Abstract: A material is dewatered by providing a material having a first water percentage content; and encapsulating the material in a plurality of non-porous hydrophilic membranes, said membranes being of a type in which water molecules are absorbed by and transported across the non-porous hydrophilic membrane, thereby producing packages with a second water percentage content that is lower than the first water percentage content.

Abstract: An evaporation device has an inner tube and an outer tube. The inner tube is made of a hydrophilic membrane, such as DutyionT. The outer tube is preferably made of a material that readily absorbs solar radiation and is a good heat conductor. There is a gap between the inner tube and the outer tube for the flow of air. The inner tube contains a flow of impure water. The hydrophilic membrane allows water to pass to the outside of the inner tube as vapor, but prevents impurities from passing through. Air flowing in the gap takes up the water vapor and humidified air exits the evaporation device. This humidified air is subsequently cooled to collect the vapor and provide purified water, e.g. at a condenser.

Abstract: The present invention relates to irrigation systems for irrigating a growing medium. The irrigation systems of the invention comprise a helical tubular hydrophilic membrane or a corrugated tubular hydrophilic membrane. The invention also relates to methods of irrigating a growing medium, and helical tubular hydrophilic membranes for use in an irrigation system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to irrigation systems for irrigating a growing medium. The irrigation systems of the invention comprise a helical tubular hydrophilic membrane or a corrugated tubular hydrophilic membrane. The invention also relates to methods of irrigating a growing medium, and helical tubular hydrophilic membranes for use in an irrigation system.

Abstract: An apparatus (2) for placement on or in a body of flowing water (8) for generating hydroelectric power. The apparatus comprises a generally horizontal rotor (6) driven by the water flowing (14) past it to generate electrical power. A method of generating hydroelectric power. The method comprises placing an apparatus in or on a body of water and allowing water to flow past a generally horizontally disposed rotor to turn it and generate electrical power.

Abstract: The present invention relates to irrigation systems for irrigating a growing medium. The irrigation systems of the invention comprise a helical tubular hydrophilic membrane or a corrugated tubular hydrophilic membrane. The invention also relates to methods of irrigating a growing medium, and helical tubular hydrophilic membranes for use in an irrigation system.

Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.

Abstract: A mechanical water still (10) includes an impervious dome-like upper surface (12) and a membrane base (14) that is coupled (26) to the impervious dome-like structure (12) to form, when inflated, a chamber (20). The membrane base (14) supports a water pervaporation process therethrough. A water collection well (16) has an opening into which water droplets condensed from the water pervaporation process collect. The water collection well (16) is sited within the membrane base (14) and generally extends outwardly and downwardly from the membrane base (14), as shown in FIG. 1. In use, a contaminated water source (24) is brought into, ideally, complete contact with the membrane base (14), with the water collection well (16) arranged both to act as a heat sink into the water source (24) and to provide stability to the water still (10) when floating and immersed in the water source (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for indicating the state of motion of a subject vehicle to a driver of a following vehicle, by means of an array of lamps (2, 10-21) on the subject vehicle. The apparatus is adapted to indicate the presence of the array of lamps on the subject vehicle when the lamps are not actively indicating the state of motion of the subject vehicle, with the presence of the array realized by, preferably, secondary warning lamps adjacently located with the array and arranged to differentiate the array in terms of its functionality and operational capabilities from existing arrays, as exemplified in FIG. 2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.

Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane such that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane whilst materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.

Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.

Abstract: An irrigation device is provided, the device comprising a container for water consisting of a plurality of surfaces, each surface substantially being either a hydrophilic membrane or impervious to water in all forms, and wherein at least one of the surfaces is substantially a hydrophilic membrane and at least one of the surfaces is substantially impervious to water in all forms.

Abstract: A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane so that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane while materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.

Abstract: A display system for motor vehicles provides an array of lamps at the rear of a subject vehicle to provide an indication of the state of motion of the subject vehicle to the driver of a following vehicle. In a first mode of operation, the display indicates a level of warning dependent upon the rate of deceleration of the subject vehicle, the level of warning being determined by deceleration thresholds which are variable in dependence upon the measured speed of the subject vehicle. In a second mode of operation, the lamps provide an indication of the subject vehicle being stationary or near stationary as determined by comparing the measured speed with a threshold speed. An animate display is created by illuminating the lamps and sequentially deactuating selected pairs of lamps to create a pattern cyclically moving semetrically outwardly from the center of the row. The display is discontinued when the speed of the subject vehicle exceeds a second threshold defined independently of the first threshold speed.

Abstract: A vehicle display system has a stationary detector and an indicator, which form a stationary vehicle detection apparatus being operative to produce an indicator signal which is indicative of the vehicle being stationary. The vehicle display system also has a vehicle deceleration detector and an indicator. The vehicle deceleration detector measures the magnitude of deceleration of a vehicle and generates a signal to drive the indicator and thereby generate a display indicative of the magnitude of vehicle deceleration. The vehicle deceleration detector is independent of the vehicle braking system. In one embodiment, the indicator is an array of lamps and the stationary vehicle indicator signal is an inanimate display. One embodiment has an additional ranging device that detects a trailing vehicle within a predetermined distance of the vehicle employing the ranging device. The ranging device may be used to initiate a change of the display generated by the vehicle display system.