Importance

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Abstract

In an apparatus for providing a continuous integrity test for suction driven filtering membrane assemblies 10, a monitoring line 32 diverts a portion of permeate to a monitoring device 30 (e.g. a turbidimeter). Both ends 34, 36 of the monitoring line are connected to the permeate pipe 20 upstream from the permeate pump 26 and at points of relatively higher and lower pressures respectively, to cause fluid to flow through the monitoring line. The relatively higher and lower pressures may be caused by a source of head loss 38 (e.g. a valve) in the permeate line. The source of head loss may be adjusted to provide a required flow through the monitoring device by a control 43 communicating with a flow meter 42 in the monitoring line. Membrane assemblies may be individually monitored although many of them may be connected to a common permeate pump (FIG. 2).

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First Claim