Rotary disc filtration device
AssigneeMembrex, Inc.
InventorPhilip M. Rolchigo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary disc filtration device having a fluid filtration gap between a filtration surface and a disc is disclosed. The disc and/or filter has one or more spiral grooves in fluid communication with fluid in the gap. The disc and/or filter is rotated and one or both may be axially oscillated and/or vibrated to create the shear at the filter surface that increases permeate flux through the filter. Several discs and filters may be interleaved to increase filtration device capacity and make more efficient use of equipment space. In such a device, the discs can be mounted on a common shaft for rotation in unison and can have spiral grooves on both major faces of each disc. The filters are held stationary in that device and are fluidly connected to facilitate collection of the permeate.
Claims81
A rotary disc filtration device for filtering fluid to produce permeate and retentate, said device comprising:
- (a) a fluid filtration gap for holding fluid to be filtered, said gap being defined by two oppositely disposed substantially parallel closely spaced facing surfaces, one surface defining the gap being the first surface of a first filter through which the permeate passes from the gap and the other surface defining the gap being the surface of a disc, the surface of the disc or the surface of the filter having at least one spiral groove in fluid communication with the fluid when fluid is in the gap, the spiral groove subtending an angle Y in polar coordinates of at least ten degrees on the disc surface or filter surface;
- (b) means for introducing fluid into the fluid filtration gap;
- and
- (c) means to rotate the disc or the filter to produce permeate.
A rotary disc filtration device for filtering fluid to produce permeate and retentate, said device comprising:
- (a) a fluid filtration gap for holding fluid to be filtered, said gap being defined by two oppositely disposed substantially parallel closely spaced facing surfaces, one surface defining the gap being the first surface of a first filter through which the permeate passes from the gap and the other surface defining the gap being the surface of a disc, the surface of the disc having at least one spiral groove in fluid communication with the fluid when fluid is in the gap, the spiral groove subtending an angle Y in polar coordinates of greater than forty-five degrees on the disc surface area that is oppositely disposed to the first surface of the first filter through which the permeate passes;
- (b) means for introducing fluid into the fluid filtration gap;
- and
- (c) means to rotate the disc or the filter to produce permeate.
A rotary disc filtration device for filtering fluid to produce permeate and retentate, said device comprising:
- (a) a fluid filtration gap for holding fluid to be filtered, said gap being defined by two oppositely disposed substantially parallel closely spaced facing surfaces, one surface defining the gap being the surface of a filter through which the permeate passes and the other surface defining the gap being the surface of a disc, the surface of the disc having a spiral groove in fluid communication with the fluid when fluid is in the gap, the groove subtending an angle Y in polar coordinates of greater than forty-five degrees on the disc surface area that is oppositely disposed to the surface of the filter through which the permeate passes, the two oppositely disposed surfaces being spaced apart not more than 50 millimeters and being at an angle to each other not greater than 10.degree., and the ratio of the average width of the groove to its average depth being in the range of 4/1 to 1/4;
- (b) means for introducing fluid into the fluid filtration gap;
- and
- (c) means to rotate the disc or the filter to produce permeate.
A process for filtering fluid in a filtration gap using a rotary disc filtration device to produce permeate and retentate, said process comprising:
- (a) providing a rotary disc filtration device comprising:
- (i) a fluid filtration ga for holding fluid to be filtered, said gap being defined by two oppositely disposed substantially parallel closely spaced facing surfaces, one surface defining the gap being the surface of a filter through which the permeate passes from the gap and the other surface defining the gap being the surface of a disc, the surface of the disc or the surface of the filter having at least one spiral groove in fluid communication with the fluid when fluid is in the gap, the spiral groove subtending an angle Y in polar coordinates of at least ten degrees on the disc surface or filter surface;
- (ii) means for introducing fluid into the fluid filtration gap;
- and
- (iii) means to rotate the disc or the filter;
- (b) introducing fluid into the gap;
- (c) rotating the disc or the filter to produce permeate and retentate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.