Microporous membrane filtration assembly
AssigneeUSF Filtration and Separations Group, Inc.
InventorBruce G. Biltoft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A filter assembly 1 comprising an elongate housing 2 having therein a plurality of discrete filter bundle lengths 3 disposed end to end in a series configuration. Each filter bundle length 3 comprises a multitude of micro-porous polymeric hollow fibers of the kind wherein feed to be filtered is fed to the outside of the bundle of fibers and permeate is extracted from one or both permeate discharge ends 4 of the fiber lumens. The system also includes one or more longitudinally extending feed passages 6 and 7 and one or more longitudinally extending permeate return passages, each of the permeate return passages being in fluid flow communication with each of the permeate discharge ends 4 of the fiber lumens, desirably via connecting passages 9.
Claims12
A filter assembly comprising:
- an elongate housing having a longitudinal length and a plurality of filter units, each filter unit comprising two or more discrete co-extending filter bundle lengths disposed side by side in a parallel configuration, wherein each filter unit is disposed end to end in a series configuration with an adjacent filter unit, each filter bundle length comprising a multitude of parallel microporous polymeric hollow fibres, wherein feed to be filtered is fed to the outside of the bundle of fibres and permeate is extracted from one or both discharge ends of the fibre lumens, and wherein feed freely circulates between co-extending filter bundle lengths;
- one or more feed passages extending longitudinally along said housing to direct feed to said filter bundle lengths in a direction generally parallel thereto;
- one or more longitudinally extending permeate return passages extending generally parallel to said filter bundle lengths, said permeate return passages being sealed from contact with said feed and adapted to be in free fluid flow communication with each of said permeate discharge ends of said fibre lumens in said filter bundle lengths;
- and
- one or more manifold arrangements, each having a feed inlet port connecting with said one or more longitudinally extending feed passages and a separate permeate outlet port connected with said one or more permeate return passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.