Apparatus for withdrawing permeate using an immersed vertical skein of hollow fibre membranes

An apparatus for withdrawing filtered permeate from a substrate, including

• a reservoir containing substrate at ambient pressure;
• a plurality of membrane assemblies, each assembly having,
• a plurality of hollow fiber filtering membranes immersed in the reservoir;
• at least one permeating header having the membranes sealingly secured therein;
• and,
• a permeate collector to collect the permeate, sealingly connected to the at least one permeating header and in fluid communication with lumens of the membranes;
• one or more sources of suction in fluid communication with the lumens of the membranes of each assembly through the permeate collectors of each assembly and operable to apply sufficient suction to withdraw permeate from the lumens of the membranes;
• and,
• an aeration system having openings of air passages at first ends of through-passages, the openings located to discharge bubbles which contact the membranes, the through-passages passing through the first header,
• wherein the membranes of each assembly extend generally vertically upwards from a first header during permeation:

An apparatus for withdrawing filtered permeate from a substrate, including

• a reservoir containing substrate at ambient pressure;
• a plurality of membrane assemblies, each assembly having,
• a plurality of hollow fiber filtering membranes, immersed in the reservoir;
• at least one permeating header having the membranes sealingly secured therein;
• and,
• a permeate collector to collect the permeate, sealingly connected to the at least one permeating header and in fluid communication with lumens of the membranes;
• one or more sources of suction in fluid communication with the lumens of the membranes of each assembly through the permeate collectors of each assembly and operable to apply sufficient suction to withdraw permeate from the lumens of the membranes;
• and, an aeration system for discharging lines of bubbles from openings near the first headers, the lines of bubbles separated by 30 fibres or less,
• wherein each assembly has at least a first header and the membranes extend generally vertically upwards from the first header during permeation.

An apparatus for withdrawing filtered permeate from a substrate, including a reservoir containing substrate at ambient pressure;

• a plurality of membrane assemblies, each assembly having,
• a plurality of hollow fiber filtering membranes, immersed in the reservoir;
• at least one permeating header having the membranes sealingly secured therein;
• and,
• a permeate collector to collect the permeate, sealingly connected to the at least one permeating header and in fluid communication with lumens of the membranes;
• and,
• one or more sources of suction in fluid communication with the lumens of the membranes of each assembly through the permeate collectors of each assembly and operable to apply sufficient suction to withdraw permeate from the lumens of the membranes,
• each assembly having at least a first header which is elongated in plan view, the membranes extending generally vertically upwards from the first header during permeation, the first headers of the assemblies being located in a spaced side by side relationship;
• and,
• an aeration system having through-passages for discharging lines of bubbles between and at the sides of the elements from openings located near the first headers and, there being n+1 lines of bubbles for n elements.

An apparatus for withdrawing filtered permeate from a substrate, comprising:

• a header having a first face and a second face;
• a receptacle for collecting permeate, the receptacle being in fluid communication with the second face of the header and having a permeate outlet;
• a plurality of hollow fibre membranes, the hollow fibre membranes sealingly secured in the header and protruding from the first face of the header, and having ends open to the receptacle for collecting permeate such that a portion of the substrate drawn into the lumens of the fibres as permeate may flow into the receptacle;
• and,
• a pipe with holes for discharging bubbles, the holes located near the first face of the header, the pipe protruding from the first face of the header from a location within or adjacent to the plurality of membranes.