William G Greene

US Patent:

6416666, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

Apr 9, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/289515

Inventors:

William A. Greene - Gardena CA
Richard G. Hayes - Huntington Beach CA

Assignee:

SpinTek Filtration, LLC - Los Alamitos CA

International Classification:

B01D 6300

US Classification:

21032175, 21032184, 21032167, 21032163, 210331, 210332, 210486, 210367

Abstract:

A filtration apparatus includes a container ( ) that surrounds at least one rapidly rotating membrane pack ( , FIG. ) and stationary turbulators ( A, B ) slightly spaced from the membrane pack surfaces to leave thin gaps ( A, B ) between them, which obtains the advantages of both series-connected and parallel-connected systems. A feed conduit ( ) connects the radially outer ends ( ) of the gaps, to carry feed fluid into and out of each gap, with radially outward flow ( ) near the pack surfaces, causing radially inward flow ( ) near the surfaces of the turbulators. The turbulators have recesses that leave projections to promote fluid shear at the membrane surfaces. A motor shaft ( ) supported on motor bearings, has a motor housing fixed to the container. The motor shaft extends into the container and holds the membrane pack to spin it, so only the motor bearings ( ) support all rotating parts. The motor shaft has a passage ( ) extending along its length to carry out filtrate from the membrane pack.

US Patent:

8333892, Dec 18, 2012

Filed:

Apr 2, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/753485

Inventors:

William A. Greene - Long Beach CA, US
Jason D. Gilmour - Huntington Beach CA, US

Assignee:

Spintek Filtration, Inc. - Los Alamitos CA

International Classification:

B01D 63/02
B01D 61/14
B01D 61/16

US Classification:

210650, 21032188, 21032189, 210232, 210456, 210458

Abstract:

Multiple water purifier modules are stacked in a rack having manifolds for each of the various water filtration functions: feed, concentrate, and filtrate. Each module connects to the rack by a quick connect for each of the filtration tubes. The quick connects are of the self-sealing type. A handle on the end of the module away from the rack has a lever for causing the quick connects to release the module from the rack while the system remains in operation. The, module can then be totally removed from the rack for testing, service, or replacement while the overall system remains in operation. Each module contains complete filtration media. The water is passed into the feed tubes under pressure where it passes into an elongated cavity filled with elongated hollow fibers. Filtrate, such as purer water, passes through the walls of the hollow fibers to an outlet, while concentrate, which is fluid with a high percent of impurities, flows from the cavity into concentrate tubes to another outlet for disposal. The tubes and concentrate tubes are small diameter tubes with small holes spaced along their lengths.

US Patent:

20060175270, Aug 10, 2006

Filed:

Jan 26, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/340373

Inventors:

William Greene - Los Angeles CA, US

International Classification:

B01D 29/62

US Classification:

210798000, 210411000

Abstract:

A water filter system () for home use, includes a valve () that passes pressured water from a municipal water supply () though the inlet () of a passage () containing bidirectional filter elements () so the water has to pass though the filter elements to reach an outlet () that leads to a faucet (). A water pressuring device () such as one that includes a bladder (), has one side that faces a water outlet storage region () and an opposite side that faces a pressing apparatus such as compressed air (). At intervals such as every 24 hours at 3:00 a.m., a timer () operates the control valve to connect the inlet () to a drain () instead of to the municipal water supply, for a period such as 20 seconds. Then, water backflushes though the bidirectional filter elements to a drain, to clean the filter elements. An ultraviolet light () at the outlet storage region kills bacteria to prevent bacteria buildup in the outlet region.

US Patent:

20110168640, Jul 14, 2011

Filed:

Jan 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/005335

Inventors:

Jason Gilmour - Huntington Beach CA, US
William A. Greene - Long Beach CA, US

International Classification:

B01D 21/30
B03D 3/02

US Classification:

210703, 210137

Abstract:

Apparatus is provided for introducing gas bubbles (usually air bubbles) into a liquid stream to coalesce material such as unwanted bits, or particles, of hydrocarbons that lie in the liquid stream along with wanted dissolved bits of metal, for removal of the hydrocarbons. The apparatus is constructed to produce a large number of bubbles of an optimum range such as 60 to 100 μm which best coalesce the hydrocarbons. A controller () receives the outputs of sensors such as pressure and flow rate sensors (P, F) and uses them to make changes in other parameters such as the pressure of air introduced (at ) into the liquid stream and the pressure in a third conduit of the liquid-bubble stream.

