Abstract: This invention relates to a reverse osmosis membrane module for separating a selected fluid component from a feed stock. The module comprises a mandrel having an axial passageway forming a flow path for the selected fluid component through the mandrel. A flow guide means is attached to the mandrel and forms a channel for the selected fluid component as it flows through the membrane module. A plurality of generally rectangular membrane envelopes are joined to the flow guide mandrel and are formed from a plurality of elongated permeate collector sheets each forming a flow path for the selected fluid component from the outer periphery of the envelope to the flow guide. A plurality of folded sheets of support material with each sheet having predetermined membrane areas where reverse osmosis occurs are joined to the collector sheets so as to form the membrane envelope. Each sheet of support material is formed such that there are no fold lines on the membrane areas where reverse osmosis occurs.

Abstract: The invention concerns a membrane filtration type hollow fiber. It is composed of a single material phase which material is a chain high polymer such as cellulose acetate and capable of forming fibers by the spinning of the high polymer. The cylindrical wall defining the hollow fiber represents a three-dimensional net-like structure of fine filtering passages. This structure occupies substantially the whole mass of the tubular wall or a closed ring band zone when seen in any cross-section of the wall, providing thus an effective and active filtering zone. The pore rate amounts to at least 55%, and active points of the filtering passages for governing minimum passable sizes of the passages for solids included in a filtering liquor to be treated upon are distributed at random throughout at least the active zone. These sizes are nearly uniform.

Abstract: Apparatus for selectively separating matter between a first fluid and a second fluid through semi-permeable membranes. The apparatus comprises a plurality of elongated frame assemblies, each of which define an elongated contact chamber for the second fluid. A plurality of tubular semi-permeable membrane for the first fluid are disposed in each of the contact chambers of the frame assemblies. The plurality of elongated frame assemblies are stacked together with the elongated contact chambers thereof being in side by side relationship. Fluid communication means are provided for the stacked frame assemblies for providing fluid communication between the contact chambers of the frame assemblies through which the second fluid is adapted to be conducted. Sealing means are provided for sealing the tubular semi-permeable membranes from the contact chambers so that there is no contact between the first and second fluids.

Abstract: An artificial lung having first and second oxygen blowing stages formed therein. The device comprises an outermost blood reservoir tube having top and bottom walls formed thereon, a plurality of oxygenation tubes disposed coaxially with the blood reservoir tube defining passages for blood therebetween, a first oxygen blowing stage formed under the oxygenation tubes for blowing oxygen gas into the blood introduced through an inlet for blood and a second or auxiliary oxygen blowing stage formed around the first oxygen blowing stage.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a capillary mass transfer device suitable for use as an artificial kidney or an artificial lung and including a plurality of capillary tubes through which blood may flow. The capillary tubes are carried by sheet material which defines wall portions of passages in which the capillary tubes are disposed and through which a second fluid (dialysate) flows. The sheet material with the tubes arranged thereon may either be continuous and spirally wound or may be in the form of separate sheets and arranged in stacks.

Abstract: Improved efficiency of reverse-osmosis and ultrafiltration processes is achieved by backwashing membranes by means of electroosmosis. This is achieved by application of an electric potential across the membrane, thereby causing a backflow of water through the membrane.

Abstract: A filter press provided with a spray cleansing device of the kind described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,042 granted Aug. 15, 1978 to wash filter plates of the press disposed in a stack on horizontal guides in which the spray device comprises a support frame which moves along the stack of plates on the horizontal guides. Two branch conduits of the device are fitted with nozzles and surround a plate being washed to spray wash the plate simultaneously from both sides. The specific improvement in the present invention comprises a novel spray water catch basin which has a width more than twice the spacing between the branch conduits. Movable segments on both sides of the catch basin are provided which may be pivoted about a perpendicular axis to adapt the catch basin to many locations along the filter press.

Abstract: The invention concerns a haemodialyzer of the type comprising a semipermeable flattened tubular membrane wound in spiral configuration from one end with an interposed insert around a mandrel member, means for connecting the interior of said membrane at its ends to conduits for the admission and discharge of blood, the assembly being housed in a casing in which said mandrel member comprises at least two similar elongated elements which are connected together.

Abstract: In the ultrafiltration of liquids such as vinegar, wine, etc., the liquid to be filtered is fed from and back to a circulating tank through at least one filtration circuit including at least two serially connected, vertically spaced, non-horizontal filter modules through each of which the liquid flows from top to bottom. Each filter module consists of a pipe enclosing a bundle of capillary tubes of semi-permeable membrane material and having a lateral outlet for filtered liquid. Each two successive filter modules are separated from one another by a fall interval zone through which unfiltered liquid can flow with a negligibly low pressure drop from the outlet of the upper filter module to the inlet of the lower one, and each fall interval zone is so arranged that the pressure drop occurring in the upper one of each two successive filter modules is equalized, to the extent of about 0.5 to 1.

Abstract: Filter press consisting of a frame having a fixed head, with guides for filter plates provided with communicating ducts and having supply and discharge connections and with a loose head having a clamping device for clamping a set of filter plates against the fixed head, wherein a carriage or slide is situated above the filter plates for travel along horizontal guides and is provided with means which can be moved vertically with respect to the carriage or slide to release a plate from the set of plates and establish a coupling with the plate such that the plate is driven when the carriage or slide is moved.

