Planar filtration and selective isolation and recovery device

Abstract

A filtration and selective fluidic recovery device comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The housing has an opening extending from the inlet to the outlet and an internal support structure maintained in the opening. At least one planar filtration media is carried by the internal support structure where the media separates feedwater received at the inlet into at least a permeate and a concentrate that separately exit at the outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A filtration or selective fluidic isolation and recovery device, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said housing having an opening extending from said inlet to said outlet;   an internal support structure maintained in said opening; and   at least one planar filtration media carried by said internal support structure, said media separating feedwater received at said inlet into at least a permeate and a concentrate that separately exit at said outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one filtration media comprises:
 at least two planar channels; and   at least one planar membrane disposed between said at least two planar channels, said planar membrane filtering the feedwater into the permeate and the concentrate.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one filtration media further comprises:
 a membrane support structure associated with each said planar membrane and carried by said internal support structure, said membrane support structure being removable from said housing for cleaning, servicing or replacement.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said at least two planar channels is a permeate spacer disposed between adjacent membrane support structures and the other of said at least two planar spacers is a feed channel which has said planar membrane adjacent at least one side thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein said planar membrane is constructed from perforated graphene material. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein each said planar membrane is disposed between an adjacent membrane structure on one side and an adjacent feed channel. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said at least three planar channels is at least one first permeate spacer, at least one second permeate spacer, and at least one feed channel; and
 wherein said at least one planar membrane is at least one first perforated graphene material having apertures sized to block a first component of the feedwater, and at least one second perforated graphene membrane sized to block a second component of the feedwater.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein said first perforated graphene membrane is positioned between said feed channel and a first of said membrane support structures, wherein said second perforated graphene membrane is positioned between said at least one first permeate spacer and a second of said membrane support structures, and wherein a first of said at least one second permeate spacer is positioned adjacent a side of said second of said membrane support structures opposite said second perforated graphene membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an outlet cap associated with said outlet, said outlet cap having:
 a first permeate pipe associated with said at least one first permeate spacer to collect said second component of feedwater; 
 a second permeate pipe associated with said at least one second permeate spacer to collect components of feedwater not clocked by aid first and second membranes; and 
 a concentrate pipe associated with said feed channel to collect said first component of feedwater. 
   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a switchable voltage supply, wherein said planar membrane is perforated graphene electrically conductive and connected to said switchable voltage supply to electrically charge said planar membrane to disrupt effects of concentration polarization for polarized species included in the feedwater.   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a switchable voltage supply, wherein said planar membrane receives a direct or alternating current electrical charge from said switchable voltage supply for a specified duration and is then removed for the purposes of destroying or disabling biological contaminants upon said planar membrane and/or surrounding structures.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein said filtration media comprises:
 a pair of spaced apart inner membranes, each said inner membrane having an outer diameter coupled to said membrane support structure; and   a permeate spacer disposed between said inner membranes;   and wherein said internal support structure comprises:
 at least one outlet conduit, wherein said at least one outlet conduit has openings adjacent said permeate spacer. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said filtration media further comprises:
 a pair of spaced apart end membranes, each said end membrane having an outer diameter coupled to said membrane support structure;   another permeate spacer disposed between each adjacent end membrane and said inner membrane; and   and wherein said internal support structure further comprises:
 another outlet conduit, wherein said another outlet conduit has openings adjacent said another permeate spacer. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said planar layered filtration media is configured for selective isolation and recovery of desired particulates, solutes, or analytes, as opposed to filtering out unwanted particulates, solutes, or analytes for two or more concentrate streams.