US 12,343,682 B2
Tightly spaced flat sheet immersed membranes and fine bubble aeration
Diana Benedek, Rancho Santa Fe, CA (US); Babak Lakghomi, Hamilton (CA); and David M. Turnbull, Burlington (CA)
Assigned to FIBRACAST LTD., Hannon (CA)
Appl. No. 17/255,534
Filed by FIBRACAST LTD., Hannon (CA)
PCT Filed Jul. 2, 2019, PCT No. PCT/CA2019/050910
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 23, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/006628, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/693,617, filed on Jul. 3, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0220776 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B01D 63/14 (2006.01); B01D 63/08 (2006.01); B01D 65/08 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 63/14 (2013.01) [B01D 63/0821 (2022.08); B01D 63/0822 (2022.08); B01D 65/08 (2013.01); B01D 2315/06 (2013.01); B01D 2321/185 (2013.01); B01D 2325/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An immersed membrane filtration unit comprising,
a module of membranes, each membrane comprising at least two sheets of substrate material bonded together, wherein at least one of the sheets of substrate material has depressions defined by its inner surface and ridges defined by its outer surface, the depressions extending to an edge of the at least one of the sheets of substrate material, wherein the flat sheet membranes have a face-to-face spacing between the membranes of 4 mm or less; and,
a fine bubble aerator below the membranes, wherein the fine bubble aerator is configured to produce bubbles having a size of 4 mm or less, 3 mm or less, or not more than 100% more or 50% more than the face-to-face spacing between the membranes, and wherein the fine bubble aerator has one or more openings having a diameter of about 5 mm or less.