US 5,816,057 A · Horizontal cross flow filtration and rinsing of ice from saline slurries

Abstract

The invention provides a filter for removing liquid from an ice slurry. The filter includes a horizontal filter plate. The ice slurry is passed over the top of the filter plate. The filter includes a first stage where the liquid is removed from the ice slurry, thereby consolidating the ice particles into an ice bed. The liquid is removed by drawing the liquid out of the ice slurry through a set of slots in the filter plate by using a low suction pump. A second stage of the filter draws the remaining liquid entrained in the ice bed through another set of slots using a vacuum pump, which has a higher suction than the low suction pump used in the first stage. A clean water rinse may be sprayed on the ice bed in the second stage to improve the removal of liquid from the ice bed. The filter plate at the second stage may be heated to produce a rinse through the bottom of the ice bed.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A filtration system for filtering liquid from an ice slurry to produce clean water, comprising:

a housing having a feed inlet for introducing the ice slurry into said housing at a first end of said housing and an outlet at a second end of said housing opposite to said first end;
a filter plate disposed in said housing and extending from said first end of said housing to said second end of said housing, said filter plate having a first portion with a first set of slots, a second portion with a second set of slots, a top and a bottom, wherein said ice slurry is positioned adjacent to said top of said filter plate;
a first pump having a first suction disposed at said first portion of said filter plate adjacent said bottom of said filter plate, wherein said first pump induces a first flow path through said first set of slots from said top of said filter plate to said bottom of said filter plate;
and
a second pump having a second suction greater than said first suction disposed at said second portion of said filter plate for inducing a second flow path through said second set of slots from said top of said filter plate to said bottom of said filter plate.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Horizontal cross flow filtration and rinsing of ice from saline slurries

Life of this patent

Horizontal cross flow filtration and rinsing of ice from saline slurries

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19