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Disclosed is a capsule apparatus having a filter housing defining a filter chamber with a top cap having a plurality of ports extending substantially laterally from a top end of the top cap. The lateral and substantially uniform orientation of the ports facilitates connection to panel mount assembli

Disclosed is a capsule apparatus having a filter housing defining a filter chamber with a top cap having a plurality of ports extending substantially laterally from a top end of the top cap. The lateral and substantially uniform orientation of the ports facilitates connection to panel mount assemblies and improves filter maintenance processes. A transfer tube extending the length of the capsule allows the introduction of heated fluids from a top mounted inlet port to a bottom of the capsule chamber to allow or a substantially uniform heat gradient in the capsule filter chamber. A dispersion ring or dispersion plate may be secured to a distal end of the transfer tube to promote uniform dispersion of liquids and/or gases introduced into the capsule apparatus. An alternative shield secured in the housing defines a first chamber in fluid communication with an inlet and a second chamber wherein the two chambers are in fluid communication via an opening defined by a lower end of the shield and a bottom of the filter chamber. An alternative capsule apparatus has an outlet tube extending downwardly from a top mounted outlet port in fluid communication with an enclosed filter membrane secured below a column of loose filter media.

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1. A filter capsule apparatus comprising: a capsule shell having a shell wall with portions defining a solid, channel-free capsule bottom end;a top cap secured to a top end of the shell wall, wherein the combination of the shell wall, the capsule bottom end and the top cap define a filter chamber ha

