Patent ID: 7455768

Claim:
A fluid treatment element for substantially inhibiting an electrical charge imbalance and/or a build-up of electrical charge, the fluid treatment element comprising a multilayer composite including: an electrically conductive fibrous matrix having an upstream side and a downstream side, the electrically conductive fibrous matrix including a combination of conductive fibers and nonconductive fibers, wherein the conductive fibers of the electrically conductive fibrous matrix substantially inhibit an electrical charge imbalance and/or a build-up of electrical charge and include metal fibers, the conductive fibers of the electrically conductive fibrous matrix comprising less than about 50% by weight of the conductive and nonconductive fibers and having diameters in the range from about 1 μm or less to about 10 μm; a porous substrate for supporting the electrically conductive fibrous matrix and having an upstream side and a downstream side, wherein the electrically conductive fibrous matrix is disposed on the porous substrate; and a drainage layer positioned along one of the upstream side of the fibrous matrix and the downstream side of the porous substrate.