Claims
- 1. A method of filtering flowing fluid containing undesirable particulates and bacterial constituents so as to remove said particulates and reduce said bacterial constituents therefrom, said method comprising:
a) providing an enclosed channel for the fluid to flow therethrough; and b) passing said fluid flow through a filter material, disposed within the channel and in the path of the fluid flow, wherein the filter material comprises a metal alloy consisting primarily copper and zinc, and said material further comprises a metal fiber wool consisting of metal fibers having an average diameter in a range of from 12 microns to 150 microns, whereby said fluid containing said bacterial constituents contacting with the fibers of the metal fiber wool provides a bactericide effect and further inhibits the propagation of bacteria and inhibits particulates from flowing through said filter material.
- 2. The method of filtering according to claim 1, in which the flowing fluid is a recirculating fluid that passes through the filter material multiple times during recirculation.
- 3. The method of filtering according to claim 1, in which the metal fiber wool is compressed to a density between about 0.4 and about 2.5 g/cm3.
- 4. The method of filtering according to claim 1, in which the metal fiber wool is compressed to a density between about 0.5 and about 1.5 g/cm3.
- 5. The method of filtering according to claim 1, in which the metal fiber wool is compressed to a density approximately 0.8 g/cm3.
- 6. The method of filtering according to claim 1, in which the filter is a radial-flow fluid filter.
- 7. A radial-flow fluid filter having a production tubing of a predetermined outer diameter D1, comprising:
a length L of multi-perforate pipe being much larger than D1, the multi-perforate pipe having an outer diameter corresponding to the diameter of a surrounding filter housing; a plurality of overlapping layers of at least one strip of fibrous metal filter wool wound around the exterior of the length L of multi-perforate pipe, so that adjacent layers are aligned with each other, said metal filter wool comprising a metal containing copper (Cu); and a multi-perforate tubular shell fitting tightly around the outermost layer of the copper containing fibrous metal wool.
- 8. A radial-flow fluid filter according to claim 7 and further comprising a multi-perforate shell disposed around the outermost layer of metal wool, the shell having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter D2 of the outermost layer of wool and a tubular metal mesh encompassing the exterior of the pipe between the pipe and the innermost layer of metal wool.
- 9. A radial-flow fluid filter according to claim 8, in which the tubular mesh is a woven mesh of stainless steel.
- 10. A radial-flow fluid filter according to claim 7, in which the metal of the fiber wool layers is a brass alloy further comprising between 50 to 90 weight % copper and from 10 to 50 weight % zinc.
- 11. A radial-flow fluid filter according to claim 7, and further comprising:
a tubular metal mesh encompassing the exterior of the pipe, between the pipe and at least some of the layers of metal wool.
- 12. An in-line fluid flow filter for a fluid channel comprising:
a) a fluid channel providing for fluid flow between openings in said channel; b) a fluid filter disposed in the path of said fluid flow of said channel, said fluid filter being made from a filter material comprising a metal fiber wool of a metal alloy, said metal alloy consisting primarily copper and zinc and being metal fibers having an average diameter in a range of from 12 microns to 150 microns, compressed to a predetermined density in a range between 0.4 g/cc to 2.5 g/cc.
- 13. The in-line fluid flow filter according to claim 12, in which the metal fiber wool is compressed to a density between about 0.5 and about 1.5 g/cm3.
- 14. The in-line fluid flow filter according to claim 12, in which the metal fiber wool is compressed to a density approximately 0.8 g/cm3.
- 15. The in-line fluid flow filter according claim 12 wherein said metal alloy is a brass alloy further comprising between 50 to 90 weight % copper and from 10 to 50 weight % zinc.
- 16. The in-line fluid flow filter according claim 12 wherein said metal alloy is a brass alloy further comprising trace elements as impurities.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is filed as a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/304,370 filed on Jul. 10, 2001, and a continuation in part of commonly owned PCT Application No. PCT/US02/08998, filed on Mar. 22, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60304370 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US02/08998 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Child |
10190983 |
Jul 2002 |
US |