Filtration device

Abstract

A filtration device (1) has a housing (4) and a filter module (2) with hollow fibers (32) surrounded by an outer shell (5). The hollow fiber bundle (6) is sealed to the outer shell (5) at each end by an adhesive (11) transverse to the longitudinal direction (10). Each end of the hollow fibers (32) is unclosed. An unfiltered product chamber (20) is between the outer shell (5) and a wall (19) of the filter housing (4) and a filtered product chamber (13) is inside the filter module (2). The bottom end of the filter module (2) connects with an intermediate section (3) that connects with a receptacle (17) of a bottom portion (15) of the filter housing (4). The intermediate section (3) forms a connection chamber (26) facing the hollow fiber ends (29) and radial feed channels (28) connect the connection chamber (26) with the unfiltered product chamber (20).

Claims

1. A filtration device (1) comprising: a filter housing (4) having a bottom housing portion (15) and a top housing portion (16); and a filter module (2) with at least one hollow fiber bundle (6) of hollow fibers (32) laterally surrounded by an outer shell (5), each end of the hollow fiber bundle (6) being sealed hermetically to the outer shell (5) by an adhesive layer (11) provided transversely to the longitudinal direction (10), wherein each of the hollow fiber ends (29, 31) of the hollow fibers (32) is unclosed, the outer shell (5) is formed to be liquid-tight, an unfiltered product chamber (20) is provided between the outer shell (5) and a housing wall (19) of the filter housing (4) and a filtered product chamber (13) is provided inside of the filter module (2), the filter module (2) is connected by its bottom end (9) in the vertical direction to an intermediate section (3) that is connected with a receptacle (17) of the bottom housing portion (15), and the intermediate section (3) forms a connection chamber (26) with the hollow fiber ends (29) facing the connection chamber (26) and radial feed channels (28) that connect the connection chamber (26) delimited from the filtered product chamber (13) with the unfiltered product chamber (20) wherein upper ends of the hollow fibers communicate with the unfiltered product chamber so that an unfiltered product enters the upper ends of the hollow fibers via the unfiltered product chamber and also enters the bottom ends of the hollow fibers via the unfiltered product chamber, the radial feed channels and the connection chamber.

2. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein the intermediate section (3) is connected with an adapter (18) that is matched to the receptacle (17) of the bottom housing portion (15).

3. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein, the filter module (2) has a through-pipe (12) at the bottom end (9) thereof, the through pipe connecting the filtered product chamber (13) with an outlet channel (14) of the intermediate section (3) and delimiting the filtered product chamber (13) from the connection chamber (26).

4. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein the bottom housing portion (15) has an inflow (21) in communication with the unfiltered product chamber (20).

5. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein the bottom housing portion (15) has a drain (30) in communication with the filtered product chamber (13) via the intermediate section (3).

6. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein the upper housing portion (16) has a vent (23) at the top in the vertical direction.

7. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein plural hollow fiber bundles (6) are provided in the outer shell (5).

8. The filtration device (1) of claim 7, wherein each of the hollow fiber bundles (6) is provided in a fluid-permeable fabric hose (7).

9. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein, the filter housing (4) is made from a plastic or a stainless steel.

10. The filtration device (1) of claim 1, wherein, the outer shell (5) is made from a polypropylene and the adhesive layer (11) is formed as a sprue made from polyurethane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic lateral view in a section through a filtration device.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the intermediate section of FIG. 1 with an adapter.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a further three-dimensional view of the intermediate section of FIG. 1 from the bottom.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a lateral view in a section through the intermediate section of FIG. 1 without an adapter.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a top view of the intermediate section of FIG. 4 from the direction V.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a top view of the bottom end of the filter module without an intermediate section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) A filtration device 1 comprises a filter module 2, an intermediate section 3 and a filter housing 4.

(8) The filter module 2 comprises an outer shell 5 that is formed from a plastic pipe, for example from polypropylene (PP). The at least one hollow fiber bundle 6 is located in the outer shell 5. In the embodiment example of FIG. 6, four hollow fiber bundles 6 are arranged in the outer shell 5. Each of the hollow fiber bundles 6 is surrounded by a fluid-permeable fabric hose 7. Each of the hollow fiber bundles 6 is formed at the ends 8, 9 thereof with an adhesive layer 11 provided transversely to the longitudinal direction 10, which is formed for example as a sprue made from polyurethane, they are hermetically sealed or molded against each other and against the outer shell 5. In this connection, the filter module 2 has a through-pipe 12 at the bottom end 9 thereof that connects the filtered product chamber 13 formed between the hollow fiber bundles 6 with an outlet channel 14 of the intermediate section 3.

