Filter system with external scrubber

• US 5,635,080 A
• Filed: 11/17/1995
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whittier Filtration, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clifford J Hensley
• Inventors: Hensley, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Popovics, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US08/559,991
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 210/269, 210/270, 210/275, 210/279, 210/280, 210/792-796, 210/503, 210/807
• US Class Current: 210/792
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/12 Downward filtration, the filtering material being supported by pervious surfaces B01D24/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/4631 Counter-current flushing, e.g. by air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/4689 Displacement of the filtering material to a compartment of the filtering device for regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/48 integrally combined with devices for controlling the filtration

Abstract

Method and apparatus by which contaminants are removed from a liquid flowing through a filter vessel having an inlet for providing a contaminated liquid flow into one end thereof and an outlet through which filtered liquid can exit the vessel. A filter screen supports a relatively large quantity of particulate filter media within the filter vessel on the filter screen for normal filter operation and captures contaminants by flowing contaminated liquid through the inlet while filtered liquid exits through the filter screen and outlet, leaving the contaminants on the filter media. The system automatically occasionally cleans the media in a unique cleaning cycle, that includes one or a plurality of closed loop flow paths that fluidizes the media within one filter vessel and cleans the media externally of the filter vessel by flowing the fluidized filter media along the closed loop flow path. The closed loops each include a fluidizing nozzle in the filter vessel and a scrubber vessel externally thereof to fluidize the media while concurrently flowing the fluidized media along the closed loop where it is scrubbed and returned to the filter vessel as cleaned media while dirty scrub water is discharged from the scrub vessel and leaves the system.

Claims

1. A filter system for removing products from dirty liquid flowing therethrough and thereby providing a filtered liquid, comprising:

a filter vessel having an inlet for providing a dirty liquid flow into one end thereof and a clean liquid outlet through which filtered liquid can exit said filter vessel;

a filter screen supported adjacent said clean liquid outlet and within said filter vessel through which filtered liquid must flow in order to exit said outlet;

a quantity of particulate filter media in said filter vessel received against said filter screen for normal filter operation wherein products are captured by said particulate filter media and filtered as liquid flows through the media and the filter screen and then exits through said clean liquid outlet;

a closed loop flow path comprising an intermittently operable scrub vessel connected exteriorly of said filter vessel, a fluidizing nozzle, and pump means;

said scrub vessel having a fluidized media inlet, a cleaned media outlet, and a scrub water discharge;

said cleaned media outlet being connected to said nozzle for discharging the cleaned media towards said filter screen and thereby fluidizing the media and liquid contained upstream of said filter screen;

said pump means having a suction inlet in said filter vessel above said filter screen for receiving flow of dirty liquid from the interior of said filter vessel, and a pump outlet connected to said scrub vessel;

a scrub and separator screen in said scrub vessel through which liquid and removed contaminants can flow while the filter media is substantially precluded from flowing through the scrub and separator screen;

a scrub water discharge chamber formed contiguous respective to said scrub water screen and connected to discharge contaminants and liquid from said discharge chamber through said scrub water discharge;

said nozzle being aligned within said filter vessel such that said particulate filter media and any liquid contained upstream of the screen assumes a flow path which fluidizes the particulate filter media to facilitate flow of the fluidized media from the filter vessel into the scrub vessel where a scrubbing action translocates any removed products from the particulate filter media into the dirty liquid and a part of the dirty liquid is separated from the cleaned media and discharged from the scrub water discharge;

whereby, a relative large quantity of the fluidized media can be fluidized within said filtering vessel to thereby suspend the particulate filter media and the products within the dirty liquid while said fluidized media is directed through said pump means and into said scrub vessel where contaminants are scrubbed from said particulate filter media as scrub water and contaminants flow through said scrub and separator screen, into said discharge chamber, and discharged from said scrub vessel by means of said scrub water discharge; and

the scrubbed media continues through said scrub vessel and is returned to the filter vessel while contaminants and scrub water flow through said scrub water discharge, and said pump means circulates a relatively small quantity of the fluidized media through the scrub vessel where the media is cleaned and separated from the scrub water which is discharged from the system.

2. The filter system of claim 1, in which said filter vessel has a central axis, and, said scrub and separator screen has a central axis that lays along a longitudinal central axis of said scrub vessel and separates said scrub vessel into an axial passageway through which the media flows as it is being scrubbed and an annular passageway through which the removed contaminants and separated scrub water flows, and said nozzle is arranged along the filter vessel central axis to direct the fluidized media in a torodial flow pattern.

3. The filter system of claim 1 in which said scrub vessel has a central longitudinal axis, a scrub and separator screen axially aligned within said scrub vessel to form an annulus therebetween;

and flow conduits arranged whereby the fluidized media flows into said annulus where the dirty liquid flows through the scrub and separator screen leaving the cleaned filter media in the annulus where it is discharged back through said nozzle thereby fluidizing the filter media contained within said filter vessel.

4. The filter system of claim 1 in which there are a plurality of said closed loop flow paths connected to said filter vessel with the nozzles of each closed loop being spaced from one another and arranged to jointly fluidize the entire media of said filter vessel.

