Patent ID: 11938448
Assignee: MEDARRAY, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 18:
19. The membrane separator system, comprising:
a reservoir for containing a liquid;
a membrane separator module disposed in the reservoir so as to be submerged in the liquid, the membrane separator module comprising;
a plurality of hollow fibers arranged as an annular shaped bundle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the annular shaped bundle defining a bore extending between the first end and the second end, wherein each of the plurality of hollow fibers includes a lumen extending between the first end and the second end;
a first manifold attached to the plurality of hollow fibers at the first end of the annular shaped bundle and a second manifold attached to the plurality of hollow fibers at the second end of the annular shaped bundle, the first manifold having a first interior volume that is in fluid communication with the lumens of the plurality of hollow fibers and the second manifold having a second interior volume that is in fluid communication with the lumens of the plurality of hollow fibers, the first manifold and the second manifold each being annular shaped and having an opening, with the opening of the first manifold in communication with the first end of the bore and the opening of the second manifold in communication with the second end of the bore;
a fluid inlet port disposed on the first manifold and in fluid communication with the first interior volume thereof, and a fluid outlet port disposed on the second manifold and in fluid communication with the second interior volume thereof, wherein a fluid path is defined through the inlet port, the first interior volume, the lumens of the plurality of hollow fibers, the second interior volume, and the outlet port;
a baffle structure disposed in the bore of the annular shaped bundle of hollow fibers; an annulus-shaped distribution passageway defined between a peripheral surface of the baffle structure and an interior side of the plurality of hollow fibers which define the bore, the annulus-shaped distribution passageway having a tapered geometry with a ring thickness that decreases from one of the ends of the annular shaped bundle of hollow fibers to an other of the ends of the annular shaped bundle of hollow fibers;
a cover at one of the manifolds, the cover having a surface spaced from an end of the baffle structure to define a radial passageway;
an impeller comprising at least one vane arranged in the radial passageway;
a drive unit connected to the impeller;
wherein the baffle structure, cover, and impeller cooperate to encourage flow of the liquid from the radial passage way and into the tapered geometry so as to encourage uniform radial flow of the liquid from the reservoir through the annular shaped bundle of hollow fibers.