Method of improving the finish of the bores of a reverse osmosis sand module

Claim 1

A METHOD OF MAKING A LIQUID PURIFICATION MODULE COMPRISING A SUPPORTED SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANCE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PROVIDING AN OPEN SORE SUPPORT MODULE MADE OF BONDED, RESIN-COATED FILLER PARTICALES HAVING A GRANULAR STRUCTURE AND AN AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE BETWEEN ABOUT 40 AND 500 MICRONS, THE RESIN COATED CONSTITUTING ABOUT 1 TO 18 PRECENT OF THE COATED FILLER PARTICLE WEIGHT, THE MODULE HAVING AT LEAST ONE FEED BORE EXTENDING FROM END TO END THERETHROUGH: B. APPLYING A THIN COATING OF A FINISHING COMPOSITION TO THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE INTERIOR FEED BORE WALLS, SAID FINISHING COMPOSITION COMPRISING FILLER PARTICALES COATED WITH A RESINOUS MATERIAL AND HAVING A GRANULAR STRUCTURE AND AN AVERAGE PARTICAL SIZE BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5 TO 30 MICRONS, THE RESINOUS MATERIAL CONSTITUTING ABOUT 0.5 TO 10 PERCENT OF THE COATED FILLER PARTICLE WEIGHT, C. DRYING THE FINISHING COMPOSITION COATING TO FROM A POROUS COATED BONDED TO THE BORE WALLS, AND FINALLY D. APPLYING A POLYMERIC SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE TO THE INTERIOR FINISHED BORE WALLS TO PROVIDE A POROUS LIQUID PURIFICATION MODULE.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF MAKING A LIQUID PURIFICATION MODULE COMPRISING A SUPPORTED SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANCE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PROVIDING AN OPEN SORE SUPPORT MODULE MADE OF BONDED, RESIN-COATED FILLER PARTICALES HAVING A GRANULAR STRUCTURE AND AN AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE BETWEEN ABOUT 40 AND 500 MICRONS, THE RESIN COATED CONSTITUTING ABOUT 1 TO 18 PRECENT OF THE COATED FILLER PARTICLE WEIGHT, THE MODULE HAVING AT LEAST ONE FEED BORE EXTENDING FROM END TO END THERETHROUGH: B. APPLYING A THIN COATING OF A FINISHING COMPOSITION TO THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE INTERIOR FEED BORE WALLS, SAID FINISHING COMPOSITION COMPRISING FILLER PARTICALES COATED WITH A RESINOUS MATERIAL AND HAVING A GRANULAR STRUCTURE AND AN AVERAGE PARTICAL SIZE BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5 TO 30 MICRONS, THE RESINOUS MATERIAL CONSTITUTING ABOUT 0.5 TO 10 PERCENT OF THE COATED FILLER PARTICLE WEIGHT, C. DRYING THE FINISHING COMPOSITION COATING TO FROM A POROUS COATED BONDED TO THE BORE WALLS, AND FINALLY D. APPLYING A POLYMERIC SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE TO THE INTERIOR FINISHED BORE WALLS TO PROVIDE A POROUS LIQUID PURIFICATION MODULE.

Claim 3

A method of making a liquid purification module comprising a supported semipermeable membrane comprising the steps of: A. providng an open pore support module made of bonded, resin-coated filler particles having a granular structure and an average particle size between about 40 and 500 microns, the resin coating constituting about 1 to 18 percent of the coated filler particle weight, the module having a plurality of spaced-apart feed bores extending from end to end therethrough, said feed bores having walls with protrusions and cavities; B. applying a thin coating of a fluid finishing composition having a specific gravity between about 20* - 60* Baume to the entire surface of the interior feed bore walls, to fill the wall cavities and smooth the wall protrusions, said finishing composition comprising filler particles coated with a resinous material and having a granular structure and an average particle size between about 0.5 and 30 microns, the resinous material comprising about 0.5 to 10 percent of the coated filler particle weight, said coated filler particles being mixed with an evaporable liquid; and then C. drying the finishing composition coating to evaporate the liquid, form a liquid permeable coating, harden the finishing composition resinous material and bond the finishing composition resinous material to the resin-coated filler particles of the open pore support module bore walls; and then D. removing excess finishing composition to provide smooth open pore feed bore walls; and then E. applying a polymeric semipermeable membrane to the interior finished feed bore walls to provide a porous liquid purification module.

Claim 4

A method of making a liquid purification module comprising a supported semipermeable membrane comprising the steps of: A. providng an open pore support module made of bonded, resin-coated filler particles having a granular structure and an average particle size between about 40 and 500 microns, the resin coating constituting about 1 to 18 percent of the coated filler particle weight, the module having a plurality of spaced-apart feed bores extending from end to end therethrough, said feed bores having walls with protrusions and cavities; B. applying a thin coating of a fluid finishing composition having a specific gravity between about 20* - 60* Baume to the entire surface of the interior feed bore walls, to fill the wall cavities and smooth the wall protrusions, said finishing composition comprising filler particles coated with a resinous material and having a granular structure and an average particle size between about 0.5 and 30 microns, the resinous material comprising about 0.5 to 10 percent of the coated filler particle weight, said coated filler particles being mixed with an evaporable liquid; and then C. drying the finishing composition coating to evaporate the liquid, form a liquid permeable coating, harden the finishing composition resinous material and bond the finishing composition resinous material to the resin-coated filler particles of the open pore support module bore walls; and then D. removing excess finishing composition to provide smooth open pore feed bore walls; and then E. applying a polymeric semipermeable membrane to the interior finished feed bore walls to provide a porous liquid purification module.