Abstract:
A method and apparatus for sealing the opposed side edges of a fluid treating belt filter ( 3 ) by employing an inflatable elastic tube ( 18 ). Opposed sealing surfaces are spaced apart from each other defining a gap there between which can be brought into sealing relationship by activation of the tube ( 18 ). The tube ( 18 ) being tested prior to and during sealing. Fluid that bypasses the seal are collected for rycycle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to filter systems and more particularly to a fluid filter bypass monitoring system which, during both filtering and filter regenerating operations, assists in proper sealing between dirty and clean fluid sides of the system and, at the same time, assists in recovering residual fluid filtering materials. 
   It is known in the filtration art to use various types of arrangements to seal the lateral edges of longitudinally advancable filter media. Examples include relying on the weight of drive chains to urge the filter media against support members as disclosed in Hirs, U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,620 and Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,007; using resilient sealing strips as disclosed in Hindi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,834; special vacuum box sealing members as disclosed in Ishigaki, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,411; dam members on the undersides of the filter media which interact with underlying shelf members as disclosed in Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,539, and even inflatable seal tubes as disclosed in Bratten, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,729. Each of the aforementioned seal techniques has disadvantages. Particularly the use of inflatable seal tubes is subject to failure if the tubes leak or burst. 
   It is also known to provide inflatable seals to seal space between adjacent parallel surfaces and to test the effectiveness of the seal by measuring pressure in chambers formed between the seal and the sealed interfaces. Examples of such seals are disclosed in Godfrey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,760 and Brooking, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,179. In both of these patents, the testing mechanism accomplishes testing when the surfaces to be sealed are in sealed position, the testing being accomplished by a comparatively complex series of alternatively spaced test probes passing through an enlarged upper end of a flexible seal above the inflatable portion of such flexible seal, the distal ends of the probes extending through each flexible seal into a chamber which is formed between the flexible seal and the members to be sealed so as to measure pressure in such formed chamber. Not only is such an arrangement comparatively complex and costly in construction, operation and maintenance, but in addition, the testing measurement function is of questionable value since it punctures a portion of the flexible seal material and testing is accomplished upon actual sealing rather than prior to such sealing. 
   Despite the efforts of the prior art, there has remained a need for reliable measures to prevent dirty liquid from circumventing the lateral edges of a longitudinally movable, elongated filter medium and entering a clean filtrate chamber. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In the present invention, an economical and straightforward structural sealing, arrangement is provided which is comparatively more efficient in construction, maintenance and operation, the inventive sealing arrangement requiring a minimum of parts in the novel apparatus and a minimum of steps in the novel method. Further, the present invention, recognizing the possibilities of fluid leakage during sealing operations and the possibilities of the presence of residual fluids during seal open regenerating operations, provides a unique and straightforward fluid and particulate capture arrangement so as to accommodate for such possible contingencies. The novel capture arrangement, like the above discussed sealing arrangement, also requires a minimum of parts in the apparatus and a minimum of steps in the method. 
   In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an filtering apparatus is provided having opposed lateral walls and comprising a receiving tank for dirty liquid to be filtered; an adjacent filtrate chamber for filtered liquid; and a longitudinally movable filter medium interposed between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber such that liquid can flow from the receiving tank through the filter medium, whereby the liquid is filtered, and into the filtrate chamber; the filter medium having opposed lateral edges extending longitudinally along the lateral walls of the filter apparatus; selectively actuatable seal members extending along the lateral edges of the filter medium for sealing the lateral edges against leakage during filtering operations; the seal members being deactuatable to release the filter medium to enable the filter medium when loaded with filtered solids to be moved longitudinally to interpose a fresh section of the filter medium between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber; and a leakage collector disposed under the lateral edges of the filter medium for capturing any dirty liquid which leaks through the seal members when actuated or which is released when the seal members are deactuated to permit longitudinal movement of the filter medium. 
   In further aspect of the invention, a filtering apparatus is provided having opposed lateral walls and comprising a receiving tank for dirty liquid to be filtered; an adjacent filtrate chamber for filtered liquid; and a longitudinally movable filter medium interposed between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber such that liquid can flow from the receiving tank through the filter medium, whereby the liquid is filtered, and into the filtrate chamber; the filter medium having opposed lateral edges extending longitudinally along the lateral walls of the filter apparatus; selectively actuatable seal members extending along the lateral edges of the filter medium for sealing the lateral edges against leakage during filtering operations; the seal members comprising opposed members on opposite sides of the lateral edges of the filter medium, and at least one of the members being movable toward or away from the other member, and the seal members being deactuatable to release the filter medium to enable the filter medium when loaded with filtered solids to be moved longitudinally to interpose a fresh section of the filter medium between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber; and a restoring spring for urging the at least one movable member away from the other member. 
