Membrane filter unit

Abstract

A membrane filter unit comprising: (a) a filter housing for housing a membrane; (b) an inner tube housing a waste water chamber and a core tube, a middle tube housing a pure water chamber and an outer tube housing a feed water chamber, (c) the core tube having a top opening at a top end and a bottom opening at a bottom end, and having a water collection channel on its outer wall, and positioned coaxially inside the housing, (d) the membrane having an inner peripheral surface, a top peripheral surface, a bottom peripheral surface and a side peripheral surface; and arranged around the core tube such that the inner peripheral surface of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube, and the side peripheral surface is capable of allowing raw water to permeate through its surface; wherein the membrane has a bottom cap and a top cap, the top cap sealingly engaged with the top peripheral surface of the membrane, and comprising a first central through hole, the first central through hole adapted and sealingly fitted to the core tube, so as to facilitate the passage of waste water through the core tube into the waste water chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a membrane filter unit, and more specifically to a roller filter membrane that has higher efficiency and longer lifespan due to its structure and design. Background Technology

[0002] Pressure-driven spiral wound membrane filters are widely used in household water purifiers to provide consumers with purified water. The advantage of using spiral wound membranes is that they provide consumers with very high-quality water.

[0003] Traditionally, spiral-wound membrane elements are formed by winding multiple purifying membrane modules around a centrally perforated treated water pipe. The purifying membrane module is formed by laminating a mesh of treated water guiding members, a double-folded membrane, and a mesh of feed water guiding members inside the double-folded membrane. Feed water flow channels are formed along the inner surface of the double-folded membrane, and treated water flow channels are formed between the outer surfaces of adjacent double-folded membranes.

[0004] When this type of membrane element is in operation, feed water enters the feed flow channel from one end (either side surface or outer surface) of the spiral-wound membrane element. Treated water is obtained by passing the feed water through the membrane. The treated water flows along the treated water guide member and enters the central treated water pipe through the collection orifice. Unfiltered residual water flows along the feed water guide member and is discharged as concentrate from the other end of the spiral-wound membrane element. The main problems with this conventional spiral-wound membrane element are scaling, clogging, decreased rejection rate, and performance degradation (reduced flow rate or increased pressure). Over time, impurities accumulate and can easily foul the membrane, leading to a shortened membrane element lifespan.

[0005] Many efforts have been made to improve the lifespan of spiral wound film elements.

[0006] US4645601A (Everpure, 1987) discloses a reverse osmosis system including a head member adapted for fixed installation in a fluid supply line, wherein an integrated disposable RO unit is inserted. The osmosis unit includes a pressure vessel, an end member attached to the pressure vessel, and an RO membrane module disposed in the pressure vessel and operatively associated with the end member.

[0007] US3695446 A (Culligan 1972) discloses an RO membrane module assembly that offers high adaptability to various locations and positions, as well as economical manufacturing and efficient maintenance. It includes a closed container having a removable first end closure for all piping connections. A membrane module assembly is removably supported within the container chamber on an inlet pipe connected to the first end closure. The membrane module has one or more modules, each including a body member having hollow tubular members extending beyond both ends of the body member. Connection devices are provided at the ends of the tubular members, allowing the modules to be quickly and easily attached to the closure assembly and connected in series with each other. A product water channel is formed between the inner diameter of the membrane module tubular member and the outer diameter of the inlet pipe for removing product water from the membrane module assembly. In operation, feed water flows in through the first end closure assembly, passes through the membrane in a first direction via the inlet pipe, enters the chamber at a point remote from the closure assembly, flows back through the chamber and through the membrane module assembly, where product water passes through the membrane under differential pressure, and wastewater flows through the membrane. Then both product water and wastewater flow out of the chamber through the first end closure device.

[0008] US6099735 A (Maher Kelada, 2000) discloses a household countertop RO device. It connects to a water supply system and includes a closed-loop fluid treatment circuit extending to the outlet. The closed-loop circuit flows through multiple replaceable water treatment modules mounted on a flow plate, each module having a specific water treatment function, such as removing specific materials to balance the desired water conditions through the use of RO, filtration, carbon adsorption, ion exchange, or the addition of chemicals. Preferably, the circuit also includes a UV lamp for water disinfection.

[0009] US5389260A (Clack Corp., 1995) discloses a filter comprising a filter element and a brine seal located on top of the filter element and engaging a boss suspended from a system manifold. The brine seal isolates a brine outlet, which communicates with the outlet of the filter element, from an untreated water inlet formed in the boss, ensuring that treated water flows through the filter membrane rather than directly from the brine outlet. This configuration eliminates the need for external supply lines, thereby simplifying the system and preventing vibration during system startup. The brine seal also structurally reinforces the filter element, facilitating filter assembly, increasing component capacity, and reducing the chance of failure and leakage.

