Patent Description:
In general, a fiber discfilter refers to a filter installed in a water channel or a water tub into which a liquid (hereinafter, referred to as 'inflow water') such as wastewater, dirty water, purified water, rainwater, or process water is introduced, and the fiber discfilter filters the inflow water by filtering out foreign substances contained in the inflow water.

The fiber discfilter includes a filter unit configured such that a plurality of filter segments each having front and rear surfaces on which filter cloths each having a surface with bristles are installed is installed on an outer portion of a drum. Foreign substances are filtered out by the bristles during a process in which the inflow water is introduced into the filter segments through the filter cloths. The treated water from which the foreign substances are removed is introduced into the drum from the filter segment and then discharged to a predetermined location.

As described above, according to the fiber discfilter, since the inflow water is filtered as the inflow water flows from the outside of the filter segment into the filter segment via the filter cloth, a large quantity of foreign substances is captured on an outer surface of the filter cloth that constitutes a surface of the filter segment.

Typically, because the entire surface of the filter cloth having the bristles is provided in the form of a flat surface, the foreign substances are concentratedly captured on the surface of the filter cloth. For this reason, a coating layer is formed on the surface of the filter cloth, and almost no foreign substance is captured in the deep part of the filter cloth.

As described above, since the fiber discfilter in the related art cannot capture the foreign substances by using both the surface part and the deep part of the filter cloth, there is a problem in that filtering efficiency deteriorates and frequent cleaning is required.

That is, during the process of filtering the inflow water which is performed as the inflow water passes through the cloth, a large quantity of foreign substances is captured on the surface part of the filter cloth, and the coating layer is formed on the surface of the filter cloth. The coating layer formed as described above inhibits the foreign substances from entering the deep part of the bristles, and as a result, a very small quantity of foreign substances is captured in the deep part of the bristles or almost no foreign substance is captured.

In the case in which the coating layer is formed on the surface of the filter cloth as described above, the inflow water cannot be smoothly introduced into the filter segment. For this reason, a filtering speed is decreased, filtering efficiency deteriorates, a water level in the water channel or the water tub is quickly raised, and a cleaning cycle is shortened.

Meanwhile, the fiber discfilter includes a cleaning device for removing the foreign substances captured in the filter cloth.

As the cleaning device, there are used a spray-type cleaning device which removes foreign substances by spraying high-pressure water toward the filter cloth, and a suction-type cleaning device which sucks and removes foreign substances captured in the filter cloth.

The spray-type cleaning device includes a spray nozzle disposed to be spaced apart from the surface of the filter cloth at a predetermined distance, and a pump connected to the spray nozzle and configured to pump the water to the spray nozzle.

The suction-type cleaning device includes a suction holder having a slit-shaped suction port elongated with a rectangular structure, and a pump connected to the suction holder and configured to provide a suction force.

Since the spray-type cleaning device and the suction-type cleaning device remove the foreign substances from the filter cloth merely by spraying water toward the surface of the filter cloth or sucking the foreign substances from the surface of the filter cloth, there is a problem in that the foreign substances captured in a deep part of the bristle cannot be smoothly removed.

If the foreign substances remain in the deep part of the filter cloth as described above, there is a problem in that cleaning is frequently required, and a chemical cleaning or high-pressure cleaning cycle is shortened.

An object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a fiber discfilter including a groove forming means for forming a groove in a surface of a filter cloth, the fiber discfilter being configured such that foreign substances in a deep part of a filter cloth having bristles as well as foreign substances on a surface part of the filter cloth may be smoothly captured during a process of filtering inflow water, and all the foreign substances captured on the surface and in the deep part of the filter cloth may be smoothly removed during a cleaning process by a cleaning means.

Another object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a fiber discfilter including a groove forming means for forming a groove in a surface of a filter cloth, in which the filter cloth is not damaged during a process of forming a groove in a surface of a filter cloth having bristles.

