MXPA99008902A

MXPA99008902A - Modular filtration systems and methods

Info

Publication number: MXPA99008902A
Application number: MXPA/A/1999/008902A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Chancellor Dennis
Original assignee: Chancellor Dennis; Nate International
Priority date: 1997-04-14
Filing date: 1999-09-28
Publication date: 2000-08-01

Abstract

A filtration system includes production modules (305) which are mechanically coupled in series, and which contain filters that are fluidly coupled in parallel. Among the many different possibilities contemplated, each production module may advantageously contain not only a filter (314), but also flowpaths for feed fluid (334a), waste fluid (334b), and product fluid (334c) so that a series of coupled modules can be installed, accessed, and removed as single unit. It is further contemplated that coupled modules may be deployed in space efficient manner, such as by insertion into a deep or shall well, a tower, along the ground, into the side of a hill or mountain, or even under a road or parking lot. It is still further contemplated that adjacent production modules may be designed to mate with one another using a slip fit joint, and that the production modules may be maintained in mating relationship through connections to supporting cables or rods.

Description

MODULAR FILTRATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS BACKGROUND There is a great worldwide demand for purified fluids, one of the most important commercially of which is the production of fresh water from salty or brackish water. In addition to the distillation techniques, such demand is commonly satisfied by filtration. There are many types of filtration that include reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and hyperfiltration, and all these technologies are contemplated herein within the generic term "filtration". Most filtration units consist of a cylinder or can containing a filter, and three flow paths that communicate with the outside world. A flow path carries a feed fluid, another flow path carries the filtered fluid (ie, the product) and a third fluid path carries what is rejected, which is sometimes referred to as waste or waste fluid. In the case of reverse osmosis units used to purify brackish water, the feeding fluid must be brackish water, the filtered fluid must be desalinated (fresh) water while the waste fluid would be salty water. REF .: 31160 Filtration plants generally include a multitude of physically separated filtration units, placed on or near the level of the floor. The feed, filtered and waste fluids are transported by three separate tubes, respectively, and each filtration unit is fluidly coupled to each of the tubes using a hose or other line. In such modalities, the entire system is found in modules with different filtering units constituting the modules. The various modules are placed mechanically more or less in parallel, and the various membranes are placed in a fluid way in parallel. There are many advantages of such an arrangement, of which not the least is that the individual modules can be disconnected from the system for service provision, while the rest of the system is not affected. U.S. Patent No. 4,125,463 to Chenoweth follows the same strategy, except that its various reverse osmosis modules (so-called permeate mounts) are placed in sets of five around a common riser tube. This adaptation allows hundreds of modules to be conveniently placed into a single well vessel. Again, here there are no descriptions or suggestions of any kind of super module that can encompass sets of five RO modules, and which can be placed in series.

