Manifold arrangement

• US 9,604,166 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Biltoft, Bruce Gregory, Collignon, Michael, McMahon, Robert James
• Primary Examiner(s): KURTZ, BENJAMIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/347,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20140231367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/06 External membrane module supporting or fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/18 Specific valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/08 Fully permeating type; Dead-end filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/12 Feed-and-bleed systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2317/04 Elements in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/34 open-topped B01D35/31 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/046 in separate housings
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration

Abstract

Provided is an improved filtration module assembly comprising a vessel having a filtration cartridge disposed within it and a header coupled to an end of the vessel, the header including a housing having an open-ended upper end and a lower end, and an end cap including a portion that mates with a complimentary structure defined by the inner wall of the open ended upper end of the housing to removably engage with the housing and the end cap may further define a passageway for fluid to flow out of the vessel. The filtration module assembly may enable an improved manifold arrangement used to communicate fluids to and from a filtration system comprising a plurality of such modules and the configurations of the present invention may facilitate improved operation of such filtration systems.

Claims

1. A filtration module assembly comprising:

a vessel;

a header coupled to an end of the vessel, the header including a housing having an open-ended upper end and a lower end;

an end cap including a portion that mates with a complimentary structure defined by an inner wall of the open-ended upper end of the housing to removably engage with the housing and a shut-off passageway extending from an upper portion of the end cap to a base portion of the end cap, the end cap defining a filtrate discharge passageway for filtrate to flow out of the vessel, the filtrate discharge passageway defined in part by a bottom surface of the upper portion of the end cap, a top surface of the base portion of the end cap, and the inner wall of the housing;

a filtration cartridge disposed within the vessel, the filtration cartridge including an upper end removably coupled to the lower end of the housing; and

a filtrate collection chamber defined in part by a lower end of the base portion of the end cap and the upper end of the filtration cartridge.

2. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the filtration cartridge comprises a plurality of permeable hollow fiber membranes extending between a lower end of the filtration cartridge and the upper end of the filtration cartridge.

3. The module assembly of claim 2, wherein the vessel comprises a screen extending between the lower end of the filtration cartridge and the upper end of the filtration cartridge and surrounding the plurality of permeable hollow fiber membranes.

4. The module assembly of claim 2, wherein the filtration cartridge includes fluid communication openings defined in a potting sleeve surrounding a portion of the membranes, the fluid communication openings in fluid communication between a feed passageway in the housing and outer surfaces of the membranes.

5. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the filtrate discharge passageway includes a filtrate communication passageway in fluid communication between the filtrate collection chamber and a first fluid transfer manifold.

6. The module assembly of claim 5, wherein the end cap further comprises a shut off valve disposed within the shut-off passageway and constructed and arranged to fluidly isolate the filtrate collection chamber from a filtrate communication port.

7. The module assembly of claim 5, wherein the first fluid transfer manifold is coupled to the header and includes a filtrate passageway and is further coupled to a second fluid transfer manifold of a second module assembly to provide fluid communication between the filtrate passageway of the first fluid transfer manifold and a filtrate passageway of the second fluid transfer manifold.

8. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the filtrate discharge passageway includes a filtrate communication passageway defined by a side surface of the end cap and an internal surface of the housing.

9. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the removable end cap includes screw threads configured to engage with mating screw threads provided on an upper portion of an inner wall of the housing.

10. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the filtrate discharge passageway defined in the end cap is formed around the shut-off passageway and extends in a horizontal plane to the inner wall of the housing.

11. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the end cap that mates with the complimentary structure includes a peripherally stepped wall that extends upward from a floor of the upper portion of the end cap and defines an upwardly opening recess.

12. The module assembly of claim 1, wherein the filtrate discharge passageway has a concave wall disposed between the bottom surface of the upper portion of the end cap and the top surface of the base portion of the end cap.