Membrane separation equipment

Claim 1

In a device for housing in operative relationship a separation unit conprising a cartridge provided with a plurality of semi-permeable membrane surfaces for separating solids and a permeate from a carrier liquid fed to said device, said device comprising: a. an enclosed casing having inner and outer wall surfaces, b. inlet means for receiving the carrier liquid and outlet means for discharging a concentrated solution both provided on said casing, c. means mounting said separation unit within said casing upon said inner wall surface for ready removal therefrom, d. said mounting means including permeate discharge means comprising a plug member, means on said casing outer wall surface for positioning said plut on said outer wall in alignment with said separation unit within said casing, and interlocking means on said plug and separation unit comprising mutually threaded surfaces for releasably interconnecting said plug to said separation unit, e. permeate outlet means in said plug member for discharging permeate from said separation unit, and including a conduit in said plug aligned with a permeate discharge opening in said separation unit, f. a check valve contained within said plug member in sealing engagement with said discharge opening in said separation unit to prevent backflow of permeate from the plug conduit but permitting permeate flow thereto from said unit, and g. said mounting means further including a removable locking member secured to said plug by mutually threaded portions at the outer wall surface of said casing to secure said plug thereto and releasable from without said casing for permitting access to said interlocking means to detach said plug member from said separation unit and said unit from said casing inner wall for removal of said separation unit from said casing.