System and method for engineered ceramic packages for use in fluid treatment technologies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433331-B2
Application number	US-202016799493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Jan 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a modular fluid modification system having an outer container configured to permit a fluid flow there into at a first location, and to allow the fluid flow to exit the container at a second location spaced apart from the first location. A plurality of fluid contacting elements is housed in the outer container. The fluid contacting elements each form an independent filtering or reactor element. Each fluid contacting element includes a plurality of openings formed in a grid or lattice-like pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular fluid modification system comprising:
an outer container configured to permit a fluid flow there into at a first location and to allow the fluid flow to exit the outer container at a second location spaced apart from the first location;
a plurality of fluid contacting elements each forming an independent filtering or reactor element and housed adjacent one another in the outer container;
each said fluid contacting element including a plurality of wall portions forming a plurality of openings, where the openings are formed in a grid or lattice-like pattern; and
each one of said fluid contacting elements being independently insertable into the outer container to facilitate assembly, and removable from the outer container, and held within the outer container in a predetermined angular position relative to the outer container.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outer container holds the fluid contacting elements in at least one of:
a parallel orientation wherein the fluid contacting elements are paneled adjacent one another; and
a series orientation wherein the fluid contacting elements are arranged in a stacked configuration.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least of one the fluid contacting elements is produced by an additive manufacturing method.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wall portions of the fluid contacting elements each form struts, and wherein the struts are at least one of the following:
nanoporous in construction;
microporous in construction;
hollow; or
formed as a structural support for a secondary nanofibrous membrane.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the fluid contacting elements are each formed as the structural support for an associated secondary nanofibrous membrane.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the fluid contacting elements are:
made from different materials; or
perform separate functions; or
when combined cooperate to add a different functionality not present from either one of the at least two fluid contacting elements when operating alone.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each said fluid contacting element comprises an outer frame portion, with the grid of openings or lattice like structure formed within the outer frame portion; and
wherein each one of the fluid contacting elements has cooperating structure, and wherein the cooperating structure includes one of a shoulder portion or a channel, and an inner surface of the outer container includes the other one of the shoulder portion or the channel, such that each said fluid contacting element is held in the outer container in the predetermined, angular position relative to the outer container.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each said fluid contacting element is held in the outer container such that it is angularly offset from other immediately adjacently positioned ones of the fluid contacting elements, such that the openings of no two adjacent ones of the fluid contacting elements are in registration with one another.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the openings of the fluid contacting elements are angularly offset from one another to create a continuous, helical flow vortex through the fluid contacting elements.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein an angular offset of any two adjacently positioned ones of the fluid contacting elements comprises an angular offset of between 5 degrees to 15 degrees.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a subplurality of the plurality of openings are formed in at least one of:
a square shape;
a circular shape;
a triangular shape;
a pyramid shape;
a hexagonal shape;
an octagonal shape;
a rectangular shape; or
an oval shape.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the openings comprise at least one of:
square shaped openings having a dimension between about 1-2 mm by 1-2 mm; or
circular openings having a diameter of openings having a diameter of 1 mm to 5 mm.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the openings of different ones of the fluid contacting elements form openings having different shapes and/or sizes.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein each said fluid contacting element includes:
an outer frame portion; and
a plurality of wall portions forming the grid or lattice like structure within the outer frame portion.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the wall portions are angled so as to be non-parallel to the outer frame portion.

16. A modular fluid modification system comprising:
a tubular outer container, impervious to a fluid flow, and configured to permit the fluid flow into the tubular outer container at a first location and to allow the fluid flow to exit the tubular outer container at a second location spaced apart from the first location;
a plurality of fluid contacting elements each forming an independent filtering or reactor element and housed adjacent one another in the tubular outer container;
each said fluid contacting element including an outer frame portion within which is included a plurality of wall portions, the wall portions defining a plurality of openings arranged in a grid or lattice-like pattern;
at least a subplurality of the wall portions being at least one of:
nanoporous in construction;
microporous in construction; or
hollow in construction; and

the tubular outer container and each one of the fluid contacting elements including cooperating structure to hold each said fluid contacting element in a predetermined angular position within the tubular outer container such that each pair of adjacent ones of the fluid contacting elements are angularly offset from one another by a predetermined degree to create non-straight flow paths through the openings in the wall portions of the fluid contacting elements; and
the fluid contacting elements being configured to be independently insertable and removable into and out of the tubular outer container.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the openings of the fluid contacting elements are angularly offset from one another to create a continuous, helical flow vortex through the fluid contacting elements.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the fluid contacting elements form plate-like elements having a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm; and
wherein a subplurality of openings are formed in at least one of:
a square shape;
a circular shape;
a triangular shape;
a pyramid shape;
a hexagonal shape;
an octagonal shape;
a rectangular shape; or
an oval shape.

19. A modular fluid modification system comprising:
an outer container configured to permit a fluid flow there into at a first location and to allow the fluid flow to exit the outer container at a second location spaced apart from the first location;
a plurality of fluid contacting elements each forming an independent filtering or reactor element and housed adjacent one another in the outer container; and

each said fluid contacting element including a plurality of wall portions forming a plurality of openings, where the openings are formed in a grid or lattice-like pattern; and
wherein the openings of the fluid contacting elements are angularly offset from one another to create a continuous, helical flow vortex through the fluid contacting elements.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Kelly James Patrick
• Haslam Jeffery J
• Mitchell Mark

Classifications

• B01D2265/021

  Anti-rotational means · CPC title

• B01D46/0013

  Modules · CPC title

• B01J37/0009

  Use of binding agents; Moulding; Pressing; Powdering; Granulating; Addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the product catalyst · CPC title

• B01D46/546

  using nano- or microfibres · CPC title

• B01D46/2455

  of the whole honeycomb or segments · CPC title