Patent GB-1239211-A (GB)
IPC: B01D63/08
Filed: 1967-07-06
Abstract: 1,239,211. Dialysis apparatus; plates therefor. NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORP. 2 July, 1968 [6 July, 1967], No. 31244/67. Heading B1X. At least one of the surfaces of a plate for use in a plate dialyser is provided with a plurality of surface grooves each of which has, at the surface of the plate, a width greater than the width of the portions of plate between adjacent grooves and sides which, at the surface of the plate, are perpendicular to the surface of the plate. The sides of each groove preferably have a length which is approximately equal to the width of the groove at its widest part. In cross-section, the bottom of each groove may be arcuate, for example semi-circular, or V-shaped, inverted V-shaped, flat (i.e. parallel to the surface of the plate), flat with arcuate corners or flat with stepped corners; each groove preferably is U-shaped in cross-section. When the plate is used in or forms part of a plate dialyser, the grooves of the plate co-operate with a semi-permeable membrane located at the surface of the plate thereby to define chambers for dialysing fluid. The plate may be associated with a second similar plate, the plates being adapted to be clamped together with a membrane in-the form of an envelope located therebetween. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a dialyser which comprises two rectangular plates 10 and 11, one surface of each plate being provided with grooves 12 extending between reservoirs 13 fed from inlets 14 for dialysing fluid and sinks 15 feeding into outlets 16 for dialysing fluid. Each plate has an ungrooved peripheral portion 17 provided with threaded apertures 19 and co-operating bolts carried in unthreaded apertures for securing the plates together and with a sealing ring 18 and co-operating recess for sealing the plates together. The grooves are in two banks 21, 22 separated by an ungrooved area 23 provided with a sealing strip 24. Positioned between the plates to extend over the whole area of an adjacent face of a plate and to be supported by the portions separating adjacent grooves is a membrane in the form of a flat double sheet 28 of regenerated cellulose, which sheet defines a zone 31 for fluid to be dialysed and, with the plates, two zones 29, 30 for dialysing fluid; the ungrooved peripheral portion of one plate is provided with recesses 20 for receiving inlets (not shown) for fluid to be dialysed and outlets (not shown) for fluid which has been dialysed, which inlets and outlets are attached to the membrane. The dialysing fluid may be arranged to flow either in co-current or in counter-current to the fluid to be dialysed. In a modified construction (not illustrated), the reservoirs for dialysing fluid are interconnected, the inlets for dialysing fluid are omitted, those recesses for receiving inlets/outlets for fluid to be dialysed adjacent the sinks for dialysing fluid are omitted and the sealing strip does not extend to the sealing ring adjacent the sinks for dialysing fluid; in such a construction, both the inlet and outlet for dialysing fluid are at one end of the dialyser and both the inlet and outlet for fluid to be dialysed are at the opposite end of the dialyser, each fluid being arranged to flow, in countercurrent to the other fluid, along the length of the plates first in one direction on one side of the dialyser and then in the opposite direction on the other side of the dialyser. In another modified construction (not illustrated), the dialyser may comprise three plates in a sandwich arrangement, grooves being provided in both surfaces of the central plate.