Method and apparatus for testing and using membrane filters in an on site of use housing
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for integrity testing and using membrane filter means at the site of use, comprisinga base and a cover releasably connected to said base thereby forming a housing which defines a filter chamber;
- a membrane filter disposed within said housing and dividing the filter chamber into an inlet area on one side of said membrane filter and an outlet area on the opposite side of said membrane filter;
said housing having an inlet in communication with the inlet area of said chamber, an outlet in communication with the outlet area of said chamber and vent means communicating with said inlet area at the upper portion of said chamber;
said inlet adapted at particular times to be selectively closed, connected to a source of test fluid during test of said membrane filter and to a source of fluid to be filtered during use of said membrane filter;
said outlet adapted at particular times to be selectively closed, connected to a return line for said test fluid during test and to a delivery line for said filtered fluid during use;
said vent means adapted at particular times to be selectively closed and connected to a source of controlled air pressure; and
a flow condition indicating means communicating with the outlet area at the upper portion of said chamber, and having valve means for controlling flow through said indicating means.
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for controlled pressure testing at least one membrane filter in an on site of use housing, and to simultaneously test a plurality of membrane filters in a covered common housing at the site of use to independently determine by visual flow indicators if each filter is acceptable for use or is defective.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for integrity testing and using membrane filter means at the site of use, comprising
a base and a cover releasably connected to said base thereby forming a housing which defines a filter chamber; -
a membrane filter disposed within said housing and dividing the filter chamber into an inlet area on one side of said membrane filter and an outlet area on the opposite side of said membrane filter; said housing having an inlet in communication with the inlet area of said chamber, an outlet in communication with the outlet area of said chamber and vent means communicating with said inlet area at the upper portion of said chamber; said inlet adapted at particular times to be selectively closed, connected to a source of test fluid during test of said membrane filter and to a source of fluid to be filtered during use of said membrane filter; said outlet adapted at particular times to be selectively closed, connected to a return line for said test fluid during test and to a delivery line for said filtered fluid during use; said vent means adapted at particular times to be selectively closed and connected to a source of controlled air pressure; and a flow condition indicating means communicating with the outlet area at the upper portion of said chamber, and having valve means for controlling flow through said indicating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of testing membrane type filter cartridges at the site of use, comprising the steps of
placing a plurality of cartridges in the chamber of a filter housing at the filtering site with the lower end of the core of each cartridge in communication with the outlet of the housing and the upper end of the core of each cartridge in communication with a different one of a plurality of flow condition indicating means which extend through the top of the housing; -
with the outlet closed, venting the top of the chamber and opening the inlet to admit test liquid to fill the chamber; closing the vent and opening the outlet to provide a continuous flow of test liquid from the inlet through all of the cartridges to the open outlet; venting the indicating means one by one to sequentially fill each of the indicating means while maintaining flow through all of the cartridges until the membrane filter media thereof is thoroughly wet by the test liquid; closing the inlet and connecting chamber to air pressure at about 5 psig to cause all of the test liquid to flow from the chamber through the membrane filter media of all of the cartridges while monitoring all of the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear therein; increasing the air pressure slowly while monitoring all of the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear in quick sequence in any of the indicating means until the air pressure reaches the acceptable diffusional flow rate test pressure range as predetermined in accordance with the membrane filter media of the cartridges being tested; and draining all test liquid from the chamber, the indicating means and the cartridges. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of testing a filter with membrane filter media at the site of use, comprising the steps of
placing a membrane filter in the chamber of a housing between inlet and outlet which communicate with the bottom of the chamber; -
providing a flow condition indicating means in communication with the upper portion of said chamber on the outlet side of said membrane filter; with the outlet closed;
venting the upper portion of the chamber on the inlet side of said membrane filter and admitting test liquid into the inlet to fill the chamber;closing the vent when test liquid fills the chamber and opening the outlet to provide a continuous flow of test liquid from the outlet through said membrane filter to the outlet; venting the indicating means only until it is filled with test liquid and maintaining flow through the membrane filter until the membrane is thoroughly wet by the test liquid; closing the inlet and connecting the inlet side of the chamber to a source of air pressure at about 5 psig while monitoring the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear therein; increasing the air pressure slowly while monitoring the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear therein in quick sequence until the air pressure is in the acceptable diffusional flow rate test pressure range as predetermined by the membrane of the filter being tested; disconnecting the air pressure and draining all test liquid from the chamber and the indicating means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of testing membrane type filter cartridges at the site of use, comprising the steps of
placing a cartridge in the chamber of a filter housing at the filtering site with its core in flow communication at its lower end with the outlet of the housing and at its upper end with a flow condition indicating means extending through the top of the housing; -
with the outlet closed, venting the upper portion of the chamber and admitting test liquid into the inlet of the housing to fill the chamber; closing the vent and opening the outlet to provide a continuous flow of test liquid from the inlet through the cartridge to the outlet; venting the indicating means only until it is filled with test liquid and maintaining flow through the cartridge until the membrane media thereof is thoroughly wet by the test liquid; closing the inlet and connecting the chamber to air pressure at about 5 psig to move all of the test liquid from the chamber through the membrane media while monitoring the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear therein; increasing the air pressure slowly while monitoring the indicating means to determine that no air bubbles appear therein in quick sequence until the air pressure is in the acceptable diffusional flow rate test pressure range as predetermined in accordance with the membrane of the cartridge being tested; and draining all test liquid from the chamber, the indicating means and the cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification