Immersed membrane apparatus

A filtration apparatus comprising;

• a) a plurality of elements, each element having,
• an upper header;
• a lower header;
• a plurality of hollow fibre membranes attached to and suspended between the headers, the hollow fibre membranes having each an outer surface and at least one open end, the outer surface of the open ends of the membranes connected to at least one header with a water impermeable connection;
• and,
• one or more permeate channels in at least one of the headers in fluid communication with the interior of the hollow fibre membranes for collecting permeate;
• and,
• b) a frame for holding the headers of the elements such that the upper header of each element is spaced vertically in relation to the lower header of the element, the frame having cross bars and uprights,
• wherein
• either the upper headers or the lower headers are attached to cross bars that are movable relative to the uprights of the frame so as to permit adjustment of the degree of slack of the membranes to maintain the membranes in a sightly slackened state despite shrinkage of the membranes in use.

A filtration apparatus comprising;

• a) a plurality of elements, each element having,
• an upper header;
• a lower header;
• a plurality of hollow fibre membranes attached to and suspended between the headers, the hollow fibre membranes having each an outer surface and at least one open end, the outer surface of the open ends of the membranes connected to at least one header with a water impermeable connection;
• and,
• one or more permeate channels in at least one of the headers in fluid communication with the interior of the hollow fibre membranes for collecting permeate;
• and,
• b) a frame having cross bars perpendicular to the headers for holding the headers of the elements,
• wherein
• c) the elements have keys which engage with slots in the cross bars to support the elements in the frame but permit the elements to be slid into or out of the frame in a direction parallel to the headers.