FILTER DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter device comprising an inlet and an outlet. An adsorption section is positioned along the flow path between and inlet section and an outlet section, and is filled with glass beads of a predetermined nominal diameter as well as an absorption granulate mixed with said glass beads. The inlet section and outlet section are filled with glass beads with a nominal diameter preferably at least as big as the nominal diameter of the glass beads of said adsorption section.

Claims

1. A filter device comprising: an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the flow path, viewed in the flow direction, includes a first section, a second section, and a third section, aid first section contains glass beads, said second section contains a mixture comprising glass beads and an adsorption granulate, aid third section contains glass beads.

2. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first section and the third section are filled with glass beads, the nominal diameter of which is at least as large as that of the nominal diameter of the largest glass beads in the second section.

3. The filter device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first section has at least two subsections filled with glass beads, wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads in a respective subsection is equal and wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads of the individual subsections increases in the direction toward the inlet.

4. The filter device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third section has at least two subsections filled with glass beads, wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads in a respective subsection is equal and wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads of the individual subsections increases in the direction toward the outlet.

5. The filter device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the glass beads in the second section have equal nominal diameter.

6. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second section adjoins the first section and the third section adjoins the second section.

7. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following features: the grain size of the adsorption granulate corresponds to the nominal diameter of the glass beads in the second section; the grain size of the adsorption granulate is delimited at the upper end by the largest nominal diameter of the glass beads in the second section; the grain size of the adsorption granulate is not delimited at the upper end by the nominal diameter of the glass beads in the second section; the smallest grain size of the adsorption granulate is in the range of 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm; the grain size of the adsorption granulate is delimited at the lower end by 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.7 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.9 mm, or 2.0 mm; the nominal diameter of the glass beads in the second section is in the range of 0.1 mm to 8 mm; the nominal diameter of the glass beads in the first and in the third section is in the range of 0.2 mm to 20 mm.

8. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grain size of the adsorption granulate is established by screening.

9. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first section, the second section, and the third section are filled in a compacted manner, wherein the fillings thereof are kept in the compacted state by delimiters at the inlet and at the outlet.

10. The filter device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a union nut having a screen insert is provided at the inlet and/or at the outlet as the delimiter.

11. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the second section is greater than the total of the lengths of the first section and the third section, wherein the lengths are measured in the direction of the flow path.

12. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing, on which the inlet and the outlet are attached.

13. The filter device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a cartridge having two opposing end faces, wherein the inlet is arranged on one end face and the outlet is arranged on the other end face.

14. The filter device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second section extends over , the first section over , and the third section over of the length of the housing.

15. The filter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adsorption granulate is configured to adsorb at least one of the following substances: phosphate, arsenic.

16. The filter device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third section has at least two subsections filled with glass beads, wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads in a respective subsection is equal and wherein the nominal diameter of the glass beads of the individual subsections increases in the direction toward the outlet.

17. The filter device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the glass beads in the second section have equal nominal diameter.

18. The filter device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first section, the second section, and the third section are filled in a compacted manner, wherein the fillings thereof are kept in the compacted state by delimiters at the inlet and at the outlet.

19. The filter device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the length of the second section is greater than the total of the lengths of the first section and the third section, wherein the lengths are measured in the direction of the flow path.

20. The filter device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the adsorption granulate is configured to adsorb at least one of the following substances: phosphate, arsenic.

Description

[0032] The invention is described in greater detail hereafter on the basis of exemplary embodiments. In the figures of the drawings

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a first embodiment of the filter device according to the invention and

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the filter device according to the invention in partial section.

[0035] A first embodiment of a filter device is designed as a filter cartridge 1 and is shown in a schematic longitudinal section in FIG. 1.

[0036] The filter cartridge 1 has a housing 2 comprising an end face 4 and an opposing end face 5. An inlet 6 is located on the end face 4 and an outlet 7 is located on the end face 5.

[0037] The housing 2 is divided in the longitudinal direction into multiple zones, which are not separated from one another by any type of partition walls or screens, however. In the exemplary embodiment, these are three zones, specifically an adsorption section 10 in the central region of the housing 2, an inlet section 12 between the inlet 6 and the adsorption section 10, and an outlet section 13 between the adsorption section 10 and the outlet 7.

[0038] The adsorption section 10 is filled with glass beads 14 and an adsorption granulate 15, which is only shown in portions in the figures. The glass beads 14 all have a predetermined, equal nominal diameter.

[0039] Suitable glass beads, the diameter of which varies, for example, by 5% or by 10% in relation to the nominal diameter, are commercially available. In the exemplary embodiment, the glass beads 14 have a nominal diameter of 3 mm.

[0040] The grain size of the adsorption granulate 15 is set in the exemplary embodiment by screening to a range of 0.5 mm to 4 mm. The largest granulated grains are thus somewhat larger than the glass beads 14. For the sake of comprehensibility, only granulated grains which are approximately as large as the glass beads 14 are shown in FIG. 1.

[0041] In the adsorption section 10, the glass beads 14 and the adsorption granulate 15 are mixed through substantially uniformly. Since the size of the granulated grains is delimited at the lower end, no very small particles are present, which could clog the intermediate spaces between the glass beads 14 and the granulated grains. The flow resistance of the adsorption section 10 is therefore relatively low. The glass beads 14 and the adsorption granulate 15 essentially mutually fix one another, wherein the surfaces of the granulated grains are reached well by a liquid flowing through the adsorption section 10, which enhances the effectiveness of the filter cartridge 1.