US Patent:

60155027, Jan 18, 2000

Filed:

Oct 6, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/944602

Inventors:

William A. Greene - Long Beach CA

Assignee:

Spintek Systems, Inc. - Huntington Beach CA

International Classification:

B01D 2446
B01D 2962
C02F 100
C02F 128

US Classification:

210793

Abstract:

Apparatus is provided for coalescing microscopic droplets of organic (principally hydrocarbons) that are present with particles in an aqueous stream (primarily water), which avoids frequent shutdowns for backwashing. The system includes two anthracite beds (56, 58, FIG. 2) and apparatus for connecting the beds in series. Most of the time, the stream flows down (60) through the first bed and up (64) through the second bed, and to a separator, while particles (74) accumulate at the top of the first bed. When the particles begin to seriously block flow through the first bed, the flow is reversed for a period while the particles are transferred from the top of the first bed to the top of the second bed. After several minutes, the flow is reversed again, causing particles at the top of the second bed to flow to the separator for removal.

US Patent:

60687797, May 30, 2000

Filed:

Apr 6, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/055871

Inventors:

Misak Dzhragatspanyan - North Hollywood CA
William A. Greene - Gardena CA

Assignee:

Spintek Systems, Inc. - Huntington Beach CA

International Classification:

B01D 1702

US Classification:

210799

Abstract:

A system is described for separating first and second liquids that are present in an intimate mixture consisting primarily of the first liquid, which enables recovery of a high proportion of the second liquid in a system of moderate cost for construction and operation. The system includes a screen formed of a single woven pattern of metal threads that have been woven in a uniform pattern, and that are backed by back-ups having holes larger than those of the screen. The mixture is pumped through the screen, causing the microscopic droplets of the second liquid to coalesce into much larger drops, so the drops can be rapidly recovered. The screen is very fine, with a thread count of at least 500 per inch (20 per millimeter), and the liquid is passed very slowly through the screen, at a velocity of no more than 12 inches per minute (30 cm. /min. ), to recover at least 70% and preferably at least 75% of the second liquid.

US Patent:

51145880, May 19, 1992

Filed:

Apr 19, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/687508

Inventors:

William Greene - Gardena CA

Assignee:

Aquatechnology Resource Management Inc. - Hermosa Beach CA

International Classification:

B01D 6316

US Classification:

210634

Abstract:

A rotary filtration apparatus is provided, of the type which includes a multiplicity of membrane packs arranged in a stack on a rotor frame, which facilitates replacement of membrane packs. A membrane pack assembly (16, FIG. 1) includes a multiplicity of membrane packs arranged in a stack between a pair of stack plates (70, 72), and held in compression by several tension members (80) spaced about the pack and coupled to the plates. The rotor frame (14) has top and bottom frame plates (50, 52) and a plurality of tying members (40) tying peripheral portions of the plates together. A sufficient number of the tying members are removable to leave an opening in the frame periphery that is large enough to allow the precompressed membrane stack assembly (16) to be moved radially into the rotor frame, at which time the removed tying members are replaced. The membrane packs can be stacked within a group of tying members (234, FIG. 10), and can be compressed by a compressor (280, FIG.

US Patent:

61653659, Dec 26, 2000

Filed:

Aug 15, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/290244

Inventors:

David N. Salyer - Garden Grove CA
William A. Greene - Gardena CA
Kenneth W. Severing - LaHabra CA
Richard G. Hayes - Huntington Beach CA

Assignee:

Spintek Systems, LP - Huntington Beach CA

International Classification:

B01D 6100
B01D 6308

US Classification:

210650

Abstract:

A filtration apparatus is provided, of the type that includes a stack of rapidly rotating membrane packs (32, FIG. 2) and a stack of stationary separator elements (36A, 36B) interleaved with the membrane packs to leave thin gaps (40A, 40B) between them, which obtains the advantages of both series-connected and parallel-connected systems. A feed conduit (82) connects the radially outer ends (110) of the gaps, to carry feed fluid into and out of each gap. The rapidly rotating membrane packs cause radially outward flow (94, FIG. 5) near their surfaces, which causes radially inward flow (102) near the surfaces of the stationary elements, to cause fluid flow radially inwardly and then outwardly through each gap. The system is operated so particles (111, FIG. 6) of the feed fluid can build up on the rotating pack surfaces (92) only to a thickness that is much less than one-half the thickness (116) of the gap, before commencing any procedure to clean the membrane pack surfaces.