MANIFOLD BLOCK FOR REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS

• US 20100140153A1
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Liang, Li-Shiang, Telepciak, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US12/610,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20100140153A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/194
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/10 Specific supply elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/12 Specific discharge elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2319/022 Reject series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/10 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

Manifold blocks are preferably injection molded thermoplastic components of a pressurized membrane water treatment system, preferably a reverse osmosis system. A manifold block comprises a structural member of the system having at least one integral flow channel. Each channel has one or more fluidly interconnectable inlet ports and fluidly interconnectable outlet ports. The manifold block provides interconnection for modules and pumps and passageways for liquid transport. The novel manifold blocks described allow RO systems to be designed and fabricated with improved accessibility, ease of fabrication and modification in the field, and compact structure.

Claims

1. A high pressure membrane filtration system comprising:

a housing which includes a membrane module, said housing having an inlet port for pressurized feed water, an outlet port for purified water permeate and an outlet port for concentrate water; and

at least two manifold blocks, said blocks having at least a high pressure inlet port fluidly connected by an integral flow channel to an outlet port and at least an inlet port for purified water permeate fluidly connected by an integral flow channel to a permeate outlet port, the high pressure inlet port of one block fluidly connected to a pressurized water source to be purified, and the outlet port of said one block fluidly connected to the inlet port of the housing and

the concentrate outlet port of the housing fluidly connected to the inlet port for pressurized water of another block, whence the pressurized water is conveyed to the concentrate outlet port of the block, and

the permeate outlet port of the housing is fluidly connected to the inlet port of said another block, whence the permeate is conveyed to the outlet permeate port, to provide a purified water product.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the high pressure membrane filtration system comprises a reverse osmosis membrane filtration system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the pressurized water is supplied by a submerged pump contained in a housing fluidly connected to said one block.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the concentrate outlet is fluidly connected to the pressurized feed to supply a portion of the concentrate flow for recycle.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the blocks comprise structural members of the system.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the blocks are injection molded from a thermoplastic polymer.

7. The blocks of claim 6 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

8. The blocks of claim 6 wherein the polymer is a filled polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

9. The blocks of claim 8 wherein the filled polymers are filled with short glass fibers, carbon fibers, or mineral filler particles.

10. A manifold block capable of increasing the structural rigidity of a reverse osmosis system, said block having at least one integral flow channel, said channel having at least one fluidly interconnectable inlet port and at least one fluidly interconnectable outlet port, said block being a component of a reverse osmosis system having at least two of said blocks, wherein the blocks provide flow channels for the system.

11. The block of claim 10 wherein the blocks are injection molded from a thermoplastic polymer.

12. The blocks of claim 11 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

13. The blocks of claim 11 wherein the polymer is a filled polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

14. The blocks of claim 13 wherein the filled polymers are filled with short glass fibers, carbon fibers, or mineral filler particles.

15. The blocks of claim 11 wherein the flow channel is selected from the group consisting of a Tee, an elbow, a straight path and combinations thereof.

16. A manifold block capable of increasing the structural rigidity of a reverse osmosis system having at least one integral higher pressure flow channel, said higher pressure channel having at least one fluidly interconnectable inlet port and at least one fluidly interconnectable outlet port, and an integral lower pressure flow channel, said lower pressure channel having at least one fluidly interconnectable inlet port and at least one fluidly interconnectable outlet port, said block being a component of a reverse osmosis system having at least two of said blocks, wherein the blocks provide flow channels for the system.

17. The block of claim 16 wherein the blocks are injection molded from a thermoplastic polymer.

18. The blocks of claim 17 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

19. The blocks of claim 18 wherein the polymer is a filled polysulfone, a polyether sulfone, a polyamide or a polyphenylene oxide.

20. The blocks of claim 19 wherein the filled polymers are filled with short glass fibers, carbon fibers, or mineral filler particles.

21. The blocks of claim 16 wherein the flow channel is selected from the group consisting of a Tee, an elbow, a straight path and combinations thereof.