Abstract: Laundry, industrial or food processing wastewater is purified to the degree that it can be reused. Water quality is ensured through the final process of reverse osmosis (“RO”) which removes dissolved contaminants such as mineral hardness, soils and residual detergents. The process combines a ceramic tubular cross-flow membrane filter to remove the suspended solids, oils and greases ahead of the RO. The RO process employs high temperature, low fouling membranes. This enables the RO process to operate sustainably, i.e. without fouling, plugging or membrane degradation.

Abstract: A tubular depth filter element has one or more concentric zones. Each zone includes layers of a melt blown filament. An additional filament oscillates through the depth of the element, traversing through part of the depth of the filament with each oscillation but traversing through substantially all of the depth of the element over multiple oscillations. The traversing filament is preferably biased towards the outside of the element. The depth filter element may be made by spraying filaments onto a rotating mandrel. The filaments of the concentric zones are sprayed from fixed nozzles spaced apart along the length of the mandrel. The traversing filament is sprayed from a nozzle assembly that moves laterally or has compound motion relative to the mandrel. For example, the nozzle assembly may oscillate relative to the mandrel while an air attenuator of the nozzle assembly oscillates relative to the remainder of the nozzle assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for enriching silicate content in drinking water that includes separating raw water via reverse osmosis into a permeate comprising demineralised raw water and a retentate comprising mineral enriched raw water. The permeate is mixed with a water glass solution comprising sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate. An ion exchange process is used to reduce the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions in at least part of the mixture. At least part of the retentate is supplied to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions to provide a silicate-enriched drinking water. Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing a drinking water enriched with silicate. The apparatus includes a reverse osmosis unit, a mixing unit, an ion exchanger, and a feed unit for feeding at least part of the retentate to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for the optimization of virus removal from solutions. A method of filtering a process fluid comprising a product includes allowing some of the process fluid to flow from a first reservoir to a viral filter; adding a chase fluid to the process fluid in the first reservoir to form a composite fluid; and allowing the composite fluid to flow from the first reservoir to the viral filter to produce eluent. In some embodiments, flow of fluid across the viral filter is sufficient to avoid significant impairment to viral removal until a preselected event, occurs. In some embodiments, flow of fluid from the first reservoir across the viral filter is maintained in the absence of an interruption or slowing of flow of duration or magnitude sufficient to impair viral removal to a level below a log-reduction value of the viral filter.

Abstract: Fine fiber products including fiber webs, as well as related assemblies, systems and methods, are described. In some embodiments, fiber webs described herein may include fine fibers and relatively low amounts of degraded polymer formed during a fiber extrusion process. The fiber webs may be used for filter media applications.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to a controllable water treatment system, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of generating purified water with options of waste recycling and filter membrane rinse protection. The controllable water treatment system comprises a water intake tank, a pretreatment stage, a treatment stage and a purified water storage tank. Water waste output from the treatment stage may be drained or fed back into the water intake tank for recycling. Furthermore, the controllable water treatment system features rinse protection for filter membranes in the treatment stage. Before the system stop operation, water from the purified water storage tank is fed back into the filter stage to rinse the membranes for further protection. Such an application improves the lifespan of the membranes and thus the utility of the controllable water treatment system.

Abstract: Methods for removing anions from an aqueous solution include contacting the aqueous solution with an initial organic phase composition in a primary stage to form a first mixture, the initial organic phase composition including a quaternary amine and a weak organic acid; separating a nitrate-depleted raffinate from the first mixture; mixing the remaining organic phase (now containing nitrate) with a first basic solution to obtain a second mixture; separating an aqueous phase sulfate-containing scrub solution from the second mixture; mixing the remaining organic phase with a second basic solution to form a third mixture; and separating the third mixture into an aqueous phase nitrate-rich solution and a secondary organic phase composition. The secondary organic phase composition can be recycled. The raffinate, the sulfate-containing scrub solution, and the nitrate-rich solution can then be further processed.

Abstract: A water separation element is provided with a cylindrical woven fabric screen for separating water. The woven fabric screen is made of woven fabric yarns positioned angularly relative to each other. A first annular support piece is arranged at a first end face of the woven fabric screen and is fixedly connected to a rim area of the woven fabric screen. The first annular support piece has a lateral edge facing the woven fabric screen. The woven fabric screen is flowed through in radial direction. The woven fabric yarns of the woven fabric screen are positioned, at least over sections, at an angle greater than 0° and smaller than 90° relative to the facing lateral edge of the first annular support piece. A second annular support piece is connected to the second end face. A filter element and a filter device with such a water separation element are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed, among other things, are ways to manufacture layered structures. In one embodiment, a foaming process may produce layered structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In another embodiment, a foaming process may produce deep draw structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may utilize additives, blends, or fillers, for example. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may involve saturating a semi-crystalline polymer such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) with high levels of gas, and then heating, which may produce a reduced density plastic having high levels of crystallinity. These processes may be used to generate products with layered structures.

Abstract: Laundry, industrial or food processing wastewater is purified to the degree that it can be reused. Water quality is ensured through the final process of reverse osmosis (“RO”) which removes dissolved contaminants such as mineral hardness, soils and residual detergents. The process combines a ceramic tubular cross-flow membrane filter to remove the suspended solids, oils and greases ahead of the RO. The RO process employs high temperature, low fouling membranes. This enables the RO process to operate sustainably, i.e. without fouling, plugging or membrane degradation.

