resistance of a hollow-fiber membrane, and a resistance in an upper part of the separation membrane module.

Claims (22)

1. A fresh water generation method for obtaining treated water by filtrating water to be treated by a separation membrane module having a separation membrane, comprising the steps of:

feeding water to be treated to a primary side of the separation membrane module;

measuring and obtaining a difference in a resistance between an inlet side and an outlet side on the primary side of the separation membrane module in the step of feeding, as being a first resistance R1;

performing a filtration step by pressure-feeding water to be treated from the primary side to a secondary side of the separation membrane module;

measuring and obtaining a difference in a resistance between the inlet side on the primary side and the secondary side of the separation membrane module in the filtration step, as being a second resistance R2;

performing a backwashing step by performing permeation from the secondary side to the primary side of the separation membrane module;

measuring and obtaining a difference in a resistance between the inlet side and the outlet side on the primary side of the separation membrane module in the backwashing step, as being a third resistance R3;

determining a clogging location of the separation membrane module from a resistance in a lower part of the separation membrane module, a filtration resistance of a hollow-fiber membrane, and a resistance in an upper part of the separation membrane module, comprising the sub-step of:

determining as to which location is clogged among the lower part of the separation membrane module, the hollow-fiber membrane, and the upper part of the separation membrane module based on computing operations of R1−R3 and R2−(R1−R3) using the first resistance R1, the second resistance R2 and the third resistance R3;

prioritizing the determined clogging location to be cleaned compared with other locations; and

cleaning the determined clogging location.

2. The fresh water generation method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

measuring and obtaining a difference in a resistance between the secondary side and the outlet side on the primary side of the separation membrane module in the backwashing step, as being a third resistance R3′,

wherein the step of determining the clogging location further comprises determining the clogging location based on computing operations of (R1+R2)−R3′, (R1+R3′)−R2 and (R2+R3′)−R1 using the first resistance R1, second resistance R2 and third resistance R3′.

3. The fresh water generation method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the difference computing operation, the first resistance R1, the second resistance R2 and the third resistance R3 are calculated based on pressure data.

4. The fresh water generation method according to claim 2 , wherein, in the difference computing operation, the first resistance R1, the second resistance R2 and the third resistance R3′ are calculated based on pressure data.

5. The fresh water generation method according to claim 1 , wherein a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R1−R3, a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R2−(R1−R3), and a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R3 are calculated, and

when the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R1−R3 is larger than the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R2−(R1−R3) and the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R3, the lower part of the separation membrane module is determined as a clogging location, and at least one of control a of performing air scrubbing while making a liquid level on the primary side within the separation membrane module to fluctuate up and down, control b of increasing a process time of a draining step, and control c of performing, in the draining step, pressure draining of draining water by pressurizing the primary side of the separation membrane module with air, is conducted.

6. The fresh water generation method according to claim 1 , wherein a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R1−R3, a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R2−(R1−R3), and a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R3 are calculated, and

when the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R3 is larger than the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R1−R3 and the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R2−(R1−R3), the upper part of the separation membrane module is determined as a clogging location, and at least one of control d of feeding water to be treated in a reverse direction through a nozzle of the separation membrane module, which is used for discharging cleaning drainage, and control e of cleaning the separation membrane module by operating a backwashing pump after discharging and emptying water on the primary side of the separation membrane module, is conducted.

7. The fresh water generation method according to claim 1 , wherein a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R1−R3, a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R2−(R1−R3), and a variation or a change rate from an initial value of R3 are calculated, and

when the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R2−(R1−R3) is larger than the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R1−R3 and the variation or the change rate from the initial value of R3, the hollow-fiber membrane is determined as a clogging location, and at least one of control f of conducting cleaning of the separation membrane module by feeding a chemical solution to the separation membrane module, control g of changing at least one of a backwashing time and an air scrubbing time, and control h of changing at least one of a backwashing flow rate in the backwashing step and an air amount in an air scrubbing step, is conducted.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2019
From: HAGAWA, KAZUKI; TATEOKA, DAISHI; TOMIOKA, KAZUNORI; SHINTANI, MASAYUKI
To: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 048241/0485 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2016-154212 · Aug 5, 2016 · national
JP JP2016-157225 · Aug 10, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190184343A1 · Jun 20, 2019