Appeal 2006-2492
Application 09/916,247
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Appellants’ invention is directed to a process for filtering water
containing solids with the membrane in a tank. The claimed process
includes the backwashing with a chemical cleaner one or more suction
driven ultrafiltration or microfiltration membranes normally immersed in
water containing solids that become dirty or fouled during normal operation.
Representative independent claim 26, as presented in the Brief, appears
below:
26. A process for filtering water containing solids with membranes
in a tank comprising the steps of:
a) filling the tank with a feed water to be filtered to
immerse the membranes;
b) creating a transmembrane pressure between a
permeate side and a retentate side of the membranes, the retentate side
of the membranes being in contact with the water in the tank at
ambient pressure, the permeate side being subject to a negative
pressure relative to the pressure of the water in the tank fluidly
connected to a filtered permeate outlet, to generate a filtered permeate
at the permeate outlet and a retentate in the tank;
c) aerating the membranes to dislodge solids from
the membranes;
d) backwashing the membranes; and,
e) draining the tank of the retentate;
wherein
i) the steps above are performed
in repeated cycles; and,
2
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