[0010] JP2015089536A (Toray, 2015) discloses a separation membrane element that prevents backflow, back pressure, and contamination from the permeate side even when a check valve located downstream of the separation membrane module fails, and allows for easier removal than before, without requiring manpower or time for inspection. In the separation membrane element, a membrane unit comprising a separation membrane for separating components of the medium to be treated is spirally wound around a central tube having multiple orifices. The outer periphery of the wound membrane unit has a structure formed by covering it with an outer packaging, and a check valve is provided downstream of the orifice at the lowest of the multiple orifices present on the side surface of the central tube.

[0011] JPWO2019146342 A1 (Toray, 2020) discloses a membrane separation system comprising separation membrane elements connected to each other, each separation membrane element comprising a plurality of separation membrane pairs, each separation membrane pair comprising a separation membrane, each separation membrane having a feed water side surface and a permeate side surface and being configured such that the feed water side surfaces face each other, wherein the plurality of separation membrane elements comprises a first separation membrane element and a second separation membrane element, and at least one first separation membrane element serves as a pre-stage for the second separation membrane element.

[0012] Many membrane filter units either use chemicals, such as descaling agents, to address these problems or modify the design of the filter unit. However, most of them have complex or bulky designs, or result in high costs in order to alleviate these problems. Therefore, the inventors have recognized the need to develop a spiral-wound reverse osmosis membrane element that, compared to conventional spiral-wound membranes, has an extended lifespan, is easy to manufacture, simple, uncomplicated, and does not incur additional costs. Summary of the Invention

[0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a membrane filter unit is provided, comprising:

[0014] (a) A filter housing for containing a membrane;

[0015] (b) An inner tube that accommodates a wastewater chamber and a core tube, an intermediate tube that accommodates a pure water chamber and an outer tube that accommodates an inlet water chamber, wherein the inner tube, the intermediate tube and the outer tube are arranged coaxially and are formed inside the filter housing (2) between the inner wall of the filter housing (2) and other components located inside the filter housing, wherein the inner tube (4) is formed by at least a portion of a central hollow tube that seals with each other and at least a portion of the core tube (7);

[0016] (c) The core tube has a top opening at the top end and a bottom opening at the bottom end, and has a water collection channel on its outer wall, and is coaxially positioned within the filter housing, wherein the top opening is adapted to lead to the wastewater chamber; and

[0017] (d) A membrane having an inner peripheral surface, a top outer peripheral surface, a bottom outer peripheral surface and a side outer peripheral surface; and arranged around a core tube such that the inner peripheral surface of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube, and the side outer peripheral surface allows raw water to pass through its surface.

[0018] The membrane has a bottom cover and a top cover.

[0019] The top cover is sealed to the top outer peripheral surface of the membrane and includes a first central through hole adapted to and sealed to the core tube to allow wastewater to enter the wastewater chamber through the core tube; and the bottom cover has a bottom cover central hole that spans the bottom opening of the core tube to allow water to pass through the membrane and the bottom cover central hole into the hollow portion of the core tube, and wherein the bottom cover (9) of the membrane (3) is capped by a first bottom cap (9B) that is sealed to the bottom cover (9), and the top cap (2T) of the filter housing (2) includes an inner wall and an outer wall, and wherein two hollow concentric tubes descend from the inner wall of the top cap (2T), the central hollow tube (4C) and the outer peripheral hollow tube (4P) each having their own inner wall and outer wall.

[0020] Detailed description of the invention

[0021] The present invention provides a membrane filter unit and a water treatment device having the membrane filter unit, the membrane filter unit being designed to enable the filter membrane to have higher efficiency and extended lifespan.

[0022] The membrane filter unit of the present invention includes a filter housing for accommodating a membrane; an inner tube accommodating a wastewater chamber and a core tube, an intermediate tube accommodating a pure water chamber, and an outer tube accommodating an inlet water chamber; a membrane spirally wound around the core tube; wherein a top cover and a bottom cover are respectively sealed to the top outer peripheral surface and the bottom outer peripheral surface of the membrane, and the core tube has a water collection channel on its outer surface.

[0023] The structure and design of the membrane filter unit enable it to solve the problems of fouling and clogging, resulting in higher membrane efficiency and extended membrane filter unit lifespan. The inventors have been able to design the membrane filter unit in a way that minimizes changes compared to conventional membrane filter units and therefore minimizes increased costs, providing a simple and easily industrialized solution to the problems associated with membrane filter units as described above.

[0024] The application of this invention is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the following figures. This invention can have other embodiments and can be implemented in various ways.

[0025] The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” or “having,” and variations thereof, as used herein, are intended to cover the items listed below as well as other items. Unless otherwise stated or limited, the terms “installation,” “connection,” “support,” and “linkage,” and variations thereof, are used extensively and cover both direct and indirect installations, connections, supports, and links.

[0026] Throughout the description of this invention, wherever a tube or enclosure is defined by naming a structural component forming the tube or enclosure, it should be understood that the identified structural component means "at least a portion," and that the structural component or the specially identified wall of the structural component is not necessarily entirely part of the enclosure. Therefore, when such a structural component or the specially identified wall of the structural component is named, it should be understood that at least a portion or component of the structural component or the specially identified wall of the structural component is involved in the formation of the given enclosure.

