US3923664A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reverse osmosis apparatus
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1974-01-22
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Granted: 1975-12-02
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Expires: 1994-01-22
Abstract
Abstract Reverse osmosis apparatus comprises a pressure shell, a feed solution inlet, a feed solution outlet, a product outlet, a membrane assembly within the pressure shell, and shell partition means for directing feed solution over parts of the assembly in a sequential manner. The shell partition means reduces the cross-sectional area of the feed solution flow path and therefore allows a smaller capacity pump to be used so as to yield a higher product water recovery from a lower capacity plant. The shell partition means may extend both laterally and longitudinally within the pressure shell so as to divide the interior of the shell into semi-cylindrical compartments. Alternatively the shell partition means may be of tubular form and extend longitudinally within the pressure shell so as to divide the interior of the shell into a central, cylindrical compartment bounded by an outer, annular compartment.
Inventors
- 👤 John Roger Grover
- 👤 Ronald Gayler
- 👤 Malcolm Hoban Delve
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:12
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D63/00; B01D63/06; B01D63/062; B01D63/065; B01D61/00; B01D61/02; B01D61/08; B01D2313/00; B01D2313/10; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/124; Y02A20/131
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
REVERSE OSMOSIS APPARATUS COMPRISING A PRESSURE SHELL OF CYLINDRICAL FORM, A REMOVABLE PLUG-LIKE HOLDER FOR A MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY AT ONE END OF THE SHELL, A MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY IN THE FORM OF A BUNDLE OF ROD-LIKE REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS HAVING FLUID RECEIVING GROOVES CARRIED BY SAID HOLDER AND EXTENDING TOWARDS THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL, A PRODUCT OUTLET AT THE HOLDER END OF THE SHELL IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID GROOVES IN SAID REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS, CLOSURE MEANS FOR THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL COMPRISING A REMOVABLE PLUG-LIKE MEMBER, SHELL PARTITION MEANS WITHIN SAID SHELL EXTENDING FROM SAID PLUG-LIKE MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID HOLDER AND PROJECTING INTO SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY AND DIVIDING SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY INTO FIRST AND SECOND GROUPS OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS, SAID PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID SHELLS INTO A FIRST COMPARTMENT CONTAINING SAID FIRST GROUP OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT CONTAINING SAID SECOND GROUP OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS, FLUID COMMUNICATION MEANS AT THE END OF SAID PARTITION MEANS REMOTE FROM SAID PLUG-LIKE MEMBER ALLOWING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND COMPARTMENTS, AN INLET FOR FEED SOLUTION AT THE OTHER END OF THE THE SHELL FOR INTRODUCING FEED SOLUTION INTO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND AN OUTLET FOR FEED SOLUTION AT THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL FOR REMOVAL OF FEED SOLUTION FROM SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT WHEREBY THE FEED SOLUTION FLOWS FROM SAID INLET, THROUGH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT, THROUGH SAID FLUID COMMUNICATION MEANS, AND THROUGH SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT EXTERIORLY OF THE REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS TO SAID OUTLET.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
REVERSE OSMOSIS APPARATUS COMPRISING A PRESSURE SHELL OF CYLINDRICAL FORM, A REMOVABLE PLUG-LIKE HOLDER FOR A MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY AT ONE END OF THE SHELL, A MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY IN THE FORM OF A BUNDLE OF ROD-LIKE REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS HAVING FLUID RECEIVING GROOVES CARRIED BY SAID HOLDER AND EXTENDING TOWARDS THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL, A PRODUCT OUTLET AT THE HOLDER END OF THE SHELL IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID GROOVES IN SAID REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS, CLOSURE MEANS FOR THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL COMPRISING A REMOVABLE PLUG-LIKE MEMBER, SHELL PARTITION MEANS WITHIN SAID SHELL EXTENDING FROM SAID PLUG-LIKE MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID HOLDER AND PROJECTING INTO SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY AND DIVIDING SAID MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY INTO FIRST AND SECOND GROUPS OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS, SAID PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID SHELLS INTO A FIRST COMPARTMENT CONTAINING SAID FIRST GROUP OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT CONTAINING SAID SECOND GROUP OF ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS, FLUID COMMUNICATION MEANS AT THE END OF SAID PARTITION MEANS REMOTE FROM SAID PLUG-LIKE MEMBER ALLOWING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND COMPARTMENTS, AN INLET FOR FEED SOLUTION AT THE OTHER END OF THE THE SHELL FOR INTRODUCING FEED SOLUTION INTO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND AN OUTLET FOR FEED SOLUTION AT THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL FOR REMOVAL OF FEED SOLUTION FROM SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT WHEREBY THE FEED SOLUTION FLOWS FROM SAID INLET, THROUGH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT, THROUGH SAID FLUID COMMUNICATION MEANS, AND THROUGH SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT EXTERIORLY OF THE REVERSE OSMOSIS ELEMENTS TO SAID OUTLET.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shell is of cylindrical form and wherein the shell partition means extend both laterally and longitudinally within the pressure shell so as to divide the interior of the shell into semi-cylindrical compartments.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shell is of cylindrical form and wherein the shell partition means is of tubular form and extends longitudinally within the pressure shell so as to divide the interior of the shell into a central, cylindrical compartment, bounded by an outer, annular compartment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
266 words
Reverse osmosis apparatus comprising, a pressure shell of cylindrical form, a holder for a membrane assembly at one end of the shell, a membrane assembly in the form of a bundle of rod-like reverse osmosis elements carried by the said holder and extending towards the other end of the shell, a product outlet at the holder end of the shell in communication with the said elements, a removeable plug-like member at the other end of the shell in the form of a barrier inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shell and spaced from the free ends of the said elements, shell partition means supported at least in part by and extending from the said plug-like member to project longitudinally into the membrane assembly so as to divide that part of the shell containing the assembly into two regions separated from each other by the shell partition means but connected in series relationship by fluid communication means at the end of the said shell partition means remote from the said plug-like member, an inlet for feed solution to the shell, an outlet for feed solution from the shell, the said feed solution inlet and feed solution outlet being disposed opposite to each other and separated by the inclined plug-like member to arrange that the feed solution inlet is connected at one end of the two regions in series relationship and the feed solution outlet is connected at the other end of the said two regions in series relationship, the feed solution being arranged to flow sequentially in the two regions exteriorly of the reverse osmosis elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
266 words
Reverse osmosis apparatus comprising, a pressure shell of cylindrical form, a holder for a membrane assembly at one end of the shell, a membrane assembly in the form of a bundle of rod-like reverse osmosis elements carried by the said holder and extending towards the other end of the shell, a product outlet at the holder end of the shell in communication with the said elements, a removeable plug-like member at the other end of the shell in the form of a barrier inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shell and spaced from the free ends of the said elements, shell partition means supported at least in part by and extending from the said plug-like member to project longitudinally into the membrane assembly so as to divide that part of the shell containing the assembly into two regions separated from each other by the shell partition means but connected in series relationship by fluid communication means at the end of the said shell partition means remote from the said plug-like member, an inlet for feed solution to the shell, an outlet for feed solution from the shell, the said feed solution inlet and feed solution outlet being disposed opposite to each other and separated by the inclined plug-like member to arrange that the feed solution inlet is connected at one end of the two regions in series relationship and the feed solution outlet is connected at the other end of the said two regions in series relationship, the feed solution being arranged to flow sequentially in the two regions exteriorly of the reverse osmosis elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shell is of cylindrical form and wherein the shell partition means is of tubular form and extends longitudinally within the pressure shell so as to divide the interior of the shell into a central, cylindrical compartment, bounded by an outer, annular compartment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |