System and method for filtration of liquids
View Patent ↗A normal flow filtration system having a housing with one or more filters contained within a bowl and attached to the outlet of the system. Liquid enters the bowl, contacts the surfaces of the one or more filters. Impurities are trapped in the filter and the filtered liquid flows through to the outlet. Parameter(s) such as flow rate, transmembrane pressure drop and/or time are measured and when met, filtration ceases. A backflushing occurs through the filter(s) so as to remove the impurities from the filter. This backwashed material is directed to an outlet of the bowl that is connected to a drain. Additionally a port formed in the side of the housing adjacent an outer surface of the filter(s) can be used to provide a lateral washing of the filter(s). The system is then recirculated in a downstream manner to reestablish equilibrium and filtration is then restarted.
1. A system for the normal flow filtration of liquids comprising a source of fluid to be filtered, a first conduit connecting the source to an inlet of a filtration device, the filtration device comprising one or more housings containing one or more filters, the one or more housings having a head and a bowl portion, the one or more filters being in fluid communication with a housing outlet in each of the one or more housings which outlet is in fluid communication with a second conduit leading to a downstream component, the downstream component being selectively closable to flow from the second conduit by a normally open first valve, a selectively closable recirculation loop for the fluid from the first valve via a third conduit back to the inlet of the first conduit in each of the one or more housings wherein the recirculation loop is normally closed off from the housing outlet in each of the one or more housings by a second valve, the inlet and the outlet being located in the head of each of the one or more housings and a drain being located at a lowermost portion of the bowl of each of the one or more housings, one or more ports formed in the side of each of the one or more housings adjacent the one or more filters, the one or more ports being connected to a side of each of the one or more housings adjacent an outer surface of the one or more filters, the port(s) being connected to the first conduit by a port conduit, the first conduit having a third valve which is selectively closable downstream of the port conduit, the port conduit having a selectively openable port valve to direct the fluid to be filtered against the outer surface of the filters for cleaning of the filters when the port valve is selectively opened and the third valve is selectively closed.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are tangential to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are at an angle φ to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters, wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 15° to about 165°.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are at an angle φ to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters, wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 30° to about 150°.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are at an angle φ to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters, wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 45° to 135°.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are at an angle φ to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters, wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is about 90°.
7. A system for the normal flow filtration of liquids comprising a source of unfiltered fluid to be filtered, a first conduit connecting the source to an inlet of a filtration device, the filtration device comprising one or more housings containing one or more filters, the one or more filters being in fluid communication with a housing outlet in each of the one or more housings which is in fluid communication with a second conduit leading to a downstream component, the downstream component being selectively closable to flow from the second conduit by a normally open first valve, a selectively closable recirculation loop for the fluid from the first valve via a third conduit back to the inlet of the first conduit in each of the one or more housings wherein the recirculation loop is normally closed off from the housing outlet in each of the one or more housings by a second valve, the inlet and the outlet being located at an uppermost portion of each of the one or more housings and a drain being located at a lowermost portion of each of the one or more housings, one or more ports formed in the side of each of the one more housings adjacent the one or more filters, the one or more ports being connected to a side of each of the one or more housings adjacent an outer surface of one or more filters, the port(s) being connected to the first conduit by a port conduit, the first conduit having a third valve which is selectively closable downstream of the port conduit, the port conduit having a selectively openable port valve to direct the unfiltered fluid against the outer surface of the filters when the port valve is selectively opened and the third valve is selectively closed to clean the outer surfaces of the one or more filters.
8. A system for the normal flow filtration of liquids comprising a source of unfiltered fluid to be filtered, a first conduit connecting the source to an inlet of a filtration device, the filtration device comprising one or more housings containing one or more filters, the one or more filters being in fluid communication with a housing outlet in each of the one or more housings which is in fluid communication with a second conduit leading to a downstream component, the downstream component being selectively closable to flow from the second conduit by a normally open first valve, a selectively closable recirculation loop for the fluid from the first valve via a third conduit back to the inlet of the first conduit in each of the one or more housings wherein the recirculation loop is normally closed off from the housing outlet in each of the one or more housings by a second valve, the inlet and the outlet being located in a head of each of the one or more housings and a drain being located at a lowermost portion of the bowl of each of the one or more housings, one or more ports formed in the side of each of the one or more housings adjacent the one or more filters, the one or more ports being connected to a side of each of the one or more housings adjacent an outer surface of one or more filters, the port(s) being connected to the first conduit by a port conduit, the first conduit having a third valve which is selectively closable downstream of the port conduit, the port conduit having a selectively openable port valve to direct the unfiltered fluid against the outer surface of the filters when the port valve is selectively opened and the third valve is selectively closed to clean the outer surfaces of the one or more filters and wherein the one or more ports are at an angle φ to a substantially vertical outer surface of the one or more filters, wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 15° to about 165°.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 30° to about 150°.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is selected from the group consisting of an angle from about 45° to 135°.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein the angle φ is formed between the centerline of the one or more filters and the centerline of the one or more ports and wherein the φ is about 90°.