[0027] Throughout the description of this invention, all physical structural components have inner and outer walls, and any references to inner and outer walls should be understood in the context of the respective structural components. It should also be understood that, unless otherwise stated, an inner wall refers to the wall facing the interior of the membrane filter unit or the center of the membrane filter unit, while the other wall refers to the outer wall.

[0028] Membrane filter unit

[0029] This invention provides a membrane filter unit (1), comprising:

[0030] (a) Filter housing (2) for accommodating membrane (3);

[0031] (b) An inner tube (4) that accommodates a wastewater chamber (4A) and a core tube (7), an intermediate tube (5) that accommodates a pure water chamber (5A) and an outer tube (6) that accommodates an inlet chamber (6A), wherein the inner tube (4), the intermediate tube (5) and the outer tube (6) are arranged coaxially and formed inside the filter housing (2) between the inner wall of the filter housing (2) and other components located inside the filter housing, wherein the inner tube (4) is formed by at least a portion of a central hollow tube that seals with each other and at least a portion of the core tube (7);

[0032] (c) The core tube (7) has a top opening (7A) at the top end (7TE) and a bottom opening (7B) at the bottom end (7BE), and has a water collection channel (8) on its outer wall, and is coaxially positioned inside the filter housing (2), wherein the top opening (7A) is adapted to lead to the wastewater chamber (4A); and

[0033] (d) A membrane (3) having an inner peripheral surface (3A), a top outer peripheral surface (3B), a bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) and a side outer peripheral surface (3D); and arranged around a core tube (7) such that the inner peripheral surface (3A) of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube (7) and the side outer peripheral surface (3D) allows raw water to pass through its surface.

[0034] The membrane has a bottom cover (9) and a top cover (10).

[0035] The top cover (10) is sealed to the top outer peripheral surface (3B) of the membrane (3) and includes a first central through-hole (10A) adapted and sealed to the core tube (7) to allow wastewater to enter the wastewater chamber (4A) through the core tube (7); and the bottom cover (9) is sealed to the bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) of the membrane (3), the membrane having a bottom cover central hole (9A) spanning the bottom opening (7B) of the core tube (7) to allow Water flows from the outer tube (6) through the central hole (9A) of the bottom cover of the membrane (3) and the core tube (7), and the bottom cover (9) of the membrane (3) is covered by a first bottom cap (9B) that is sealed to the bottom cover (9), and the top cap (2T) of the filter housing (2) includes an inner wall and an outer wall, and two hollow concentric tubes descend from the inner wall of the top cap (2T), the central hollow tube (4C) and the peripheral hollow tube (4P) having their own inner wall and outer wall respectively.

[0036] Preferably, a membrane filter unit is used in the device, more preferably in a water treatment device, and most preferably in a water purifier.

[0037] Filter housing

[0038] The membrane filter unit of the invention includes a filter housing for housing a membrane. The filter housing preferably includes a body having an inner wall and an outer wall, a top cap, and a second bottom cap.

[0039] Preferably, the top cap of the filter housing includes an inner wall and an outer wall, and two hollow concentric tubes descend downward from the inner wall of the top cap, with the central hollow tube and the outer peripheral hollow tube each having a corresponding inner wall and outer wall.

[0040] The body and the cap can be attached together by snap-fit ​​or by male and female thread connection; however, preferably, the body and the cap are molded together.

[0041] The filter housing is preferably designed to hold the membrane housing and form a chamber surrounded by its structural design.

[0042] Although the filter housing can be made of any material, it is preferably made of food-grade material, more preferably of plastic, and most preferably of transparent plastic or polypropylene.

[0043] The filter housing is preferably designed to prevent leakage through any joints other than the inlet and outlet for those purposes.

[0044] Core tube

[0045] The membrane filter unit also includes a hollow core having water collection channels on its outer surface and being coaxially positioned within the filter housing, wherein the top opening is adapted to lead to the wastewater chamber.

[0046] Preferably, the core tube has an inner wall, an outer wall, a top edge, and a bottom edge.

[0047] Preferably, the water collection channel is located on the outer wall of the core tube, preferably on the surface with the largest surface area. Preferably, the water collection channel is sealed and impermeable from its top and bottom edges, permeable only on the outer wall, preferably on the outer surface of the core tube. Preferably, the hollow portion of the core tube and the water collection channel on its outer wall are not in fluid communication with each other from the surface of the inner wall of the core tube. Preferably, the inner wall of the core tube is impermeable. Preferably, the core tube has a top end preferably near the top opening and a bottom end preferably near the bottom opening. More preferably, the top end of the core tube is the end that extends beyond the top cap of the membrane. More preferably, the top end of the core tube is sealed to the central hollow tube, and more preferably, the outer wall of the top end of the core tube is sealed to the central hollow tube to form an inner tube. More preferably, the outer wall of the top end of the core tube is sealed to the central hollow tube to form an inner tube. More preferably, the outer wall of the top end of the core tube is sealed to the inner wall of the central hollow tube to form an inner tube.

