FILTER DEVICE AND FILTER METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter device comprising an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber, a filter system which separates the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. The filter device is characterised in that the inlet chamber comprises at least one liquid supply line and at least one liquid discharge line and the outlet chamber does not comprise a liquid supply and comprises at least one liquid discharge line. The invention also relates to a corresponding filter method.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19: A filter device comprising an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber and a filter system, which separates the inlet chamber and outlet chamber, wherein the inlet chamber comprises at least one liquid supply line and at least one liquid discharge line and the outlet chamber does not comprise a liquid supply line and comprises at least one liquid discharge line, wherein the bottom of the inlet chamber comprises the filter system or is formed at least partly by the filter system, wherein the liquid supply line is attached centrally above the filter system or on the side of the inlet chamber, and flow elements are attached above the filter system, which have a spiral or serpentine shape and control the flow of the fluid so that it does not flow directly to the fluid outlet of the inlet chamber.

20: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter system is arranged such that the flow direction of the fluid relative to the surface normal of the filter is at an angle of between 10 and 90, in particular between 30 and 70.

21: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the inlet of the fluid to the inlet area is performed by means of a feed distributor.

22: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter system comprises filters which are formed by means of a plate into which holes have been made, wherein the end faces of the holes are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the filter and/or the walls of the holes are inclined relative to the orthogonal of the longitudinal axis of the filter, wherein said inclination is in particular greater than 10, preferably greater than 30.

23: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein a filter system comprising at least three filters is arranged about a central filter, or the filter system is arranged in a pipe so that the pipe is divided into two fluid discharge lines relative to the flow direction of the fluid, behind the filter system, or one liquid discharge line branches off in front of the pipe and an additional one runs in the pipe, wherein one of said fluid discharge lines is connected directly to the inlet area and another is reached only after passing through the filter system, or the filter system has the form of a spiral and the filter device is shaped such that the fluid flowing through flows on a wall of said spiral up to a liquid discharge line and the fluid that has passed through the filter system flows off through another liquid discharge line.

24: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device comprises a movement system, which is configured to move filters of the filter system, wherein said movement system in particular comprises a conveying system, which is configured to move the filter in one direction, so that already used parts of the filter are removed from the fluid flow and non-used parts of the filter are moved into the fluid flow, and/or wherein the movement system comprises a vibration system, which is configured to move at least one filter back and forth at a frequency of >1 Hz and/or the movement system comprises a rotation system which is configured to rotate at least two filters relative to one another.

25: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device comprises a temperature control system, which is configured to heat up at least one filter, wherein the temperature is preferably selected so that the inner viscosity of impurities, which have been heated to this temperature, is not lowered or at least not by the same amount as the viscosity of the fluid.

26: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the device comprises a sensor system which is configured to perform a pressure filter test on at least a portion of the residual fluid and in addition to determine the flow of the initial fluid, wherein the device is preferably also configured to determine to what extent there has been an increase in concentration of impurities in the residual fluid compared with the initial fluid and wherein the sensor system is designed in addition in particular to determine the pressure acting on the filter system and/or the sensor system is additionally designed to determine the flow of the residual fluid and/or the flow of the filtrate.

27: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device is configured as a belt filter and the filter system comprises a filter belt.

28: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device additionally comprises a discharge unit, which actively conducts melt out of the inner chamber through the primary melt discharge line, wherein the effective area of the discharge unit preferably extends over the whole width of the filter position and the discharge unit preferably comprises elements from a group comprising conveying screws, suction devices, presses, slides and rinsing nozzles.

29: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device comprises a cleaning system for the filter system, in particular outside the inner chamber at the outlet point of the filter belt or inside the inner chamber, wherein the cleaning system preferably comprises a cleaning element or two or more cleaning elements, in particular elements from a group comprising scrapers, burners, rollers and screws, which clean the filter system, wherein the filter device comprises in particular a filter belt in the form of an endless belt, and wherein the filter device preferably comprises in addition to a discharge unit a scraper or a cleaning roller as a cleaning element in the inner chamber, which is arranged so that it actively cleans the filter belt and thereby pushes the impurities at least partly in the direction of the discharge unit.

