Liquid purification or separation – Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet – Coiled membrane
Patent
1987-06-10
1988-09-13
Fisher, Richard V.
Liquid purification or separation
Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet
Coiled membrane
2104332, 2104161, B01S 3100
Patent
active
047707755
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to an apparatus for the production of soft water from sea water, by filtration across one or several selective semi-permeable reverse osmosis membranes. This apparatus may in particular be applied for a survival apparatus able to deliver fresh water to ship wrecked persons, but for providing a ship with fresh water, or even for industrially producing fresh water on a coastal platform.
French Pat. No. 81.07185 in the name of the applicant (equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,696) describes an apparatus of this type. Immersed in the marine medium to a moderate depth (particularly on the order of 15-35 meters), this apparatus pushes across the semi-permeable membrane an elevated pressure (for example on the order of 50 bars) appropriate for assuring the carrying out of the reverse osmosis process.
The present invention proposes to furnish an improved device operating according to the same principle as the apparatus previously provided.
A primary object of the invention is to simplify the structure of the apparatus, while reducing the costs of manufacture and the space occupied by the apparatus. In particular, the invention provides an apparatus particularly well suited for survival apparatus of a small size.
Another object is to noticeably increase the reliability of operation of the device and the duration of its life.
Another object is to provide a device in which the osmotic filtration maintains a constant efficiency during the process of producing fresh water (constant speed of filtration throughout the filtration process).
The apparatus provided by the invention is intended to be immersed into a marine medium and comprises means for recovering the fresh water produced, a chamber, termed a high pressure chamber, adapted to contain sea water preparatory to its treatment, at least one selective semi-permeable membrane adpated to achieve a filtration by reverse osmosis of sea water contained in the high pressure chamber, the said membrane being arranged in such a manner that one of its active faces, termed the upstream active face, communicates with the said high pressure chamber and the other active face, termed the downstream active face, communicates with the fresh water receiving means, a bell chamber movable with respect to the high pressure chamber, comprising a peripheral wall adapted to be capable of being displaced lengthwise of the high pressure chamber, a piston internal to the surface able to penetrate to a variable depth in the high pressure chamber across a separation wall situated between the chamber and the bell chamber, a closing wall, of the working surface (S) situated opposite the working surface (s) of the piston and subject to the pressure of the exterior medium, the said working surface (S) of the closing wall being of greater size than the working surface (s) of the piston, a subatmospheric gas chamber situated in the interior volume of the bell chamber around the internal piston thereof.
According to one characteristic of the present invention, the separation wall of the high pressure chamber comprises communication means connected to the semi-permeable membrane and adapted to bring the downstream active face of the membrane into communication with the interior volume of the bell chamber in such a manner that said interior volume fulfills the dual role of subatmospheric gas chamber and the fresh water receiving means, the bell chamber being provided with means for withdrawing the fresh water contained in its interior volume.
In the improved apparatus according to the invention, the fresh water receiving stage is positioned together with the subatmospheric gas chamber and, as will be understood more clearly hereinafter, this arrangement permits a significant simplification of the apparatus and a reduction of its bulk with equal performance.
The means for withdrawing the fresh water may very simply comprise a water tight removable plug screwed into the bell chamber in such as manner as to permit the withdrawal of water contained therein.
Additionally, a flexible air
REFERENCES:
patent: 4187173 (1980-02-01), Keefer
patent: 4421461 (1983-12-01), Hicks et al.
patent: 4452696 (1984-06-01), Lopez
patent: 4512886 (1985-04-01), Hicks et al.
Dutton, Jr. Harold H.
Fisher Richard V.
Lee Coreen Y.
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