   In yet another aspect of the invention, a filtering apparatus is provided having opposed lateral walls and comprising a receiving tank for dirty liquid to be filtered; an adjacent filtrate chamber for filtered liquid; and a longitudinally movable filter medium interposed between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber such that liquid can flow from the receiving tank through the filter medium, whereby the liquid is filtered, and into the filtrate chamber; the filter medium having opposed lateral edges extending longitudinally along the lateral walls of the filter apparatus; selectively actuatable seal members extending along the lateral edges of the filter medium for sealing the lateral edges against leakage during filtering operations; the seal members being deactuatable to release the filter medium to enable the filter medium when loaded with filtered solids to be moved longitudinally to interpose a fresh section of the filter medium between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber; an actuator comprising an inflatable and deflatable tube for actuating the seal members, and a pressure sensor or pressure indicator for monitoring the pressure in the inflatable and deflatable tube. 
   It is also an aspect of the invention to provide a method of filtering particulate matter from a particulate laden liquid stream comprising passing the particulate laden liquid stream through a filtering zone including a particulate laden liquid inlet and a clean liquid outlet with a movable, elongated filter medium having opposed side edges interposed between the inlet and the outlet; selectively actuating sealing members positioned along the opposed side edges of the elongated the filter medium to a closed sealing position during filter operation and deactuating the seal member to an open position when the filter medium becomes loaded with filtered particles and it is necessary to renew the filtering capability of the apparatus, thereby releasing the filter medium for longitudinal movement; longitudinally moving the filter medium to position a fresh section thereof between the dirty liquid receiving tank and the clean filtrate chamber; thereafter actuating the sealing members to reclose the sealing members and re-commencing filtering operations, and monitoring the performance of the sealing members. 
   Various other features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein. 
   More particularly, the present invention provides a fluid filter apparatus comprising fluid receiving tank means having opposed side walls, the tank means including a first tank section to receive a dirty fluid to be filtered and a successive second tank section to receive clean fluid after it has been filtered longitudinally extending porous filter means having opposed longitudinally extending side edges, the filter means being intermittently moveable between filtering and regenerating operations in a plane between the first and second tank sections, the filter means being adapted to separate out particulate matter during a filtering operation from the dirty fluid passing from the first tank section to the second tank section; sealing means to seal the opposite side edges of the filter means between the first and second tank sections during the filtering operations, the sealing means including pairs of first and second opposed sealing members positioned on opposite faces of the side edges of the filter means, at least one of the sealing members of each pair being moveable relative the other sealing member; an actuating member to activate relative movement of each of the opposed sealing member pairs to sealed position during filtering operations and to a bypass open position during intermittent movement of the filter means for regenerating operations; a bypass monitoring system including verification means to verify operability of the actuating member prior to positive movement of the actuating member to sealing position for filtering operations; and residual fluid and particulate capture means to capture residual fluid and particulate matter due to possible leakage during sealed filtering operations and during open regenerating operations. 
   In addition, the present invention provides a method of filtering particulate matter from a particulate laden fluid stream comprising passing a particulate laden fluid stream through a filtering zone including a particulate laden fluid stream inlet and a clean fluid stream outlet with opposed side edges of a filtering member extending between the particulate laden fluid inlet and the clean fluid outlet; selectively activating sealing members to closed sealing position and regeneratively open position along the opposed side edges of a filtering member during fluid treating and regenerative steps, respectively; verifying the activating sealing step during the open regenerative step when fluid treating operations cease; and capturing residual fluid and particulates from the sealing and regenerative steps. 
   It is to be understood that various changes can be made by one skilled in the art in one or more of the several parts and in one or more of the several steps of the inventive apparatus and method, respectively, disclosed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be described in further detail hereinafter with reference to illustrative preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric partially broken away view of a pressure filter to schematically illustrate applicable portions of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the pressure filter of  FIG. 1 , disclosing separately driven permanent and disposable filter belts; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional partial view of one embodiment of the present invention, taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , disclosing a modified embodiment of the present invention, and 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of the seal monitoring arrangement for the filter arranngement of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  disclose a partially broken way automatic belt type pressure filter  2  which incorporates the features of the invention. It is to be understood that the inventive features disclosed herein are not to be considered as limited to the disclosed pressure filter of  FIGS. 1 and 2  but that the features can be employed with other sealing arrangements where fluid passage and sealing are involved. 
