Stack assembly

Method for assembling a stack assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing:
• a hollow external cylindrical housing having a central axis and an inner space, the housing extending from a first to a second end;
• a membrane stack comprising a plurality of membranes;
• a number of side plates;
• a number of sealing connectors;
• and
• end plates configured for closing the first and second ends,
• wherein the housing space between each of the number of side plates and the external housing defines a respective flow compartment,
• wherein the number of side plates comprises an opening in communication with a respective flow compartment and wherein each of the number of side plates comprise at least one flow channel defined therein that is configured to regulate a flow of fluid from the flow compartments to and/or from the membrane stack;
• connecting side edges of the side plates with each other using the sealing connectors to form an enclosing structure configured for enclosing the membrane stack;
• positioning the membrane stack in the enclosing structure;
• sliding the enclosing structure with the enclosed membrane stack through the first or second end into the inner space of the external housing;
• and
• closing the first and second opening with the end plates.

Stack assembly comprising:

• a hollow external cylindrical housing having a central axis, the external housing extending from a first end to a second end and enclosing a housing space;
• a membrane stack comprising a plurality of membranes, wherein the membrane stack is positionable inside the external housing;
• a number of side plates extending along the membrane stack, wherein each side plate of the number of side plates is associated with a side of the membrane stack and extends along the associated side;
• and
• a number of sealing connectors that extend along a longitudinal length of the external housing and adjacent with an inner surface of the external housing, wherein each sealing connector of the number of sealing connectors is configured to connect two side plates to each other,
• wherein the housing space between each of the number of side plates and the external housing defines a respective flow compartment,
• wherein the sealing connectors and the side plates cooperate to form an enclosing structure, and wherein, in use of the stack assembly, the enclosing structure encloses the membrane stack, and
• wherein each flow compartment comprises a plurality of flow distributor elements and wherein the number of side plates are provided with flow openings that in combination with the flow distributor elements are configured to regulate a flow of fluid from a flow compartment to and/or from the membrane stack.