Liquid recovery filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757666-B2
Application number	US-201213460583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2012
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

The liquid recovery filter includes several embodiments, each of which provides for the recovery of liquid otherwise trapped within the filter housing and element. Each embodiment includes a series of vents, purge ports, and passages that communicate fluidly with the filter housing and filter core. Certain vents and purge ports are initially opened following filtration operations to allow pressurized gas to flow into the housing, thereby forcing residual unfiltered liquid through the filter. When this has been accomplished, another vent is opened to the filter core to allow filtered liquid to flow from the downstream or outlet passage from the filter core. Some embodiments have the filter outlet located above the filter, and include a downstream drain port extending from the filter core. The downstream drain port provides for the recovery of filtered liquid when the vent or purge port is opened in these embodiments.

First claim

I claim:

1. A liquid recovery filter comprising:
a filter shell having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, and a cylindrical outer wall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the shell defining an internal volume;
a liquid-permeable filter element with a defined bubble point and disposed within the filter shell, the filter element having an inlet side and an outlet core, wherein a gap formed between the shell and the outer surface or the inlet side of the filter element defines an upstream section of the internal volume, wherein the inlet side of the filter element communicates fluidly with the upstream section, and wherein the outlet core defines a downstream side of the filter element;
an inlet passage disposed through the filter shell, the inlet passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section;
an outlet passage disposed through the filter shell, the outlet passage communicating fluidly with the outlet core and downstream side of the filter element;
a downstream vent/purge port disposed through the filter shell, the downstream vent/purge port communicating fluidly with the outlet core and downstream side of the filter element;
an upstream vent passage disposed through the filter shell, the upstream vent passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section;
an upstream drain passage disposed through the filter shell, the upstream drain passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section; and,
an inline gas-permeable, gas-sterilizing filter disposed in the downstream vent/purge port, wherein the liquid recovery filter is configured to permit a combination liquid processing and retrieval function comprising an unfiltered liquid flowing into the filter shell via the inlet passage, travelling into the upstream section, passing through the liquid-permeable filter element via a pressure gradient formed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the filter element to become filtered liquid, entering into the outlet core and exiting the filter shell through the outlet passage, wherein a quantity of the filtered liquid is retained in the outlet core after the liquid processing function, and wherein a gas is introduced into the outlet core after the liquid processing function via the downstream vent/purge port and through the inline gas filter whereby the gas is introduced into the outlet core at a pressure that does not exceed the bubble point of the liquid-permeable filter element to purge The retained processed liquid out the outlet passage in a sterile manner.

2. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 1 wherein the outlet passage is disposed through the lower end of the filter shell, and wherein the downstream vent/purge port is disposed through the upper end of the filter shell.

3. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 1 wherein the inlet passage is disposed substantially axially through the upper end of the filter shell, and wherein the outlet passage is disposed through the lower end of the filter shell and extends substantially coaxially with the filter element.

4. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 1 further comprising:
an inline filter disposed in the upstream vent passage.

5. A liquid recovery filter comprising:
a filter shell having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, and a cylindrical wall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the shell defining an internal volume;
a liquid-permeable filter element with a defined bubble point and disposed within the filter shell, the filter element having an inlet side and an outlet core, wherein a gap formed between the shell and the outer surface or the inlet side of the filter element defines an upstream section of the internal volume, wherein the inlet side of the filter element communicates fluidly with the upstream section, and wherein the outlet core defines a downstream side of the filter element;
an inlet passage disposed through the filter shell, the inlet passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section;
an outlet passage disposed through the lower end of the filter shell, the outlet passage communicating fluidly with the outlet core of the filter element;
a downstream vent/purge port disposed through the upper end of the filter shell, the downstream vent/purge port communicating fluidly with the outlet core of the filter element; and,
an inline gas-permeable, gas-sterilizing filter disposed in the down stream vent/purge port, wherein the liquid recovery filter is configured to permit a combination liquid processing and retrieval function comprising an unfiltered liquid flowing into the filter shell via the inlet passage, travelling into the upstream section, passing through the liquid-permeable filter element via a pressure gradient formed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the filter element to become filtered liquid, entering into the outlet core and exiting the filter shell through the outlet passage, wherein a quantity of the filtered liquid is retained in the outlet core or downstream side after the liquid processing function, and wherein a gas is introduced into the outlet core after the liquid processing function via the downstream vent/purge port and through the inline gas filter whereby the gas is introduced into the outlet core at a pressure that does not exceed the bubble point of the liquid-permeable filter element to purge the retained processed liquid out the outlet passage in a sterile manner.

6. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 5 further comprising:
an upstream vent passage disposed through the filter shell, the upstream vent passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section; and,
an upstream drain passage disposed through the filter shell, the upstream drain passage communicating fluidly with the upstream section.

7. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 5 wherein the inlet passage is disposed substantially axially through the upper end of the filter shell, and wherein the outlet passage is disposed through the lower end of the filter shell and extends substantially coaxially with the filter element.

8. The liquid recovery filter according to claim 5 further comprising an inline filter disposed in the upstream vent passage.

Assignees

• Lin Zhenwu
• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp

Inventors

• Lin Zhenwu

Classifications

• B01D36/001

  Filters in combination with devices for the removal of gas, air purge systems · CPC title

• B01D19/0031 Primary

  by filtration · CPC title

• B01D35/16

  Cleaning-out devices {, e.g. for removing the cake from the filter casing or for evacuating the last remnants of liquid} · CPC title

• B01D29/21 Primary

  with corrugated, folded or wound sheets · CPC title

• B01D29/92

  for discharging filtrate · CPC title