Aqua Membranes Inc.

Nanopore, Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Cabot Corporation

Thermal Products Development, Inc.

Other

Kevin H Roderick

Douglas M Smith

Rodney E Herrington

Teresa A Ramos

Stephen C Wallace

Kendall Weingardt

James S Drage

Lisa Beth Brungardt

R Ulrich Boes

Robert Braun

Richard G Perkes

Vanessa Sinclair

Charles John Call

Hui-Jung Wu

Ezra L Merrill

Neil Viernes

Tamara L O'Brien

Lois X Warren

Jay Kendall Weingardt

Craig Beckman

Jay Collin Weingardt

Kenneth C Koehlert

Michael Roy Powell

Alok Maskara

Peter Campbell

Veronica Natividad

Lyra Fiset

Quentin Shrimpton

Loix X Warren

Leroy Ortiz

Nelson Longmire

Christopher Kurth

Embodiments of the present invention provide the integration of arbitrary flow directing patterns, deposited or integrated on or into the porous permeate spacer in a spiral-wound membrane separation element.

Permeate flow patterns

The present invention relates to a spiral wound membrane element designs that utilize entrance and exit points in the feed space channel and utilize barriers on the perimeter of the feed space as well as barriers in the feed space area to direct fluid flow in the membrane element.

Preferred flow paths for spiral-wound elements

Printed spacer membrane elements offer the unique advantage of applying any pattern on the membrane surface to act as the feed spacer material. This is in contrast to conventional feed spacer mesh material that is uniform in thickness and density throughout the mesh. More open feed spaces can be utilized but may also result in higher stress concentration, and where the spacer material comes in contact with the opposing membrane leaf. This patent presents concepts for reducing the damage on membrane leaves by increasing the concentration of the print pattern near the center tube where the stress concentration on the membrane leaves is greatest, orienting the membrane sheets prior to rolling to minimize damage from slippage during rolling, moving the fold away from the first features to minimize leaks at the insertion point.

High rejection spiral wound elements with protective features

Embodiments of the present invention provide the integration of the function of the feed spacer, the permeate carrier, or both, as a part of the membrane sheet in a spiral wound membrane element.

Composite membranes

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements for spiral wound elements that prevent nesting of adjacent spacer layers and occlusion of feed space during element rolling.

Non-nesting, non-deforming patterns for spiral-wound elements

Embodiments of the invention provide replacements for a continuous layer of feed spacer mesh in spiral-wound reverse osmosis elements and replacing such mesh with discrete regions of feed spacer supporting the inlet and outlet ends of the element and a stiffening bridge feature to bridge between these regions at the tail end of each membrane leaf comprising the element during the element rolling process. The stiffening bridge feature prevents inward deflection of the inner layer of the membrane leaf during rolling, facilitating proper sealing of the adhesive through the permeate carrier to the adjacent membrane film using known membrane rolling techniques.

Bridge support and reduced feed spacers for spiral-wound elements

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements for spiral wound elements which promote mixing within the feed space during element operation thereby improving element performance and reducing concentration polarization and potential for biological fouling.

Mixing-promoting spacer patterns for spiral-wound elements

In embodiments of the present invention, flow dividing strips are used in the construction of the spiral wound element to segregate and direct feed to reject flow of a reverse osmosis element Flow dividing strips isolate the flow of fluid through distinct regions of the spiral-wound element. The flow dividing features can also be used to direct flow within the element in order to create a longer flow path for the fluid through the element, enabling even higher recovery in some applications.

Flow separators for spiral wound elements

Methods of making membrane elements for fluid or gas filtration, comprising applying feed or reject spacers, or intermediate spacers, or fold line protection strips, or end support strips directly to a membrane sheet, or to a substrate material which are subsequently applied to a membrane sheet, which thereby avoids contamination from directly printed adhesives, inks, or polymers, or damage from heat or radiation damage to the membrane sheet during direct application of spacers or patterns to the surface of the membrane sheet, thereby avoiding utilization of conventional feed spacer mesh materials. Membrane sheets and spiral wound filtration elements having spacers applied to defined regions of the sheet, in some embodiments having spacers mounted on substrates with different material properties, e.g., stiffness, than the underlying membrane.

Independent spacers and methods

Embodiments of the present invention provide elements that are beneficial for use in fluid filtration. Embodiments provide elements that have variable feed spacer height, variable permeate spacer height, or both. The variable height allows flow properties to be matched to fluid volume as the filtration occurs.

Graded spacers in spiral wound elements

Permeate flow paterns

Graded spacers for filtration wound elements

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements on both opposing surfaces of either an entire folded membrane sheet or portions thereof in combination with features deposited on portions of the same sheet to create spacing geometries not otherwise achievable.

Interference patterns for spiral wound elements

Embodiments of the present invention provide for flow control devices on a spiral wound membrane, on a device proximal the inlet edge of a spiral wound membrane, or both. The flow directing devices can alter fluid flow characteristics to discourage fouling of the inlet fluid paths.

Flow directing devices for spiral-wound elements

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Kevin H Roderick