BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments, objects, features and advantages of the present teachings can be more fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to like features and structural elements throughout the various figures. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present teachings. The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as encompassed by the claims.
FIG. 1 shows a P&I diagram of prior art TFF process using a recirculation loop;
FIG. 2 shows a P&I diagram of an SPF process according to the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a P&I diagram of a an SPF similar to the process of FIG. 2 in which two pressurized tanks drive and control the process;
FIGS. 4A and 4B show P&I diagrams of an SPF processes according to various embodiments of the present invention in which two pumps are used to drive and control the process;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of a flow channel of a hollow fiber module formed with hollow fiber membranes according to the invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of flow channel of a flat-sheet module formed with flat-sheet membranes according to the invention;
FIG. 7A is a schematic block diagram of a multi-stage system according to the invention;
FIGS. 7B and 7C are schematic diagrams of internally-staged modules according to the invention wherein staging is accomplished by reducing the number of flow channels in each stage along the flow path;
FIG. 7D is a schematic diagram of a multi-stage system having stages with multiple serial flow paths according to the invention;
FIG. 8A is a perspective diagram of a multi-stage system according to the invention having stages including channels with differing specific membrane area;
FIGS. 8B and 8C are schematic diagrams of internally-staged modules according to various embodiments of the present invention, where staging is accomplished by increasing the specific membrane area of channels in each stage along the flow path;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams of feed and permeate compartments, respectively, of an internally-staged module comprising rectangular channels having decreasing cross-sectional area along the flow path according to the invention;
FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram of a single-leaf spirally-wound module according to the invention;
FIGS. 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E show multiple views of the spiral module of FIG. 10A including rectangular channels having decreasing cross-sectional area along the flow path;
FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary staging plate and cassette system according to the invention;
FIG. 11B is a schematic diagram of a staging plate assembly using the components of FIG. 11A;
FIG. 11C is a schematic diagram of conventional cassette as used in the system of FIG. 11A;
FIG. 11D is a flow schematic of one embodiment of a single pass filtration concentration module in a 3-2-1-1 configuration according to the invention;
FIG. 12 is an exemplary flux profile for a concentration module similar to the module of FIG. 11A;
FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram of an internally staged diafiltration system suitable for diafiltration according to the invention;
FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system of FIG. 13A, including diafiltration hydraulic distributors;
FIG. 14A is a schematic diagram of a diafiltration distributor similar to the distributor in the system of FIG. 13B implemented as a parallel resistance network of hydraulic resistors;
FIG. 14B is a schematic diagram of a diafiltration distributor similar to the distributor in the system of FIG. 13B implemented as a series resistance network of hydraulic resistors;
FIG. 14C is a schematic diagram of a diafiltration distributor similar to the distributor in the system of FIG. 13B implemented as a series-parallel resistance network of hydraulic resistors;
FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a counter current diafiltration module according to the invention showing the distributors as a parallel network of resistors coupled to a pump;
FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram of internally staged hollow fiber module according to the invention;
FIG. 16B is a schematic cross section diagram of the internally staged hollow fiber module of FIG. 16A;
FIG. 17 is a schematic cross section diagram of an internally staged hollow fiber module suitable for diafiltration according to the invention;
FIG. 18A is a longitudinal cross section view of an internally staged hollow fiber module suitable for diafiltration according to the invention;
FIG. 18B is an axial cross section view of the internally staged hollow fiber module of FIG. 18A through line 18B;
FIG. 19A is schematic diagram of an internally staged module including a staging plate suitable for cross current diafiltration according to the invention;
FIG. 19B is a flow diagram showing the feed stream in the four-stage module of FIG. 19A;
FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a staged module suitable for counter current diafiltration according to the invention; and
FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram of permeate distributor according to the invention.
Patent Application
20070151925
