Abstract: The present invention related to a filter consisting of a stack 4 of elements 5 comprising one cylindrical side and each element consisting of several isolated sections 23-24 and provided with orifices 35 for communication of its sections with the circumferences of the element and with a rotary distribution valve 37 mounted to rotate coaxially with the cylindrical side and comprising a chamber 22a for the isolation of a first section 23 from any element of the other sections, communicating with this first section through a port of the distribution valve.The form of the port 22a and the layout of the orifices 35 are such that the first sections 23 of only one part of the elements are in communication with the chamber 22a.One application is the manufacture of a filter of small size and high efficiency.

Abstract: A leaf-type filter system in which a suction pump is employed to pump filtered fluid from a series of individual filter leaves is connected to the individual leaf chambers via fluid couplings located above the surface of fluid being filtered. The couplings are of inverted U-shape and have a sliding sealing fit with the vertical outlet tube of a leaf and a vertical receiving tube mounted in a manifold or header external of the main filter tank.

Abstract: A construction element for foundation drainage has an integral, flexible, and substantially water-impervious panel lying generally in a plane and formed with respective arrays of inner and outer bumps to opposite sides of the plane. The outer bumps form outwardly open outer flow channels on the outer face. Normally the panel is applied to a vertical foundation wall with the inner bumps bearing against the wall and the outer passages vertical and opening outward away from the wall. The inner bumps and outer bumps are offset to one another in the plane in two perpendicular directions. Thus the channels communicate also in these two directions and the element can be rolled up. A water-pervious and rigid filter sheet overlies the outer bumps, is spaced outward from the plane, and outwardly closes the channels so that water can filter through the sheet and flow down the channels.

Abstract: In a suction-type filter machine, a plurality of filter leaves each haing a core panel of egg-crate type walls defining transverse passageways through said panel and openings through said walls to provide vertical, horizontal and longitudinal passageways for filtrate flow drawn by a suction pump through the filter medium enwrapping the core panel and a conduit conductor enclosing an edge portion of the core panel.

Abstract: A semipermeable membrane element of the type incorporating a flat semipermeable membrane and useful as an artificial kidney. A wave-shaped spacer is provided in intimate contact with the active side of the membrane and forms a multiplicity of parallel channels between the membrane and the spacer for passing a feed liquid therethrough. The parallel channels give a maximum clearance of 35 to 500 microns and 0.6 to 10 mm in width.

Abstract: A filtration or diffusion cell, consisting of adjacent facing support plates and cut diaphragm sections of a semi-permeable diaphragm, for the treating fluids. The support plates are sealed by stringlike or bandlike sealing elements for the separate flow conduction of the fluids. Support plates are provided with channel grooves, for holding the sealing elements. The channel grooves are open toward the plate plane and are provided with perforations through which a sealing material inserted in a flowable state and solidified in the grooves. Several support plates are connected by the sealing material to form a plate holder-like unit, and form seals for separate flow conduction. The support plates are square-shaped, and the front side and the back side of the cut diaphragm sections are subjected to crosswise flow of the fluid. The cut diaphragm sections are supported by grooves and groove crests extending in flow direction of the support plates.

Abstract: Cake control members are mounted at the peripheries of filter leaves and filter tubes to confine the build-up of filter cakes and prevent the cakes from extending over the peripheries of the elements.

Abstract: A filter device exhibits a chamber with a spiral which revolves helicoidally about the chamber axis. The spiral is constituted by a channel-shaped support which holds taut a filter constituted by a spiral-shaped tube. During the filtration of a suspension the liquid component of the suspension passes through the filter into the channel-shaped support and from the latter to a filtrate outlet. Because at least that part of the filter effective for the filtration forms a substantially smooth fold-free surface, uniform utilization of the total effective surface of the filter is possible. The solid residue deposited upon the surface of the filter can also be transported out of the chamber without difficulty by rotating the spiral.

Abstract: Rectangular filter cartridges are locked into a filter by means of a cam. Cartridges are readily replaceable.

Abstract: A rotary filter has a pressure vessel and a rotor from which a plurality of filter cells are suspended from outer portions of the rotor so that they clear a conveyor located proximal to the axis of rotation and upon which the filter cake is removed. Conduits are connected to the filter cells from a single distribution head for initially evacuating the cells in the filter stage and thereafter pressurizing the cells to dislodge the filter cake while the vessel remains under pressure. The filter cells can have the filter surfaces extending generally in axial planes or in axially spaced relationship in planes wherein a plurality of angularly spaced filters extend generally radially from respective filtrate conduits running axially along the outer part of the rotor.

Abstract: A dialyzer is formed by first placing a film strip into a membrane hose and then simultaneously folding the hose and a netting intermediate layer so that the folds of the hose and the folds of the netting extend crosswise relative to each other in a mutually interlocking manner. The facing ends of the hose layers are then sealed with a curable sealing compound and severed. Then the film strips are withdrawn from the hoses in the so formed package. The resulting product is a dialyzer or hemofilter, depending on the type of membrane hose used, in which the facing ends of the membrane hoses are open for the passage of blood therethrough, after the withdrawal of the film, and in which the netting layers are located between adjacent hoses.

Abstract: A hemodialysis apparatus is provided in which two blood compartments are formed by two different types of membranes. One membrane is a relatively high flux membrane, with relatively high hydraulic permeability, and the other membrane is a relatively low flux hemodialysis membrane. The blood compartment associated with the high flux membrane will be separated from the blood compartment associated with the low flux membrane. In use, dialyzing solution flows through only a dialysate compartment adjacent to the low flux membrane to accomplish diffusion at low transmembrane pressures. No dialyzing fluid perfuses the compartment adjacent the high flux membrane, but high transmembrane pressures draw ultra-diffusate into this compartment for collection and measurement of fluid loss in the patient.

