Abstract: A method of forming a filter with uniform pore sizes includes synthesizing a moiety so as to form a plurality of like platelets having a precisely sized pore extending therethrough, distributing the plurality of like platelets about a membrane having apertures therethrough, and bonding the plurality of platelets around the apertures to form precisely sized pores through the membrane. A filtration membrane is also disclosed which provides a porous membrane having a plurality of apertures therethrough, and a plurality of platelets, wherein each platelet has a pore therethrough. The platelets are positioned over or in the apertures.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silica membrane filter includes performing, at least once, a fired membrane forming operation having a membrane forming step of applying, to a porous substrate, a precursor sol which is a sol of a silicon alcoxide including a p-tolyl group to form a precursor sol membrane, a drying step of drying the precursor sol membrane formed in the porous substrate to form a dried membrane, and a firing step of firing the dried membrane formed in the porous substrate to form a fired membrane, thereby preparing the silica membrane filter including the porous substrate and a silica membrane which is the fired membrane formed in the porous substrate, and a ratio of a total mass of the silica membrane to a total mass of the dried membrane is 38 mass % or more and 85 mass % or less.

Abstract: A liquid treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a dielectric tube that defines a channel through which water to be treated flows, the channel being split upstream of the dielectric tube into a first channel and a second channel, the first channel and the second channel being merged with each other downstream of the dielectric tube, a first electrode at least partially disposed within the first channel, a second electrode at least partially disposed within the first channel, a first gas-supply unit that supplies gas to form a gas bubble into water to be treated that flows through the first channel, and a first power-supply that applies a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A separation membrane includes a membrane comprising a polymer, characterized in that a functional layer is formed on the surface in one side of the membrane, the peak area percentage of carbon derived from ester group measured by the electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) on the surface of the preceding functional layer is 0.1% (by atomic number) or more but not more than 10 (% by atomic number), and the peak area percentage of carbon derived from ester group measured by the electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) on the surface opposite to the functional layer is not more than 10 (% by atomic number). A separation membrane module suffering from little sticking of organic matters, proteins, platelets and so on is provided with the separation membrane as a built-in membrane.

Abstract: A system and method for treating water or sewage is provided. The system can include a screening tank, a septic tank, a flocculant and mixing reactor, a primary clarifier, a secondary clarifier, a sludge dewatering tank, a surge tank, one or more filter tanks and a disinfection tank. The method can include the steps of receiving water or sewage to be treated and passing it through a screening tank and septic tank, a flocculant reactor, a primary clarifier, a secondary clarifier, a sludge dewatering tank, a surge tank, one or more filter tanks and a disinfection tank.

Abstract: A thin film composite polyamide membrane comprising a porous support and a thin film polyamide layer characterized by possessing an azo (—N?N—) content of from 0.75% to 0.95%, as measured by pyrolysis gas chromatography.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous polymer flat-sheet membrane for MBR wherein surface of the porous polymer membrane is kept hydrophilic for a long period and high water permeability and anti-fouling properties are kept. A porous polymer flat-sheet membrane for MBR comprising a hydrophobic porous polymer membrane forming a network structure and a sheet substrate supporting it, characterized in that at least surface of the porous polymer membrane is coated and fixed with an insolubilized hydroxypropyl cellulose, that a ratio of the hydroxypropyl cellulose to the porous polymer membrane is 0.4 to 1.0% by weight and that, when NMR spectrum of the hydroxypropyl cellulose coated on and fixed to the membrane is measured using a nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus (proton NMR), an intensity ratio (B/A) of a spectral peak (B) appearing at 4.12 ppm to a spectral peak (A) appearing at 3.75 ppm is 12 to 30%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive draw solute that can be applied to water desalination and purification based on forward osmosis. The thermo-responsive draw solute has a molar mass of 50 to 3000 g/mol and undergoes a phase transition at a temperature of 0° C. to 70° C. The thermo-responsive draw solute creates optimum conditions for the desalination of seawater and the purification of contaminated water based on forward osmosis. The present invention also relates to a method for water desalination and purification using the thermo-responsive draw solute. The method consumes little energy for water desalination or purification, is simple to apply to water desalination or purification, and enables separation of the draw solute in a very easy manner.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of separating a fluid emulsion stream into a hydrocarbon stream and an aqueous stream, by contacting the stream with a microporous membrane to yield a hydrocarbon product stream and an aqueous product stream. The membrane comprises a substantially hydrophobic, polymeric matrix, and substantially hydrophilic, finely divided, particulate, substantially water-insoluble filler distributed throughout the matrix. The polymeric matrix has a mean pore size less than 1.0 micron, and the purities of the product streams are independent of the flux rate of the aqueous product stream and the pore size of the membrane.

Abstract: An organic/inorganic composite membrane may include hydrophilic inorganic particles dispersed in an organic polymer matrix having finger-like pores. The hydrophilic inorganic particles may be present at a higher concentration near one surface of the membrane having a higher density than the other surface of the membrane having a lower density.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of filtration membrane modules including porous membranes and methods and structures associated with potting ends of the porous membranes in the membrane modules. In one example, there is provided a method of forming a filtration module. The method comprises securing a portion of a porous membrane in a pre-pot, positioning at least a portion of the pre-pot in a potting mold, introducing a pot forming substance into the potting mold, the pot forming substance surrounding at least a portion of the pre-pot and at least a portion of the porous membrane, curing the second pot forming substance to form a membrane pot, and separating the membrane pot from the potting mold.