[0048] Preferably, the core tube has a top end with a top cap facing the filter housing and a bottom end with a second bottom cap facing the filter housing. Preferably, the core tube is sealed at its top end to the central hollow tube, such that the top opening of the core tube leads to the central hollow tube.

[0049] The core tube is designed to allow the membrane spiral of the membrane filter unit to be wound around it. Preferably, the inner circumferential surface of the membrane contacts and is wound around the core tube.

[0050] Preferably, the core tube allows treated water to reach the pure water chamber through the core tube, and thus to reach the outside of the membrane filter unit through the treated water outlet.

[0051] Preferably, the core tube forms part of the inner tube.

[0052] Preferably, the core tube includes a device that allows water to flow upwards only through the central hole of the bottom cap in the core tube and prevents reverse flow; this device is preferably located at the bottom end. Preferably, the device that allows water to flow in only one direction is a one-way valve located at the bottom end. Preferably, the one-way valve is located at the bottom end of the core tube.

[0053] More preferably, the core tube includes a plurality of flow guiding elements on its outer surface, and these flow guiding elements are grooves.

[0054] Preferably, the upward-protruding mating post is placed at the bottom opening of the core tube to hold the core tube in place.

[0055] Preferably, the core tube is made of food-grade material, preferably plastic, and more preferably ABS, PPE, PVC, PPO or PSU.

[0056] Filter membrane

[0057] The membrane of the membrane filter unit includes an inner peripheral surface, a top outer peripheral surface, a bottom outer peripheral surface, and a side outer peripheral surface; and is arranged around a core tube such that the inner peripheral surface of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube, and preferably, the side outer peripheral surface allows raw water to pass through its surface.

[0058] Preferably, the membrane can be any spiral wound membrane that can be wound around the core tube; more preferably, the membrane is a separation membrane or a desalination membrane; most preferably, it is a filtration membrane or a reverse osmosis membrane; and highly preferably, it is a reverse osmosis membrane.

[0059] Top cover

[0060] The top cover is sealed to the top outer peripheral surface of the membrane. The top cover includes a first central through-hole that fits and seals into the core tube to allow treated water to enter the wastewater chamber through the core tube.

[0061] Preferably, the top cover extends downward to cover a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the membrane.

[0062] bottom cover

[0063] The bottom cover is engaged with the bottom outer peripheral surface of the membrane. The bottom cover has a central hole that spans the bottom opening of the core tube to allow water to pass from the outer tube through the membrane and the central hole of the bottom cover into the hollow part of the core tube.

[0064] Preferably, the bottom cover extends upward at its edge to cover a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the membrane.

[0065] Preferably, the bottom cover of the membrane is capped by a first bottom cap that is sealed together with the bottom cover.

[0066] Membrane connector

[0067] The membrane connector includes a cap for the top of the membrane, comprising a cover plate extending upward toward the center to form a raised surround, wherein the raised surround preferably seals with an outer peripheral hollow tube. Preferably, the membrane connector has a second central through-hole for the core tube at the center of the cover plate. Preferably, the second central through-hole of the membrane connector spans the core tube. More preferably, the diameter of the second central through-hole of the membrane connector is larger than the diameter of the core tube. More preferably, the diameter of the second central through-hole of the membrane connector is at least 1.01 times, more preferably 1.05 times, more preferably 1.1 times, more preferably 1.2 times, more preferably 1.5 times, more preferably 1.6 times, more preferably 1.7 times, more preferably 1.8 times, and more preferably 1.9 times the diameter of the core tube.

[0068] Further preferably, the membrane connector also includes a downward skirt, and more preferably, the downward skirt extends downward to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the membrane.

[0069] Preferably, the raised surround of the membrane connector has an inner wall and an outer wall, and preferably, the raised surround is sealingly engaged with the outer peripheral hollow tube. Preferably, at least a portion of the outer wall of the raised surround is sealingly engaged with the inner wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube. More preferably, the raised surround of the membrane connector forms an extension of the wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form an intermediate tube. Even more preferably, the inner wall of the raised surround forms an extension of the wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form an intermediate tube.

[0070] Inner tube, intermediate tube and outer tube

[0071] The membrane filter unit includes an inner tube, an intermediate tube, and an outer tube, and is formed within a filter housing, preferably located between the inner wall of the filter housing and other components within the filter housing. The inner tube, intermediate tube, and outer tube are preferably arranged coaxially around the central axis of the filter housing.

[0072] Inner tube

[0073] The inner pipe houses the wastewater chamber and the core pipe, the middle pipe houses the pure water chamber, and the outer pipe houses the inlet water chamber.

[0074] Preferably, the inner tube is formed by at least a portion of a central hollow tube and at least a portion of a core tube that preferably fit together in a sealing manner. More preferably, the central hollow tube is sealingly fitted to at least a portion of the portion of the core tube that extends beyond the top cover of the membrane. More preferably, the outer wall of the top end of the core tube is sealingly joined to the inner wall of the central hollow tube.