Abstract: A filter holding assembly capable of being used to filter pressurized fluid from a source of the latter, with the assembly capable of being dismantled without the use of hand tools to occupy a minimum of space, and the assembly likewise capable of being transformed without the use of hand tools to a unit in which first and second mating plates support a large diameter filter membrane in a position to be subjected to the pressurized fluid. Particulates in the fluid above a predetermined size are deposited on the membrane, with the balance of the fluid discharging as a filtrate from the assembly. The first and second plates when in mating engagement define a centered confined space in which the membrane and a supporting screen are disposed, and the membrane having the peripheral edge portion thereof in sealing contact with a compressed resilient ring to prevent the pressurized fluid in the centered confined space by-passing the membrane.

Abstract: A disc filter assembly in which a plurality of filter discs are attached to a central shaft. The central shaft is a fabrication which has a central mandrel. Pipe segments are removably secured around the mandrel with their longitudinal axes parallel to the mandrel's longitudinal axis. The pipe segments have walls which define a trapezoid in cross-section. The walls are positioned such that two side walls define planes which converge relatively close to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. Each pipe has at least one aperture through which filtrate from the interior of the disc filter segment passes to the interior of the pipe. The pipe is in fluid communication with an end piece having apertures therethrough. The end piece apertures have a trapezoidal cross-section corresponding to the trapezoidal shape of the pipe interior. A wear plate is attached to the outer end of the end piece and has trapezoidal apertures therethrough which are aligned with the apertures of the end piece.

Abstract: A filtration device for effecting separation of a blood cell-free liquid filtrate from a blood cell-containing liquid suspension in continuous laminar flow therethrough, employing a microporous filtration membrane. The filtration flow channels along the surface of the upstream side of the membrane wall are provided with a width across the membrane wall surface which gradually and uniformly increases from the inlet end to the outlet end of the flow channel, whereby the membrane wall shear rate of the suspension in laminar flow through the flow channel will gradually and uniformly vary along the length of the flow channel from a maximum value at its inlet end to a minimum value at its outlet end. Such variation in shear rate corresponds with the variation in the transmembrane pressure conditions along the length of the flow channel so as to enable better control of the filtration operating conditions to insure optimal filtration rates per area of membrane without damage to the blood cells.

Abstract: A high volume low pressure drop filter is provided which comprises a housing containing a plurality of filter panels hinged in accordian form. The filter panels in filtering position have an upwardly facing V-configuration. The panels are readily replaced by moving the active panels into an inactive position and drawing a fresh pair of panels into the position occupied by the panels which were removed.

Abstract: A sludge filter is disclosed of the type having an open-topped tank adapted to receive a quantity of sludge, and one or more filter panels vertically disposed within the tank. A hose connection extends between each panel interior and the tank exterior to draw filtrate from the panel interiors to sewer or other discharge lines. The panels comprise hollow, flexible, bi-walled, slick-sided, artificial cloth filter bags carried over open frameworks of appropriate size. The frameworks each include a top frame member having a length sufficient to extend over the tank sides and thus support the depending framework and bag within the tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for desalinating water by reverse osmosis, having a series of pus discs each covered on both sides by a membrane, and compressed at their edges between respective pairs of a stack of module plates which are identical and which each consist of two mirror image halves, alternate module plates in the stack being rotated through 180.degree.. A zig-zag flow path through the stack is thereby provided with desalinated water passing by reverse osmosis into the porous discs and hence radially outward of the stack for collection.

Abstract: A filter element for a filter apparatus comprises a rigid support plate on at least one side of which is spanned a generally square filter cloth. This filter cloth may be formed as a pair of panels joined permanently together on three sides so as to form a pocket and having a fourth side which can be closed by a clamp or the like. The support is slipped into the pocket and a plurality of such filter elements are spaced along a rotatable hollow shaft centered in a filter chamber to which a solution to be filtered is fed. During operation the filtrate is pumped out of the hollow shaft through the filter cloth on which filter cake deposits. For cleaning of the cloth the shaft is rotated and the filter cake is washed off with a liquid spray.

Abstract: A filter cloth for a leaf filter of a pressure vessel including a flat retaining sack or bag which encloses the leaf filter. An outlet opening is contained in the sack through which the filtered product can be extracted. A releasable closure device is provided along the greater part of one side edge of the sack to permit removal of the sack from the leaf filter for cleaning and replacement thereof. A reinforcing material is provided at the outlet opening to provide a tight seal about the outlet of the leaf filter. Preferably, the sack is substantially circular but may have any configuration conforming to the shape of the leaf filter.

Abstract: A pressure leaf filter with a pair of sluicing assemblies oscillatable independently of each other to spray sluicing fluid on said leaf elements to remove filter cake. The sluice arms can have fixed or rotatable nozzles. A control means is provided to energize electric or fluid operated motors at predetermined times so that the sprays of the nozzles do not interfere with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of liquid mixtures by means of permselective separation membranes, comprising at least one separation module composed of a distributor plate, a collector plate and an intermediate situated separation membrane. The distributor plate is provided at the region of the effective membrane surface with at least one throughpassage opening arranged at the periphery thereof for the mixture to be separated and at least one open flow channel extending from said throughpassage opening towards the center of the membrane. The flow channel is arranged such that the mixture along one face of the membrane is subjected to a turbulent flow for the successive flushing of the membrane surface. The membrane is provided with an axial throughflow opening into which opens the flow channel.

Abstract: Separation apparatus useful particularly for ultrafiltration in which a series of membranes are mounted in superposed relationship with membrane supports, and, where appropriate, distribution plates therebetween, the membranes being mounted in subassemblies so that the flow of fluid through the individual chambers between the membranes of a particular sub-assembly is substantially in parallel. .Iadd.