I.

EXAMPLES:

BED MATERIAL
FLUID PURIFICATION	EXTRACTION	CATALYSIS	ION EXCHANGE	LIQ/GAS REACTION
Activated carbon	Seeds(veg)	Metals:Ni,Pt,Ag	Cationic	Hollow spheres
Silica gel	Plant matter	Metal oxides, Vd, Cr, Mo	Anionic
Kieselguhr / Bentonite	Malt	Al-silicates, AIO, Si-gel	Mixed
Fibreglass
Silica (sand)

SHUTTLE PACKED BEDS

Liquids: Optimal pre-treatment with flocculating, coagulating and adsorbent powders cause the adsorption and physical retention of sub-micronic particulate matter that are the main cause of media blockages of such operations as reverse osmosis. This clarification capability is out of the reach of conventional high-speed centrifuges.

Gases: Pretreatment with electrostatic loading devices such as corona discharge cause the removal of sub-micronic particulate matter by means of surface pre-charged shuttle packed beds. The effective regeneration of these beds with the shuttle system explains the marked advantage over prior art deep bed purification methods.

SHUTTLE EXPANDED ELEMENTS

Fluids: Filtration area densities of 50-100m2 /m2 floor space are necessary for large scale industrial fluid processes requiring separation in the NANO-MICRO particulate size range.

Here again the purification technique does not rely on “pore” filtration but on surface adsorptive phenomena. The aim is to adsorb targeted submicronic particulate matter on electrostatically charged surfaces of finely divided beds of filter media such as kieselguhr and other silaceous matter supported on membranous expanded elements. Thereby in effect the membranous material can function in reverse osmotic mode without the danger of irreversible “blinding” of the pores.

The shuttle function allows the application of element regenerative techniques based for example on ultrasonics to reverse mild “blinding” conditions in specially designed dedicated regenerative sections of the system.

FILTER AID REGENERATION

The used thin beds from the shuttle expanded elements are sluiced into a separate system for regeneration and reuse. In effect this is a counter-current washing system whereby the impurities adhering to the surfaces of the particulate matter of the bed are removed. The regenerated bed material is recycled to the central filter station now containing a set of regenerated shuttle expanded elements to continue the operations with minimal delay.

SOLIDS RECOVERY

Central to all liquid and solids processing industries are universally applicable solids’ recovery equipment. Total recycling of used fluids is dependent on the availability of such equipment.

The basic Miller Filter design provides the possibility of full automation of operations previously associated only with manual operation.