30: The filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the filter device comprises a screw, wherein the latter is configured in particular so that it has a steeper pitch in the area of the filter system than in the area in which it discharges, wherein the primary melt outflow with the discharge unit is arranged preferably perpendicular to the filter belt and the screw is preferably shaped so that to discharge material it runs in or against the screening direction and in particular is equipped with different cleaning bars, brushes, or nubs, and/or the effective area of the discharge unit extends in particular over the whole width of the filter system so that a filter belt can be freed of impurities over its whole width.

31: A filter method for filtering viscous fluids comprising the steps: inflow of viscous fluid into a filter device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the pressure P(F) exerted by the flow of fluid onto the surface of the filter is lower than the pressure of the flow of said fluid onto a surface orthogonal to the flow direction of the fluid P(S), removal of the fluid which has passed through the filter system, and removal or return of the fluid that has not passed through the filter system.

32: The filter method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the viscous fluid is mixed with additives which reduce or increase the viscosity, wherein the addition of monomers is preferable and/or to clean the filter the fluid itself is used, wherein in particular the pressure is measured between the inlet system and outlet system and/or the level of dirt in the filter system is checked visually and the viscosity and/or flow speed of the fluid is then adjusted such that said impurities can carried by the fluid which is not forced through the filter and/or the amount of fluid which exits through the liquid discharge line of the inlet chamber is separated or filtered through an additional filter.

Description

[0104] Examples of preferred embodiments of the filter device according to the invention are illustrated in the drawings.

[0105] FIG. 1 shows schematically a preferred embodiment;

[0106] FIG. 2 shows schematically a further preferred embodiment;

[0107] FIG. 3 shows schematically a third preferred embodiment;

[0108] FIG. 4 shows schematically a preferred filter in spiral form from above;

[0109] FIG. 5 shows schematically the filter in spiral form in side view;

[0110] FIG. 6 shows schematically a preferred filter;

[0111] FIG. 7 shows schematically a further preferred filter.

[0112] FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment as a belt filter in side view.

[0113] FIG. 9 illustrates a preferred embodiment in perspective view.

[0114] FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred embodiment from above.

[0115] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment, which enables a very simple yet effective implementation of the invention. A filter system 4 is arranged in a pipe so that it covers an outlet area 2 separated in the pipe. The pipe area in front of the filter system can be seen as an inlet area 1 and a further separate area of the pipe behind the filter system, which is not closed by the filter, is the liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area. The filter system 4 is arranged to be inclined in the pipe and comprises an upper screen and a lower screen support plate.

[0116] FIG. 2 shows a further preferred embodiment, in which the filter system 4 has the form of a spiral. In the shown case the outlet area 2 is located on one side of the filter system and the inlet area 1 is located on the other side. There are two liquid discharge lines to the right and left of the centre. The liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area is shown on the left and a portion of the liquid discharge line assigned to the outlet area 2 is shown on the right. When fluid flows through the pipe indicated on the right, which forms the liquid supply line, into the inlet chamber 1, the fluid flows along the filter system 4 and off to the centre in the form of a spiral. Meanwhile fluid passes through the filter due to gravity and flows filtered through the outlet area, at the end of which it can flow off through the relevant liquid discharge line.

[0117] FIGS. 3 and 4 shows a further preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, wherein FIG. 3 shows the device in plan view and FIG. 4 shows the device from the side as a cross-section through the horizontal, central axis of FIG. 3.

