Three-dimensionally braided hollow fiber module for mass and energy transfer operations

Abstract

The invention relates to a hollow fiber bundle for accommodation in a mass transfer device, the hollow fiber bundle including a multitude of hollow fiber strands for heat transfer and/or mass transfer which are aligned essentially at least locally along a preferential direction and are arranged with respect to one another in relation to their local preferential directions such that at least one first group of hollow fiber strands points essentially in a first preferential direction, at least one second group of hollow fiber strands essentially in a second preferential direction and at least one third group of hollow fiber strands in essentially a third preferential direction, the three preferential directions being independent of one another.

1 . A hollow fiber bundle for accommodation in a mass transfer device,
 the hollow fiber bundle comprising:   a plurality of hollow fiber strands for at least one of mass transfer or heat transfer which are aligned at least locally essentially along a preferential direction, are arranged with respect to one another in terms of their local preferential directions such that at least one first group of hollow fiber strands points essentially in a first preferential direction, at least one second group of hollow fiber strands points essentially in a second preferential direction, and at least one third group of hollow fiber strands essentially in a third preferential direction, wherein said three preferential directions are independent of one another.   
     
     
         2 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hollow fiber strands comprises a plurality of hollow fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of hollow fibers of the at least one hollow fiber strand are interbraided together. 
     
     
         4 . A hollow fiber bundle for accommodation in a mass transfer device, wherein one hollow fiber bundle comprises at least one hollow fiber strand for at least one of mass transfer or mass and heat transfer and which in turn comprises a plurality of hollow fibers interbraided together. 
     
     
         5 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 4 , wherein the interbraiding of the hollow fibers is realized such that same mutually stabilize each other. 
     
     
         6 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 4 , characterized in that wherein the at least one hollow fiber strand, in relation to at least one further hollow fiber strand, for at least one of mass transfer or mass and heat transfer is interconnected within the hollow fiber bundle to a plurality of hollow fibers interbraided together. 
     
     
         7 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 4 , wherein the hollow fiber bundle comprises two groups of hollow fiber strands which point in two mutually independent preferential directions. 
     
     
         8 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 4 , wherein the hollow fiber bundle comprises exactly three groups of hollow fiber strands which each point in one preferential direction which is independent from the other preferential directions. 
     
     
         9 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 8 , wherein the exactly three preferential directions are arranged essentially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 8 , wherein the first group of hollow fiber strands, the second group of hollow fiber strands, and the third group of hollow fiber strands are interbraided with one another. 
     
     
         11 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein the interbraiding of the first group of hollow fiber strands, the second group of hollow fiber strands, and the third group of hollow fiber strands is realized such that a self-supporting structure able to withstand mechanical loads is created as a result. 
     
     
         12 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 3 , wherein the interbraiding forms a regular structure with respect to the hollow fiber strands. 
     
     
         13 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first group of hollow fiber strands and the second group of hollow fiber strands are provided for mass transfer, and the third group of hollow fiber strands is provided for heat transfer. 
     
     
         14 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first group of hollow fiber strands and the second group of hollow fiber strands form at least one of one channel or a plurality of channels essentially along the preferential direction of the third group of hollow fiber strands. 
     
     
         15 . The hollow fiber bundle according to  claim 2 , wherein the hollow fibers of at least one hollow fiber strand are positioned at least in areas by the hole of one or more perforated discs. 
     
     
         16 . A mass transfer device for accommodating at least one hollow fiber bundle, comprising at least one hollow fiber bundle is formed according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing a hollow fiber bundle for accommodation in a mass transfer device comprising:
 providing at least one plurality of hollow fibers for at least one of mass or mass and heat transfer; and   arranging at least one plurality of the hollow fibers in at least one hollow fiber strand by interbraiding.