SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR FLUID TREATMENT SYSTEMS HAVING BELTED FILTRATION SYSTEMS
The present technology is directed generally to fluid treatment systems. In particular, several embodiments are directed toward filter supports configured to be positioned adjacent a filter belt within a filter belt filtration system. In one embodiment, the filter support can have a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the direction of movement of the filter belt. The filter support can include a plurality of struts spaced apart by a plurality of openings, and at least one of the plurality of struts extends across a portion of the filter support such that a longitudinal axis of the at least one strut is positioned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter support.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/001,481, filed May 21, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present technology relates generally to fluid treatment systems. In particular, several embodiments are directed toward a fluid treatment system including a support structure for use in belted fluid filtration systems.
BACKGROUNDPurified water is used in many applications, including the chemical, power, medical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as for human consumption. Typically, prior to use, water is treated to reduce the level of contaminants to acceptable limits. Treatment techniques include physical processes such as filtration, sedimentation, and distillation; biological processes such as slow sand filters or activated sludge; chemical processes such as flocculation and chlorination; and the use of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light.
Physical filtration systems are used to separate solids from fluids by interposing a medium (e.g., a mesh or screen) through which only the fluid can pass. Undesirable particles larger than the openings in the mesh or screen are retained while the fluid is purified. In water treatment applications, for example, contaminants from wastewater such as storm water runoff, sediment, heavy metals, organic compounds, animal waste, and oil and grease must be sufficiently removed prior to reuse. Water purification plants and water purification systems often make use of numerous water filtration units for purification. It would be desirable to provide improved filtering units to reduce the expense and complexity of such purification systems.
The present technology relates generally to treatment systems. In particular, several embodiments are directed toward fluid treatment systems including support members for rotating belt filters and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, for example, the present technology includes a filter support having a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the direction of movement of the filter belt. The filter support can include a plurality of struts spaced apart by a plurality of openings, and at least one of the plurality of struts extends across a portion of the filter support such that a longitudinal axis of the at least one strut is positioned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter support.
Specific details of several embodiments of the technology are described below with reference to
I. Overview of Rotating Belt Filtration Systems Configured for Use with the Filter Supports of the Present Technology
The system 100 includes a housing 102 that at least partially encloses and defines a fluid chamber 103 that receives the influent through an inlet 118 disposed on the housing 102. The filtration system 100 also includes a filter belt cartridge 126 positioned within the chamber 103. In some embodiments, the cartridge 126 can be configured to be received by a channel or other fluid pathway. The cartridge 126 can include a first end portion 126a, a second end portion 126b opposite the first end portion 126a, two rollers 128 positioned at the first and second end portions 126a, 126b, respectively, a filter belt 104 (not shown in
In some embodiments the cartridge 126 is fixed to a portion of the housing 102, and in other embodiments the cartridge 126 is removable from the chamber 103 and/or housing 102 for maintenance, replacement, or operational reduction/expandability. Although only a single cartridge 126 is shown in
The filter belt 104 can be an integrated endless or looped filtering belt, such as mesh configured to remove or reduce the level of suspended solids in the fluid. For example, filter belt 104 can be porous such that the belt 104 prevents fluid and/or contaminants larger than the pore size of the filter belt 104 from passing through the filter belt 104. As such, the contaminants too large to pass through the filter belt 104 can build up on the filter belt's surface and form an accumulated solids layer 140 (only shown schematically in
The system 100 can include one or more drive shafts, motors and/or gearboxes (not labeled) coupled to the rollers 128 and configured to rotate the rollers 128. The filter belt 104 is configured to pass over (e.g., rotate around) the rollers 128 in a direction indicated by arrows B As shown in
II. Selected Embodiments of Filter Supports for Use With Rotating Belt Filtration Systems
The filter support 129 of the present technology can include one or more struts 160 spaced apart by openings 162. In some embodiments, for example, the filter support 129 can be made of a single sheet of material (e.g., a metal, a plastic, a composite, etc.) and can be cut (e.g., laser cut) to form a strut configuration configured to improve exposed filter belt area and thus improve filtering efficiency. Various embodiments of strut configurations are discussed below with reference to
As best shown in
The inclusion of non-longitudinal struts in the filter support 129 of the present technology provides several advantages over conventional filter belt supports. Conventional filter belt supports comprise a series of longitudinal struts spaced apart across the width of the belt. Because the conventional longitudinal struts run in the same direction the belt travels, the struts consistently block the portions of the filter aligned with the longitudinal struts, thus rendering those portions unusable for filtering. The strut arrangement of the present technology, however, staggers at least one of the support struts 160 along the direction vector of the filter belt 104 such that the angled, staggered struts do not consistently block or blind any portion of the filter belt 104 surface area, thereby increasing the exposed area of the filter belt 104. The strut configuration of the present technology provides an additional advantage in that it disperses the weight of the accumulated solid layer 140 across a greater portion of the width of the filter support 129 as compared to the longitudinal struts of conventional supports, thereby reducing stress on the belt and leading to longer belt life. Filter belts on conventional supports have consistently unsupported portions between the longitudinal struts which causes those portions to stretch and bend under the weight of the accumulated solid layer.
