Patent ID: 7294274

Claim:
A filtration system operable to separate a process fluid into selected components comprising: a housing having at least one inlet operable to receive the process fluid; the housing having at least a first outlet for a concentrated fluid and a second outlet for a clarified fluid; a plurality of filter elements disposed within the housing; each filter element having a first membrane layer and a second membrane layer spaced from each other; a respective support element peripherally surrounding the membrane layers of each filter element; a central portion of each membrane layer having a generally open planar surface operable for contact with the process fluid and operable to separate the process fluid into the concentrated fluid and the clarified fluid; a first flow path coupling the concentrated fluid with the first outlet; a second flow path coupling the clarified fluid with the second outlet; an energy source operable to vibrate the central portion of each membrane without interruption of an association filtration process; energy absorbing material disposed within the housing opposite from the energy source; and the filter elements disposed between the energy absorbing material and the energy source.