[0075] The inner tube houses the wastewater chamber for collecting and ultimately distributing wastewater or wastewater. The wastewater chamber is not a closed space, but rather a space in fluid communication with the core tube, and is preferably formed in the upper part of the inner tube, and more preferably in the space above the core tube.

[0076] intermediate pipe

[0077] The intermediate tube is formed by at least a portion of the outer wall of the central hollow tube, at least a portion of the outer wall of the core tube, at least a portion of the inner wall of the raised enclosure of the membrane connector, and at least a portion of the inner wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube. More preferably, at least a portion of the inner wall of the cap forming the base of the outer peripheral hollow tube and at least a portion of the membrane's top cover form part of the intermediate tube. Preferably, treated water enters the intermediate tube from an outlet located at the top of the core tube in the water collection channel.

[0078] Preferably, the intermediate tube is formed by at least a portion (preferably the outer wall) of a central hollow tube and at least a portion (preferably the inner wall) of a peripheral hollow tube. Preferably, at least a portion of the outer peripheral hollow tube of the filter housing, preferably at least a portion of the inner wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube, is sealingly engaged with at least a portion of the membrane connector, and more preferably, the outer peripheral hollow tube is sealingly engaged with at least a portion of the raised enclosure of the membrane connector, and even more preferably, it is sealingly engaged with at least a portion of the outer wall of the raised enclosure.

[0079] Preferably, the raised surround portion of the membrane connector forms an extension of the wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form an intermediate tube. More preferably, the inner wall of the raised surround portion forms an extension of the wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form the intermediate tube. Most preferably, the outer wall of the raised surround portion is sealingly joined with the inner wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form the wall of the intermediate tube.

[0080] Preferably, the central hollow tube and the core tube are sealed together to form the wall of the intermediate tube. More preferably, at least a portion of the core tube, preferably at least a portion of the outer wall of the core tube, is sealed together with at least a portion of the central hollow tube, preferably at least a portion of the inner wall of the central hollow tube, to form the wall of the intermediate tube.

[0081] The intermediate tube houses a pure water chamber for collecting treated water after the influent has been treated, and for ultimately distributing the treated water out of the membrane filter unit. Preferably, the intermediate tube itself serves as the pure water chamber. More preferably, the intermediate tube receives treated water from an outlet located in at least a portion of the top of the core tube in the water collection channel.

[0082] outer tube

[0083] Preferably, the outer tube is formed by at least a portion of the outer wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube and at least a portion of the inner wall of the main body of the filter housing. More preferably, the outer tube is formed by at least a portion of the outer wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube, at least a portion of the inner wall of the main body of the filter housing, at least a portion of the top cap of the filter housing, and at least a portion of the second bottom cap of the filter housing. More preferably, the outer tube is an enclosure formed between at least a portion of the outer wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube, at least a portion of the inner wall of the main body of the filter housing, at least a portion of the inner wall of the top cap of the filter housing (located between the point where the outer peripheral hollow tube descends from the top cap of the filter housing and the point where the top cap descends to merge with the main body), and at least a portion of the second bottom cap of the filter housing.

[0084] Preferably, at least a portion of the raised surrounding portion of the membrane connector is sealingly engaged with at least a portion of the outer peripheral hollow tube to form an outer tube. More preferably, at least a portion of the inner wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube is sealingly engaged with at least a portion of the outer wall of the membrane connector to form an outer tube.

[0085] Preferably, the membrane connector is sealed to the outer peripheral hollow tube, thereby forming an extension of the outer peripheral hollow tube, such that at least a portion of the outer wall of the raised enclosure is part of the outer tube.

[0086] The outer tube houses the inlet chamber, which is used to receive incoming water, preferably raw water treated by the membrane filter unit. The inlet chamber is preferably not a closed space within the outer tube, but rather forms the upper part of the outer tube spatially. The incoming water first enters and fills this space before entering the channel or slit formed between the inner wall of the filter housing body and the outer peripheral surface of the membrane.

[0087] Water flow path

[0088] In the membrane filter unit, treated water flows through the membrane and eventually enters the pure water chamber. Inlet water enters the outer peripheral surface of the membrane from the outer tube, passes through the membrane, and then enters the water collection channel on the outer surface of the core tube. In the channel, the water travels upwards and then enters the intermediate tube from the outlet located at the top of the core tube. The water is then collected in the pure water chamber, ready to be distributed from the membrane filter unit.

[0089] Wastewater in the membrane filter unit flows through the membrane and eventually enters the wastewater chamber. Inlet water enters the outer peripheral surface of the membrane from the outer tube, passes through the membrane into the central hole of the bottom cover, reaches the hollow part of the core tube, preferably passes through a device that only allows water to flow in one direction in the core tube, and is thus forced to move only in the upward direction, enters the hollow part of the core tube and enters the wastewater chamber, ready to be distributed from the membrane filter unit.

