Potted flat sheet membrane filtration module

Abstract

A filtration element has one or more rigid inserts in a housing. The inserts are covered with membranes. The element is configured to provide open feed channels beside the inserts. The membranes and inserts are potted at an edge, optionally at only part of an edge such as a corner. Permeate flows between the membrane and the insert to the potted edge. The membranes may be potted in a centrifuge.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A membrane filtration element comprising,
 an insert;   a membrane covering at least a portions of the insert, the membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the permeate side of the membrane is located towards the insert;   and,   a potting material sealed to the feed side of the membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the insert and membrane are sealed within a housing. 
     
     
         3 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  further comprising a header connected to the potting material and the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the insert has passages opening towards the membrane and a potted edge of the insert. 
     
     
         5 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  comprising a permeate spacer between the insert and the membrane. 
     
     
         6 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the membrane is a UF or MF membrane. 
     
     
         7 . The membrane filtration sheet of  claim 1  wherein the insert is a non-porous sheet of plastic. 
     
     
         8 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the insert is connected to the housing at a first edge and floats within the housing at a second edge that is across the insert from the first edge. 
     
     
         9 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the insert is connected to the housing at a first edge and at a second edge that is across the insert from the first edge. 
     
     
         10 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the insert is stiff or rigid, optionally stiff or rigid enough to support the membrane substantially without a feed spacer between the feed sides of the adjacent membranes. 
     
     
         11 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  having a plurality of filtration sheets spaced apart to provide feed channels between the filtration sheets. 
     
     
         12 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein feed spacer material is not provided between adjacent filtration sheets. 
     
     
         13 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  having a plurality of filtration sheets potted together and connected to a housing at one edge and connected to each other, but not to the housing, at another edge. 
     
     
         14 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  having a plurality of filtration sheets potted together and connected to a housing at one edge and at another edge. 
     
     
         15 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the membranes are potted in a centrifuge. 
     
     
         16 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein the filtration sheets are potted at one or more corners. 
     
     
         17 . The membrane filtration element of  claim 1  wherein a permeate side of the membranes is exposed through a notch in the potting material. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making a membrane filtration element comprising steps of arranging one or more filtration sheets in a housing or mold, placing the filtration sheets vertically in a centrifuge, and rotating the filtration sheets around a vertical axis while potting material is present. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising notching the hardened potting material and filtration sheets to expose the permeate side of the filtration sheets. 
     
     
         20 . A membrane module comprising a generally rectangular filtration sheet potted at one or more corners of the filtration sheet.