Bagged filter cartridge, system and method

Abstract

A filter assembly is provided. The filter assembly includes a filter cartridge with a containment bag including a vent port and a support housing, including a split lid.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A filter cartridge, comprising:
 an enclosure having a top end and a bottom end;   an inlet port at the top end adapted to receive fluid into the enclosure;   an outlet port at the bottom end adapted to outlet filtered fluid from the filter cartridge;   a vent port at the top end adapted to vent gas from the bag; and   a filter media element disposed in the enclosure and connected to the outlet port.   
     
     
         32 . The filter cartridge of  claim 31 , wherein the filter media element is an annular filter media element including a plurality of filter discs, the filter discs being stacked, wherein the filter media element further comprises a filtered fluid chamber, a top of the filtered fluid chamber being closed inside the enclosure, a bottom of the filtered fluid chamber being in fluid communication with outlet port, wherein an unfiltered fluid chamber for unfiltered fluid is between the enclosure and the filter media element in fluid communication with the inlet port and the vent port; the filter media element interposed between the unfiltered fluid chamber. 
     
     
         33 . The filter cartridge of  claim 31 , further comprising an outlet fitting connected with a filtered fluid chamber. 
     
     
         34 . The filter cartridge of  claim 31 , wherein the enclosure is a containment bag comprising a sheet of impermeable and flexible plastic material. 
     
     
         35 . The filter cartridge of  claim 34 , further comprising an inlet fitting providing the inlet port, the containment bag having an inlet opening and being connectively sealed to the inlet fitting, the inlet port extending through said inlet opening into an interior of the containment bag. 
     
     
         36 . The filter cartridge of  claim 35 , further comprising a vent fitting providing the vent port, the containment bag having a vent opening separate from the inlet opening and being connectively sealed to the vent fitting, the inlet port extending through said inlet opening into an interior of the containment bag. 
     
     
         37 . The filter cartridge of  claim 34 , wherein the vent port and the inlet port are freely movable relative to outlet port via the sheet of impermeable and flexible plastic material. 
     
     
         38 . An assembly comprising the filter cartridge of  claim 31 , and further comprising a carrier bag adapted to hold and carry the filter cartridge the carrier bag having an open top end, the filter cartridge received through an open top end and being removable through the open top end during use. 
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 38 , wherein the carrier bag comprises a handle. 
     
     
         40 . The assembly of  claim 38 , wherein the carrier bag has a strength to hold at least 100 pounds. 
     
     
         41 . A filter assembly comprising the filter cartridge of  claim 31 , and further comprising: a support housing comprising a bowl defining an open end, the filter cartridge removably supported inside of the support housing and being receivable and removable through the open end. 
     
     
         42 . The filter assembly of  claim 41 , wherein the bowl defines a cylindrical wall having a flange surrounding the open end, further comprising a cover seated upon the flange and enclosing the filter cartridge inside of the support housing, fasteners releaseably securing the cover to the support housing through fastener openings in the flange. 
     
     
         43 . The filter assembly of  claim 41 , wherein each of the ports comprises a fitting including an inlet fitting, an outlet fitting and a vent port fitting, and a split lid having at least two portions that are dividable and joinable, the split lid having an inlet aperture receiving the inlet fitting and a vent aperture receiving the vent fitting. 
     
     
         44 . The filter assembly of  claim 43 , wherein a first of the at least two portions defines a first portion of the inlet aperture and the vent aperture, and wherein a second of the at least two portions defines a second portion of the inlet aperture and the vent aperture. 
     
     
         45 . The filter assembly of  claim 43 , wherein one of the dividable and joinable portions includes at least one projection and another one of the dividable and joinable portions includes at least one projection receiving aperture adapted to receive the at least one projection and join the dividable and joinable portions. 
     
     
         46 . A filter assembly comprising:
 a filter cartridge comprising a containment bag; an inlet port extending through the containment bag adapted to receive fluid into the bag; an outlet port extending through the containment bag adapted to outlet fluid from the filter cartridge; a filter media element disposed in the containment bag and connected to the outlet port; and   a carrier bag adapted to hold and carry the filter cartridge and support the containment bag thereof, the carrier bag having an open top end, the filter cartridge received through an open top end and being removable through the open top end.   
     
     
         47 . The filter assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier bag comprises a handle. 
     
     
         48 . The filter assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier bag has a strength to hold at least 100 pounds. 
     
     
         49 . The filter assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier bag comprises an outlet opening in a bottom end thereof receiving an outlet fitting of the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         50 . A method of using the filter assembly of  claim 46 , comprising
 placing the filter cartridge within the carrier bag;   placing the carrier bag with the filter cartridge therein in a support housing;   providing unfiltered fluid to the inlet port of the filter cartridge, filtering the fluid through the filter media element, and having the filtered fluid exit through the outlet port.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the carrier bag comprising a bottom opening and further comprising arranging the outlet port to allow passage of filtered fluid to pass through the bottom opening through the carrier bag. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising utilizing the carrier bag to remove the filter cartridge from the housing after the filtering. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising removing the filter cartridge from the carrier bag, installing a new filter cartridge into the carrier bag and reusing the carrier bag. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the filter cartridge comprises an annular filter media element defining an internal cavity providing a filtered fluid chamber for filtered fluid, one end of the internal cavity being closed and the other end being open and connected to the outlet port. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the annular filter media element includes a plurality of filter discs, the filter discs being stacked and compressed between the opposed ends, each of the filter discs including a combination of adsorption and depth loading filtration media.