[0090] water purifier

[0091] The present invention also provides a water purifier, comprising:

[0092] (i) An inlet for receiving incoming water;

[0093] (ii) Pre-filter unit;

[0094] (iii) Mechanical and electrical installations; and,

[0095] (iv) A membrane filter unit, comprising:

[0096] a) Filter housing for containing the membrane;

[0097] b) An inner tube that accommodates the wastewater chamber and the core tube, an intermediate tube that accommodates the pure water chamber and an outer tube that accommodates the inlet water chamber, wherein the inner tube, the intermediate tube and the outer tube are arranged coaxially inside the filter housing (2), located between the inner wall of the filter housing (2) and other components positioned inside the filter housing, and the inner tube (4) is formed by at least a portion of a central hollow tube that seals with each other and at least a portion of the core tube (7);

[0098] c) A core tube having a top opening at the top end and a bottom opening at the bottom end, and having a water collection channel on its outer wall, and coaxially positioned within a filter housing, wherein the top opening is adapted to lead to a wastewater chamber; and

[0099] d) A membrane having an inner peripheral surface, a top outer peripheral surface, a bottom outer peripheral surface and a side outer peripheral surface, and arranged around a core tube such that the inner peripheral surface of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube, and the side outer peripheral surface allows raw water to pass through its surface.

[0100] The membrane has a bottom cover and a top cover.

[0101] The top cover is sealed to the top outer peripheral surface of the membrane and includes a first central through hole that is adapted and sealed to fit into the core tube to allow wastewater to enter the wastewater chamber through the core tube; and the bottom cover has a bottom cover central hole that spans the bottom opening of the core tube to allow water to pass through the membrane and the bottom cover central hole into the hollow portion of the core tube from the outer tube, and wherein the bottom cover (9) of the membrane (3) is capped by a first bottom cap (9B) that is sealed to the bottom cover (9), and the top cap (2T) of the filter housing (2) includes an inner wall and an outer wall, and wherein from the inner wall of the top cap (2T), two hollow concentric tubes descend downward, the central hollow tube (4C) and the outer peripheral hollow tube (4P) each having their own inner wall and outer wall.

[0102] (v) Used for the outlet of treated water.

[0103] Preferably, the electromechanical device is a pump located upstream of the membrane filter unit to drive water into the membrane filter unit.

[0104] Attached Figure

[0105] Brief description

[0106] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the filter unit in the first aspect.

[0107] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the filter unit of the first aspect, showing the water flow path of the treated water within the filter unit.

[0108] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the filter unit of the first aspect, showing the water flow path of wastewater within the filter unit.

[0109] Figure 4a The facade structure of the roof is shown.

[0110] Figure 4b The cross-sectional structure of the top cover is shown.

[0111] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom cover.

[0112] Figure 6 An isometric view of the membrane connector is shown.

[0113] Figures 7a to 7d The diagram shows the elevation structure of the core tube, the I-I section structure of the core tube, the II-II section structure of the core tube, and an enlarged cross-sectional view of the check valve inside the core tube.

[0114] Figure 8 The flow path of wastewater in the membrane is shown.

[0115] Figure 9 The flow path of the treated water in the membrane is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0116] Figure 1 A membrane filter unit is shown, comprising a filter housing (2) having a body (2M), a top cap (2C) and a second bottom cap (2B) for accommodating a membrane (3); an inner tube (4) accommodating a wastewater chamber (4A) and a core tube (7); an intermediate tube (5) accommodating a pure water chamber (5A); and an outer tube (6) accommodating an inlet chamber (6A), wherein the inner tube (4), the intermediate tube (5) and the outer tube (6) are shown to be arranged coaxially.

[0117] The core tube (7) shown has a top opening (7A) at the top end (7TE) and a bottom opening (7B) at the bottom end (7BE), and has a water collection channel (8) on its outer wall, and is coaxially positioned inside the filter housing (2), wherein the top opening (7A) is adapted to lead to the wastewater chamber (4A).

[0118] The membrane (3) is shown to have an inner peripheral surface (3A), a top outer peripheral surface (3B), a bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) and a side outer peripheral surface (3D); and is arranged around the core tube (7) such that the inner peripheral surface (3A) of the membrane is spirally wound around the core tube (7) and the side outer peripheral surface (3D) allows raw water to pass through its surface.

[0119] The top cover (10) and bottom cover (9) are shown to be sealingly engaged with the top outer peripheral surface (3B) and bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) of the membrane (3), respectively. The top cover (10) is shown to include a first central through-hole (10A) that is suitable for and sealingly fitted into the core tube (7).

[0120] The bottom cover (9) is shown as a bottom cover center hole (9A) with a bottom opening (7B) across the core tube (7) to allow water to pass from the outer tube (6) through the membrane (3) and the bottom cover center hole (9A) into the hollow part of the core tube (7).

[0121] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the flow of treated water in the membrane filter unit (1) through the membrane (3) and ultimately into the pure water chamber (5A). Inlet water enters the outer peripheral surface of the membrane (3D) from the outer tube (6), passes through the membrane (3), and then enters the water collection channel (8) on the outer wall of the core tube (7). In the channel, the water travels upwards and then enters the intermediate tube (5) from the outlet located at the top (7TE) of the core tube (7) in the water collection channel (8). The water is then collected in the pure water chamber (5A) and prepared for distribution from the membrane filter unit (1).

