Abstract: A filtering method and apparatus including a chamber having an inlet and an outlet and a mass of fibers interposed between the inlet and outlet and contained between a perforated base and piston. Structure is provided for reciprocating the piston relative to the base during backwash operation.

Abstract: A fluid filtering device, comprises: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for the fluid to be filtered, and a flushing outlet for the dirt separated from the fluid; a supporting core extending longitudinally within the housing; a plurality of annular filter discs supported as a stack on the supporting core; and a pressure plate supported at one end of the stack, and movable in one longitudinal direction to tighten the stack by pressing the discs together, or in the opposite direction to loosen the stack. A cleaning nozzle is supported within the housing for movement along the length of the stack and has its axis oriented to apply a flushing fluid eccentrically to the discs, when the stack is loosened, to rotate the disc on the supporting core and thereby to flush the dirt particles therefrom through the flushing outlet.

Abstract: A disk filter of the counter-current flow cleaning type, containing superposed ring-shaped elements (12) form a body (9) of a generally cylindrical shape. The elements are arcuate so as to form between them passages which are arcuate and oblique in relation to the axis of the filter when viewed in a cross section taken along the axis of the filter. Stopping means (19, 20) are provided on the filter elements (12) which abut against the adjacent filter element (12) during the filtering to prevent the filter elements (12) from vibrating, while allowing their vibration to occur when the filter is cleaned by a counter-current flow of liquid.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus and method wherein the solids in a liquid suspension are introduced into a pressure vessel and filtered through a filter section and pneumatic pressure is introduced after further flow of the liquid suspension is cut-off to cause continued flow through the solids accumulated in the filter section to expose gradually increasing areas of accumulated solids to the pneumatic pressures on the filter section and to compress the solids into a cake.

Abstract: In order to make better use of tankers transporting oil from the oil-producing countries to oil-consuming countries, attempts have been made at transporting drinking water from the latter countries to the oil-producing. These attempts have been fruitless since it has been impossible to reduce the oil content to an acceptable value. By using a filter consisting of units (4) of foam plastic with perforated closed cells it has been possible to achieve values below that considered acceptable.

Abstract: A body fluid filter device is formed by enclosing liquid-tightly and slidably with a filter device case a body fluid filter membrane, an elastic body fluid flow path regulation plate disposed on one surface of the filter membrane and provided with a plurality of protuberances distributed at fixed intervals, and a filtrate flow path forming plate disposed on the other surface of the filter membrane and then setting the filter device case in position in pressure means adapted to apply pressure freely adjustably to the case in a vertical direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a series of samples of a mixture comprises a continuous filter strip on a roll and means for advancing the filter strip along a predetermined guide path. A suction head is located below the guide path and a bell member above the guide path at a point opposite to that of the suction head. The bell member is capable of being raised and lowered so that a portion of the filter strip is sealed between the bell member and suction head when the bell member is in the lowered position. Feeding means are provided through which samples of the mixture are conveyed from a sample vessel, through the bell member and onto the filter strip when the bell member is in the lowered position. A stamping device is located downstream the bell member whereby portions of the filter strip supporting the sample are stamped out in disc form. The disc is received within a receiving vessel. Reagent fluid supplied to the disc through a needle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the compressive regeneration of flexible, porous materials used as filter particles, oil-separating particles or carrier particles in a reactor. These materials are loaded in a reactor with a liquid containing substances to be removed. The liquid is, for example, water, and the substances are, for example, deposited solids, oil droplets or bacteria. After the flexible, porous materials become loaded with the substances, they are conducted to a press chamber equipped with a press means. The transporting, squeezing out, and separation of the water and substances from the flexible porous materials, as well as the recycling of the regenerated material into the reactor are achieved by either a one-time, or a repetitive to and fro movement, of the press means. This regeneration is accomplished with a single device which operates simultaneously as both a regenerating press and as a conveying installation.

Abstract: A valve is provided for precisely controlling fluid flow at low flow rates and simultaneously filtering said fluid. The valve employs a resilient porous filtering medium interposed in the flow path and capable of undergoing adjustable compression by means of a threaded shaft associated with an external handle. When the filtering medium is compressed, it provides greater occlusion of the flow path, thereby diminishing flow rate through the valve. The valve is readily dismantled to facilitate cleaning or replacement of the filtering medium.

