초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for removing dissolved solids from a liquid which utilizes the technique of reverse osmosis (RO). The liquid to be treated is directed into a pressure vessel which contains a plurality of filter elements positioned therein. The filter elements have hollow RO fibers wound aroun

A method and apparatus for removing dissolved solids from a liquid which utilizes the technique of reverse osmosis (RO). The liquid to be treated is directed into a pressure vessel which contains a plurality of filter elements positioned therein. The filter elements have hollow RO fibers wound around foraminous center cores such that the liquid flows in a direction from the outside of the filter elements towards the center cores. The pure permeate liquid passes into the center bores of the fibers and the concentrate liquid passes into the center cores of the elements. The method and apparatus provide for the backwashing of the filter elements when they become fouled. Further, an outer filter septum may be applied around the hollow RO fibers of the elements to remove particulate matter which would otherwise foul the hollow RO fibers.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for removing dissolved solids and suspended particuate matter from a liquid to be treated, comprising the steps of: (a) passing a feedstream of liquid to be treated into a pressure vessel having a plurality of filter elements vertically positioned therein; (b) directing the liquid to be tre

A method for removing dissolved solids and suspended particuate matter from a liquid to be treated, comprising the steps of: (a) passing a feedstream of liquid to be treated into a pressure vessel having a plurality of filter elements vertically positioned therein; (b) directing the liquid to be treated through an outer filter septum positioned around the filter elements for removal of suspended particulate matter in the liquid to be treated; (c) directing the liquid to be treated that passes through the filter septum through a layer of hollow RO fibers spirally wrapped around formaninous center cores of the filter elements such that the liquid to be treated flows in a direction from the outside of the filter elements towards the foraminous center cores, so as to cause substantially pure permeate liquid to permeate into the center bores of the hollow RO fibers and concentrate liquid to pass into the foraminous center cores; (d) collecting the permeate liquid from the center bores of the hollow RO fibers in a common collector manifold and removing the collected permeate liquid from the pressure vessel; (e) collecting at least a portion of the concentrate liquid from the center cores in a common concentrate liquid collection compartment and removing the collected concentrate liquid from the pressure vessel; (f) periodically terminating passage of the liquid to be treated into the pressure vessel and directing backwash liquid into the concentrate liquid collection compartment and then across the layer of hollow RO fibers and the filter septum into the pressure vessel, so as to remove particular matter that is trapped in the hollow RO fibers and the filter septum and; (g) removing the backwash liquid along with the suspended particulate matter from the pressure vessel.