FILTER MATERIAL AND FILTRATION ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A filter material for liquid media comprising plural individual layers of non-woven fabric and its use in a filtration assembly are disclosed. Each layer of non-woven fabric comprises a plurality of filaments, which to a defined degree are connected to other filaments via material bonds. Likewise neighboring layers of non-woven fabric are connected to a certain degree with neighboring layers of non-woven fabric and thus form a compound layer of non-woven fabric with a defined top side and a defined bottom side. The filter material of the compound layer of non-woven fabric is cut into geometric filter bodies having the top side and the bottom side of the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

Claims

1. A filter material for liquid media, the filter material, comprising: one or more geometric filter bodies, wherein the filter material is formed by plural individual layers of non-woven fabric, wherein each layer of non-woven fabric comprises a plurality of filaments, which are to a certain degree connected to other filaments via material bonds and wherein filaments of a layer of non-woven fabric extend into neighboring layers of non-woven fabric and also are connected to a certain degree with the filaments of the neighboring layers of non-woven fabric and form a compound layer of non-woven fabric with a top side and a bottom side, wherein the geometric filter bodies are cut from and separated from the compound layer of non-woven fabric and have the top side and the bottom side of the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

2. The filter material of claim 1 wherein the cut geometric filter bodies are elastically reversible and of stable shape, in such a way that the filter bodies can be stored in a container that can be evacuated and deformed, and that after a pressure equilibration of the container with the environment the filter bodies again assume the shape corresponding to the shape and size of the geometric filter bodies cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

3. The filter material recited in claim 1 wherein the filaments are made of polyester.

4. The filter material recited in claim 2 wherein the filaments are made of polyester.

5. The filter material of claim 3 wherein 60% to 90% of the filaments are solid fibers or hollow fibers, and 40% to 10% of the filaments are melt fibers.

6. The filter material of claim 4 wherein 60% to 90% of the filaments are solid fibers or hollow fibers, and 40% to 10% of the filaments are melt fibers.

7. The filter material of claim 1 wherein the filaments of the filter material have a fiber thickness of about 40 m.

8. The filter material of claim 2 wherein the filaments of the filter material have a fiber thickness of about 40 m.

9. The filter material of claim 1, wherein the filaments have a cross-section of a round and oval shape.

10. The filter material of claim 2 wherein the filaments have a cross-section of a round and oval shape.

11. The filter material of claim 1 wherein the filter material has an area density of 250-1800 grams/square meter.

12. The filter material of claim 2 wherein the filter material has an area density of 250-1800 grams/square meter.

13. The filter material of claim 1 wherein the filaments of all layers of non-woven fabric of the compound layer of non-woven fabric include activated carbon.

14. The filter material of claim 2 wherein the filaments of all layers of non-woven fabric of the compound layer of non-woven fabric include activated carbon.

15. Filtration assembly for liquid media, comprising a filter housing with an inlet for the medium to be filtered; and, an outlet for the filtered medium, characterized in that at least one filter layer of at least one geometric filter body cut from a compound layer of non-woven fabric of a filter material one or more geometric filter bodies, wherein the filter material is formed by plural individual layers of non-woven fabric, wherein each layer of non-woven fabric comprises a plurality of filaments, which are to a certain degree connected to other filaments via material bonds and wherein filaments of a layer of non-woven fabric extend into neighboring layers of non-woven fabric and also are connected to a certain degree with the filaments of the neighboring layers of non-woven fabric and form a compound layer of non-woven fabric with a top side and a bottom side, wherein the geometric filter bodies are cut from and separated from the compound layer of non-woven fabric and have the top side and the bottom side of the compound layer of non-woven fabric is provided in the filter housing, wherein the inlet for the medium to be filtered is directed to the at least one filter layer, and the outlet for the filtered medium is downstream from the at least one filter layer.

16. The filtration assembly of claim 15 wherein the at least one filter layer is a single filter body, the shape of which is adapted to the inner shape of the filter housing by cutting from the compound layer of non-woven fabric, and which has the top side and the bottom side of the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

17. The filtration assembly of claim 16 wherein the at least one filter layer comprises a plurality of individual geometric filter bodies, and each filter body is cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric, has a cubic shape and the top side and the bottom side of the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

18. The filtration assembly of one of the claim 15 wherein plural filter layers are provided within the filter housing, and at least one of them is a geometric filter body cut from the filter material of a compound layer of non-woven fabric.

19. The filtration assembly of claim 18 wherein in the filter housing at least one filter layer comprises individual cubic filter bodies and at least one filter layer is a single filter body.

20. The filtration assembly of claim 19 wherein in the filter housing at least one filter layer comprising individual cubic filter bodies or at least one filter layer of a single filter body is provided, wherein activated carbon is bound in all layers of non-woven fabric of the compound layer of non-woven fabric.

