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Membrane cleaning with pulsed airlift pump

  • US 9,573,824 B2
  • Filed: 11/26/2013
  • Issued: 02/21/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of cleaning a membrane module in an array of membrane modules immersed in a liquid feed tank, the module comprising a plurality of membrane bundles, the method comprising:

  • applying a pressurized gas to a gas collection chamber of a gas-lift pump device positioned below the membrane bundles of the module, a single gas-lift pump device positioned below each single module in the array of membrane modules and each single module in the array of membrane modules associated with a single gas-lift pump, wherein, the gas applied to the gas collection chamber displaces feed liquid within the chamber until the gas reaches an opening in a central riser tube that extends through the gas collection chamber and has a first end in fluid communication with the membrane bundles and a second end fluidly connected to the liquid feed tank,whereupon a surge of gas passes through the opening and creates a bubble slug that flows into the membrane module, the surge of gas providingan ejection phase, which ejects gas and feed liquid through the first end of the riser tube to the membrane module to clean the plurality of membrane bundles, anda suction phase, which creates a reduction in pressure and pulls feed liquid through the second end of the riser tube.

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