Supported tubular membrane

Claim 2

A tubular membrane which comprises in combination: a. a rigid porous membrane support tube; b. a semipermeable membrane positioned adjacent one wall of the support tube, and extending substantially the length of the support tube and to each end thereof; c. a means to place each end of the support tube in a radially fluid-sealing force relationship with a surface exterior of and surrounding the ends of the support tube which includes a membrane boot snugly fitted to the interior and exterior wall surfaces of the support tube at each end thereof in a generally U-shape, and which comprises a first and second section, the first section adjacent the interior wall of the support tube having a diameter slightly less than the second section which is adjacent the exterior wall of the support tube, the boot continually extending a short distance adjacent the interior wall of tHe support tube and over the semipermeable membrane, over the edge of the end of the support tube, and a short distance adjacent the exterior wall of the support tube, the boot having at least one gasket ridge projecting outwardly from the exterior surface of the boot, the gasket ridge adapted to be employed in a sealing engagement with the interior wall of the exterior surface; and d. means to secure the boot to the support tube.

Claim 3

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the support tube comprises a braided resin-reinforced glass-fiber support tube with an integral highly porous felt inner surface.

Claim 4

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the semipermeable membrane comprises a cast semipermeable membrane adjacent the interior wall of the support tube.

Claim 5

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the semipermeable membrane comprises a preformed integral tubular semipermeable membrane positioned adjacent the interior wall of the support tube.

Claim 6

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the semipermeable membrane comprises cellulose acetate.

Claim 7

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the support tube comprises a porous sintered polymeric resin support tube.

Claim 8

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the means to secure comprises an adhesive material.

Claim 9

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the means to secure comprises an expanded ferrule adjacent to and expanded against the exterior wall of the membrane boot within the interior of the support tube.

Claim 10

The tubular membrane of claim 1 which includes at least two generally parallel spaced apart gasket ridges, one positioned toward the outer edge of the membrane tube, and the other positioned toward the outer exterior end of the boot.

Claim 11

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the membrane boot comprises a one-piece elastomeric material, the gasket-ridge integrally formed with the boot.

Claim 12

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the membrane boot comprises an elastomeric material and the difference in diameter between the first and second sections is approximately twice the difference in the wall thickness of the support tube.

Claim 13

A supported tubular membrane which comprises in combination: a. a rigid porous cylindrical support tube composed of resin-reinforced hardened fiber glass and a highly porous inner surface on which the membrane may be cast directly; b. a cellulose acetate semipermeable membrane positioned adjacent the interior wall of the support tube and extending substantially the length of the tube; c. a means to place each end of the support tube in a radially fluid-sealing force relationship with the interior wall surface of a housing element surrounding the ends of the support tube, which means comprises a membrane boot composed of an elastomeric material and generally tubular in shape, approximately one-half of said boot composed of a first section having an outside diameter approximating the inside diameter of the support tube, and a second section having an outside diameter slightly greater than the first section by approximately the wall thickness of the support tube, the membrane boot snugly fitted in a generally U-shaped form onto each end of the support tube, the boot continuously extending in the first section adjacent the interior wall of the support tube and over the semipermeable membrane, and in the second section, over the exterior wall of the support, the exterior surface of the membrane boot on the exterior wall having at least two parallel-spaced gasket ridges projecting outwardly from such surface, one near the open end of the support tube, and the other positioned near the opposite end of the membrane boot, the membrane boot and gasket ridges so positioned adapted to be placed in a fluid-sealing engagement with the interior wall of a housing; and d. means to secure the membrane boot in position onto the interior wall of the support tube.