[0122] Figure 3 The flow of wastewater in the membrane filter unit (1) through the membrane (3) and finally into the wastewater chamber (4A) is shown. The inlet water enters the outer peripheral surface of the membrane (3D) from the outer tube (6), passes through the membrane (3) into the central hole (9A) of the bottom cover, reaches the hollow part of the core tube (7), preferably passes through the device (7V) that allows only unidirectional water flow in the core tube (7), and is thus forced to move only in one direction upward, enters the hollow part of the core tube (7), and enters the wastewater chamber (4A), ready to be dispensed from the membrane filter unit (1).

[0123] Figure 4a The elevation structure of the roof is shown. Figure 4b The cross-sectional structure of the top cover is shown. The top cover (10) is shown as including a first central through hole (10A) that is suitable for and sealably fitted into the core tube (7).

[0124] Figure 5 A bottom cover (9) is shown, which is adapted to engage with the bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) of the membrane (3) and has a bottom cover center hole (9A).

[0125] Figure 6An isometric view of the membrane connector (11) is shown, which includes a cover plate (11P) and a downward skirt (11S). The cover plate (11P) extends upward toward the center to form a raised surround (11R). A second central through-hole (11A) located at the center of the cover plate (11P) is also shown in the figure.

[0126] Figure 7 shows the core tube (7) with a groove (7G). Figure 7a The elevation structure of the core tube is shown. Figure 7b The I-I section structure of the core tube is shown. Figure 7c The structure of the core tube at section II-II is shown. Figure 7d Shown in Figure 7c The enlarged portion circled in the image shows the cross-sectional structure of the check valve (7V) built into the core tube.

[0127] Figure 8 The flow path of wastewater in the membrane (3) is shown. Here, the influent enters from the outer peripheral surface (3D) of the side of the membrane, passes through the membrane (3), enters the central hole (9A) of the bottom cover, then enters the hollow part of the core tube (7), and then moves upward due to the presence of the one-way valve (7A), and thus enters the wastewater chamber (4A).

[0128] Figure 9 The flow path of treated water in the membrane (3) is shown. Here, the water enters from the outer peripheral surface (3D) of the side of the membrane, passes through the membrane (3), enters the water collection channel (8) on the outer wall of the core tube (7), and thus enters the intermediate tube through the portion of the water collection channel (8) present on the top outer wall of the core tube (7TE).

[0129] The various features of the invention mentioned in the foregoing sections are applicable to other sections with necessary modifications where appropriate. Therefore, a feature specified in one section may be combined with features specified in other sections, as appropriate. The addition of any section headings is for convenience only and is not intended to limit the disclosure in any way.

[0130] Example

[0131] Example 1

[0132] Experiments were conducted to determine the performance of the membrane filter unit with a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane of the present invention and to compare it with a conventional reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter unit. The parameters considered for performance were the salt rejection rate and permeate productivity of the membrane filter unit.

[0133] The control system used is a conventional RO water purifier. Both purifier systems have a water pump, a 400 RO filter element, and an 800 cc flow restrictor. The inlet water for both purifiers is 400 TDS and 25°C. The inlet pressure of the RO filter is 100 psi, and the inlet pressure of the RO filter is 0 psi. As shown in Tables 1 and 2 below, the permeate production rate and RO salt rejection rate for both are recorded.

[0134]

[0135] Table 1: RO filter unit of the water purifier of the present invention

[0136]

[0137] Table 2: Water purifiers with traditional RO (reverse osmosis)

[0138] Permeate productivity (GPD / psi) Standardized product flow rate of RO Total pure water volume (L) RO salt rejection rate (%) 5.3 100％ 0 86.1 3.8 71.7％ 638 93.4 3.0 56.6％ 2142 93.6 2.0 37.7％ 3290 93.4

[0139] As can be clearly seen from the table above, both water purifiers start at a pressure of 5.3 psi. However, for the RO filter unit of this invention, even with 3571 liters of water, the pressure only drops to 2.4 psi, compared to 2.0 psi for a conventional RO water purifier at 3290 liters. Compared to the RO filter unit of this invention, the conventional membrane actually only witnessed a 3.8 psi drop at 638 liters of pure water, while the RO filter unit of this invention experienced the same pressure drop at 1224 liters of water, nearly twice that at 638 liters.

[0140] The RO salt rejection rate recorded using the RO filter unit of the water purifier according to the present invention is excellent, starting at 95%, then increasing to 97.7%, and then remaining constant during the dispensing of 4667 liters of pure water from the purifier. On the other hand, conventional RO water purifiers have an initial salt rejection rate of about 86.1%, which increases to only 93.4%, and then remains almost constant during the dispensing of 3290 liters of pure water from the purifier. Therefore, the overall salt rejection rate is better in the water purifier with the membrane filter unit of the present invention. A higher salt rejection rate means safer water is obtained during the life of the membrane filter unit.

