Brine seal for tubular filter

• US 5,389,260 A
• Filed: 04/02/1993
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clack Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clack Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Daniel A., Hemp, Melvin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SPEAR JR, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/041,542
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 210/321.83, 210/450, 210/321.6, 210/652
• US Class Current: 210/652
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/08 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/10 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/10 Spiral-wound membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes

Abstract

A filter assembly is provided for a manifolded water filtration system and includes a filter element, a brine seal located at the top of the filter element and engaging a boss depending from the system manifold. The brine seal isolates a rinse water discharge port, communicating with a an outlet of the filter element, from an untreated water inlet port formed in the boss so as to ensure that the water to be treated passes through the filter membrane as opposed to directly out of the rinse water discharge port. This configuration eliminates the need for an exterior feed line, thus simplifying the system and preventing vibration during system start-up. The brine seal also structurally reenforces the filter element, facilitates assembly of the filter, increases the capacity of the assembly, and reduces the chances of failure and leakage.

Claims

1. A brine seal for isolating a water outlet of a filter assembly from an untreated water inlet, said brine seal being mountable on a tubular filter element of said filter assembly which has an upper axial surface and a fitting extending axially from said upper axial surface, said brine seal comprising:

A. a tubular body for surrounding said filter element, said body having

1. inner and outer peripheral surfaces,

2. a lower portion for mounting said brine seal on said filter element,

3. an upper portion for extending above said filter element;

B. a skirt, extending outwardly from said outer peripheral surface of said body, for sealing said untreated water inlet of said filter assembly from said water outlet;

C. a ring, disposed within said body proximate a junction between said upper and lower portions, for engaging said fitting of said filter element proximate said axial surface; and

D. a support, extending generally radially from said ring to said inner peripheral surface of said body, for reenforcing said axial surface.

2. A brine seal as defined in claim 1, wherein said support is formed from a plurality of ribs extending radially from said inner peripheral surface of said body to said ring and each having a bottom surface which is generally coplanar with a bottom surface of said ring.

3. A brine seal as defined in claim 1, wherein said body is stepped at said junction.

4. A brine seal as defined in claim 3, wherein said upper portion of said body has a greater diameter than said lower portion.

5. A brine seal as defined in claim 3, wherein said lower portion of said body has a diameter which is no smaller than that of said upper portion, and wherein said ribs and said ring are deepened to provide increased support.

6. A brine seal as defined in claim 1, wherein said ring and said skirt are annular.

7. A brine seal as defined in claim 6, wherein said skirt is formed from a flexible material and is angled downwardly with respect to said outer peripheral surface of said body.

8. A liquid filtration system comprising:

A. a manifold having a water inlet port and a water discharge port formed therein;

B. a tubular support extending from said manifold, said support having a passage formed therein which extends internally through said support to said water inlet port of said manifold, through which untreated water flows, and which terminates in an untreated water inlet port formed in an inner radial peripheral surface of said support;

C. a tubular filter element having an outlet communicating with said discharge port and having in inlet communicating with said untreated water inlet port of said support; and

D. a brine seal which is sealingly mounted on said filter element and which sealingly engages said inner peripheral surface of said support between said untreated water inlet port and said outlet to isolate said untreated water inlet port from said discharge port.

9. A filtration system as defined in claim 8, wherein said support comprises an annular boss, and further comprising a filter housing which is mounted on said boss and which is sealed except at an upper axial end thereof.

10. A filtration system as defined in claim 8, wherein said brine seal comprises a tubular body having an inner peripheral surface sealingly mounted on said filter element and having an outer peripheral surface, said brine seal further comprising a skirt which extends from said outer peripheral surface to said support to isolate said inlet port from said discharge port.

11. A filtration system as defined in claim 10, wherein said filter element has a treated water discharge fitting extending from an upper axial surface thereof, and wherein said brine seal further includes

a ring which engages said fitting, and

a plurality of ribs which extend radially from said ring to said inner peripheral surface of said body and which reenforce said upper axial surface of said filter element.

12. A filtration system as defined in claim 10, wherein said skirt is angled downwardly from an upper portion of said body.

13. A filtration system as defined in claim 10, wherein said body includes a lower portion which is sealingly secured to said filter element and an upper portion extending above an upper axial surface of said filter element and on which is formed said skirt.

14. A filtration system as defined in claim 10, wherein said inlet of said filter element comprises an open lower axial surface, and said outlet comprises an open upper surface out of which rinse water flows.