Still another object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a fiber discfilter including a groove forming means for forming a groove in a surface of a filter cloth, in which a suction force of a suction holder constituting a cleaning means is prevented from deteriorating due to a groove formed in a filter cloth.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a fiber discfilter including a groove forming means for forming a groove in a surface of a filter cloth includes: a filter unit configured such that a plurality of filter segments each having front and rear surfaces on which filter cloths each having a surface provided with bristles are installed is installed on an outer portion of a drum so that inflow water is filtered by being introduced into the filter segments while passing through the filter cloths; a cleaning means configured to remove foreign substances captured in the filter cloths; and a groove forming means disposed to be positioned at the periphery of the filter unit and having a plurality of protrusions configured to be inserted into the surface of the filter cloth and form grooves in the surface of the filter cloth when the filter unit rotates, such that foreign substances on the surface of the filter cloth and foreign substances in a deep part of the filter cloth are uniformly captured during a process of filtering the inflow water, and the foreign substances captured in the deep part of the filter cloth are exposed during a process of cleaning the filter cloth, such that the foreign substances captured in the deep part are smoothly removed.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, each of the protrusions may be a rigid protrusion with a fixed shape and a fixed size.

The rigid protrusions may be formed in a triangular shape in which a width of an inner end thereof is larger than a width of an outer end thereof.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, each of the protrusions may be an elastic protrusion having a ball installed at an end of an elastically deformable stick.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, the plurality of protrusions may include a combination of two or more types of protrusions having different protruding lengths.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, the groove forming means is configured separately from the cleaning means such that the protrusions are formed on a board fixedly installed on a support for fixing the cleaning means or fixedly installed on a separate structure.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, the protrusions of the groove forming means may be formed or installed directly on the cleaning means so as to be formed integrally with the cleaning means.

In the fiber discfilter including the groove forming means for forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth, the cleaning means may include a suction holder configured to remove the foreign substances on the filter cloth by sucking the foreign substances, in which the fiber discfilter further includes a blocking means positioned at a rear end of the cleaning means based on a rotation direction of the filter unit, and in which the blocking means has a plurality of blocking protrusions which is inserted into the respective grooves formed in the surface of the filter cloth by the groove forming means to block the grooves in order to reduce a loss of a suction force of the suction holder.

According to the present disclosure having the above-mentioned features, the deep part of the filter cloth, together with the surface part of the filter cloth, exposed to the outside through the groove formed in the surface of the filter cloth having the bristles, such that the foreign substances in the deep part of the filter cloth as well as the foreign substances on the surface of the filter cloth are uniformly captured during the filtering process, and the quantity of captured foreign substances may be increased. Further, during the process of cleaning the filter cloth, the foreign substances captured in the deep part may also be smoothly removed.

In addition, a larger quantity of foreign substances may be captured during the filtering process, and the foreign substances on the surface part and in the deep part of the bristles may be smoothly removed during the cleaning process. As a result, it is possible to reduce cleaning frequency, and increase chemical cleaning or high-pressure cleaning cycles, thereby increasing a lifespan of the filter cloth and reducing maintenance costs.

In addition, according to the groove forming means including the protrusions having elastic sticks and balls, the elastic sticks form the grooves while being deformed in accordance with the states of the bristles, thereby preventing damage to the filter cloth.

In addition, in the case in which the cleaning device includes the suction holder for removing the foreign substances by sucking the foreign substances and the blocking means is further provided at the rear end of the suction holder, the blocking means closes the groove formed in the filter cloth from the portion behind the suction holder, such that the suction force of the suction holder may be prevented from being lost through the groove, thereby further improving efficiency in removing the foreign substances.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the present disclosure, the specific descriptions of related well-known functions or configurations will be omitted when it is determined that the specific descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure.

<FIG> is a structural front view of a fiber discfilter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a structural side view illustrating a state in which groove forming means having rigid protrusions according to the present disclosure are installed on supports for fixing suction holders and disposed at front and rear sides of a filter segment, <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the groove forming means having the rigid protrusions according to the present disclosure is installed on the supports for fixing the suction holder, <FIG> is a top plan view of the groove forming means having a board and the rigid protrusions, <FIG> is a structural side view illustrating a state in which elastic protrusions according to the present disclosure are formed integrally with the suction holders and disposed at the front and rear sides of the filter segment together with the suction holders, <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the elastic protrusions according to the present disclosure are formed integrally with the suction holder, <FIG> is a top plan view illustrating a state in which the elastic protrusions according to the present disclosure are formed integrally with the suction holder, <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a blocking means according to the present disclosure is further installed at a lower end of the suction holder, <FIG> is a structural front view illustrating an installation position of the groove forming means in a fiber discfilter including a suction-type cleaning means, <FIG> is a structural front view illustrating an installation position of the groove forming means in a fiber discfilter including a spray-type cleaning means, <FIG> is a structural front view illustrating an installation position of the groove forming means in a fiber discfilter including a cleaning means implemented by a combination of the suction-type cleaning means and the spray-type cleaning means, and <FIG> is a front view illustrating a state in which a plurality of grooves is formed in a filter segment assembly by the groove forming means according to the present disclosure.