[0042] The adsorption granulate 15 is configured for adsorbing specific materials (for example, phosphates or arsenic), which are thus removed from the medium flowing through the filter cartridge 1. Numerous substances can be used as the adsorption granulate, also mixtures of various substances. In this case, materials to be removed can be absorbed on the outer surface or also in pores in the volume of the granulated grains. In addition to physisorption, the granulated grains can also act exclusively or additionally via chemisorption. The numerous options for the selection of the adsorption granulate 15 are not the subject matter of this application.

[0043] Glass beads 16, the nominal diameter of which in the exemplary embodiment is greater than that of the glass beads 14 and is 5 mm, are located in the inlet section 12. The outlet section 13 similarly contains glass beads 17, the nominal diameter of which in the exemplary embodiment is also greater than that of the nominal diameter of the glass beads 14 and is equal to that of the glass beads 16. The intermediate spaces between the glass beads 16 and between the glass beads 17 are sufficiently small that the glass beads 14 cannot enter the inlet section 12 or the outlet section 13. Because of the extensive immobilization of the granulated grains of the adsorption granulate 15 by the glass beads 14, furthermore, only insignificant quantities of adsorption granulate pass into the inlet section 12 and the outlet section 13. On the other hand, the intermediate spaces between the glass beads 16 and 17 are sufficiently large because of the size of the glass beads 16, 17 that the flow resistance of the inlet section 12 or the outlet section 13, respectively, is relatively low.

[0044] The inlet 6 has a connecting piece 20 having an outer thread 22 (for example, a typical 1, , or thread). A union nut 24, into which a screen seal 26 is introduced, is screwed onto the outer thread 22. An equivalent arrangement is located on the outlet 7, because of which the same reference signs are used for this purpose. The meshes or holes of the screen seals 26 can be relatively large, but do not permit passage of the glass beads 16 and/or 17. Other designs for the inlet 6 and the outlet 7 are also conceivable, for example, having additional threads for the incorporation into an existing installation.

[0045] The adsorption section 10, the inlet section 12, and the outlet section 13 are filled in a compacted manner. This means that the individual glass beads 14, 16, and 17 and the granulated grains of the adsorption granulate 15 only have minor movement options, so that no noticeable mixing takes place between the content of the inlet section 12 and/or the outlet section 13 and that of the adsorption section 10. This may be achieved, for example, by shaking during the filling. To achieve a compaction sufficient for practice, however, dense sphere packing is not required, which would not be possible in any case in the adsorption section 10 because of the irregular shape of the granulated grains. A sufficiently dense state can be stabilized with the aid of the union nuts 24. As the union nuts 24 are tightened, some pressure can even be exerted if the glass beads 16 and 17 initially protrude somewhat into the inlet 6 or the outlet 7, respectively, after the filling.

[0046] If a medium (for example, water, from which pollutants are to be removed) flows through the filter cartridge 1, the medium enters via the inlet 6 into the inlet section 12, where it can flow through many channels between the glass beads 16 and is thus distributed substantially uniformly over the cross section of the housing 2. The medium then permeates through the adsorption section 10, where the granulated grains of the adsorption granulate 15 can absorb pollutants from the medium. The medium then flows through the glass beads 17 of the outlet section 13, from which it is conducted in a manner favorable for flow to the outlet 7.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a partial section of a schematic longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the filter cartridge, which is identified here by 1. Otherwise, the same reference signs are used for parts corresponding to one another in FIG. 2 as in FIG. 1.

[0048] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the inlet section identified by 30 has two subsections, specifically a first subsection 32 and a second subsection 34 comprising glass beads 36 and 38, respectively. The nominal diameter of the glass beads 38 in the exemplary embodiment is larger than that of the glass beads 14 and smaller than that of the glass beads 36. The differences in nominal diameter are not sufficiently large that the glass beads of adjacent subsections or sections could mix with one another, however. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the glass beads in the adsorption section have a nominal diameter of 3 mm, the glass beads 38 have a nominal diameter of 5 mm, and the glass beads 36 have a nominal diameter of 10 mm. The outlet section (not shown in FIG. 2) of the filter cartridge 1 is constructed similarly to the inlet section 30, i.e., also having two layers comprising glass beads of 5 mm or 10 mm nominal diameter, respectively, wherein the latter are arranged in the layer close to the outlet.

[0049] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the adsorption section 10 contains an adsorption granulate having a grain size of 0.5 mm to 4 mm (not shown accurately in FIG. 2).

[0050] In a further exemplary embodiment, the inlet section and the outlet section each have three subsections, respectively having glass beads of 10 mm, 5 mm, and 3 mm diameter, wherein the adsorption section contains glass beads of 3 mm diameter comprising an adsorption granulate of a grain size in the range of 0.5 mm to 4 mm.

[0051] A multilayered structure of the inlet section and/or the outlet section can ensure an improvement of the flow behavior in the filter cartridge, i.e., in particular a reduction of the overall flow resistance of the filter cartridge, and the most uniform possible distribution of the liquid to be filtered over the cross section of the adsorption section.

[0052] The filter cartridge may be used, for example, for reducing undesired compounds, for example, phosphates, in ponds, natural baths, fountains, and circulating springs. In standing or closed bodies of water, the filter cartridge can be used in a circuit, wherein water is continuously pumped in circulation. In this case, the water can flow completely through the filter cartridge, however, a bypass can also be used. Furthermore, multiple filter cartridges can be connected in series or also in parallel. There are many usage options.