Abstract: The drain openings in movable and fixed platens in a press unit are wider than the largest praticle in a slurry to be dewatered and are formed by arcuate ribs dimensioned to resist the transverse forces developed as the granular particles from bridges across the slotted drain openings in rendom order. Liquid expressed through the movable platen is directed radially outward through a subplaten, passes back through the clearance between the piston carrying the movable platen and the mold wall and is discharged through a sealing and collecting ring having a series of annular grooves which communicate with longitudinal radially extending slots having longitudinal bores at the radial extremity thereof which direct the liquid to an annular passage for discharge.

Abstract: For the biological purification of wastewater in a reactor in the presence of open-pore and compressible carrier material for biomass, the carrier material, prior to its use in the reactor, is loaded with bacteria, finely divided, inorganic and/or organic compounds, selected for wastewater purification, and is then either stored or used in the process, the loaded carrier being especially useful for decreasing the start-up time of a wastewater treatment plant.

Abstract: A disc filter of the counter-current flow cleaning type in which the filtering body has a general cylindrical annular shape with a central cylindrical flow channel extending axially along the length of said filter body. It has annular solid filter elements spaced from each other in uniform sequence by resiliently deformable but incompressible spacer elements which allows the thickness of the slot existing between the adjacent filtration elements to be varied as a function of the axial pressure exerted on the filtering body by a support part. This variation occurs between a small thickness corresponding to the desired degree of filtration, and a maximum thickness provided to allow the cleaning of the filter by the passage in counter-current of a cleaning liquid through the thus enlarged slots. The filter elements have, in cross-section, a hydrodynamic, lenticular section, leaving between each other, a converging passage where solid materials are retained.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the filtering of liquids charged with solid particles, with a filtration device of the kind comprising a rotary drum 1, a first continuous filter cloth 12 enflanking a first angular sector of the drum and separated from the drum in a second angular sector. A series of cellular elements 7 enflank the first sector and comprise a cell 9 whose bottom has grooves 11 in communication with a discharge orifice for clear liquid. Lateral injection means 35 for injecting a charged liquid which is to be filtered abreast of each cell. There is also a second continuous filter cloth 13 also enflanking the first sector and separated from the drum 1 in the said second angular sector. The outer surface of the drum has, abreast of each of the cells, a series of grooves 34 in communication with an orifice for recovery of clear liquid.

Abstract: A cartridge (7) for removing contaminants from a liquid comprises (a) a central inlet or outlet, (b) a circumferential outlet or inlet for radial flow through the cartridge and (c) a resilient, helically coiled plate (8) permeable to liquid. One edge of the plate is secured at or near the central inlet or outlet, the other edge is secured at or near the circumferential outlet or inlet and means is provided for tensioning the plate.The cartridge may be used in a filter.It may be modified by adding a fibrous layer to the coiled plate. This renders it suitable for use as a coalescer.

Abstract: A body fluid-filtering device includes a housing provided with a body fluid inlet, a filtrate outlet and a filtration residue outlet, and a filtering means disposed in the housing and including first and second filtering elements alternately superposed on each other with a space therebetween. The first and second filtering elements are each formed of a meshed core material and filtering membranes which cover both sides of the core. The core material of the first filtering element has openings of 700 to 1300 microns, and the core material of the second filtering element has openings of 300 microns or less.

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 method and apparatus are described for obtaining a desired rate of plasma collection from a membrane plasmapheresis filter having a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a plasma outlet, outer members and a pair of spaced microporous filter membranes defining a blood flow path. A holder is provided for the filter having means for applying pressure against the outer members. The blood pressure at the blood inlet is sensed during plasmapheresis and variable amounts of pressure are applied against the outer members at an angular direction with respect to the membranes. In this manner, the blood flow path gap between the membranes is controlled in accordance with a desired blood pressure adjacent the blood inlet.

Abstract: A separation column for liquid chromatography is adjustably sealed for reducing dead space therein. The separation column is packed and an elastic diaphragm seals one end. There is spherically shaped inert material located between the packing and the elastic diaphragm with a porous frit located between the inert material and the diaphragm. A piston exerts a force on the diaphragm to stretch it longitudinally into the column thereby reducing the dead space. The frit and inert material operate to uniformly distribute the force exerted by the piston.

Abstract: A tube pressure filter including an inner compartment having an inlet which comprises a substantially annular aperture extending around the lower end of the inner tubular body and debouching into the inner compartment. The substantially annular aperture is constructed and disposed so that, in use, feed material debouching therefrom has an upward component of velocity and is in communication with an ante-chamber into which a mixture to be pressure filtered can be introduced under pressure through a feed conduit, the feed conduit containing or co-operating with a non-return valve so as to prevent the flow back along the feed conduit of feed material to be pressure filtered which is under high pressure.