A fiber discfilter according to the present disclosure includes a filter unit <NUM>, a drive means <NUM>, a cleaning means <NUM>, and a groove forming means <NUM>.

The filter unit <NUM> includes a plurality of filter segments <NUM> provided on an outer portion of a drum <NUM>. Filter cloths <NUM>, which have surfaces on which bristles are disposed, are provided on front and rear surfaces of each of the filter segments <NUM>, such that foreign substances contained in inflow water, which is introduced through the front and rear surfaces of the filter segment <NUM>, are filtered out by the filter cloths <NUM>, and treated water from which the foreign substances are removed is discharged into the drum <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the plurality of filter segments <NUM> is distributed in a circumferential direction of the drum <NUM> on the outer portion of the drum <NUM>. The plurality of filter segments <NUM> is disposed in the circumferential direction of the drum <NUM> so that lateral surfaces of the two adjacent filter segments <NUM> are in close contact with each other.

A ring-shaped filter segment assembly, which is configured by the plurality of filter segments <NUM> disposed and installed in the circumferential direction of the drum <NUM>, is provided in plural, and the plurality of filter segment assemblies is installed to be spaced apart from one another at a predetermined interval in a longitudinal direction of the drum <NUM>.

Therefore, the plurality of filter segments <NUM> is distributed in the circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the drum <NUM> and configured to be rotated together with the drum <NUM>.

The drive means <NUM> serves to rotate the drum <NUM> and includes a motor <NUM> and a power transmission mechanism <NUM> connecting the motor <NUM> and the drum <NUM>. The power transmission mechanism <NUM> may include a belt or a chain.

The cleaning means <NUM> are installed to be positioned at front and rear sides of the filter segment assembly installed on the drum <NUM>.

The cleaning means <NUM> may be configured as a spray-type cleaning device that removes foreign substances by separating the foreign substances captured by the filter cloths <NUM> by spraying water to the filter cloths <NUM> using a plurality of spray nozzles <NUM>. Alternatively, the cleaning means <NUM> may be configured as a suction-type cleaning device that removes foreign substances by collecting the foreign substances, which are captured by the filter cloths <NUM>, by means of vacuum suction using a suction holder <NUM>.

Because the filter unit <NUM>, the drive means <NUM>, and the cleaning means <NUM> may be configured to be identical to a filter unit, a drive means, and a cleaning means which are applied to a fiber discfilter already widely used, more detailed descriptions of the filter unit <NUM>, the drive means <NUM>, and the cleaning means <NUM> will be omitted.

The groove forming means <NUM> serves to form grooves in a surface of the filter cloth <NUM> that has bristles. The groove forming means <NUM> has a plurality of protrusions <NUM> configured to be inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>. The groove forming means <NUM> are disposed at the front and rear sides of the ring-shaped filter segment assembly and extend in a direction that traverses a part of the filter segment assembly, such that the groove forming means <NUM> are configured to form the plurality of grooves <NUM> in the surfaces of the filter cloths <NUM> when the filter unit <NUM> rotates.

Meanwhile, the protrusions <NUM> may be rigid protrusions <NUM> with fixed shapes and fixed sizes and configured to form the grooves in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> as the rigid protrusions <NUM> are inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> that has the bristles.

The rigid protrusion <NUM> may be formed in a triangular shape in which a width W1 of an inner end thereof is larger than a width W2 of an outer end thereof so that the rigid protrusion <NUM> more smoothly forms the groove by being inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> and a deep part of the filter cloth <NUM> is exposed more appropriately.

In addition, the protrusion <NUM> may be an elastic protrusion <NUM> including a ball <NUM> installed at an end of an elastically deformable stick <NUM>. Like the rigid protrusion <NUM>, the elastic protrusion <NUM> is configured to form the groove in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> by being inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the stick <NUM> is made of spring steel or synthetic resin so as to be elastically deformable. The stick <NUM> is bent when a relatively great force is applied due to tangling of the bristles or adhesion of the foreign substances during the process of forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>, thereby preventing damage to the filter cloth <NUM>.

