Filter element for a filter apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814282-B2
Application number	US-201515770970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Nov 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A filter element for a filter apparatus includes at least one filter member and a frame member arranged to support the at least one filter member in such a manner that an internal cavity is formed. The filter member includes a permeable membrane layer which has a first filter surface for receiving a pressure and directed towards an internal cavity arranged in-side the filter element, and a second filter surface for receiving solid particles filtered from a feed. The filter member forms a capillary filter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter element for a filter apparatus, the filter element comprising:
at least one filter member including a permeable membrane layer having a first inner filter surface for receiving a pressure and directed towards an internal cavity arranged inside the filter element, and an outer filter surface for receiving solid particles filtered from a feed that flows into the internal cavity via the outer filter surface and then the first inner filter surface whereby the feed exits the internal cavity from an outlet in fluid communication with the internal cavity, wherein the filter member forms a capillary filter; and
a frame member arranged to support the at last one filter member in such a manner that the internal cavity is formed, wherein the frame member is made of or formed of a non-porous material, wherein the at least one filter member is arranged on each side of the frame member providing the first inner filter surface and a second inner filter surface, one on each side of the frame member, and wherein the frame member comprises a polymer material or a composition comprising a polymer material.

2. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the frame member comprises at least one support part for supporting the filter member.

3. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein the frame member comprises a plurality of support parts spaced from other support parts and wherein the structure of the frame member is formed to prevent transfer of forces between the support parts.

4. The filter element according to claim 3 , wherein at least one support part comprises an aperture extending through the support part between the filter member end of the support part and the end of the support part opposite to the filter member end in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the first inner filter surface.

5. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein each support part is connected to at least one other support part by a connector comprising a non-linear shape.

6. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein the support parts are not connected to one another, but are only in contact with the filter members.

7. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein at least a surface of the support parts comprises the polymer material or the composition comprising a polymer material.

8. The filter element according to claim 7 , wherein an edge part of the frame member comprises a material that differs from the material of the support parts.

9. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one support part defines a channel extending transversely therethrough configured to enable a better flow of the feed within the internal cavity, and the frame member has an outer peripheral surface defining a groove therein in which a seal member is received.

10. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter member comprises a ceramic material or a composition comprising a ceramic material.

11. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises thermoplastic comprising at least one of the following: polyamide (PA) polypropylene (PP), polysulphone (PSU), polyethersulphone (PES), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), acrylo butadiene styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalatate (PBT), HDPE, PC and other polyolefin.

12. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein each end of a support part is arranged fixedly to one of the filter members, such that the support part is arranged fixedly between two filter members.

13. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element is a truncated-sector-shaped filter element for a disc filter apparatus and comprising filter surfaces on both sides of the element.

14. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element is a filter element of a drum filter apparatus, the filter element comprising:
a pair of side edge surfaces arranged parallel with each other, and comprising one outer filter surface only on one side of the filter element; and
a pair of curved end surfaces, wherein the curvature of the curved end surfaces and the curvature of the outer filter surface of the filter element coincide with the circumference of the outer surface of a drum filter of the drum filter apparatus.

15. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame member comprises between a connecting member end of the frame member and the filter member a material that is more flexible than the material of the filter member, wherein the connecting member end of the fame member is the end at which the filter element is arrangeable to the filter apparatus.

16. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame member forms at least an outer edge surface of the filter element, wherein the outer edge surface of the filter element is located at the opposite end of the filter element compared to a connecting member end of the filter element at which the filter element is arrangeable to the filter apparatus, and wherein at least the outer edge surface of the frame member comprises a non-porous and acid-resistant material.

17. The filter element according to claim 16 , wherein the non-porous and acid-resistant material of the frame member is additionally less water-absorbent than the material of the filter member.

18. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the bubble point of the filter member is at least 0.2 bar.

Assignees

• Outotec Finland Oy

Inventors

• Vänttinen Kari
• Juvonen Ismo
• Hindström Rolf
• Ekberg Bjarne
• Illi Mika
• Vroman Edward
• Simola Laura
• Högnabba Olli

Classifications

• B01D33/23 Primary

  Construction of discs or component sectors thereof · CPC title

• B01D71/02

  Inorganic material · CPC title

• B01D29/111

  Making filtering elements · CPC title

• B01D29/05

  supported · CPC title

• B01D29/15

  arranged for inward flow filtration · CPC title