Fluid control manifold for membrane filtration system

• US 9,022,224 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Collignon, Michael, Biltoft, Bruce Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): FORTUNA, ANA M
• Application Number:
  US13/240,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 210/456, 21032178-3219, 21032187-32189, 210/636, 210/275, 210/333.01, 210/321.69
• US Class Current: 210/456
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/105 Supply manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/125 Discharge manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/21 Specific headers, end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/26 Specific gas distributors or gas intakes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/54 Modularity of membrane module elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2317/04 Elements in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2317/06 Use of membrane modules of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/185 Aeration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/034 Lumen open in more than two directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/046 in separate housings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/02 Membrane cleaning or sterilisation ; Membrane regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for filtering a fluid including a filter module assembly coupled to a manifold. The manifold may include a manifold inlet in fluid communication with a source of feed liquid, an outlet in fluid communication with header of the filter module assembly, a fluid passageway in fluid communication with the manifold inlet, a source of gas, and the outlet, a second fluid passageway in fluid communication with the header and the first fluid passageway and a second manifold outlet vertically displaced from the first manifold outlet and in fluid communication between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway.

Claims

1. A manifold for attachment to a header of a filter module assembly comprising:

an inlet in fluid communication with a source of feed liquid;

a first outlet in fluid communication with the header;

a first fluid passageway in fluid communication with the inlet, a source of gas, and the first outlet;

a second fluid passageway in fluid communication with the header and the first fluid passageway, the second fluid passageway comprising an open-ended conduit extending generally downward from an upper wall of the first fluid passageway, a lower end of the open-ended conduit defining the first outlet; and

a second outlet vertically displaced from the first outlet and in fluid communication between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway, the second outlet being defined in a wall of the open-ended conduit.

2. The manifold of claim 1, wherein the second fluid passageway is in fluid communication with an aeration system of the filter module assembly.

3. The manifold of claim 1, wherein the first fluid passageway is in fluid communication with a feed inlet of the filter module assembly.

4. The manifold of claim 1, further comprising a control port formed in a wall of the first fluid passageway, the control port including an open lower portion defining the first outlet and a control port wall defining the second outlet.

5. The manifold of claim 1, wherein the second outlet comprises at least one vertically extending aperture.

6. The manifold of claim 5, wherein the vertically extending aperture comprises an open-ended slot contiguous with the lower end of the open-ended conduit.

7. The manifold of claim 1, wherein the manifold further includes a plurality of output conduits, the open-ended conduit being vertically partitioned to form a plurality of passageways within the open-ended conduit, each of the plurality of passageways being in fluid communication with a respective output conduit.

8. The manifold of claim 1, comprising at least two of the open-ended conduits.