# US 10,246,350 B2 · High velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,350 B2 - Document ID: US10246350B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/912,086 - Filed: 2018-03-05 - Published: 2018-07-12 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-22 - Assignees: Pro-Equipment, Inc. - Applicants: PRO-Equipment, Inc. - Inventors: Richard Davie; Ingchen Douglas Hwang; Ludek Zatopek; Karel Vokurka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246350B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)} - B01D 61/14: Ultrafiltration; Microfiltration - B01D 61/18: Apparatus therefor - B01D 61/22: Controlling or regulating - B01D 63/084: {at least one flow duct intersecting the membranes} - B01D 63/16: Rotary, reciprocated or vibrated modules - B01D 65/08: Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation - B01D 2313/06: External membrane module supporting or fixing means - B01D 2313/086: Meandering flow path over the membrane - B01D 2313/56: Specific mechanisms for loading the membrane in a module - B01D 2315/02: Rotation or turning - B01D 2315/10: Cross-flow filtration - B01D 2319/04: Elements in parallel - B01D 2321/2016: Static mixers; Turbulence generators - B01D 2321/2033: dynamically - B01D 2321/40: Automatic control of cleaning processes - C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) - C02F 2209/005: Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC] - C02F 2209/02: Temperature - C02F 2209/06: pH - C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate - C02F 2209/42: Liquid level - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A method of operating a high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration includes feeding a fluid stream into a pressure vessel, in which the vessel defines a treatment chamber containing a disc membrane assembly having a first support shaft and a second support shaft, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs. The method further includes distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly. The method also includes discharging a first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel and discharging a second portion of the fluid stream from the vessel. The method additionally includes rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction. The rotating includes modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system, the method comprising: feeding a fluid stream into a pressure vessel, the vessel defining a treatment chamber containing a disc membrane assembly having a first support shaft and a second support shaft, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs; distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly; discharging a first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel; discharging a second portion of the fluid stream from the vessel; and rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction, wherein the vessel defines a length between a first end and a second end and includes a plurality of discharge ports spaced along the length, and wherein discharging the first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel includes discharging the first portion through any combination of one or more discharge ports of the plurality of discharge ports. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel includes a plurality of feed ports spaced along the length, and wherein distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly includes distributing the fluid stream through any combination of one or more feed ports of the plurality of feed ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to a flow parameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the rotating includes modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream, and wherein modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream includes increasing the rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion being less than a predetermined setpoint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further including initiating a self-cleaning cycle in response to the rotation rate exceeding a predetermined maximum rotation rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including redirecting a portion of fluid into an overlapping disc space of one or more discs of the plurality of axially spaced membrane discs associated with the first or second support shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly includes distributing a fluid stream comprising a consumer beverage or a process wastewater or seawater. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system, the method comprising: feeding a fluid stream into a pressure vessel, the vessel defining a treatment chamber containing a disc membrane assembly having a first support shaft and a second support shaft, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs; distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly; discharging a first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel; discharging a second portion of the fluid stream from the vessel; and rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction, wherein the vessel defines a length between a first end and a second end and includes a plurality of feed ports spaced along the length and a plurality of discharge ports spaced along the length, and wherein distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly includes distributing the fluid stream through a feed port nearer the first end than the second end, and wherein discharging the first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel includes discharging the first portion through a discharge port nearer the second end than the first end. ### Claim 9 A method of operating a high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system, the method comprising: feeding a fluid stream into a pressure vessel, the vessel defining a treatment chamber containing a disc membrane assembly having a first support shaft and a second support shaft, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs; distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly; discharging a first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel; and discharging a second portion of the fluid stream from the vessel, wherein the disc membrane assembly includes a frame having first and second end members and a plurality of rails extending between the first and second end members, the plurality of rails oriented generally parallel to the first and second support shafts, and wherein the vessel further includes a plurality of mounting rails affixed to a vessel interior, each mounting rail configured to receive a rail of the frame, the method further including ceasing the distributing and discharging steps; moving the disc membrane assembly out of the treatment chamber, the moving including translating each rail of the plurality of rails along an associated mounting rail of the plurality of mounting rails; moving another disc membrane assembly into the treatment chamber, the another disc membrane assembly having a frame with first and second end members and a plurality of rails extending between the first and second end members; and resuming the distributing and discharging steps. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further including rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to a flow parameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the rotating includes modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including initiating a self-cleaning cycle in response to the rotation rate exceeding a predetermined maximum rotation rate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further including redirecting a portion of fluid into an overlapping disc space of one or more discs of the plurality of axially spaced membrane discs associated with the first or second support shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly includes distributing a fluid stream comprising a consumer beverage or a process wastewater or seawater. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction, wherein the rotating includes modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction, and rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to a flow parameter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including initiating a self-cleaning cycle in response to the rotation rate exceeding a predetermined maximum rotation rate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including redirecting a portion of fluid into an overlapping disc space of one or more discs of the plurality of axially spaced membrane discs associated with the first or second support shaft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly includes distributing a fluid stream comprising a consumer beverage or a process wastewater or seawater. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of discharge ports and/or the plurality of feed ports are aligned lengthwise of the vessel.