15. A water filtration system comprising:

A. a manifold having a rinse water discharge port formed therein;

B. an annular boss extending downwardly from said manifold, said boss having outer peripheral threads and an internal passage formed therein through which untreated water flows and which terminates in an untreated water inlet port;

C. an annular filter element having an upper end surrounded by said boss, communicating with said discharge port, and terminating in an upper axial surface;

D. an annular fitting extending upwardly from said upper axial surface of said filter element;

E. a filter housing which encases said filter element and which is enclosed except for an open upper axial surface;

F. an internally threaded sump nut which fastens said filter housing to said boss; and

G. a brine seal which isolates said inlet port from said rinse water discharge port, said brine seal including

(1) a annular body having an inner peripheral surface which surrounds said upper axial end of said filter element and which has an outer peripheral surface, said annular body having a lower portion sealingly secured to said filter element and an upper portion extending above said upper axial surface of said filter element,

(2) a ring which engages said annular fitting,

(3) a plurality of ribs which extend radially from said ring to said inner peripheral surface of said annular body proximate a junction between said upper and lower portions thereof, said ribs engaging said upper axial surface of said filter element, and

(4) a skirt which extends outwardly from said outer peripheral surface of said annular body proximate an upper end of said upper portion, which is angled downwardly, and which sealingly engages said boss.

16. A method of assembling a water filtration system comprising:

A. providing a manifold having a tubular support extending downwardly therefrom, said support having an internal passage formed therein through which untreated water flows and which terminates in an inner radial peripheral water inlet port;

B. providing a tubular filter assembly including

(1) a tubular filter element having an outlet communicating with a discharge port formed in said manifold and having an inlet communicating with said inlet port, and

(2) a brine seal sealingly mounted on said filter element;

then

C. connecting said filter element to said manifold and sealingly engaging said support with said brine seal at a location above said inlet port; and

then

D. inserting a filter housing over said filter element from below.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein said step of providing a filter element further includes providing a fitting extending upwardly from an upper axial surface of said filter element, and said step of providing a brine seal includes providing a brine seal having

(a) an internal ring which engages said fitting, and

(b) a plurality of ribs which extend radially from said internal ring and which reenforce said upper axial surface of said filter element.

18. A liquid filtration system comprising:

A. a manifold having a water discharge port formed therein;

B. a tubular support extending from said manifold, said support having an internal passage formed therein through which untreated water flows and which terminates in an untreated water inlet port formed in an inner radial peripheral surface thereof;

C. a tubular filter element having a first axial end defining an outlet communicating with said discharge port and having a second axial end defining an inlet communicating with said inlet port;

D. a brine seal comprising

1. a tubular body having

a. a first portion mounted on said filter element proximate said first axial end, and

b. a second portion extending axially beyond said first axial end of said filter element, said brine seal further comprising

19. a skirt which extends from an outer peripheral surface of said body to said support to isolate said inlet port from said discharge port;

and

E. a filter housing which is mounted on said tubular support and which is sealed except at an axial end there of located adjacent said first axial end of said filter element.

20. A liquid filtration system comprising:

A. a manifold having a water inlet port, a rinse water discharge port, and a treated water discharge port formed therein;

B. a tubular support extending from said manifold, said support having a passage formed therein which extends internally through said support to said water inlet port of said manifold, through which untreated water flows, and which terminates in an untreated water inlet port formed in an inner radial peripheral surface of said support;

C. a tubular filter element having

(1) first and second outlets formed in a first axial end thereof and communicating with said rinse PG,34 water discharge port and said treated water discharge port, respectively, and

(2) an inlet formed in a second axial end thereof and communicating with said untreated water inlet port of said support; and

D. a brine seal which is sealingly mounted on said filter element and which sealingly engages said inner peripheral surface of said support between said first axial end of said filter element and said untreated water inlet port to isolate said untreated water inlet port from said rinse water discharge port.

21. A method of treating water comprising:

A. providing a filtration system comprising a manifold, a support extending from said manifold, a tubular filter element extending from said support and having an axial outlet surrounded by said support and an axial inlet remote from said support, and a housing encasing said filter element with a space formed therebetween;

B. feeding untreated water through an internal passage formed in said support, out of an untreated water inlet port formed in an inner radial peripheral surface of said support, and into said space between said housing and said filter element;

then

C. directing said untreated water toward and into said inlet of said filter element while preventing said untreated water from flowing to said outlet; and

then

D. treating said untreated water in said filter element.