The ball <NUM> is installed or formed at the end of the stick <NUM> and has a relatively larger diameter than the stick <NUM>.

According to the elastic protrusion <NUM> having the stick <NUM> and the ball <NUM>, the stick <NUM> is bent in accordance with the state of the bristles during the process of forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>, thereby preventing a great force from being applied to the bristles and thus preventing damage to the bristles. Further, the ball <NUM> having a relatively larger diameter than the stick <NUM> is inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> and passes between the bristles by the rotation of the filter unit <NUM>, thereby inducing separation and exposure of foreign substances captured in the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the plurality of protrusions <NUM> provided in the groove forming means <NUM> may include a combination of two or more types of protrusions <NUM> having different protruding lengths.

For example, <FIG> illustrates a configuration in which two types of elastic protrusions <NUM> having different protruding lengths are combined.

In the case in which the plurality of protrusions <NUM> includes the combination of the two or more types of protrusions <NUM> having different protruding lengths as described above, it is possible to form the grooves having various depths at a time.

The protrusion <NUM>, configured as described above, may be formed or provided on a board <NUM> fixedly installed on supports <NUM> for supporting the cleaning means <NUM>, or the protrusion <NUM> may be formed or provided on the board <NUM> fixedly installed on a separate structure. The protrusion <NUM> may be configured as a structure provided separately from or independently of the cleaning means <NUM>, or the protrusion <NUM> may be formed or provided directly on the cleaning means <NUM> so that the protrusion <NUM> is provided integrally with the cleaning means <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the board <NUM> has rectangular bolt through ports <NUM> that elongate and extend in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>, such that depths of the protrusions <NUM> inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> may be adjusted in accordance with the state of the filter cloth <NUM>.

That is, angled brackets <NUM>, which are bent in an L shape, are installed on the supports <NUM> or the structures on which the board <NUM> is fixedly installed, the board <NUM> is fixed by bolting in the state in which the board <NUM> is seated on the angled brackets <NUM>, and the rectangular bolt through ports <NUM> extending in the direction orthogonal to the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> are formed in the board <NUM>. Therefore, the board <NUM> may be fixed to the angled brackets <NUM> by bolting in a state in which positions of the protrusions <NUM> are adjusted by moving the board <NUM> toward or away from the filter cloth <NUM>. As a result, a manager may adjust the insertion depths of the protrusions <NUM> in accordance with the state of the filter cloth <NUM>.

The fiber discfilter including the groove forming means <NUM> configured as described above may further include a blocking means <NUM> configured to prevent efficiency in sucking foreign substances from deteriorating due to an inflow of outside air through the groove formed in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>.

The blocking means <NUM> is restrictively applied only in the case in which the cleaning means <NUM> includes the suction holder <NUM>. The blocking means <NUM> is disposed to be positioned at a rear end of the suction holder <NUM> based on a rotation direction D of the filter unit <NUM>. The blocking means <NUM> may be fixedly installed on the suction holder <NUM> or fixedly installed on a separate bracket.

The blocking means <NUM> includes a plurality of blocking protrusions <NUM> which are inserted into the grooves formed in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> by the groove forming means <NUM>, thereby blocking flow paths formed by the grooves.

The blocking means <NUM> formed as described above closes the grooves formed in the filter cloth <NUM> from a portion behind the suction holder <NUM>, thereby preventing a suction force of the suction holder <NUM> from being lost through the grooves during the process in which the suction holder <NUM> sucks the foreign substances captured in the filter cloth <NUM>, and thus inducing smooth suction of the foreign substances.

Like a general fiber discfilter, the fiber discfilter according to the present disclosure configured as described above is installed in a water channel or a water tub into which inflow water such as wastewater, dirty water, purified water, rainwater, or process water is introduced, and the fiber discfilter filters out foreign substances contained in the inflow water.

The groove forming means <NUM> according to the present disclosure may be installed at the front end or the rear end of the cleaning means <NUM> based on the rotation direction D of the filter unit <NUM>. Alternatively, the groove forming means <NUM> may be installed at any position as long as the groove forming means <NUM> may smoothly form the groove in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> without interfering with peripheral structures.

