How to Set Up a Hollow-Fibre Module Manufacturing Line

At a glance. Making hollow-fibre modules takes six steps: spin, post-treat, bundle, pot, cut and test. Tech Inc. supplies the equipment for each, from laboratory to pilot production.

1. Spin the fibre

Lab work starts on a hollow-fibre spinning machine; scale-up moves to a pilot hollow fibre spinning line with metered dope and bore fluid, controlled air gap, coagulation baths and a winder.

2. Post-treat and dry

Rinse out solvent, soak in glycerol or another pore preserver, and dry under control so pores do not collapse.

3. Bundle

Cut fibres to length and place them in the module shell at the planned packing density, usually 40 to 60%.

4. Pot

Mix resin with a two-component resin dosing and mixing machine and pot both ends at once in a potting centrifuge, which drives resin evenly between the fibres.

5. Cut

Open the fibre bores with a module cutting guillotine: one clean stroke, no crushed fibres.

6. Test

• Integrity: hollow fibre module integrity tester (pressure decay or bubble point).

• Performance: clean water flux and rejection on a UF test skid.

Checks that keep modules consistent

• Fibre diameter and wall thickness each batch.

• Resin ratio and cure temperature.

• 100% integrity testing before shipping.

Frequently asked questions

Can we start small? Yes: lab spinning, a bench centrifuge and a manual guillotine are enough for prototypes.

What about small modules for customers? See our lab hollow fibre UF modules.

Send your fibre and module plans to mail@techincresearch.com for a line layout.