Filtration Media for Filtration/Purification of a Liquid or Gas, Related Reactor Modules, Filtration Devices and Methods

Abstract

Methods of filtering a gas or liquid material using the filtration medium are also provided, as are methods of fabrication of the modules.

1 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A filtration medium comprising at least one mat having a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is substantially non-planar having a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a convolution of a subsequent cross section,
 and the mat is formed into cylindrical format so that the first surface is in contact with the second surface, wherein the placement of the convolutions creates non-uniform channels that provide turbulence to the gas or liquid being passed through the filter, and   the mat comprises a foamed resin that has a density of about 1 lbs/ft 3  to about 3 lbs/ft 3  and/or an indentation load deflection of about 35 lbs to about 150 lbs,   wherein the filtration medium is inoculated with a biomass that oxidizes or breaks down odorous compounds in the liquids and/or gases as they pass across the medium.   
     
     
         39 . The filtration medium of  claim 38  wherein the at least one non-planar surface is present at the exterior of the cylindrical format. 
     
     
         40 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the contact between the first surface and the second surface is substantially continuous. 
     
     
         41 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the convolution profile is chosen from an egg crate profile, a zig-zag profile, a rectangular profile, a projecting villi profile, a compound projecting villi profile, and a V-shaped profile. 
     
     
         42 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the convolution profile is a sine profile. 
     
     
         43 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the at least non-planar surface comprises a profile that has a peak-to-valley dimension of about 0.5 to about 0.75 inches. 
     
     
         44 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the density of the foamed resin is about 1.2 lbs/ft 3  to about 2.5 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
         45 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the density of the foamed resin is about 1.8 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
         46 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the foamed resin comprises a material chosen from polyurethane, nylon, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the foamed resin is chosen from a hydrophobic material and a hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         48 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the foamed resin has a nominal pore size of about 5 ppi to about 70 ppi. 
     
     
         49 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the mat comprises at least a first layer and a second layer, and the first layer comprises a foamed resin having a first density and the second layer comprises a foamed resin having a second density, wherein the first density is greater than the second density. 
     
     
         50 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the mat comprises at least a first layer and a second layer, and the first layer comprises a foamed resin having a first indentation load deflection and the second layer comprises a foamed resin having a second indentation load deflection, wherein the first indentation load deflection is greater than the second indentation load deflection. 
     
     
         51 . The filtration medium of  claim 39 , wherein the mat comprises at least a first layer and a second layer, and the first layer comprises a foamed resin having a first pore size and the second layer comprises a foamed resin having a second pore size, wherein the first pore size is greater than the second pore size. 
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A filtration medium comprising at least one mat having a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is substantially non-planar having a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a subsequent cross section,
 and the mat is formed into cylindrical format so that the first surface is in contact with the second surface wherein the placement of the convolutions creates non-uniform channels that provide turbulence to the gas or liquid being passed through the filtration medium, and
 the filtration medium is inoculated with a biomass that oxidizes or breaks down odorous compounds in the gases as they pass across the medium. 
   
     
     
         54 . A module for the filtration of a gas comprising a reactor module that comprises:
 a) the filtration medium comprising at least one mat having a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is substantially non-planar and has a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a subsequent cross section,   and the mat is formed into cylindrical format around a hypothetical winding axis so that the first surface is in contact with the second surface wherein the placement of the convolutions creates non-uniform channels that provide turbulence to the gas or liquid being passed through the filtration medium; and
 b) a chamber having sides and a base, wherein the base comprising a support that extends from the sides of the chamber towards the interior of the chamber, wherein the filtration medium is disposed within the chamber. 
   
     
     
         55 . The module of  claim 54 , wherein the chamber is a substantially cylindrical chamber and the filtration medium is disposed within the chamber such that the hypothetical winding axis of the mat is substantially parallel to the sides of the chamber. 
     
     
         56 . The module of  claim 54 , further comprising an inlet for conveying the gas into the chamber and an outlet for conveying a filtrate out of the chamber. 
     
     
         57 . A filtration device that comprises at least two modules of  claim 54 . 
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 57 , wherein the reactor module further comprises a lid that extends over at least a portion of a top of the chamber of at least one module. 
     
     
         59 . A method of filtering a gas comprising:
 providing a filtration medium that comprises at least one mat having a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is substantially non-planar having a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a subsequent cross section, wherein the medium is inoculated with a biomass that oxidizes or breaks down odorous compounds in the gases as they pass across the filtration medium; and
 passing the gas to be filtered to the filtration medium. 
   
     
     
         60 . A method of fabricating a module for use in the filtration of a gas comprising:
 winding a mat around a hypothetical winding axis at a winding tension of about 1 to about 40 lbs per foam width (foot)-to form a medium in a cylindrical format,   inoculating the medium with a biomass that is capable of oxidizing or breaking down odorous compounds in the gases as they pass across the medium,   placing the medium in a chamber to form a module,   
       wherein the mat comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is substantially non-planar having a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a subsequent cross section. 
     
     
         61 . The filtration medium of  claim 38 , wherein the filtration medium oxidizes or breaks down odorous compounds in gases as they pass across the medium. 
     
     
         62 . A filtration medium comprising at least one mat, each having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the mat has a convolution profile formed by convolutions that are arranged on the first surface of the mat so that when the mat is viewed in sequential cross sections, a convolution viewed in a first cross section is located along the mat in a different place than a convolution of a subsequent cross section,
 and the mat is arranged so that the first surface is in contact with the second surface so that the placement of the convolutions creates non-uniform channels that provide turbulence to the gas or liquid being passed through the filter, and   the mat comprises a foamed resin that has a density of about 1 lbs/ft3 to about 3 lbs/ft3 and/or an indentation load deflection of about 35 lbs to about 150 lbs,