   As can be seen in the pressure filter apparatus  2  disclosed in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the filter housing includes independently and synchronously driven longitudinally extending, endless, permanent, filter belt  3  and disposable filter belt  5  mounted above a fixed longitudinally extending fluid pervious foraminous structural support plate  4 . The filter belts  3  and  5  are synchronously moved along fluid pervious fixed plate  4 , with disposable filter material  5  being unwound from a supply source  6  and conveyed to a disposal container at end  7  of apparatus  2 . Although both permanent and disposable belts  3  and  5  are disclosed, it is to be understood that fluid filter may alternatively comprise only a disposable filter medium  5 , or only a permanent filter medium  3 . Either or both filter medium types (i.e., disposable belt  5  and/or permanent belt  3 ) is intermittently moveable when loaded with filtered particles so as to be capable of moving clean fluid treating filter media into the fluid stream to be treated whenever needed in order to maintain the filtering capacity of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 3  of the drawings shows only one filter media belt lateral edge sealing arrangement  8 , but it is to be understood that a similar mirror image sealing arrangement  8  can be employed along the opposite lateral edge of a filter belt. 
   The sealing arrangement  8  disclosed includes a pair of aligned longitudinally extending and facing sealing members  9  and  11  defining a longitudinally extending gap  12  therebetween along which the longitudinal side edge of filter belt travels. The upper sealing member  9 , as shown, is static, and the lower sealing member  11  is moveable so as to sealingly close gap  12  and thereby seal the lateral edge of the filter medium  3 ,  5  therebetween. It is to be understood that it would also be possible, if desired, to reverse the static-moveable sealing arrangement and have the fixed member  9  on the bottom and movable member  11  on the top, or even to have both cooperating sealing members moveable toward and away from each other. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , lower sealing member  11  is of channel form, having a U-shaped cross-section, and as an outer channel member, surmounts another, smaller, fixed, inner channel member  13 , also having a U-shaped cross-section, with the opposed side legs of channel member  13  including spaced, opposed aligned slots  14  through which the opposite extremities of a pin  16  extend to be secured to the opposite side legs of moveable lower surmounting outer sealing member  11 . Thus, outer sealing member  11  is not only moveable relative upper fixed sealing member  9  but it also is moveable relative the surmounted smaller fixed inner channel member  13 . Due to the relative sizing of the cooperating lower, super-mounted, moveable and fixed channel members  11  and  13 , a longitudinally extending chamber  17  is formed between upper base surface of channel member  13  and the lower or inner base surface of channel member  11 . This chamber  17  serves to accommodate elongated, hollow, elastic tube  18  therein, so that the hollow tube  18  is between lower moveable channel member  11  and lower fixed channel member  13 . The defined chamber for hollow elastic tube  18  is connected to fluid pneumatic or hydraulic source represented by air line  19  through a suitable valve arrangement so that tube  18  can be inflated to move channel member  11  toward fixed member  9  and/or deflated to allow channel member  11  to retract away from fixed member  9 . 
   Disposed within the lower inner fixed channel member  13  in surrounding relation to pin  16  is a helical coil spring  21  with the extremities thereof abutting the inner face of the base leg of the outer moveable lower channel member  11 . Accordingly, when hollow tubing  18  is inflated, advantageously by air (pneumatically) through air line  19 , moveable, lower, outer channel member  11  is moved against the force of spring  21  into sealing relation against the fixed upper member  9 , with the lateral edges of filter belts  3  and  5  extending into longitudinally extending gap  12  between the opposed sealing members  9  and  11 , thereby sealing gap  12  and the lateral edges of filter belts  3  and  5  between fixed sealing member  9  and moveable channel member  11 . When the filter media  3  and  5  become loaded with filtered solids so that the rate of filtration decreases to an unacceptable level, as indicated by an increase in the pressure drop across the filter media, hollow elastic tubes  18  are deflated by releasing the fluid pressure in the tubes  18  by switching valves  22 , schematically shown in  FIG. 5 . Spring  21  acts to move the moveable sealing channel member  11  away from fixed member  9 , thereby opening gap  12 , deflating tube  18 , and releasing filter belts  3  and  5 . Once belts  3  and  5  are released from betwen the seal members  9  and  11 , the filter media can be advanced to position a fresh section of the filter medium between the receiving tank and the filtrate chamber. The seals are then re-closed, and filtration can begin anew. 