1. A filter capsule apparatus comprising: a capsule shell having a shell wall with portions defining a solid, channel-free capsule bottom end;a top cap secured to a top end of the shell wall, wherein the combination of the shell wall, the capsule bottom end and the top cap define a filter chamber having a top chamber end proximal to and partially defined by the top cap and a bottom chamber end proximal to and partially defined by the capsule channel-free bottom end;a filter secured in the filter chamber, wherein an annular space is defined by the shell wall and an exterior surface of the filter, wherein the annular space extends uninterrupted the entire axial length of the filter, wherein a bottom space is defined by a bottom end of the filter, an inner surface of the capsule bottom end and an annular segment of the shell wall below the plane occupied by the bottom end of the filter, wherein the bottom space is in uninterrupted fluid communication with the annular space, and wherein heated fluid is permitted to enter the filter radially inwardly along the axial length of the filter from the annular space;a plurality of ports including an inlet port extending from the top cap,a transfer tube having an elongate tube cylindrical wall in fluid isolation from the annular space and the filter, connected along its length to, and extending along the length of, the shell wall, wherein a portion of the tube cylindrical wall along its axial length is integral with, or registered against, the shell wall, wherein a fluid receiving first end is secured to, and in fluid communication with, the inlet port and a fluid delivery second end is secured in close proximity to the capsule bottom end; and,a dispersion ring formed on, or secured to, a peripheral annular edge of the top inner surface of the capsule bottom end within the filter chamber, wherein the dispersion ring has a plurality of dispersion ring bores or slots, wherein the dispersion ring is in fluid communication with the second end of the transfer tube, and wherein the dispersion ring is in fluid communication with the filter chamber via the plurality of ring bores or slots, whereby higher-heat, lower-density heated fluid introduced into the filter capsule enters through the inlet port, travels downwardly inside the transfer tube, exits the transfer tube second end into the dispersion ring, exits the dispersion ring through the ring bores or slots into the uninterrupted bottom space of the filter chamber, and flows upwardly in the uninterrupted annular space of the filter chamber into the filter, whereby the heated fluid transfers heat to lower-heat, higher-density fluid positioned at a higher elevation in the filter chamber than the in-flowing heated fluid in a fluid column formed in the filter chamber to maintain all the fluid in the fluid column at a substantially uniform temperature throughout the axial length of the filter chamber. 2. The filter capsule of claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports extend from the top cap in a uniform direction. 3. The filter capsule of claim 2 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 4. The filter capsule of claim 2 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 5. The filter capsule of claim 2 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is +/−45° from a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 6. The filter capsule of claim 4 wherein at least one of the plurality of ports has a quick connect connector secured to the one port. 7. The capsule of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of ports has an integral quick connect connector. 8. The filter capsule of claim 4 wherein at least one port of the plurality of ports has a dedicated check valve secured to the one port. 9. The filter capsule of claim 1 wherein the transfer tube is secured to an inner wall of the shell. 10. The filter capsule of claim 1 wherein the transfer tube is secured to an outer wall of the shell. 11. The filter capsule of claim 1 further comprising an RFID chip secured to the shell. 12. The filter capsule of claim 1 further comprising an RFID chip embedded in material forming the shall. 13. The filter capsule of claim 1 wherein the to cap has portions defining a projection chamber, wherein the projection chamber is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of ports. 14. The filter chamber of claim 1 further comprising a mounting port formed on a bottom of the shell. 15. A filter capsule apparatus comprising: a shell having a shell wall;a bottom cap secured to a bottom end of the shell wall;a top cap secured to a top end of the shell wall, wherein the combination of the shell wall, the bottom cap and the top cap define a filter chamber, wherein the filter chamber has a chamber bottom end proximal to the bottom cap;at least one filter cartridge secured in the chamber bottom end, wherein the at least one filter cartridge defines at least one downstream outlet core;a plurality of ports including an outlet port extending from a top end of the top cap;an outlet transfer tube secured in the chamber to the top cap away from the shell wall and extending downwardly a portion of the length of the shell wall; wherein the transfer tube is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the outlet port at a top end, and is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the at least one cartridge outlet core at a bottom end;a porous media boundary sheet having pores with a pore size from about 10 microns to about 500 microns and a perimeter, wherein the boundary sheet perimeter is secured along its entire length to the shell wall above the filter cartridge and attached about the outlet transfer tube, wherein the combination of the media boundary sheet, an outer surface of the outlet transfer tube, an inner surface of the shell wall and the top cap form a particulate filter media chamber separate from the bottom end of the filter chamber where the filter cartridge is secured, wherein the porous media boundary sheet permits the passage of liquids and/or gases; and,particulate media secured in the particulate media chamber. 16. The filter capsule of claim 15 wherein the plurality of ports extend from the top cap in a uniform direction. 17. The filter capsule of claim 16 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 18. The filter capsule of claim 16 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 19. The filter capsule of claim 16 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is +/−45° from a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 20. The filter capsule of claim 16 wherein at least one of the plurality of ports has a quick connect connector secured to an end of the at least one port. 21. The filter capsule of claim 16 wherein at least one port of the plurality of ports has a check valve secured to the one port. 22. The filter capsule of claim 15 further comprising an RFID chip secured to the shell. 23. The filter capsule of claim 15 further comprising an RFID chip embedded in material forming the shell. 24. The filter capsule of claim 15 wherein the top cap has portions defining a projection chamber, wherein the projection chamber is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of ports. 25. A filter capsule apparatus comprising: a capsule shell having a shell wall with portions defining a solid, channel-free capsule bottom end;a top cap secured to a top end of the shell wall, wherein the combination of the shell wall the bottom end and the top cap define a filter chamber having a top chamber end proximal to and partially by the top cap and a bottom chamber end proximal to and partially defined by the channel-free capsule bottom end;a filter secured in the filter chamber, wherein an annular space is defined by the shell wall and an exterior surface of the filter, wherein the annular space extends uninterrupted the entire axial length of the filter, wherein a bottom space is defined by a bottom end of the filter, an inner surface of the capsule bottom end and an annular segment of the shell wall below the plane occupied by the bottom end of the filter, wherein the bottom space is in fluid communication with the annular space, and wherein heated fluid is permitted to enter the filter radially inwardly along the axial length of the filter from the annular space;a plurality of ports including an inlet port extending from the top cap,a transfer tube having an elongate tube cylindrical wall in fluid isolation from the annular space and the filter, connected along its length to, and extending along the length of, the shell wall, wherein a portion of the tube cylindrical wall along its axial length is integral with, or registered against, the shell wall, wherein a fluid receiving first end is secured to, and in fluid communication with, the inlet port and a fluid delivery second end is secured in close proximity to the capsule bottom end of the capsule shell; and,a dispersion plate having a plurality of dispersion plate bores or slots formed proximal to a peripheral annular edge of the dispersion plate, wherein the dispersion plate is secured in the filter chamber within the bottom space, wherein the combination of the dispersion plate, filter chamber wall and the inner surface of the capsule bottom end define an uninterrupted dispersion chamber that extends uninterrupted the entire width of the filter chamber; wherein the dispersion chamber is in fluid communication with the second end of the transfer tube and wherein the dispersion chamber is in fluid communication with the bottom space and annular space of the filter chamber via the plurality of dispersion plate bores or slots whereby higher-heat, lower-density heated fluid introduced into the filter capsule enters through the inlet port, travels downwardly inside the transfer tube, exits the transfer tube second end into the dispersion chamber, exits the dispersion chamber through the dispersion plate bores or slots into the bottom space of the filter chamber, and flows upwardly in the uninterrupted annular space of the filter chamber into the filter, whereby the heated fluid transfers heat to lower-heat, higher-density fluid positioned at a higher elevation in the filter chamber than the in-flowing heated fluid in a fluid column formed in the filter chamber to maintain all the fluid in the fluid column at a substantially uniform temperature throughout the axial length of the filter chamber. 26. The filter capsule of claim 25 wherein the plurality of ports extend from the top cap in a uniform direction. 27. The filter capsule of claim 26 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 28. The filter capsule of claim 26 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 29. The filter capsule of claim 26 wherein the plurality of ports occupy substantially the same plane wherein the plane is +/−45° a from a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shell. 30. The filter capsule of claim 28 wherein at least one of the plurality of ports has a quick connect connector secured to the one port. 31. The filter capsule of claim 28 wherein each of the plurality of ports has an integral quick connect connector. 32. The filter capsule of claim 28 wherein at least one port of the plurality of ports has a check valve secured to the one port. 33. The filter capsule of claim 28 wherein each of the plurality of ports has dedicated check valve secured thereto. 34. The filler capsule of claim 25 wherein the transfer tube is secured to an inner wall of the shell. 35. The filter capsule of claim 25 wherein the transfer tube is secured to an outer wall of the shell. 36. The filter capsule of claim 25 further comprising an RFID chip secured to the shell. 37. The filter capsule of claim 25 further comprising an RFID chip embedded in material forming the shell. 38. The filter capsule of claim 25 wherein the top cap has portions defining a projection chamber, wherein the projection chamber is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of ports. 39. The filter chamber of claim 25 further comprising a mounting port formed on a bottom of the shell.