Other additional descriptions suggest the creation of a deep groundwater housing to contain the filtration modules. Once again, the modules are viewed as physically placed more or less in parallel, while the filters are contemplated to be placed in a fluid manner in parallel. However, the provisions of modules that are known are not exempt from limitations. Parallel module distribution requires considerable space and, when placed on the ground in a commercial environment, often requires a very large "space". The concept of Chenoweth types of using deep wells makes relatively good use of space, but is impractical due to the large number of interconnections that are required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, apparatuses and methods are provided in which the filters containing production modules are coupled mechanically in series, while the filters obtained in the production modules are fluidly coupled with the feed fluid flow paths, filtering and waste in parallel. Among the many different possibilities that are contemplated, each production module can advantageously contain or not, not only a filter, but three flow paths, so that a series of coupled modules can be installed, accessed and removed as a single unit. It is further contemplated that the coupled modules can be deployed in a space-efficient manner, for example by insertion into a deep or shallow well, a tower, along the floor within the side of a hill or mountain, or even under a road or a parking lot. It is further contemplated that adjacent production modules can be designed to match each other using a slip-laying joint that the production modules can be maintained in a matching relationship through the connections to support cables or rods BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, together with the accompanying drawings, in which similar numbers represent similar components. Figure 1 is an exploded diagram of a filtration system according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic of a preferred embodiment of a well-based filtration system, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 is an exploded three-dimensional partial view of a manifold of a production module according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the filtration system above ground, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In Figure 1, a filtration system 5 generally comprises a plurality of production modules 10 attached end-to-end. Each module 10 includes three pipes, a feed pipe 12A, a waste pipe 12B and a product pipe 12C. The various pipes are fluidly coupled to filters 14 by means of shunts 16A, 16B and 16C, respectively. In general, the feed fluid flows through the pipes 12A and 16A to the filter 14, which separates the waste and product streams. The waste flows through the pipe 16B into the pipe 12B, while the product flows through the pipe 16C into the pipe 12C. The pipes 12A, 12B and 12C are coupled from module to module so that each type of fluid flows through all the modules in series. In Figure 2, a system 105 is observed which includes other modules and connections useful for a preferred embodiment. Here, the feed water 120A such as salty or brackish water is extracted by a pump 133 through a supply pipe 131 to a well-based reverse osmosis production plant. The feed water 120A then flows downward, along the flow path 134A to the filter 150 in the module 110, which separates the product 120C of fresh water from the waste water 120B. The fresh water product 120C flows upward in the flow path 134C to a holding tank 140, aided by a pump 135. The waste water 120B flows upward in the wastewater flow path 134B, and is discharged of system 5 by means of the • pipe 150. In this way, the various modules 110 are connected mechanically in series while the fluid filters 150 are connected in parallel, in relation to the fluid flow paths 134A, 134B and 134C. Shown in Figure 2 are the shunt structures 111 and a transmission module 160 which makes the transition between the pump or the production modules and the surface. It is further contemplated that the adjacent production modules 100 may be designed to coincide with each other using a slip-laying joint (not shown) and that the production modules may be maintained in matching relation through the connections for holding cables or rods . Figure 3 illustrates a manifold 210 which can be placed at one end of a production module to match both the adjacent modules and also to match the various flow paths. Among other things, the manifold 210 defines several channels 216 through which a feed fluid (see arrow 206) passes from a supply fluid supply space 134A (see FIG. 2) to an internal flow space 200. , before flowing to a filter (not shown). The various channels 216 are formed within reinforcements 217, which also serve to hold a tube 260 that defines the flow path of the product. As will be readily appreciated, the waste fluid flows past the filter or filters in the 210 module, it flows in the direction of arrow 208, and from there along path 134C (see Figure 2). In Figure 4, system 305 illustrates a generally above-ground mode in which feed water 320A is removed by pump 33 through a supply line 331 into a prefilter 335 and a reciprocating pump 336. job. The feed water 320A then passes through a supply pipe 331B to two production units 310 via the flow path 334A of feed fluid. Once inside the production units 310, part of the feed fluid 320A passes through the filters 314 to form the product 320C, which is collected in the product flow path 334C. The product 320C then flows by gravity to the holding tank 340. The fluid which does not pass through the filters 314 becomes the waste fluid 320B, and is transported along the flow path 334C, and is ejected from the system. Therefore, in this embodiment, as in the embodiment of Figure 2, the sections of one of the flow paths (here, the flow path 334A of feed fluid) is placed between the modules 310 and an outer cover 390 . Of course, other embodiments are also contemplated in which sections of one or more different flow paths are included within the modules 310. A system such as that of Figure 4 is contemplated to preferably include any part from 2 to 50 or more. production units 310, wherein each production unit preferably varies from about 3 m (10 feet) to about 6 m (20 feet) in length. The outer cover is preferably about 76 cm (30 inches) in diameter, but advantageously it may be larger or smaller in diameter and, in fact, may have cross-sections different from round. Based on existing filters, it is expected that such a system will produce approximately 7.6 million liters (2 million gallons) of fresh water or other product fluid per day. Additional details of the preferred systems which may be applicable to the subject matter of the invention are described in WO 98/09718, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. Such details are related to favored types of pumps, favored module dimensions, favored orientations and system placements, favored filters and so on. Particularly contemplated are embodiments in which the pressure necessary to operate the filters is provided substantially by a pump or a column of liquid. For this purpose positive displacement pumps are favored, especially when such pumps are incorporated in the work exchange units. I also know. favor the columns of feed fluid, especially when the column is at least 61 m (200 ft.) deep, more preferably at least 152 m (500 ft.) deep, and much more preferably by at least 305 m (1000 feet) deep, and even more preferably at least 457 m (1500 feet) deep. Of course, there are innumerable additional modifications that can be made and that still find within the general concept that is established in this document. For example, in Figure 1, the three fluid pipes 12A, 12B and 12C are shown contained completely within the production module 10. However, in alternative embodiments, any one or two or all of the three fluid lines can be placed outside the production modules 10. Figure 2 is a case at a point, since the feed fluid 120A flows in the flow path 134A outside the modules 110, ie, between the modules 110 and the well cover. In other modifications, filtration system according to the subject matter of the invention can be placed in a variety of configurations and arrangements. For example, the systems can be configured as a single long tube, or as a "farm" of short tubes, or even in a curve or in a circle. In addition, systems can be placed above the floor, under the floor, partially above and partially below the floor, vertically, horizontally and at any angle between them. It will also be appreciated that the fluids of feed, waste and product may vary from one system to another and should be considered in its most general sense. For example, the feed fluid may be contaminated with nothing but a very small amount of common salt, or it may be a material highly contaminated with all kinds of organic, inorganic, dissolved or suspended solids. Similarly, the waste fluid in a desalination system may not be completely wasteful, but may be used to feed a secondary filtration system that uses higher pressure. In addition, with respect to the filtration of food fluids, such as orange juice, the waste fluid may have a considerable commercial value as an animal feed or fertilizer. Under the same concept, the product fluid is not necessarily especially pure. Purity is relative, and some systems can be used to produce water or other fluids which are generally not considered potable. Thus, modular filtration systems have been described in which the modules are mechanically coupled in series, while the filters are coupled in a fluid way in parallel. Although the specific modalities and applications have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those familiar with the art that many modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. Therefore, the invention is not restricted except by the spirit of the appended claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects or products to which it refers.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A modular filtration system, characterized in that it comprises: a feed fluid flow path, a waste fluid flow path and a product flow path; a plurality of production modules, each of which includes a spiral wound filter which separates a first fluid in the flow path of the feed fluid in a second fluid flow path of waste fluid and a third fluid the product fluid flow path; production modules placed within an outer shell, wherein the production modules adjacent are mechanically coupled in series and are coupled fluidly in parallel in relation to at least one of the flow paths of fluid waste and product; and the feed fluid flow path, the waste fluid flow path and the product fluid flow path are substantially parallel to each other through the length of each of the production modules.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the production modules contains a section of each of the feed fluid, waste fluid and product flow paths.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the production modules contains a section of at least two of the flow paths of feed fluid, waste fluid and product.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the production modules contains a section of at least one of the flow paths of feed fluid, waste fluid and product.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the modules are placed at least partially above the level of the floor.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the modules are placed at least partially below the level of the floor.

7. The system in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the filters are reverse osmosis membranes.

8. The system according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a pump which pressurizes the flow path of supply fluid.

9. The system according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a work exchange unit which pressurizes the flow path of feed fluid.

10. The system according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a column of fluid from which pressurizes the flow path of supply fluid.