Claim 14

A supported tubular membrane which comprises in combination: a. a rigid porous cylindrical support tube composed of resin-reinforced hardened fiber glass and a highly porous inner surface on which the membrane may be cast directly; b. a cellulose acetate semipermeable membrane positioned adjacent the interior wall of the support tube and extending substantially the length of the tube; c. a means to place each end of the support tube in a radially fluid-sealing force relationship with the interior wall surface of a housing element surrounding the ends of the support tube, which means comprises a membrane boot composed of an elastomeric material and generally tubular in shape, approximately one-half of said boot composed of a first section having an outside diameter approximating the inside diameter of the support tube, and a second section having an outside diameter slightly greater than the first section by approximately the wall thickness of the support tube, the membrane boot snugly fitted in a generally U-shaped form onto each end of the support tube, the boot continuously extending in the first section adjacent the interior wall of the support tube and over the semipermeable membrane, and in the second section, over the exterior wall of the support, the exterior surface of the membrane boot on the exterior wall having at least two parallel-spaced gasket ridges projecting outwardly from such surface, one near the open end of the support tube, and the other positioned near the opposite end of the membrane boot, the membrane boot and gasket ridges so positioned adapted to be placed in a fluid-sealing engagement with the interior wall of a housing; and d. means to secure the membrane boot in position onto the interior wall of the support tube.

Claim 15

A membrane device which comprises: a. a rigid outer tubular shelL element adapted to surround a plurality of supported tubular membranes; b. a housing element sealed to and at each end of the shell element, each of the housing elements characterized by a plurality of cylindrical passageways aligned substantially parallel with the shell element, the passageways inwardly of the shell slightly larger in diameter than the passageways extending to the outer face of the housing element, to form a shoulder within the housing element; c. a plurality of supported tubular membranes of claim 1, each end of which is positioned within a housing, the tubular membranes extending the length of the shell element, the gasket ridge of the membrane boot at each end forming a fluid-tight seal with the interior wall of the passageways and the edge of the membrane boot adjacent to and against the shoulders; d. means to remove permeate from the interior of the shell element; and e. means to remove a membrane concentrated liquid stream from the interior of the supported tubular membranes of the housing at one end, and to introduce a liquid feed stream into the interior of the tubular membranes in the housing at the other end.

Claim 16

A membrane device which comprises: a. a tubular rigid outer shell element; b. a supported tubular membrane of claim 1 extending the length of the shell element, the exterior surface of the tubular membrane spaced close to the interior surface of the shell element to form a permeate zone; c. a housing element secured to each end of the shell element, the gasket ridges of the tubular membrane at each end in a fluid-sealing relationship and engagement with the interior wall surface of each housing element; d. means to remove permeate from the permeate zone; and e. means to introduce into the interior of the tubular membrane at one end and to remove membrane concentrated materials from the other end of the tubular membrane within the shell.

Claim 17

A membrane boot adapted to be inserted into one end of a rigid tubular membrane and to form a snugly fitted U-shaped end fitting, which membrane boot comprises a generally tubular element of uniform wall thickness and composed of an elastomeric material, about one-half of the element having a first inner diameter approximately the same or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the open end of the membrane tube, the remaining portion of the element having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter by distance of about or slightly less than twice the wall thickness of the rigid tubular membrane, the surface of the boot to be placed on the exterior of the tubular membrane containing at least one circumferential sealing ridge thereon and integrally formed with the boot.

Claim 18

A membrane boot adapted to be inserted into one end of a rigid tubular membrane and to form a snugly fitted U-shaped end fitting, which membrane boot comprises a generally tubular element of uniform wall thickness and composed of an elastomeric material, about one-half of the element having a first inner diameter approximately the same or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the open end of the membrane tube, the remaining portion of the element having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter by distance of about or slightly less than twice the wall thickness of the rigid tubular membrane, the surface of the boot to be placed on the exterior of the tubular membrane containing at least one circumferential sealing ridge thereon and integrally formed with the boot.

Claim 19

The boot of claim 15 wherein one surface of the boot contains at least two spaced apart generally parallel circumferential ridges, each positioned toward each end of the larger diameter portion of the boot.

Claim 20

The boot of claim 15 wherein the surface of the boot which is placed against the interior wall of the tubular membrane contains at least one circumferential sealing ridge thereon and is integrally formed with the boot.

Claim 21

The tubular membrane of claim 1 wherein the means to secure the boot comprises a cylindrical, metal, split-end, snap ring ferrule, the ferrule in its expanded condition, thereby forcing the inner wall of the boot against the interior wall of the membrane in a fluid-tight manner.