[0141] Assuming both RO water purifier systems are started at 100% flow rate, the RO filter unit of the present invention slowly decreases from 71.7% with 1224 liters of water to only 45.2% with 3571 liters of water (more than twice the volume of 1224 liters of pure water).

[0142] Traditional RO membranes showed a flow rate drop to only 71.7% with 638 liters of pure water and to 56.6% with 2142 liters of water, which is much lower than the RO filter unit of the present invention. The flow rate eventually dropped to 37.7% with 3290 liters of pure water. This rapid decline in flow rate indicates that traditional membranes deteriorate faster (Table 2), while the slow decline in flow rate of the RO filter unit of the present invention (Table 1) signifies a longer lifespan for the membrane filter unit.

Claims

1. A membrane filter unit (1), comprising: (a) Filter housing (2) for accommodating membrane (3); (b) An inner tube (4) accommodating a wastewater chamber (4A) and a core tube (7), an intermediate tube (5) accommodating a pure water chamber (5A) and an outer tube (6) accommodating an inlet chamber (6A), wherein the inner tube (4), the intermediate tube (5) and the outer tube (6) are arranged coaxially and formed inside the filter housing (2) between the inner wall of the filter housing (2) and other components positioned within the filter housing (2), and the inner tube (4) is formed by at least a portion of a central hollow tube (4C) that seals with each other and at least a portion of the core tube (7); (c) The core tube (7) has a top opening (7A) at the top end (7TE) and a bottom opening (7B) at the bottom end (7BE), and has a water collection channel (8) on its outer wall, and is coaxially positioned inside the filter housing (2), wherein the top opening (7A) is adapted to lead to the wastewater chamber (4A); and (d) A membrane (3) having an inner peripheral surface (3A), a top outer peripheral surface (3B), a bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) and a side outer peripheral surface (3D); and arranged around the core tube (7) such that the inner peripheral surface (3A) of the membrane (3) is spirally wound around the core tube (7), and the side outer peripheral surface (3D) allows raw water to pass through its surface; The membrane (3) has a bottom cover (9) and a top cover (10). The top cover (10) is sealed to the top outer peripheral surface (3B) of the membrane (3) and includes a first central through-hole (10A) adapted and sealed to the core tube (7) to allow wastewater to pass through the core tube (7) into the wastewater chamber (4A); and the bottom cover (9) is sealed to the bottom outer peripheral surface (3C) of the membrane (3) and has a bottom cover central hole (9A) spanning the bottom opening (7B) of the core tube (7). The filter housing (2) is configured to allow water to pass from the outer tube (6) through the membrane (3) and the bottom cover center hole (9A) of the core tube (7), wherein the bottom cover (9) of the membrane (3) is capped by a first bottom cap (9B) that is sealed to the bottom cover (9), and the top cap (2T) of the filter housing (2) includes an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein two hollow concentric tubes descend from the inner wall of the top cap (2T), the central hollow tube (4C) and the peripheral hollow tube (4P) each having a corresponding inner wall and an outer wall.

2. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in, The core tube (7) includes a one-way valve (7V) at the bottom end (7BE).

3. The membrane filter unit (1) as described in claim 2, characterized in that, in, The core tube (7) includes a plurality of flow guiding elements (7G) on its outer wall, wherein the flow guiding elements are grooves.

4. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, in, The filter housing (2) includes a body (2M) having an inner wall (2MIW) and an outer wall (2MOW), a top cap (2T), and a second bottom cap (2B).

5. The membrane filter unit (1) as described in claim 4, characterized in that, in, The inner tube (4) is formed by the central hollow tube (4C) and the core tube (7).

6. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, in, The inner tube (4) is formed by at least a portion of the central hollow tube (4C) and at least a portion of the core tube (7) that are sealed to each other.

7. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, in, The outer tube (6) is formed by at least a portion of the outer wall of the outer peripheral hollow tube (4P) and at least a portion of the inner wall of the main body of the filter housing (2).

8. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in, The top end (7TE) of the core tube (7) is a portion that extends beyond the first central through hole (10A) of the top cover (10).

9. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in, The top end (7TE) of the core tube (7) has an outlet in the water collection channel (8) to allow water to enter the intermediate tube (5) and enter the pure water chamber (5A).

10. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in, The top cover (10) of the membrane (3) is capped by a membrane connector (11), which includes a cover plate extending upward toward the center to form a raised enclosure (11B), wherein the raised enclosure (11B) is sealed to the outer peripheral hollow tube (4P).

11. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The membrane connector (11) is provided with a second central through hole (11A) for the core tube (7).

12. The membrane filter unit (1) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The intermediate tube (5) is formed by at least a portion of the outer wall of the central hollow tube (4C), at least a portion of the outer wall of the core tube (7), at least a portion of the inner wall of the raised surrounding portion (11B) of the membrane connector (11), and at least a portion of the inner wall of the peripheral hollow tube (4P).

13. A water purifier, characterized in that, It includes a membrane filter unit (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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