Abstract: A bed of particulate ion-exchange material is confined in the cavity of a container bounded by a wall portion of the container which is movable inward of the cavity. Supply and discharge conduits communicate with respective portions of the cavity for supplying the liquid to be purified, and for discharging from the cavity the liquid purified by contact with the particulate material. A biasing device engages the container outside the cavity and biases the movable wall portion inward of the cavity, whereby the particulate material is kept under compressive stress, and channeling due to shrinkage of the bed is avoided.

Abstract: A chromatography column adapted for high pressure chromatography is characterized by a tubular membrane separating a glass tube from the pressurized area between the glass tube and a pressure tube adapted to receive a pressurizing fluid. Changing of the glass tube is facilitated by annular seals at each end of the glass tube against which an adjustable threaded plug, fitted in one of a pair of screw caps fitted on each end of the pressure tube, exerts sealing pressure.

Abstract: A filter assembly for extruded polymer melts is described which comprises a filter having retained between inlet and outlet manifolds with a contact pressure that can be varied. A primary seal device between the manifold and the housing is located in a rabbet in either the housing or the manifold at the contact plane. This seal responds to pressure from the polymer melt flow by deforming and increasing the contact pressure between the manifold and the housing. Thus the greater the pressure at which the melt is extruded, the tighter is the seal.

Abstract: Improved liquid chromatographic apparatus and an improved process for making and utilizing a chromatographic column. By providing means to exert radial pressure on the column packing, the packing efficiency of the column is increased and is more reproducible, and greater uniformity can be achieved in column performance both among packed columns of the same kind and during the useful life of a given packed column.

Abstract: A filter device wherein inlet and outlet chambers are spaced from each other by a segment of filter media is positively locked in a condition whereat the chambers are sealed with respect to each other and the atmosphere by a hydraulic power device to which hydraulic pressure fluid is delivered at a predetermined pressure value. Filtrate is then delivered to the inlet chamber at a pressure which increases in value as the filter media becomes fouled with particulate.

Abstract: A disc press for continuous pressing of aqueous or suspended pulp for fractionating the pulp in a liquid fraction and a dry substance fraction, comprises two plane parallel pressing discs mounted for rotation about a shaft and having strainer plates which haul the pulp therebetween by friction. The press also comprises inner and outer pressing means extending between the pressing discs and together with the latter define a curved pulp passage which in the transport direction has a varying cross section and constitutes a filling or dewatering zone, a pressing zone and a discharge zone. The passage zones of the pulp passage combined extend throughout an angle which is less than 360.degree., and the filling or dewatering zone has an approximately constant cross section. The subsequent pressing zone (B) has a uniformly decreasing cross section, the centerline of the pressing zone following an arc having an approximately constant radius about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A filter device wherein inlet and outlet chambers are spaced from each other by a segment of filter media is positively locked in a condition whereat the chambers are sealed with respect to each other and the atmosphere by a hydraulic power device to which hydraulic pressure fluid is delivered at a predetermined pressure value. Filtrate is then delivered to the inlet chamber at a pressure which increases in value as the filter media becomes fouled with particulate.

Abstract: A filtration system is provided that directs a fluid to be filtered through a disposable tubular filtration element, supports the filtration element, and accommodates for "wet growth" of the filtration element. The system operates with an inside-to-outside forced fluid flow through the filtration element and includes a generally cylindrical housing with a fluid inlet and outlet. A perforated outer support screen is mounted within the housing and surrounds the walls of the tubular filtration element with slight clearance. Under the influence of the fluid pressure and the wet growth, the walls of the filtration element bear against the screen. A sealing and support assembly having upstream and downstream fluid guides, each carrying, in a preferred form, a pair of resilient sealing members, is positioned inside the filtration element. A rigid inner member bridges the opposing faces of the resilient member pairs.

Abstract: A filter assembly and element are disclosed herein for use in filtering biological fluids. The assembly includes a variable volume housing within which is positioned a cylindrically-shaped, high surface area filter. During operation, the housing volume is changed, but the surface area available for filtration remains substantially constant. This permits the filter to be operated with low priming volumes and also to effectively reduce gas bubble entrapment in the filter.A method of making the element and a method for operating the filter assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating columns filled with ion exchanger resins as well as an apparatus for carrying out the said method.