Abstract: A method for preparing a homogeneous braid-reinforced (HMR) PPTA hollow fiber membrane combines PPTA hollow tubular braids with PPTA surface separation layer. The method includes following steps of: (1) preparing the PPTA hollow tubular braids, wherein the PPTA hollow tubular braids which are made from PPTA filament yarns are woven by a two-dimensional braided method, the outer diameter of the PPTA tubular braids is 1-2 mm; (2) preparing the PPTA casting solution as the surface separation layer, wherein the 1-3 wt % PPTA resin, 0-2 wt % inorganic particles and 10-20 wt % pore-forming agents are mixed into 75-89% inorganic acid solvent, stirred for 1-3 hours at 70° C.-90° C. to form homogeneous and transparent casting solution; and (3) preparing reinforced PPTA hollow fiber membrane, wherein the casting solution as the surface separation layer is evenly coated on the surfaces of the PPTA hollow tubular braids through spinneret, and they are immersed in a coagulation bath for solidified formation.

Abstract: A system for converting contaminated water, such as produced water, frack flow back water, and other contaminated water from industrial sources into fresh, non-contaminated, or potable water includes a registration and verification unit for registering intake water loads and verifying their content; a receiving system for temporarily isolating each load; an equalization basin for creating an homogenized water source; an electro-coagulation unit in which one or more of the voltage, current, pulse frequency and application time are variable and controlled by one or more of a conductivity sensor; a pH sensor; a level sensor; an ultrafiltration unit for removing organics; a nanofiltration unit; a reverse osmosis unit, and an electrodyalisis unit. The processed concentrate remaining after the water is converted is dewatered via a forward osmosis unit.

Abstract: Provided herein are copolymers and copolymer compositions that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic. The copolymers include structural units derived from a fluoroalkyl monomer and a zwitterionic monomer. It further relates to membranes formed by coating a porous substrate with the copolymeric compositions. The copolymeric coating imparts hydrophilicity and oleophobicity/oil-tolerance to the membranes. The uses of such membranes as microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane are also provided.

Abstract: Nitrogen doped TiO2 (N—TiO2) is used to fabricate Poly(vinyledene fluoride) (PVDF)/N—TiO2 mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) through a phase inversion method to improve filtration efficiencies and antifouling properties. The membranes performances were evaluated based on the water permeability, humic acid (HA) rejection and antifouling properties. Resulting membranes showed brown color and improved hydrophilicity, especially under light irradiation. When compared to original PVDF and PVDF/P25 membrane, mixed matrix membranes containing N—TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) showed clear photocatalytic activities under visible light irradiation. Also, membrane performance assessments indicated that PVDF/N—TiO2 membranes possessed enhanced water flux, similar HA rejection (e.g., above 96%) and improved fouling resistance with PVDF membranes as a control.

Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a filter medium for a water treatment filter having contradictory characteristics, that is, hydrophilicity and chemical resistance, and a long life, and to provide the production method thereof. A filter medium for a water treatment filter according to the present invention is characterized in comprising a porous base material having a hydrophilic coating layer; wherein the hydrophilic coating layer has a cross-linked hydrophilic polymer and a high electron density part; a hydrophilic polymer in the cross-linked hydrophilic polymer is cross-linked with an aliphatic saturated hydrocarbon group which may contain one or more functional groups selected from a group consisting of an ether group, a hydroxy group and an amino group; the high electron density part has ? electrons; and the high electron density part is covalently bonded to the cross-linked hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: Provided is a semipermeable membrane having at least a separating functional layer, wherein azo compounds are retained in the separating functional layer, and the separating functional layer has a yellow index of 10 to 40. Also provided is a method of producing the semipermeable membrane. The present invention provides a semipermeable membrane having not only high water permeability but also high rejection performance even for substances that are nondissociative in the neutral range, such as boric acid, and showing high durability and a manufacturing method therefor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a separation membrane for membrane distillation, including a feed water side for feeding raw water and a treated water side for discharging treated water, wherein the separation membrane is provided in bent form by a support frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite filter media for use in a fuel stream wherein the composite media provides significantly improved resistance to water penetration as indicated by the FWWPP normalized for fuel IFT and a reduced resistance to flow of the fuel stream as indicated by the Ratio of Resistances.

Abstract: The filtration membrane (102) includes an ozone producing circuit (120) having a plurality of electrically conductive lines (122, 124) disposed directly upon an active surface (102a) of the filtration membrane (102). The electrically conductive lines (122, 124) form spaced-apart and interleaved anodes (122) and cathodes (124). Ozone and other mixed oxidants coming from the ozone producing circuit (120) will prevent and/or remove biofilm formations on the active surface (102a) without the need of an outside source of gas. They can also remove at least some undesirable dissolved gases from the liquid being purified.