[0118] The fluid to be filtered flows through a central inlet area and moves firstly in the area marked by dashed lines (cf. FIG. 3) radially outwards, whilst a portion of it already passes through the filter 4 (cf. FIG. 4) arranged below the inlet area and the complete spiral shape in FIG. 3 into the outlet area. A spiral form (dotted area in FIG. 3) causes the fluid to make a spiral movement, wherein radial widening outwards is still possible at first, but is more difficult with an increasing radius (cf. wedge-like intermediate space below the spiral chambers in FIG. 4) and is finally no longer possible. The portion of fluid, which is not forced through the filter 4, is guided through channels to the fluid outlet 3.

[0119] FIG. 5 shows a further preferred embodiment, in which the filter system 4 has the form of a swirl or spiral. In the shown case the outlet area is located below the filters and is not visible. The filters do not extend in the shown case up to the upper edge of the chamber which forms the inlet area 1 but run onto its base. The liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area is located in the centre. If fluid now flows through the pipe indicated on the right at the top, which forms the liquid supply line, into the inlet chamber 1, the fluid will flow via the filter of the filter system 4 and to the centre in the form of a spiral. In the meantime it is guided by the form of the filter system and a portion of the fluid passes at the same time through the filter system 4 and flows off filtered.

[0120] FIGS. 6 and 7 show two advantageous filters. The arrow above the Figures indicates the flow direction of the fluid. The inlet area is above the filter is and the outlet area is below the filter.

[0121] In FIG. 6 the filter has oblique holes, which are inclined against the flow of fluid. The fluid is thus not pushed by the following fluid through the holes but on its path through the filter has to perform a change in direction of more than 90 relative to its flow direction.

[0122] In FIG. 7 the filter has the form of a sawtooth, wherein the holes are arranged respectively on the sides facing away from the fluid flow. Here too the fluid flowing over the filter on its way through the filter has to change direction by more than 90 relative to its flow direction.

[0123] Both filter forms are used in particular so that gel-like impurities are not pushed through the filter but even if they do enter one of the holes they are carried off again by the fluid flowing past.

[0124] FIG. 8 shows schematically a preferred embodiment of a belt filter according to the invention in side view, in which the inflow 5 and outflow 6 are arranged on the sides of the filter 4 in the form of a filter belt. A melt can pass from the side into the inner chamber through the inflow 5, shown in cross-section (from the direction of the observer or from below the sheet plane) through the filter 4 in the form of a filter belt and can flow back out of the outflow 6 (in the direction of the observer or downwards to the sheet plane). The filter belt is in turn arranged so that the melt, in order to pass from the inflow 5 to the outflow 6, has to flow through the filter belt and cannot flow past the filter belt on a different path.

[0125] It can be seen clearly that the inflow 5 and the liquid discharge line, even if they are intended to project laterally slightly over the filter, are arranged at least in an edge area of the filter according to the diameter of the inflow 5 relative to the position of the inflow 5 and the diameter of the liquid discharge line relative to the position of the liquid discharge line.

[0126] In the inlet area of the inner chamber a primary melt outflow is shown (the liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area) through which the polluted melt can be removed from the inlet area.

[0127] FIG. 9 shows in perspective a possible positioning of the inflow 5, outflow 6 and primary melt outflow (the liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area), which preferably still cooperates with a discharge unit which is not shown here. The inflow 5 is located here on the side not facing the observer, the outflow 6 on the side facing the observer and the primary melt outflow (the liquid discharge line 3 facing the inlet area) on the side facing away from the observer (but can also be arranged on the side facing the observer).

[0128] FIG. 10 shows a preferred embodiment, a variation of the preceding one, from above. In the latter the primary melt outflow (the liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area) is provided with a conveying screw as a discharge unit, wherein said screw extends over the whole width of the filter belt and can move impurities over the whole width into the outflow 6 of the discharge unit (into the liquid discharge line 3 assigned to the inlet area). Here the inflow 5 is located on the side of the inner chamber (the delimitations of which are not shown here) and the outflow 6 is located underneath the filter belt, which is indicated by the dashed lines.