Joint assembly for joining a ceramic membrane to a tube sheet

A joint assembly for joining a ceramic membrane of tubular configuration to a tube sheet, said joint assembly comprising;

• a fixture connected to said tube sheet, said fixture including a passageway having a narrow end section, located at one end of said passageway, to receive said ceramic membrane, and a sealing surface defined by said passageway and located at said one end thereof;
• said ceramic membrane extending through said narrow end section of said passageway so that an open end of said ceramic membrane is located within said passageway and an adjacent lateral surface of said membrane is surrounded by said sealing surface;
• at least one sealing element located between said sealing surface and a lateral surface of said ceramic membrane;
• a follower located within the passageway and bearing against said at least one sealing element in a direction towards said narrow end section of said passageway, thereby simultaneously driving said at least one sealing element against said sealing surface and said lateral surface of said ceramic membrane by compression of said at least one sealing element to effect a seal between said fixture and said ceramic membrane and to hold said ceramic membrane in place by frictional forces developed between said at least one sealing element and said ceramic membrane;
• the follower having an inner passage in communication with the open end of said ceramic membrane to allow permeate or feed to flow through said follower.