Redundant ultrafiltration device
First Claim
1. A dual stage filtration apparatus comprising:
- a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including first semi-permeable filtering elements and a second filtration stage including second semi-permeable filtering elements and a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages, wherein the apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, the fluid inlet port being in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage, and wherein both ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the first end of the cartridge and both ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the second end of the cartridge, wherein the first semi-permeable filtering elements and the second semi-permeable filtering elements comprise hollow fibers.
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Abstract
According to one aspect of the present invention, a dual stage filtration apparatus includes a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including a first bundle of first semi-permeable filtering elements and a second filtration stage including a second bundle of second semi-permeable filtering elements. The cartridge has a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid into the first filtration stage and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages. The apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, and the fluid inlet port is in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage. According to one aspect of the present invention, both ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the first end and both ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the second end.
120 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A dual stage filtration apparatus comprising:
a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including first semi-permeable filtering elements and a second filtration stage including second semi-permeable filtering elements and a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages, wherein the apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, the fluid inlet port being in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage, and wherein both ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the first end of the cartridge and both ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the second end of the cartridge, wherein the first semi-permeable filtering elements and the second semi-permeable filtering elements comprise hollow fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A dual stage filtration apparatus comprising:
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a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including a first bundle of first semi-permeable filtering elements in the form of hollow fibers and a second filtration stage including a second bundle of second semi-permeable filtering elements in the form of hollow fibers and a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid into the first filtration stage and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages, wherein the apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, the fluid inlet port being in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage, and wherein the first and second bundles are arranged in a looped manner with the two bundles intertwined with one another such that both open ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed at the first end of the cartridge and both open ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed at the second end of the cartridge and therefore, the bundles of fibers extend in opposite directions within the cartridge.
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15. A dual stage filtration apparatus comprising:
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a cartridge having a first end and an opposing second end and a first filtration stage including first semi-permeable filtering elements in the form of a bundle of hollow fibers and a second filtration stage including second semi-permeable filtering elements in the form of a bundle of hollow fibers and a fluid inlet port for receiving raw unfiltered fluid and a fluid outlet port for discharging purified fluid after it has passed through the first and second filtration stages, wherein the apparatus has an intrastage space that receives fluid that has been filtered in the first filtration stage prior to being filtered again in the second filtration stage, the fluid inlet port being in fluid communication only with the first filtration stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second filtration stage, wherein both ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the first end and both ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed and open at the second end, and wherein the first semi-permeable filtering elements are bent so as to form two arms connected by a first curved section and the second semi-permeable filtering elements are bent so as to form two arms connected by a second curved section, the first and second semi-permeable filtering elements being looped with respect to one another such that the first curved section is disposed between the two arms of the second semi-permeable filtering elements and the second curved section is disposed between the two arms of the first semi-permeable filtering elements such that both open ends of the first semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed at the first end of the cartridge and both open ends of the second semi-permeable filtering elements are disposed at the second end of the cartridge and therefore, the bundles of fibers extend in opposite directions within the cartridge and extend outwardly away from the looped curved sections. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification