Regenerative media filtration

Abstract

A regenerative filter that includes a filter housing having inlet and outlet zones; a fluid path provided between the inlet and outlet zones; a plurality of filter elements each having an outer surface filter media applied thereto and functioning to filter particulate or contaminants from the fluid path; and a tube sheet that is supported across the filter housing, that is disposed just before the outlet zone and that provides the support for the plurality of filter elements. The plurality of filter elements are disposed in an array and includes bridging members or elements that connect between adjacent filter elements, and that forms with the filter elements, a closed interstitial space between adjacent filter elements for liquid flow; a nanoscale barrier on interior surfaces, including that of the regenerative media itself, providing a mechanism to disrupt the cell wall of microscopic viruses and organisms.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A regenerative filter comprising:
 a filter housing having inlet and outlet zones;   a fluid path provided between the inlet and outlet zones;   a plurality of filter elements each having an outer surface filter media applied thereto and functioning to filter particulate or contaminants from the fluid path;   said plurality of filter elements being disposed in an array and each filter element formed as an elongated cylindrical shaped sheath having an outside diameter and an inside diameter;   and a coil soring that is disposed within each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths, and wherein each of the coil springs comprises a compression spring wound helix that is pre-compressed to maintain a taut elongated cylindrical shaped sheath, thus preventing a differential pressure collapse as each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths become loaded with particulates or contaminants.   
     
     
         2 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  including bridging elements that connect between adjacent filter elements, and that forms with the filter elements, a closed interstitial space between adjacent filter elements, and wherein the bridging elements include at least three bridging elements that form with three adjacent filter elements said closed interstitial space. 
     
     
         3 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  wherein each elongated cylindrical shaped sheath is fused at a top end thereof to close the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath over the coil spring. 
     
     
         4 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  wherein the coil spring serves to stretch the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath and keep the inside diameter thereof uniform for a length thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  wherein the filter element is one of a single layer filter element and a double layer filter element. 
     
     
         6 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  wherein the coil spring has multiple spring coils including an outer diameter defined by the multiple coils. 
     
     
         7 . The regenerative filter of  claim 1  wherein the coil spring is pre-loaded to stretch the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath in order to maintain the diameter of each filter element the same for a length of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         8 . The regenerative filter of  claim 6  wherein the outer diameter of the coil spring is constructed and arranged to be in contact with the inside diameter of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         9 . A regenerative filter comprising:
 a filter housing having inlet and outlet zones;   a fluid path provided between the inlet and outlet zones;   a plurality of filter elements each having an outer surface filter media applied thereto and functioning to filter particulate or contaminants from the fluid path;   a tube sheet that is supported across the filter housing, that is disposed just before the outlet zone and that provides the support for the plurality of filter elements;   said plurality of filter elements being disposed in an array and each filter element formed as an elongated cylindrical shaped sheath having an outside diameter and an inside diameter;   and a coil spring that is disposed within each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths, and wherein each of the coil springs comprises a compression spring wound helix that is pre-compressed to maintain a taut elongated cylindrical shaped sheath, thus preventing a differential pressure collapse as each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths become loaded with particulates or contaminants.   
     
     
         10 . The regenerative filter of  claim 9  including bridging elements that connect between adjacent filter elements, and that forms with the filter elements, a closed interstitial space between adjacent filter elements, and wherein the bridging elements includes a wall member that extends between adjacent filter elements. 
     
     
         11 . The regenerative filter of  claim 9  wherein each elongated cylindrical shaped sheath is fused at respective top and bottom ends thereof to close the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath over the coil spring. 
     
     
         12 . The regenerative filter of  claim 9  wherein the coil spring is pre-loaded to stretch the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath in order to maintain the diameter of each filter element the same for the entire length of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         13 . The regenerative filter of  claim 10  wherein the bridging element is formed by a contact location between adjacent filter elements. 
     
     
         14 . The regenerative filter of  claim 13  wherein the coil spring has multiple spring coils including an outer diameter defined by the multiple coils. 
     
     
         15 . The regenerative filter of  claim 9  wherein the outer diameter of the coil spring is constructed and arranged to be in contact with the inside diameter of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         16 . A regenerative filter comprising:
 a filter housing having inlet and outlet zones;   a fluid path provided between the inlet and outlet zones;   a plurality of filter elements each having an outer surface filter media applied thereto and functioning to filter particulate or contaminants from the fluid path;   a tube sheet that is supported across the filter housing, that is disposed just before the outlet zone and that provides the support for the plurality of filter elements;   said plurality of filter elements being disposed in an array and each element formed as an elongated cylindrical shaped sheath having an outside diameter and an inside diameter;   and a support structure that is disposed within each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths, and wherein each support structure provides a fit within the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath so as to maintain a taut elongated cylindrical shaped sheath, thus preventing a differential pressure collapse as each of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheaths become loaded with particulates or contaminants.   
     
     
         17 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein the support structure is star shaped and contacts the inside diameter of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         18 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein the support structure is an asterisk shape and contacts the inside diameter of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         19 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein the coil spring has multiple spring coils including an outer diameter defined by the multiple coils and wherein the outer diameter of the coil spring is constructed and arranged to be in contact with the inside diameter of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath. 
     
     
         20 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein there is a maximum tangential geometric proximity of ⅕ the minimum cross-sectional distance across a single filter element, or less. 
     
     
         21 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein each elongated cylindrical shaped sheath is fused at a top end thereof to close the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath over the support structure. 
     
     
         22 . The regenerative filter of  claim 16  wherein the support structure is pre-loaded to stretch the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath in order to keep the diameter the same for the entire length of the elongated cylindrical shaped sheath.