For example, <FIG> illustrates a structure in which the groove forming means <NUM> is installed on at least one of the front end of the suction holder <NUM>, the rear end of the suction holder <NUM>, and any position irrelevant to the suction holder <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates structure in which the groove forming means <NUM> is installed on at least one of the front end of the spray nozzle <NUM>, the rear end of the spray nozzle <NUM>, and any position irrelevant to the spray nozzle <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a structure in which the groove forming means <NUM> is installed on at least one of the front and rear ends of the suction holder <NUM>, the front and rear ends of the spray nozzle <NUM>, and any position.

As described above, the groove forming means <NUM> according to the present disclosure may be freely installed without limitation to the installation position.

Meanwhile, during the filtering process of filtering the inflow water using the filter cloth <NUM> provided in the filter segment <NUM>, the filter unit <NUM> may be rotated intermittently or consistently to always form the grooves in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the groove formed in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> exposes the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM>, thereby establishing an environment in which the foreign substances may be captured not only on the surface of the filter cloth <NUM>, but also in the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM> during the filtering process of filtering the inflow water. As a result, in comparison with the related art, a larger quantity of foreign substances may be captured by the single filtering process, and the cleaning cycle may be increased.

Meanwhile, the groove forming means <NUM> according to the present disclosure improves cleaning efficiency while forming the groove in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> even during the process of cleaning the filter cloth <NUM>.

That is, the protrusions <NUM> provided on the groove forming means <NUM> according to the present disclosure are always kept inserted into the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> regardless of the filtering process or the cleaning process. Therefore, when the filter unit <NUM> rotates to perform the cleaning process, the plurality of grooves <NUM> extending in the circumferential direction of the filter unit <NUM> is formed in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> in accordance with the rotational operation of the filter unit <NUM>.

As described above, the plurality of grooves <NUM> formed in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> exposes the foreign substances, which are captured in the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM>, to the outside. In the state in which the foreign substances in the deep part are exposed through the plurality of grooves <NUM>, the spray nozzle <NUM> constituting the cleaning means <NUM> sprays water or the suction holder <NUM> sucks the foreign substances, and as a result, not only the foreign substances on the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> may be removed, but also the foreign substances in the deep part may be effectively removed.

As described above, the fiber discfilter according to the present disclosure forms the plurality of grooves in the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> using the groove forming means <NUM>, such that the foreign substances in the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM> as well as the foreign substances on the surface of the filter cloth <NUM> may be uniformly captured during the filtering process. As a result, the present disclosure is a very useful invention because the quantity of captured foreign substances may be significantly increased, and all the foreign substances on the surface part of the filter cloth <NUM> and in the deep part of the filter cloth <NUM> may be smoothly removed during the cleaning process.

Claim 1:
A fiber discfilter with a means of forming grooves on a surface of filter cloths, the fiber discfilter comprising:
a filter unit (<NUM>) configured such that a plurality of filter segments (<NUM>) each having front and rear surfaces on which filter cloths (<NUM>) each having a surface provided with bristles are installed is installed on an outer portion of a drum (<NUM>) so that inflow water is filtered by being introduced into the filter segments (<NUM>) while passing through the filter cloths (<NUM>);
a cleaning means (<NUM>) configured to remove foreign substances captured in the filter cloths (<NUM>); and
a groove forming means (<NUM>) disposed to be positioned at the periphery of the filter unit (<NUM>) and having a plurality of protrusions (<NUM>) configured to be inserted into the surface of the filter cloth (<NUM>) and to form grooves in the surface of the filter cloth (<NUM>) when being inserted into the surface of the filter cloth (<NUM>) and the filter unit (<NUM>) rotates, thereby exposing foreign substances captured in the deep part of the filter cloth (<NUM>), because during a process of filtering the inflow water foreign substances are uniformly captured on the surface of the filter cloth (<NUM>) and in a deep part of the filter cloth (<NUM>), during a process of cleaning the filter cloth (<NUM>), such that the foreign substances captured in the deep part can be easily removed,
wherein the groove forming means (<NUM>) is configured separately from the cleaning means (<NUM>) such that the protrusions (<NUM>) are formed on a board (<NUM>) fixedly installed on a support (<NUM>) for fixing the cleaning means (<NUM>) or fixedly installed on a separate structure.