Abstract: A fabric material composite construction, for use as a filter means or media, characterized in that said construction comprises a combination of one or more nanofiber layers and a synthetic single-thread squarely knitted precision fabric.

Abstract: There is described a method of use of a mass exchanger. In the method the mass exchanger comprises: a first channel for accommodating flow of a liquid to be treated; and a second channel for accommodating flow of a treatment agent, the first and second channels have a permeable membrane provided between them, so as to allow transfer of selected species between the first channel and the second channel. The steps of the mass transfer method comprise passing the liquid to be treated along the first channel and introducing a mixture of liquid and gas into the second channel to provide a two-phase treatment agent. It is desirable to provide a means of adjusting the concentration of gas species in a liquid such as blood, while simultaneously controlling the temperature of the liquid and optionally adjusting the concentration of ionic and/or dissolved species in that liquid. By this method and mass exchanger providing a two-phase treatment agent, it is possible to simultaneously deliver gaseous species (e.g.

Abstract: A hybrid type filtration structure for filtering liquid includes a first active layer, a porous supporting layer and a permeable layer. The first active layer has a first nano pore inner wall of which a function group included compound is combined with. The porous supporting layer has a plurality of pores and is disposed under the first active layer. The permeable layer is disposed under the porous supporting layer. The porous supporting layer includes a plurality of lipid bilayers having membrane protein inside of the pore, a molecule of water selectively passes through the membrane protein. The first nano pore passes through the first active layer vertically. The first nano pore and the pore are connected with each other through which liquid flows.

Abstract: An adsorbent material is provided. The adsorbent material comprises a porous, non-particulate substrate comprising pores having a size in the range of about 1 ?m to about 1 mm, and a conformal coating film deposited on the porous, non-particulate substrate, wherein the conformal coating film comprises topographical features having a feature size in the range of about 1 nm to about 1 ?m. A method of preparing the adsorbent material and an adsorbent device are also provided.

Abstract: A multilayer composite membrane consists essentially of a porous support layer, an inorganic porous layer, a polymer porous layer, and a separation layer. The inorganic porous layer consists of inorganic particles and is disposed on the porous support layer. The polymer porous layer is disposed on the inorganic porous layer. The separation layer is disposed on the polymer porous layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for purifying water using at least one unit for trapping one or more ions and at least one membrane filtration unit, wherein an aqueous stream is withdrawn from a source and is fed to the aforementioned unit for trapping one or more ions, wherein the aqueous stream leaving the aforementioned unit is fed to the aforementioned membrane filtration unit, and at least one concentrate stream and one permeate stream are obtained in said membrane filtration unit, wherein at least part of the aforementioned one or more ions that are trapped is added to the aforementioned permeate stream to obtain a permeate stream enriched with one or more ions.

Abstract: A method for treating reverse osmosis concentrated water, comprises adding precipitant and oxidant to reverse osmosis concentrated water for treatment, filtering to obtain clear liquid, and adding catalyst for water treatment to clear liquid for catalytic oxidation to obtain a first-stage treated water. Optionally, the liquid may be subjected after catalytic oxidation to an adsorption treatment; performing reverse osmosis treatment on first-stage treated water to obtain second-stage reverse osmosis product water and second-stage reverse osmosis concentrated water; and adding oxidant to second-stage reverse osmosis concentrated water for oxidation treatment to obtain directly discharged effluent water. The obtaining of effluent water may further comprise subjecting liquid after oxidation treatment to adsorption treatment. The above method can recycle 75-85 wt % of water, and operates easily.

Abstract: An integrated forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) module and systems and methods incorporating the module is disclosed providing higher efficiencies and using less energy. The FO-MD module is osmotically and thermally isolated. The isolation can prevent mixing of FO draw solution/FO permeate and MD feed, and minimize dilution of FO draw solution and cooling of MD feed. The module provides MD feed solution and FO draw solution streams that flow in the same module but are separated by an isolation barrier. The osmotically and thermally isolated FO-MD integrated module, systems and methods offer higher driving forces of both FO and MD processes, higher recovery, and wider application than previously proposed hybrid FO-MD systems.

Abstract: Provided are filter media for liquid filters and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a thin filter layer is formed and the content of nanofibers weighs light, by laminating a low weight nanofiber web on a porous nonwoven fabric, and thus a less differential pressure is applied before and after filtering, to thereby increase a pass flow rate. The filter medium includes: a porous support that plays a strength support role; and a nanofiber web that is laminated on one side of the porous support and is made of nanofibers of a polymer material, in which the nanofiber web comprises fine pores of a three-dimensional structure, through which a liquid to be treated passes, wherein content of the nanofibers is less than 5 gsm.

Abstract: Water treatment apparatus, including: a ceramic filter; and a flow apparatus operable to pass water through the ceramic filter in a forward direction so as to filter the water, the flow apparatus also operable to pass water through the ceramic filter in a reverse direction so as to remove material from the ceramic filter, whereby material having been deposited by filtration of the water is removed.