Abstract: A membrane support material is support material for adhering a membrane to a membrane attachment surface. A plurality of non-woven fiber sheets, which are three-dimensional fiber aggregates, are layered together and thermal and pressure processed to bond fibers of the non-woven fiber sheets and form a single sheet of support material. Each layer of non-woven fiber sheet has a different longitudinal-to-lateral tensile strength ratio (k), which is the ratio (f2/f1) of the tensile strength in the lengthwise direction (f2) to the tensile strength in the width direction (f1), and in the thermal and pressure processed state, the support material membrane attachment surface has curvature in the lateral (width) direction with an outward protruding (convex) center region.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus that sucks liquid in hollow portions (10) of the filtering elements (1) via suction pipes (3) so that liquid passes the filtering elements and is filtered. Each suction pipe has suction holes (4) connected to the hollow portions. The suction pipes are inserted into through holes (2) of the filtering elements. The filtering elements are arranged side by side and connected to the suction pipes. A ring-shaped packing is interposed between the filtering elements, and water-tightly seals the clearance between the filtering element and the suction pipe. The through holes are arranged at peripheral locations of each filtering element. The suction pipes are inserted into the through holes of each filtering element. The filtering elements are held at the peripheral locations by the suction pipes.

Abstract: The membrane support material is support material for adhering a membrane to a membrane attachment surface. A plurality of non-woven fiber sheets, which are three-dimensional fiber aggregates, are layered together and thermal and pressure processed to bond fibers of the non-woven fiber sheets and form a single sheet of support material. Each layer of non-woven fiber sheet 1 has a different longitudinal-to-lateral tensile strength ratio (k), which is the ratio (f2/f1) of the tensile strength in the lengthwise direction (f2) to the tensile strength in the width direction (f1), and in the thermal and pressure processed state, the support material membrane attachment surface has curvature in the lateral (width) direction with an outward protruding (convex) center region.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus sucks liquid in hollow portions (10) of the elements (1) via suction pipes (3) so that liquid passes the elements (1) and is filtered. Each pipe (3) has suction holes (4) connected to the portions (10). The pipes (3) are inserted into through holes (2) of the elements (1). The elements (1) are arranged side by side and connected to the pipes (3). A ring-shaped packing (5) is interposed between the elements (1), and water-tightly seals the clearance between the element (1) and the pipe (3). The holes (2) are arranged at peripheral locations of each element (1). The pipes (3) are inserted into the holes (2) of each element (1). The elements (1) are held at the peripheral locations to the pipes (3).