(9) The filter housing 4 has a bottom housing portion 15 and a top housing portion 16. The bottom housing portion 15 has a receptacle 17 for receiving adapters 18 for filter modules 2. In correspondence with the embodiment examples, the adapter 18 is provided on the intermediate section 3 connected to the filter module 2.

(10) An unfiltered product chamber 20 is formed between the outer shell 5 of the filter module 2 and a housing wall 19 of the filter housing 4. Here, the bottom housing portion 15 has an inflow 21 in communication with the unfiltered product chamber 20, through which medium to be filtered can be fed to the unfiltered product chamber 20.

(11) The top housing portion 16 has a dome 22 that spans the free upper end 8 of the filter module 2 at the top in the vertical direction. At the top in the vertical direction, the top housing portion 16 has an optional vent 23. However, this vent 23 per se does not allow a complete venting of the hollow fiber bundle 6 as is made possible by the filtration device 1 according to the invention with two separate paths for unfiltered product and a separate path for filtered product. Rather, the optional vent 23 merely allows air to be discharged that is trapped beyond the top end 8 of the hollow fibers 32 in the top part of the dome 22.

(12) The intermediate section 3 has a first shoulder 24 towards the bottom end 9 of the filter module 2 for receiving and connecting (for example by welding) the bottom end 9 of the filter module 2. A second shoulder 25, which is formed to be annular and which has its outlet channel 14 centrally located, forms a connection chamber 26 towards the hollow fiber ends facing it, i.e. towards the second end 9 of the filter module 2. In the outer wall 27 that delimits the connection chamber 26 radially outwards, radially orientated feed channels 28 are provided, via which the connection chamber connects the unfiltered product chamber 20 with the bottom open hollow fiber ends 29. The free end of the through-pipe 12 is connected, for example by welding, to the end of the outlet channel 14 that faces it, so that the filtered product chamber 13 is delimited against the connection chamber 26. The bottom housing portion 15 has a drain 30 in communication with the filtered product chamber 13 via the intermediate section 3, through which the filtered product can be discharged.

(13) The filtration device 1, as part of a cartridge filter system (not shown) with a hollow fiber bundle 6 that is used for dead end or static filtration, may initially be vented automatically in a static filtration mode and can subsequently be sterilized reliably using hot vaporpre-assembled in the cartridge filter system (inline evaporation after automatic venting). Further, the location of the intermediate section 3 in the adhesive layer 11 of the bottom part of the outer shell 5 allows two paths for unfiltered product separately from each other and one path for (sterile) filtered product to be provided, as a result of which the advantages of being able to automatically vent the hollow fibers 32 and the subsequent sterilizability with hot vapor are linked with the possibility of a sterile filtration of fluid in a static filtration operation (dead-end filtration).

(14) On the first path for unfiltered product, the unfiltered product is passed into the filtered product chamber 13 through the inflow 21, the unfiltered product chamber 20 and the upper end 8 of the hollow fiber bundle 6, each of the hollow fibers 32 of which are open at the top and bottom ends thereof. On the second path for unfiltered product, the unfiltered product is passed into the lumen of the hollow fibers 32 through the inflow 21, the feed channels 28 and through the bottom hollow fiber ends 29 and exits, like the unfiltered product coming from the first path for unfiltered product, from the filtration device 1 as sterile filtrate after passage through the hollow fiber walls along the filtrate path extending through the filtered product chamber 13, the through-pipe 12, the intermediate section 3 and the outlet channel 14.

(15) It goes without saying that the embodiments discussed in the special description and shown in the figures only constitute illustrative embodiment examples of the present invention. In the light of this disclosure, a broad spectrum of variation possibilities will be available to a person skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(16) 1 Filtration device

(17) 2 Filter module

(18) 3 Intermediate section

(19) 4 Filter housing

(20) 5 Outer shell of 2

(21) 6 Hollow fiber bundle of 2

(22) 7 Fabric hose of 6

(23) 8 Top end of 2, 6

(24) 9 Bottom end of 2, 6

(25) 10 Longitudinal direction

(26) 11 Adhesive layer

(27) 12 Through-pipe of 2

(28) 13 Filtered product chamber of 2

(29) 14 Outlet channel of 3

(30) 15 Bottom housing portion of 4

(31) 16 Top housing portion of 4

(32) 17 Receptacle of 15

(33) 18 Adapter of 3

(34) 19 Housing wall of 4

(35) 20 Unfiltered product chamber

(36) 21 Inflow

(37) 22 Dome of 16

(38) 23 Vent

(39) 24 First shoulder of 3

(40) 25 Second shoulder of 3

(41) 26 Connection chamber of 3

(42) 27 Outer wall of 3

(43) 28 Feed channels

(44) 29 Bottom hollow fiber end of 32

(45) 30 Drain

(46) 31 Top hollow fiber end of 32

(47) 32 Hollow fiber