The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 29, 2001
Steven Crouch, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Steve Wright, Hillsorough, NC (US);
Jeffrey Storm, Durham, NC (US);
Wai S. Poon, Hockessin, DE (US);
Stephen K. Stark, Wilmington, DE (US);
Daniel W. Thorpe, Hockessin, DE (US);
Glenn R. Voshell, Elkton, MD (US);
Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc., Newark, DE (US);
Abstract
This invention is directed to a continuously cleanable, high performance filtration apparatus and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus is a radial inflow centrifugal filtration device, which includes a filter element located within a chamber and rotatably coupled to a filtered fluid outlet in a bulkhead that abuts the chamber. The filter element is generally tubular, its side-walls encircling and, thus, defining an interior plenum. The filter element side-walls incorporate a filter media, preferably a laminated microporous membrane filter media. The filter element is rotatably coupled at the filtered fluid outlet by a seal which can maintain a seal as filter element rotates. Additionally, the device can include a boundary layer momentum transfer device made up of a plurality of stacked annular disks having central openings, each disk separated from adjacent disks by a desired gap. The central openings define a cavity in which the filter element is mounted.