Filter-heat exchanger

Abstract

A filter-heat exchanger includes a plurality of hollow wires arranged in parallel with a slit of a predetermined width formed between adjacent hollow wires. The hollow wires each have an inlet and an outlet for a heating/cooling fluid whereby the heating/cooling fluid flows through the hollow wires and fluid to be filtered flows through the slits from one side of the parallelly arranged hollow wires to the other side of thereof. The filter-heat exchanger can accomplish filtering and heat exchanging processes simultaneously in a single step.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A filter-heat exchanger comprising a plurality of hollow wires arranged in parallel with a slit of a predetermined width formed between adjacent hollow wires, the width of said slit being not greater than the width of said hollow wire, said hollow wires each having an inlet and an outlet for a heating/cooling fluid whereby said heating/cooling fluid flows through said hollow wires and fluid to be filtered flows through said slits from one side of the parallelly arranged hollow wires to the other side thereof.  
     
     
         2 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 1  wherein said hollow wires are arranged generally in the form of a tube.  
     
     
         3 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 1  wherein said hollow wires are arranged generally in the form of a flat plate.  
     
     
         4 . A filter-heat excahnger as defined in  claim 1  wherein said hollow wires are made of shaped wires.  
     
     
         5 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 4  wherein said hollow wires are made of wedge wires.  
     
     
         6 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 1  which further comprises hollow support rods arranged substantially in crossing direction to the hollow wires, said hollow support rods each having an inlet and an outlet for the heating/cooling fluid whereby the heating/cooling fluid flows also through said hollow support rods.  
     
     
         7 . A filter-heat exchanger comprising a coiled hollow wire with a helical slit of a predetermined width formed between axially adjacent portions of the hollow wire, the width of said slit being not greater than the width of said hollow wire, said coiled hollow wire having an inlet and an outlet for a heating/cooling fluid whereby said heating/cooling fluid flows through said coiled hollow wire and fluid to be filtered flows through said slit from outside of the coiled hollow wire to inside thereof or vice versa.  
     
     
         8 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 7  wherein said coiled hollow wire is made of a shaped wire.  
     
     
         9 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 8  wherein said coiled hollow wire is made of a wedge wire.  
     
     
         10 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 7  which further comprises hollow support rods arranged substantially in crossing direction to the coiled hollow wire, said hollow support rods each having an inlet and an outlet for the heating/cooling fluid whereby the heating/cooling fluid flows also through said hollow support rods.  
     
     
         11 . A filter-heat exchanger comrising: 
 a container having an inlet for introducing a fluid to be filtered;    a coiled hollow wire provided in said container having a helical slit of a predetermined width formed between axially adjacent portions of the hollow wire, the width of said slit being not greater than the width of said hollow wire, having an inlet and an outlet for a heating/cooling fluid and having an outlet for delivering out treated fluid;    a heating/cooling fluid source connected to the heating/cooling fluid inelt of said coiled hollow wire for supplying the hetaing/cooling fluid to said coiled hollow wire; and    a heating/cooling fluid collecting tube connected to the heating/cooling fluid outlet of said coiled hollow wire for collecting the heating-cooling fluid from said coiled hollow wire.    
     
     
         12 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 11  wherein said coiled hollow wire is made of a shaped wire.  
     
     
         13 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 12  wherein said coiled hollow wire is made of a wedge wire.  
     
     
         14 . A filter-heat exchanger as defined in  claim 11  which further comprises a temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the heating/cooling fluid for controlling the width of the slit of coiled hollow wire.