   Referring to the schematic diagram of  FIG. 5  of the drawings, when gap  12  is in open position, the four hollow elastic tubes  18  which are disclosed are deflated. It is to be noted that in the embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 5 , four inflatable tubes  18  in oppositely spaced aligned pairs of two are employed along the opposed side edges of filter belts  3  and  5 ; however, it is to be understood that other tubing arrangements can be used. In the schematic arrangement of  FIG. 5 , a reversible ball and solenoid valve  22 ,  23  is shown for each hollow elastic tube  18 . Each valve  22  is responsive to the operation of a solenoid  23 . The system of  FIG. 5  is responsive to the intermittent movement of filter belts  3  and  5  with gap  12  opened accordingly to allow testing air to be introduced through line  24  into a hollow tube  18  so as to determine measurable pressure in tube  18  through pressure sensors or indicators  26 . With this arrangement, it is thus possible to determine by pressure indicators  26  whether there is any leakage in seal actuating hollow tubes  18  and whether sealing throughout can be appropriately relied upon. Also, if a sealing tube fails when the seal members  9 ,  11  are closed during a filtering operation, the pressure sensor or indicator  26  will show it and can be immediately used to actuate an alarm and/or shut down the filter apparatus before dirty liquid can penetrate to the filtrate chamber. 
   Referring again to  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings, it can be seen that as another feature of the invention, gravity flow, inclined tank members  27  can be positioned below opposed longitudinally extending filter edges to capture any residual liquid and particulate matter that might enter gap  12  during gap opening for appropriate recycle and disposal. 
   Alternatively, plate members  28  can be installed as shown in  FIG. 4  along lower seal members  11 ,  13 . Plate members  28  form a collecting chamber between the lower seal member and the sidewall of the filter apparatus. These chambers catch and retain any dirty liquid which either leaks through the seal when the seal is closed or which passes through the seal when the seal is opened and prevent such dirty liquid from entering the clean filtrate chamber. Particulate laden dirty liquid captured by these collecting chambers can be purged with compressed air or flushed out with a liquid stream and recycled or disposed of, as appropriate. 
   In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method of filtering particulate matter from a particulate laden liquid stream is provided comprising the steps of passing the particulate laden liquid stream through a filtering zone including a particulate laden liquid inlet and a clean liquid outlet with an movable, elongated filter medium having opposed side edges interposed between the inlet and the outlet; selectively actuating sealing members positioned along the opposed side edges of the elongated the filter medium to a closed sealing position during filter operation and deactuating the seal member to an open position when the filter medium becomes loaded with filtered particles and it is necessary to renew the filtering capability of the apparatus, thereby releasing the filter medium for longitudinal movement; longitudinally moving the filter medium to positioning a fresh section thereof between the dirty liquid receiving tank and the clean filtrate chamber; thereafter actuating the sealing members to reclose the sealing members and re-commencing filtering operations, and monitoring the performance of the sealing members. 
   In preferred embodiments of the filtering method, the sealing members are actuated by inflating a tubular actuator, and the performance of the sealing members is monitored by monitoring the pressure in the tubular actuator with a pressure sensor, gauge or indicator. Failure of the tubular actuator during operation will be indicated by a rapid decrease in pressure. It is also possible by shutting off the air supply to the tubular actuator and then monitoring the pressure in the tube, to detect even pinhole leaks which could develop into a later catastrophic failure of the tube. In this way, tubular actuators which are in danger of failing can be identified and replaced during regular maintenance intervals of the filtering apparatus, thereby avoiding catastrophic failures which could require an emergency shut-down of the filtering apparatus and consequent interruption of plant operations. 
   Another preferred embodiment of the method of the invention involves capturing any dirty liquid which may leak through the seal when closed or which may pass through the seal when it is opened to permit advancement of the filter media to regenerate the filtering capacity of the apparatus. As noted above, this may be achieved by use of a collecting trough  27  positioned underneath the seal members, or by means of a seal plate  28  which prevents dirty liquid from flowing past the seal members into the clean filtrate chamber. Captured or collected residual dirty liquid may then be recycled to filtration or disposed of, as appropriate. 
   The foregoing description and examples have been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and are not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the described embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed broadly to include all variations falling within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.