# US 4,400,278 A · Counter-current adsorption filters for the treatment of liquids and a method of operating the filter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,400,278 A - Document ID: US4400278A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/309,614 - Filed: 1981-10-01 - Granted: 1983-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 1980-10-29 - Assignees: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Friedrich Martinola - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400278A ## CPC - B01J 47/026: using columns or beds of different ion exchange materials in series - B01J 39/00: Cation exchange; Use of material as cation exchangers; Treatment of material for improving the cation exchange properties (ion-exchange chromatography processes B01D15/36) - B01J 49/08: containing cationic and anionic exchangers in separate beds - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS ## Abstract The invention concerns a counter-current adsorption filter for the treatment of liquids, with different adsorbents which require different regenerating agents, in which loading of the different adsorbents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing upwards and regeneration of the different loaded adsorbents with the different regenerating agents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing downwards, the inside of which filter is subdivided, by horizontal devices which are permeable to liquid, into a number of chambers corresponding to the number of different adsorbents to be used; in which the adsorbents which are regenerated with different regenerating agents are present in adjacent chambers; the chambers--with the exception of the topmost chamber of the filter--are equipped with a liquid drainage system which is located below the device which is permeable to liquid and forms the upper boundary of the chamber, and which is embedded in a layer of inert material; and in which the individual chambers are filled with a certain amount of adsorbent. The invention furthermore concerns a process for the operation of this letter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A counter-current adsorption filter column or ion exchange column for the treatment of liquids, with different adsorbents or ion exchangers which require different regenerating agents, in which loading of the different adsorbents or ion exchangers is effected in a stream of liquid flowing upwards and regeneration of the different loaded adsorbents or ion exchangers with the different regenerating agents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing downwards, comprising the following features (a) that the inside of the column is subdivided, by at least two horizontal devices which are permeable to liquid, into at least three chambers corresponding to the number of different adsorbents or ion exchangers to be used; (b) that adsorbents or ion exchangers which are regenerated with different regenerating agents are present in adjacent chambers; (c) that the chambers--with the exception of the topmost chamber of the column--are equipped with a liquid drainage system which is located below the device which is permeable to liquid and forms the upper boundary of the chamber, which is embedded in a layer of inert material, and which is located in the upper fifth of the chamber; and (d) that the amount of adsorbent or ion exchanger (in % by volume) in the individual chambers is 50 to 98% of the free volume of the chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The counter-current column adsorption filter of claim 1, wherein the inside is sub-divided into 3 or 4 chambers by 2 or 3 devices which are permeable to liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The counter-current column adsorption filter according to claim 1, wherein the liquid drainage system is located in the upper seventh of the chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The counter-current column adsorption filter according to claim 1, wherein the amount of adsorbent in the individual chambers is 60 to 95% of the free volume of the chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The counter-current column adsorption filter according to claim 1, wherein the amount of adsorbent in the individual chambers is 75 to 95% of the free volume of the chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The counter-current column adsorption filter according to claim 1, wherein the inert material is polyethylene granules, polypropylene granules or polystyrene granules. ### Claim 7 A method of operating a counter-current adsorption filter column or an ion exchange column wherein (a) different adsorbents or ion exchangers are in a corresponding number of different chambers in the column defined by horizontal subdivisions; (b) adsorbents or ion exchangers which are regenerated with different regenerating agents are present in adjacent chambers; (c) the chambers--with the exception of the topmost chamber of the column--are equipped with a liquid drainage system which is located below the device which is permeable to liquid and forms the upper boundary of the chamber, and which is embedded in a layer of inert material; and (d) the amount of adsorbent or ion exchanger (in % by volume) in the individual chambers is 50 to 98% of the free volume of the chamber, the method comprising (i) in the loading phase passing a stream of liquid to be treated from the bottom upwards through the chambers, and (ii) in the regenerating phase, chamber by chamber introducing a regenerating agent and wash water into the top of each chamber to be regenerated, and removing the spent regenerating agent and washing water through the liquid drainage system of the chamber below simultaneously with a stream of water which flows in counter-current to the stream of the spent regenerating agent and washing water and which is being passed from the bottom upwards through this very chamber below. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) Method according to claim 2, wherein the stream of water to be passed in counter-current to the spent regenerating agent and washing water is passed in at a rate such that no schlieren formation occurs in the space below the layer of the inert material in which the liquid drainage system is embedded.