21. The filtration assembly of claim 15 wherein the at least one filter layer in the filter housing is respectively arranged between at least one layer of fabric.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a compound layer of non-woven fabric, according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a geometric body which has been cut from a compound layer of non-woven fabric;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a possible embodiment of a filtration assembly, in which the filter housing is completely filled with individual geometric filter bodies;

[0040] FIG. 4 is a situation in which the filter housing shown in FIG. 3 is in filter mode of the liquid medium;

[0041] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the filter material with the deposition of dirt particles;

[0042] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the filter housing, where the backflush process has just started;

[0043] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the filter housing, where the backflush process is almost finished;

[0044] FIG. 8 is a partial view of a cut open filter housing containing two geometric filter bodies adapted to the shape of the filter housing;

[0045] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a possible embodiment of the configuration of the different filter layers in the interior of a filter housing;

[0046] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a container filled with a plurality of geometric bodies of the filter material; and,

[0047] FIG. 11 is a schematic view with the container evacuated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the invention. While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects.

[0049] Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodologies, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

[0050] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Moreover, as used herein, the phrases comprises at least one of and comprising at least one of in combination with a system or element is intended to mean that the system or element includes one or more of the elements listed after the phrase. For example, a device comprising at least one of: a first element; a second element; and, a third element, is intended to be construed as any one of the following structural arrangements: a device comprising a first element; a device comprising a second element; a device comprising a third element; a device comprising a first element and a second element; a device comprising a first element and a third element; a device comprising a first element, a second element and a third element; or, a device comprising a second element and a third element. A similar interpretation is intended when the phrase used in at least one of: is used herein. Furthermore, as used herein, and/or is intended to mean a grammatical conjunction used to indicate that one or more of the elements or conditions recited may be included or occur. For example, a device comprising a first element, a second element and/or a third element, is intended to be construed as any one of the following structural arrangements: a device comprising a first element; a device comprising a second element; a device comprising a third element; a device comprising a first element and a second element; a device comprising a first element and a third element; a device comprising a first element, a second element and a third element; or, a device comprising a second element and a third element.

[0051] Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.

[0052] It is evident to the skilled person that the embodiments of the compound layer of non-woven fabric and of the bodies cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric, presented in the description, are not a limitation of the invention. Also a plurality of filter layers may be used for the configuration of the filtration assembly, which may be of different configurations. For example, only filter layers may be provided which comprise individual geometric filter bodies. The combination of the filter layers and their configuration are largely determined by the filtration problem at hand.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a compound layer of non-woven fabric 10. The compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 in the illustration shown here comprises three individual layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, and 4.sub.3. It is evident to the skilled person that the illustration of the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 shown here is not to be taken as a limitation of the invention. The compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 can, depending on the required mechanical properties, be configured to comprise an arbitrary number of layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . 4.sub.N. The individual layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N comprise a plurality of filaments 6 which also extend to neighboring layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N. The filaments 6 in the individual layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N and the filaments 6 extending to neighboring layers of non-woven fabric to a certain degree (number of connections of the filaments 6 per unit volume) are connected to each other via material bonds.

[0054] The compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 has a top side 11 and a bottom side 12.

[0055] For the filtration of liquid media individual geometric filter bodies 20 are cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 (see FIG. 2). Corresponding to the configuration of the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 with the individual layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N also the geometric filter body 20 has the corresponding number of layers of non-woven fabric 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N. Likewise the geometric filter body 20 has the top side 11 and bottom side 12 of the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 from which it has been produced or cut, respectively. A particular advantage of the filter material according to the invention and of the filter bodies 20 cut therefrom is the stability of the shape of the filter bodies 20. We remark that the shown geometric shape of the filter body 20 is not to be taken as a limitation of the invention. Filter bodies 20 of any shape and size may be cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10. The only condition is that the cut filter bodies 20 must also have the top side 11 and bottom side 12 of the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a filtration assembly 30 which is completely closed. In the filter housing 31 of the filtration assembly 30, in the embodiment shown here, only one filter layer 33.sub.1 is provided for filtering the liquid medium. The filter layer 33.sub.1 therein comprises a plurality of geometric filter bodies 20 of cubic shape. The liquid medium to be filtered is introduced into the filter housing 31 via an inlet 32. The filtered liquid medium exits the filter housing 31 via an outlet 34.

[0057] In the illustration of FIG. 4 so much liquid medium to be filtered has been introduced via inlet 32 that the individual filter bodies 20 have been compressed to a single, essentially homogeneous filter mass. The filter layer 33.sub.1 resulting therefrom is passed by the medium to be filtered along trajectories 36. The filtered liquid medium, as has already been mentioned with respect to FIG. 3, exits via outlet 34, and may be provided for a further use (e.g., swimming pool).

