INTERMITTENT GAS FLOW APPARATUS AND MEMBRANE SEPARATION APPARATUS
First Claim
1. An intermittent gas flow apparatus comprising:
- an internal gas chamber including an upper wall;
at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber;
a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area;
an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and
an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe external tubular member surrounding the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe with the closed end being positioned below the opening in the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe, and spaced from the another end portion by a predetermined distance permitting fluid flow into the space between the wall of the tubular member and the auxiliary pipe.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Intermittent gas flow and membrane separation apparatus and methods of use including an internal gas chamber including an upper wall; at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber; a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area; an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe external tubular member surrounding the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe with the closed end being positioned below the opening in the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe, and spaced from the another end portion by a predetermined distance permitting fluid flow into the space between the wall of the tubular member and the auxiliary pipe.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An intermittent gas flow apparatus comprising:
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an internal gas chamber including an upper wall; at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber; a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area; an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe external tubular member surrounding the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe with the closed end being positioned below the opening in the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe, and spaced from the another end portion by a predetermined distance permitting fluid flow into the space between the wall of the tubular member and the auxiliary pipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A membrane separation apparatus for filtering and separating liquid in a treatment tank by pumping the liquid through a filtration membrane submerged in the liquid in the treatment tank, the membrane separation apparatus comprising:
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a treatment tank; a filtration membrane in the treatment tank; an intermittent gas flow apparatus positioned in the treatment tank below the filtration membrane, the intermittent gas flow apparatus comprising; an internal gas chamber including an upper wall; at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber; a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area; an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe external tubular member surrounding the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe with the closed end being positioned below the opening in the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe, and spaced from the another end portion by a predetermined distance permitting fluid flow into the space between the wall of the tubular member and the auxiliary pipe. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of supplying intermittent flow of air for cleaning of a filtration membrane submerged in liquid in a treatment tank, comprising:
positioning an intermittent gas flow apparatus in the treatment tank below the filtration membrane, the intermittent gas flow apparatus comprising; an internal gas chamber including an upper wall; at least one inlet for supplying gas to the internal gas chamber; a column pipe that extends above the upper wall of the internal gas chamber, the column pipe including a lower end portion including a lower end portion opening in the internal gas chamber, the column pipe linking the internal gas chamber to an area external to the internal gas chamber for fluid flow between the internal gas chamber and the external area; an auxiliary pipe including one end portion connected to the column pipe for fluid flow between the auxiliary pipe and the column pipe, and another end portion branched off from the column pipe, the another end portion including an opening located in the internal gas chamber at a position higher than the lower end portion opening of the column pipe by a predetermined height; and an auxiliary pipe external tubular member including a closed end, the auxiliary pipe external tubular member surrounding the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe with the closed end being positioned below the opening in the another end portion of the auxiliary pipe, and spaced from the another end portion by a predetermined distance permitting fluid flow into the space between the wall of the tubular member and the auxiliary pipe; and continuously flowing air through the intermittent gas flow apparatus to provide intermittent flow of air to the filtration membrane from the intermittent gas flow apparatus - View Dependent Claims (29)
Specification