5. A filter system for removing contaminants from a liquid flowing through the system comprising a filter vessel having an inlet into which a contaminated liquid flows and an outlet through which filtered liquid exits said vessel;

a filter screen supported adjacent said filter vessel outlet and within said vessel;

a relatively large quantity of particulate filter media in said vessel and supported against said filter screen for normal filter operation wherein contaminants are captured by said particulate filter media and filtered liquid exits through said filter screen and said outlet;

a closed loop flow circuit for scrubbing the media having a nozzle in said filter vessel directed toward said filter screen, an intermittently operable scrubber apparatus supported exteriorly of said filter vessel having a fluidized media inlet, a cleaned media outlet, and a scrub water discharge, and further including a pump means in said closed loop having a suction inlet in said filter vessel for receiving flow of liquid from the interior of said vessel;

said nozzle being aligned with said filter screen in a manner such that the media is fluidized when the pump means provides a flow therethrough;

a scrubing and cleaning screen in said scrubber apparatus through which liquid and removed contaminants can flow while filter media is substantially precluded from flowing therethrough, a scrub water discharge chamber formed contiguous to said scrub screen and connected to discharge contaminants and liquid from said discharge chamber through said scrub water discharge;

the flow of fluidized media into said scrubber apparatus is separated into a cleaned fluidized media and a dirty water stream and said dirty water stream is discharged therefrom while the cleaned fluidized media is returned to the filter vessel;

whereby, liquid containing contaminants scrubbed from said particulate filter media can flow through said pump, through said scrub and cleaning screen, into said discharge chamber, and from said scrubber apparatus by means of said scrub water discharge.

6. The filter system of claim 5 in which there are a plurality of said closed loop flow paths connected to said filter vessel with the nozzles of each closed loop being spaced from one another and arranged to jointly fluidize the entire media of said filter vessel.

7. A method by which contaminants are removed from a liquid flowing through a filter vessel having an inlet for providing a contaminated liquid flow into one end thereof and an outlet through which filtered liquid can exit said vessel, according to the following steps;

supporting a filter screen adjacent said filter vessel outlet and within said filter vessel and supporting a relatively large quantity of particulate filter media in said filter vessel and on said filter screen for normal filter operation; and

, capturing contaminants in said particulate filter media by flowing contaminated liquid through said inlet while filtered liquid exits through said filter screen and said outlet;

forming a closed loop flow circuit for fluidizing said media and cleaning said media externally of said filter vessel by flowing contaminated liquid from said one end and along a closed loop flow path that includes a nozzle in said filter vessel and a scrubber vessel externally of said filter vessel;

mounting said nozzle respective to the media on said filter screen to fluidize the media while concurrently flowing the fluidized media along said closed loop;

forming a fluidized media inlet, a cleaned media outlet, and a scrub water discharge for said scrubber vessel,

supporting a scrub and separator screen in said scrubber vessel through which removed contaminants can flow while the filter media is substantially precluded from flowing through the scrub and separator screen;

forming said scrub water discharge chamber contiguous respective to said scrub water screen and connected to discharge contaminants and liquid from said discharge chamber through said scrub water discharge;

flowing fluidized media along said closed loop circuit by a pump means having a suction inlet in said vessel for receiving flow of liquid from the interior of said vessel; and

directing said nozzle in said vessel toward said screen means, aligning said nozzle such that said particulate filter media fluidized in the liquid assumes a flow path which scrubs the particulate filter media and translocates removed contaminants from the particulate filter media into the liquid;

whereby, liquid containing contaminants scrubbed from said particulate filter media is separated therefrom as the fluidized media flows through said scrubber vessel, with the last said liquid flowing into said discharge chamber, and away from said scrub vessel while the media is returned to the nozzle in the filter vessel.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said filter screen is provided with a central axis that lays along a longitudinal central axis of said filter vessel and, arranging said separator screen and said scrubber vessel along a common longitudinal axis with the separator screen separating the cleaned fluidized media from the scrub water discharge.

9. The method of claim 7 and further including the steps of flowing the fluidized media along a plurality of parallel paths, each of which include one said closed loop flow paths that are connected to said filter vessel;

and, spacing the nozzles of each closed loop from one another, and arranging the nozzles to jointly fluidize the entire media of said filter vessel.

10. A filter apparatus by which contaminants are removed from a liquid flowing therethrough, comprising:

a vessel having an inlet for providing a contaminated liquid flow into one end thereof and an outlet through which filtered liquid can exit said vessel;

a screen means supported upstream of said outlet and within said vessel;

a quantity of particulate filter media in said vessel and supported by said screen for normal filter operation wherein contaminants are captured by said particulate filter media and filtered liquid exits through said screen means and said outlet;

a scrubber apparatus connected exteriorly of said vessel and including pipe means connecting the interior of said scrubber to the interior of said vessel by which said particulate filter media can be fluidized and the fluidized media circulated between said vessel and said scrubber apparatus;

said scrubber apparatus including;

a housing having a scrubber inlet and an outlet, a scrub screen means mounted within said housing through which liquid and removed contaminants can flow while the filter media is substantially precluded from flowing therethrough, a pump means for moving contaminated liquid from the interior of said vessel to transfer fluidized media to the scrubber inlet;

a nozzle in said vessel directed toward said scrub screen means, said nozzle being aligned in a manner such that said particulate filter media fluidized in said liquid assumes a flow path which scrubs the particulate filter media and translocates removed contaminants from the particulate filter media into the liquid; and

discharge means for removing liquid containing contaminants scrubbed from said particulate filter media from said housing by flowing the liquid containing contaminants through said screen means and said discharge means.

11. The filter apparatus of claim 10, in which said housing has a longitudinal axis and said scrub screen has a central axis that lays along the longitudinal central axis of said housing, thereby providing an axial flow path separated from an annular flow path by said scrub screen, said annular plow path being said discharge means.

12. The filter apparatus of claim 11 in which there are a plurality of said closed loop flow paths connected to said filter vessel with the nozzles of each closed loop being spaced from one another and arranged to jointly fluidize the entire media of said filter vessel.