Polymeric hollow fiber heat exchange systems

Abstract

Heat exchange systems are provided that include one or more polymeric hollow fibers. Exemplary hollow fibers are asymmetric and include a microporous wall and a dense skin formed thereon, thereby preventing liquid transmission and/or contamination through the wall of the hollow fiber while simultaneously enhancing heat transfer based on the presence of liquid molecules within the porous substructure of the hollow fiber. The hollow fibers may be employed in a variety of heat transfer-related commercial/industrial applications, including solvent-aqueous systems, organic-aqueous systems, organic-organic systems, desalination applications, solar heating applications, applications in the chemical industry, applications in the biomedical industry, and applications in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, e.g., extracorporeal blood oxygenation systems. Heat transfer systems wherein steam is advantageously condensed on a first side of a polymeric, hollow fiber-based heat exchanger are also provided. The condensed steam provides energy that may be used to heat water and/or other liquids that flow on a second side of the polymeric, hollow fibers.

1 . A heat exchange system comprising: 
 a heat exchange module configured and dimensioned to receive a plurality of polymeric hollow fibers; and    a plurality of polymeric hollow fibers positioned in said module, wherein said plurality of hollow fibers are asymmetric, porous hollow fiber with a dense skin formed on a surface thereof.    
   
   
       2 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange module is configured for cross-flow heat exchange.  
   
   
       3 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange module includes at least one baffle.  
   
   
       4 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange module is configured for parallel flow heat exchange.  
   
   
       5 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange module is adapted for use in at least one of the following applications: a desalination application, a solar heating application, a chemical application, a biotechnology application, a biomedical application, a blood oxygenation application, or a pharmaceutical application.  
   
   
       6 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein a dense skin is formed on a microporous surface of each of said plurality of hollow fibers.  
   
   
       7 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein said dense skin is effective to substantially prevent liquid transmission through the wall of the hollow fiber.  
   
   
       8 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , further comprising liquid molecules within the porous substructure of the polymeric hollow fibers.  
   
   
       9 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 8 , wherein the liquid molecules facilitate heat transfer through the hollow fiber, but are substantially prevented from passing through the wall of the hollow fiber.  
   
   
       10 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange module is configured to receive process fluids and wherein the plurality of polymeric hollow fibers are substantially inert to said processing fluids.  
   
   
       11 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of polymeric hollow fibers is fabricated from a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethersulfone (PES), polyamide, polyphenylenesulfide, polyimide, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PS), and poly-4-methyl-1-pentene (PMP).  
   
   
       12 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of polymeric hollow fibers has a wall that is between about 20-200 μm in thickness.  
   
   
       13 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the dense skin is formed by an interfacial polycondensation reaction.  
   
   
       14 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the dense skin is formed by the following process steps: fiber pores are wetted with an aqueous monomer solution, and an organic solution having a second monomer is passed through the lumen side of the fibers to form an interfacially polymerized polyamide film on the inner diameter of the fibers.  
   
   
       15 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal surface of the asymmetric polymeric hollow fibers is provided with a bilayer coating.  
   
   
       16 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 15 , wherein the first layer of the bilayer coating is formed from a reaction product of first and second reaction products.  
   
   
       17 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 15 , wherein the second layer of the bilayer coating is applied over the first layer.  
   
   
       18 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 15 , wherein the second layer of the bilayer coating is a cross-linked polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS).  
   
   
       19 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 18 , wherein the PDMS coating is applied by introducing a silicone solution and a curing agent to the asymmetric polymeric hollow fiber lumen.  
   
   
       20 . A heat exchange system comprising: 
 a heat transfer module that includes a plurality of polymeric hollow fibers, each of said plurality of polymeric hollow fibers including a wall that defines a first heat transfer side and a second heat transfer side;    a steam source that is adapted to supply steam to said heat transfer module; and    a liquid source that is adapted to supply a liquid flow to said heat transfer module;    wherein said steam is condensed on the first heat transfer side of the polymeric hollow fibers, thereby providing heat transfer energy to the liquid source on the second heat transfer side of the polymeric hollow fibers.    
   
   
       21 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 20 , wherein an overall heat transfer coefficient on the order of or greater than a liquid-liquid heat exchanger is achieved.  
   
   
       22 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric hollow fibers define a hydrophobic polymeric surface.  
   
   
       23 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 20 , wherein the steam is condensed in a drop-wise manner.  
   
   
       24 . A heat exchange system comprising: 
 a heat transfer module that includes a plurality of polymeric hollow fibers, each of said plurality of polymeric hollow fibers including a wall that defines a first heat transfer side and a second heat transfer side;    a brine source that is adapted to supply brine to said heat transfer module; and    a liquid source that is adapted to supply a liquid flow to said heat transfer module;    wherein heat transfer to the brine is effected through heat transfer within the heat transfer module in connection with desalination processing of said brine.    
   
   
       25 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 24 , wherein the liquid source is selected from the group consisting of brine, water and steam.  
   
   
       26 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of hollow fibers are asymmetric, porous hollow fibers.  
   
   
       27 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 26 , wherein the asymmetric, porous hollow fibers include a dense skin on a surface thereof.  
   
   
       28 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 24 , wherein the heat exchange module is adapted for at least one of cross-flow heat exchange and parallel flow heat exchange.  
   
   
       29 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 28 , wherein the heat exchange module includes at least one baffle.  
   
   
       30 . A heat exchange system according to  claim 24 , further comprising liquid molecules within a porous structure of the polymeric hollow fibers.