Radial flow electrofilter
AssigneePetrolite Corporation
InventorsFrederick D. Watson, Weldon D. Mayse, Albert D. Franse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A radial flow electrofilter having a plurality of parallel planar horizontal electrodes. The filter may be provided with backflush means, in which case the filter medium preferably consists of non-deformable particles, or else a removable filter pack, preferably employing polyurethane foam, may be employed. In operation, finely divided solids, contained in a liquid of low electrical conductivity, may be efficiently removed by passing the liquid radially through the filter, while subjected to a unidirectional current electric field, from the periphery of the filter toward its center.
Claims12
An electrofilter for removal of finely divided solids from liquids of low electrical conductivity comprising:
- (a) a vertical cylindrical metallic vessel;
- (b) cylindrical fluid distributor means concentric with and spaced apart from said vessel;
- (c) a porous bed of a dielectric filtering medium disposed interiorly of said cylindrical fluid distributor means;
- (d) a plurality of annular parallel planar electrodes extending horizontally through at least a major portion of said bed, all said electrodes being permeable;
- (e) fluid inlet means to said vessel fluidly communicating with said annular space;
- (f) tubular fluid collector means extending axially through at least a major portion of said bed;
- (g) fluid outlet means fluidly communicating with said central tubular collector means;
- and
- (h) conductor means for supplying electrical potential to at least alternately spaced said electrodes to create electric fields between adjacent electrodes;
- said electrofilter being provided with backflushing means adapted to cause backflushing fluid to pass transversely through the electrodes, said backflushing means comprising:
- (i) backflush inlet means;
- (j) backflush fluid distributor means in the bottom portion of said vessel fluidly communicating with said backflush fluid inlet means;
- and
- (k) backflush fluid outlet means in the upper portion of said vessel.
A process for the electrofiltration of a liquid of electrical conductivity containing finely divided solids comprising passing said liquid in a radial direction through a cylindrical porous bed of a dielectric filtering medium, said bed being traversed by a plurality of parallel planar permeable electrodes perpendicular to the axis of said bed and extending through at least a major portion thereof, a unidirectional current electric field being maintained between adjacent electrodes;
- discontinuing said electric fields when said bed becomes loaded with finely divided solids to the extent that filtering efficiency becomes impaired;
- and removing said finely divided solid from said bed by backflushing it with a backflushing liquid, said backflushing liquid being passed transversely through the electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.