Abstract: A filter holding assembly capable of being used to filter pressurized fluid from a source of the latter, with the assembly capable of being dismantled without the use of hand tools to occupy a minimum of space, and the assembly likewise capable of being transformed without the use of hand tools to a unit in which first and second mating plates support a large diameter filter membrane in a position to be subjected to the pressurized fluid. Particulates in the fluid above a predetermined size are deposited on the membrane, with the balance of the fluid discharging as a filtrate from the assembly. The first and second plates when in mating engagement define a centered confined space in which the membrane and a supporting screen are disposed, and the membrane having the peripheral edge portion thereof in sealing contact with a compressed resilient ring to prevent the pressurized fluid in the centered confined space by-passing the membrane.

Abstract: Apparatus for selectively separating matter between a first fluid and a second fluid through semi-permeable membranes. The apparatus comprises frame means defining first and second contact zones, each of which is in turn comprised of first and second contact chambers. A plurality of tubular semi-permeable membranes are disposed in each of the contact chambers. Each of the tubular membranes has an inlet end and an outlet end, and is adapted to conduct a least a portion of a first fluid from the inlet end to the outlet end. Barrier means are provided between the first contact zone and the second contact zone for preventing fluid communication therebetween. Fluid communication means are provided in each of the contact zones for providing fluid communication between the first contact chamber and the second contact chamber of each of the contact zones so that fluid in each of the contact zones flows substantially throughout both the first and second contact chambers thereof around a plurality of tubular membranes.

Abstract: A non-wicking polyurethane casting system has been developed which comprises the reaction product obtained by admixing a polyol containing N-N-N'-N'-tetrakis (2-hydroxypropyl) ethylene diamine, (hereafter referred to as QUADROL) with an isocyanate terminated polyurethane based prepolymer. This non-wicking casting system is useful as a potting compound in biomedical applications such as dialysis and hemoultrafiltration devices and the like.

Abstract: Transversely-fed permeators containing a plurality of selectively permeable hollow fibers suitable for the selective permeation of at least one fluid in a fluid mixture containing at least one other fluid, said fibers being generally parallelly oriented within an elongated shell, are provided with at least one essentially fluid impermeable partition which is substantially transverse to the orientation of the hollow fibers and intermediate a fluid ingress means and a fluid egress means, each of said fluid ingress means and fluid egress means communicating through the elongated shell to the exterior of the hollow fibers, said at least one partition defining zones in said permeator, wherein the zone into which the fluid ingress means communicates is significantly smaller in available membrane surface area to effect the fluid separation than the available membrane surface area in at least one subsequent zone, and means for fluid communication between said zones such that the fluid flow in each zone is substantial

Abstract: Apparatus for mass transfer between fluids, comprises two permeable membranes with a porous membrane support sandwiched therebetween, all pleated together with an accordian pleat to form a pleat package, and sealed in a casing to define three flow channels from one end of the casing to the other, to form a filter having a large filter area in a minimum amount of space for use as a dialyzer or as an ultrafilter in the treatment of blood. By selection of different membrane materials, the apparatus may also be used for oxygenation of blood, and three different fluids, including both gases and liquids, may be treated.

Abstract: A device for removal of excess water from blood is formed by having a plurality of solution chambers and a plurality of blood chambers arranged alternately, partitioning the adjoining ones of the alternately disposed chambers by insertion of semi-permeable membranes one each along the boundaries thereof and having a sorbent retained in the form of a bed inside the blood chambers, whereby the blood containing waste material and excess water in consequence of renal insufficiency is freed from such fouling substances by causing the blood to flow through the blood chambers in order for the beds of sorbent to deprive the blood of the waste material through sorption and for the high concentration solutions flowing through the adjoining solution chambers to deprive the blood of the excess water through osmosis effected through the medium of the semi-permeable membranes.

Abstract: The invention relates to semipermeable membranes with a water absorption capacity of from 4.5 to 10% by weight preferably from 4.5 to 8% by weight as measured on approximately 40.mu. thick symmetrical films at room temperature and 65% relative air humidity, with a throughflow of at least 80 1/m.sup.2 d for a desalination level of at least 85% and consisting of a fully aromatic copolyamide with a relative viscosity of .gtoreq.1,4, as measured on a 0.5% N-methyl pyrrolidone solution at a temperature of 20.degree. C.

Abstract: A disc filter assembly in which a plurality of filter discs are attached to a central shaft. The central shaft is a fabrication which has a central mandrel. Pipe segments are removably secured around the mandrel with their longitudinal axes parallel to the mandrel's longitudinal axis. The pipe segments have walls which define a trapezoid in cross-section. The walls are positioned such that two side walls define planes which converge relatively close to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. Each pipe has at least one aperture through which filtrate from the interior of the disc filter segment passes to the interior of the pipe. The pipe is in fluid communication with an end piece having apertures therethrough. The end piece apertures have a trapezoidal cross-section corresponding to the trapezoidal shape of the pipe interior. A wear plate is attached to the outer end of the end piece and has trapezoidal apertures therethrough which are aligned with the apertures of the end piece.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying blood has a blood compartment and a clearance compartment separated by a semi-permeable membrane. The apparatus includes a device containing a cation exchange resin charged with metal ions whose phosphates are insoluble in water. Metal salts of iron, aluminium, zirconium, lanthanum, thorium and tin are deposited on a cation exchange material and the charged cation exchange resin is contacted with dialysis liquid. The process of treating blood with the dialysis liquid is also contemplated.

Abstract: A supporting net is disclosed including an outer layer of first strands, said first strands being spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other; an intermediate supporting layer of second strands; and an inner layer of third strands, said third strands being spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other, said third strands being substantially parallel to said first strands and being in a spaced relationship to said first strands such that upon clamping a membrane between said supporting net and a second supporting net of the same construction the first strands of the outer layer of said second supporting net penetrate into the spaces between the third strands of the inner layer of the said supporting net so as to clamp the membrane against the intermediate supporting layers of both of the supporting nets.