US 12,303,838 B2
Preferred flow paths for spiral-wound elements
Jay Collin Weingardt, Albuquerque, NM (US); Kevin Roderick, Albuquerque, NM (US); Jay Kendall Weingardt, Albuquerque, NM (US); Rodney E Herrington, Albuquerque, NM (US); Craig Beckman, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Nelson Longmire, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to Aqua Membranes, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Appl. No. 17/632,230
Filed by Aqua Membranes, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 6, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/045222
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 1, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/025684, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288535 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 63/10 (2006.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01)
CPC B01D 63/103 (2013.01) [B01D 63/10 (2013.01); C02F 1/441 (2013.01); B01D 2313/04 (2013.01); B01D 2313/08 (2013.01); B01D 2313/143 (2013.01); B01D 2313/146 (2013.01); C02F 2201/004 (2013.01); C02F 2301/04 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spiral wound element, comprising a collection tube and one or more permeable membrane sheets each having an active surface and a permeate surface, mounted together such that active surfaces face active surfaces and are separated from each other by a feed spacing system providing a feed space, and such that permeate surfaces face permeate surfaces and are separated from each other by a permeate spacer system providing a permeate space, with each sheet having a proximal end proximal the collection tube and a distal end distal from the collection tube, and having first and second edges extending from the proximal to the distal end, where the feed spacing system is configured to prevent fluid flow from the feed space at the distal end, and to prevent fluid flow from the feed space along the edges except through one or more openings along the first edge, the second edge, or both, which openings represent less than the entire length of the corresponding edge;
wherein the feed spacing system comprises:
(a) a distal end barrier sealingly engaging the active surfaces of two membrane sheets along the distal ends thereof;
(b) a proximal end barrier sealingly engaging the active surfaces of the two membrane sheets along the proximal ends thereof;
(c) a first edge barrier sealingly engaging the active surfaces of the two membrane sheets along the first edges thereof and extending from the proximal ends to the distal ends except for a feed flow opening spaced apart from the proximal ends spaced apart from the distal ends; and
(d) a second edge barrier sealingly engaging the active surfaces of the two membrane sheets along the second edges thereof and extending from the proximal ends to the distal ends except for a second feed flow opening near the proximal ends and a third feed flow opening near the distal ends.