[0058] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the filter material 2, in which the individual filaments 6 can be seen in their disordered arrangement in the filter material 2. The liquid medium 7 passes between the filaments 6. Therein particles 8 are unloaded and get stuck to the filaments 6. By this effect the purification of the liquid medium 7 occurs.

[0059] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the situation of a backflush process, in which particles 8 in the individual geometric filter bodies 20 can be washed out. In the illustration of FIG. 6 the backflush process is just starting. Clean liquid medium is introduced via outlet 34. Thereby the individual geometric filter bodies 20 loosen up and separate and essentially fill the entire interior of the filter housing 31. The liquid medium introduced via outlet 34 moves along trajectories 36 to a drain 37. In the illustration shown in FIG. 7 the particles 8 have already been carried into the region of the drain 37 by the flow of liquid in the filter housing 31, or have already been washed out through the drain 37. The manometer 38 connected to the filter housing 31 is provided to monitor the pressure within the filter housing 31. The filter housing 31 of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and 6 and 7 is a filter housing 31 operating at excess pressure.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows a partial view of a cut open filter housing 31 wherein the geometric filter body 20 in the filter housing 31 is adapted to the interior shape of the filter housing 31. In the embodiment shown the geometric filter body 20 has been cut from the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10 in such a way that it is adapted to the inner shape of the filter housing 31. As already described in the preceding discussion, the geometric filter body 20 also has the top side 11 and the bottom side 12 of the compound layer of non-woven fabric 10.

[0061] FIG. 9 shows a possible embodiment of the configuration of various filter layers 33.sub.1, 33.sub.2, . . . , 33.sub.K, responsible for filtering the liquid medium in a filtration assembly (not shown). The liquid medium is applied onto the top filter layer 33.sub.1 in feed direction Z. The release A of the filtered liquid medium occurs through the bottom filter layer 33.sub.5. It is evident that the five filter layers 33.sub.1, 33.sub.2, 33.sub.3, 33.sub.4, and 33.sub.5 described here cannot be taken as a limitation of the invention. Arbitrary combinations of filter layers 33.sub.1, 33.sub.2, . . . , 33.sub.K may be used for the filtration of a liquid medium, of course. The combination of the individual filter layers 33.sub.1, 33.sub.2, . . . , 33.sub.5 may be adapted to the respective filtration requirements. The medium to be filtered is applied onto the top filter layer 33.sub.1. The top filter layer 33.sub.1 may for example be a filter mesh. The filter mesh may be of plastic or stainless steel. The top filter layer 33.sub.1 is followed by a further filter layer 33.sub.2 comprising plural individual cubic filter bodies 20. In the next filter layer 33.sub.3 for example an entire disc or a filter body 20, respectively, adapted to the interior of a filter housing (not shown) may be provided. In the next filter layer 33.sub.4 a further filter body 20 adapted to the interior of the filter housing 31 may be provided. In this filter body 20 at least one layer of non-woven fabric (not shown) includes activated carbon. The bottom filter layer 33.sub.5 may again be a filter mesh, of higher density than the filter mesh of the top filter layer 33.sub.1. The filter mesh of the bottom filter layer 33.sub.5 may be of plastic or stainless steel.

[0062] FIG. 10 shows a possible embodiment of a container 25, with which the geometric filter bodies 20 can be transported and/or stored. The container 25 comprises a deformable material, with an extraction opening 26. The container 25 can be closed with a closure 27. Further possible embodiments of the packaging of the filter bodies 20 have been mentioned in the introductory part of the description.

[0063] FIG. 11 shows a situation in which air has been withdrawn from the container 25 via extraction opening 26. Thereby the bodies 20 in the interior of the container 25 are compressed, and a deformed container results, which has a significantly smaller volume than the container 25 shown in FIG. 10.

[0064] Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0065] 2 filter material [0066] 4.sub.1, 4.sub.2, . . . , 4.sub.N layer of non-woven fabric [0067] 6 filaments [0068] 7 liquid medium [0069] 8 particle [0070] 10 compound layer of non-woven fabric [0071] 11 top side [0072] 12 bottom side [0073] 50 geometric filter body [0074] 25 container [0075] 26 extraction opening [0076] 27 closure [0077] 30 filtration assembly [0078] 31 filter housing [0079] 32 inlet [0080] 33.sub.1, 33.sub.2, . . . , 33.sub.K filter layer [0081] 34 outlet [0082] 36 trajectories [0083] 37 drain [0084] 38 manometer [0085] A release [0086] Z feed direction