Interconnectors for spiral-wound filtration modules

Claim 2

A FILTRATION APPARATUS COMPRISING: AT LEAST ONE PRESSURE VESSEL; A PLURALITY OF SPIRAL-WOUND ULTRAFILTRATION MODULES SERIALLY ARRANGED WITHIN EACH VESSEL, EACH OF SAID MODULES INCLUDING A FILTRATION MEMBRANE SPIRALLY WOUND ABOUT A PERMEATE COLLECTION TUBE, SAID TUBES EXTENDING BEYOND THE ENDS OF SAID WOUND MEMBRANE; AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING AND SEALING ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID PERMEATE TUBES COMPRISING: A. A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE SURROUNDING AND OVERLAPPING SAID ADJACENT ENDS AND HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER EXCEEDING THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID TUBES, AND

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said end portions are tapered gradually toward said interior surface as the distance from the ends of said sleeve increases.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said end portions include a further annular portion bonded to the ends of said sleeve and said taper extends from the exterior cylindrical surface of said sleeve to the interior cylindrical surface of said liner.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 3 further including resilient washer means axially aligned in said sleeve between said adjoining ends of said tubes, said washer having an opening therein corresponding in size to and aligned with the openings of said tubes.

Claim 6

The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein said washer means is integral with said resilient liner.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 5 wherein said sleeve is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics and said liner and washer are constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of rubber and synthetic resilient materials.

Claim 8

An ultrafiltration system comprising a plurality of serially arranged spiral wound membrane modules disposed within a pressure vessel, said modules each comprising membrane material spirally rolled on a permeate collection tube, said tubes extending beyond the rolled ends of said membrane material, the improvement comprising means for interconnecting and sealing the adjacent ends of said permeate tubes and simultaneously preventing telescoping of said rolled membrane material when fluid to be filtered is injected under pressure into said vessel, including: a. an interconnector and sealing means comprising: i. a cylindrical sleeve surrounding and overlapping adjacent ends of said permeate tubes and having an inside diameter exceeding the outside diameter of said tubes; ii. a resilient liner for said sleeve having a first portion bonded to the inner surface of said sleeve and a cyliNdrical interior surface having a diameter only slightly greater than the outside of said tubes whereby said tubes fit snugly within said lined sleeve, and wherein said liner is longer than said sleeve and includes end portions extending beyond the ends of said sleeve and engaging said tubes, whereby when pressure is increased in said vessel said end portions seal against said tubes; iii. shoulder means formed at the ends of said sleeve means, and b. antitelescoping devices disposed between and engaging the rolled ends of each of said modules and said adjoining interconnector and sealing means and each comprising: i. a plurality of spoke-like retainer plate means radially arranged about the exposed portion of said permeate tubes, said plate means each being generally coplanar with the axis of said tubes and including a first edge, the first edges of said plurality of plate means being disposed in a common plane which is transverse and perpendicular to the axis of said tubes, said first edges engaging the rolled membrane material, ii. annular support means for said plate means, said support means having an axis coinciding with the axes of said tubes, and iii. a portion of each of said plate means engaging said shoulder portion of said interconnector and sealing means.

Claim 9

An ultrafiltration system comprising a plurality of serially arranged spiral wound membrane modules disposed within a pressure vessel, said modules each comprising membrane material spirally rolled on a permeate collection tube, said tubes extending beyond the rolled ends of said membrane material, the improvement comprising means for interconnecting and sealing the adjacent ends of said permeate tubes and simultaneously preventing telescoping of said rolled membrane material when fluid to be filtered is injected under pressure into said vessel, including: a. an interconnector and sealing means comprising: i. a cylindrical sleeve surrounding and overlapping adjacent ends of said permeate tubes and having an inside diameter exceeding the outside diameter of said tubes; ii. a resilient liner for said sleeve having a first portion bonded to the inner surface of said sleeve and a cyliNdrical interior surface having a diameter only slightly greater than the outside of said tubes whereby said tubes fit snugly within said lined sleeve, and wherein said liner is longer than said sleeve and includes end portions extending beyond the ends of said sleeve and engaging said tubes, whereby when pressure is increased in said vessel said end portions seal against said tubes; iii. shoulder means formed at the ends of said sleeve means, and b. antitelescoping devices disposed between and engaging the rolled ends of each of said modules and said adjoining interconnector and sealing means and each comprising: i. a plurality of spoke-like retainer plate means radially arranged about the exposed portion of said permeate tubes, said plate means each being generally coplanar with the axis of said tubes and including a first edge, the first edges of said plurality of plate means being disposed in a common plane which is transverse and perpendicular to the axis of said tubes, said first edges engaging the rolled membrane material, ii. annular support means for said plate means, said support means having an axis coinciding with the axes of said tubes, and iii. a portion of each of said plate means engaging said shoulder portion of said interconnector and sealing means.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein said end portions of said interconnector and sealing means are tapered gradually toward said interior surface as the distance from the ends of said sleeve increases and wherein a further portion of each of said plate means engaging said tapered end portions of said liner.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said plate means includes a second edge perpendicular to said first edge any lying longitudinally along said tubes, a third edge perpendicular to said first edge and parallel to said second edge and the wall of said pressure vessel, and at least a fourth edge intersecting said second and third edges, said second, third and fourth edges being generally rounded and the area of said second and fourth edges near their intersection being adapted for contacting said shoulder and taper portions of said interconnector and sealing means.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said interconnector and sealing means further include a resilient washer means axially aligned in said sleeve between adjoining ends of said tubes, said washer having an opening therein corresponding in size to and aligned with the openings of said tubes.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said fourth edge intersects said second edge at an acute angle and said third edge at an obtuse angle and wherein said second edge includes a tapered portion for engaging said liner and said second and fourth edges are adapted for engaging said shoulder portion of said interconnector and sealing means.

Claim 14

The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said support means intersects the faces of said plate means intermediate said second and third edges and is displaced from said first edge by a finite distance.

Claim 15

The invention set forth in claim 12 wherein said sleeve and antitelescoping device are each constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics and said sleeve liner is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of rubber and synthetic resilient materials.