# US 10,478,777 B2 · Formed sheet membrane element and filtration system

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- Number: US 10,478,777 B2
- Document ID: US10478777B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/294,601
- Filed: 2016-10-14
- Published: 2017-02-02
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-20
- Assignees: Fibracast Ltd.
- Applicants: Fibracast Ltd.
- Inventors: Ionel Tomescu; Rafael Simon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478777B2

## CPC

- B01D 61/18: Apparatus therefor
- B01D 63/061: {Manufacturing thereof}
- B01D 63/081: {Manufacturing thereof}
- B01D 63/082: {comprising a stack of flat membranes}
- B01D 65/022: {Membrane sterilisation}
- B01D 69/04: Tubular membranes
- B01D 69/06: Flat membranes
- B01D 69/12: Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
- B05D 1/26: performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface
- B29C 51/004: {Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics fibres (combined with plastic layers B29C51/145; compression moulding of reinforced plastic articles in matched moulds B29C70/46; using pressure difference B29C70/44)}
- B29C 51/266: {Auxiliary operations after the thermoforming operation (B29C51/42, B29C51/44, B29C51/46 take precedence)}
- B29D 99/005: {Producing membranes}
- B31D 5/0082: {Making filter elements, e.g. pleated}
- B32B 1/00: Layered products having a non-planar shape
- B32B 3/28: characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet {, i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane}, e.g. corrugated, crumpled (B32B29/08 takes precedence)
- B32B 5/022: {Non-woven fabric}
- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- B32B 7/04: Interconnection of layers
- B32B 7/05: the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection (using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14)
- B32B 7/12: using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
- B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 37/0076: {characterised in that the layers are not bonded on the totality of their surfaces}
- B01D 65/02: Membrane cleaning or sterilisation {; Membrane regeneration}
- B01D 2313/041: Gaskets or O-rings
- B01D 2313/042: Adhesives or glues
- B01D 2313/146: on the permeate side
- B01D 2313/21: Specific headers, end caps
- B01D 2315/06: Submerged-type; Immersion type
- B01D 2323/42: Details of membrane preparation apparatus
- B01D 2325/06: Surface irregularities
- B29L 2031/14: Filters {(optical filters B29L2011/0066, sieves or screens B29L2031/737)}
- B29L 2031/755: {Membranes, diaphragms}
- B32B 2262/0261: Polyamide fibres
- B32B 2262/0276: Polyester fibres
- B32B 2305/20: in the form of a non-woven mat
- B32B 2307/724: Permeability to gases, adsorption
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2607/00: Walls, panels
- Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
- 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)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B31D: MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C (manufacture by dry processes of articles made from particles or fibres consisting of wood or other lignocellulosic or like organic material B27N; making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B; making articles from cellulosic fibrous suspensions, e.g. wood pulp, D21J)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A piece of substrate material is formed under heat and pressure against a cavity into a shaped substrate sheet having one or more depressions. Two substrate sheets are bonded together to form a substrate wherein the one or more depressions form one or more interior channels. The substrate, if not formed with pre-coated substrate material, is coated with a dope and quenched to form a filtering membrane. A plurality of membranes may be placed side by side to form a bundle with permeating ends of the membrane, which are open to the one or more interior channels, separated by gaps or spacers. The bundle is connected to a header to produce a module. The module can be assembled into a cassette.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A filtration module comprising (a) a plurality of generally planar membrane devices placed side by side in a bundle but spaced apart by gaps between the membrane devices, each of the plurality of membrane devices comprising (i) two sheets of a substrate material, at least one of the sheets of substrate material having a plurality of depressions extending to an edge of the at least one of the sheets of substrate material, the two sheets of substrate material bonded together along their edges parallel to the plurality of depressions, wherein the plurality of depressions form a plurality of internal channels between the two sheets of substrate material, the plurality of internal channels being open to a first edge of the membrane device and (ii) a filtration membrane material coated on outer surfaces of the membrane device; and, (b) a first header having a permeate receptacle, wherein the first edge of each of the plurality of membrane devices is connected to the first header with the plurality of internal channels in communication with the permeate receptacle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The filtration module of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of membranes devices further comprises a second edge wherein the plurality of internal channels are open to the second edge of the membrane device, wherein the second edge of each of the plurality of membrane devices is connected to a second header.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The filtration module of claim 1 wherein adjacent membrane devices in the bundle are separated by a spacer, by a potting material, or both.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The filtration module of claim 3 wherein the adjacent membrane devices in the bundle are separated by spacers pre-made with surfaces corresponding to the shape of a gap between the adjacent membrane devices.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The filtration module of claim 4 wherein the first edges of the adjacent membrane devices and the spacers are bonded together to form a block.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The filtration module of claim 5 wherein the block is removably sealed to a header cavity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The filtration module of claim 5 wherein the block is attached to a header cavity by a solidified sealing material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The filtration module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of internal channels are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the header.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The filtration module of claim 8 wherein the header is mounted in a cassette frame adapted to hold the filtration module in a tank such that the header is oriented vertically, the internal channels are oriented horizontally, and the gaps are oriented vertically.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The filtration module of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of membrane devices is bonded together on each side of each of the plurality of internal channels.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The filtration module of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of membrane devices further comprises a sheet form insert between the two sheets of the substrate material wherein the two sheets of substrate material are bonded together through the insert.