The struts 160 of the embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, the filter support 129 can he modular and/or be comprised of two or more distinct members.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the technology have been described herein far purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the disclosure. For example, while various attributes of the fluid flow or the filtering apparatus are designated as “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “upwardly-facing”, “downward”, etc., these terms are used only for purposes of explaining the accompanying drawings. For example, in some embodiments, an inlet may be at a lower height than an outlet and/or fluids may be filtered upwards through a filter mesh such that gravity assists in keeping contaminants from piercing an overhead filter. In still further embodiments, the filtration systems may include additional features, such as overflow chambers, fluid routing systems, or additional flow paths. Additionally, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the new technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein. Thus, the disclosure is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A device comprising:
- a filter support configured to be positioned adjacent a filter belt within a finer belt filtration system, the filter support having a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the direction of movement of the filter belt, wherein the filter support includes a plurality of struts spaced apart by a plurality of openings, and wherein at least one of the plurality of struts extends across a portion of the support such that a longitudinal axis of the at least one strut is positioned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter support.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is between 0 and 180 degrees, exclusive.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is between 2 degrees and 178 degrees, exclusive.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is between 3 degrees and 177 degrees, exclusive.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is between 4 degrees and 176 degrees, inclusive.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is between 4 degrees and 176 degrees, exclusive.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the filter support includes at least one longitudinal strut that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter support.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the struts are arranged in a chevron configuration.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the filter support includes a plurality of support struts extending across a portion of the support at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter support, and wherein at least one of the plurality of support struts is parallel to another of the plurality of support struts.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the angle is 90 degrees.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the filter support comprises a first member and a second member distinct from the first member.
12. A device comprising:
- a support configured to be positioned adjacent a filter belt within a filter belt filtration system, the support having a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the direction of movement of the filter belt, wherein the support includes a first member comprising a plurality of first struts spaced apart by a plurality of first openings, wherein at least one of the plurality of struts extends across a portion of the first member at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support; and a second member comprising a plurality of second struts spaced apart by a plurality of second openings, wherein at least one of the plurality of second struts extends across a portion of the second member at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the first member is configured to be positioned adjacent the second member along the length of the filter belt.
14. The device of claim 12 wherein the first member is configured to be stacked on the second member such that the first member is between the second member and the filter belt.
15. The device of claim 12 wherein both the first angle and the second angle are greater than or equal to 4 degrees.
16. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of first struts is parallel to at least one of the plurality of second struts.
17. The device of claim 12 wherein the first member is configured to be positioned adjacent the second member along the length of the belt such that an end of the first member is in contact with an end of the second member.
18. The device of claim 12 wherein a portion of the first member is configured to overlap a portion of the second member.
19. The device of claim 12 wherein the first member and the second member are interlocked such that the first member is prevented from moving laterally relative to the second member.
20. The device of claim 8 wherein the first member and the second member are interlocked such that the first member is prevented from moving longitudinally relative to the second member.
21. A treatment system, comprising:
- a chamber configured to receive a fluid;
- a cartridge positioned within the chamber, wherein the cartridge includes: a set of rollers; a filter belt positioned around and between the rollers; a filter support positioned adjacent the filter belt such that the filter belt is configured to be disposed between the support and the received fluid, wherein the support includes a plurality of struts spaced apart by a plurality of openings, and wherein at least one of the plurality of struts extends across a portion of the support at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the angle is greater than or equal to 4 degrees.
23. The system of claim 21 wherein the filter support includes at least one longitudinal strut that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter support.
24. The system of claim 21 wherein the struts are arranged in a chevron configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 21, 2016
Publication Date: May 18, 2017
Inventors: Cornelius J. Strain (Post Falls, ID), Kyle Jennings (Liberty Lake, WA)
Application Number: 15/358,092