Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating flowing immiscible fluid phases of different specific gravities includes an elongate conduit having an inlet for receiving incoming fluids, an outlet for discharging separated fluids, a first end and an open second end. The outlet is formed by the open second end. The inlet is longitudinally spaced away from the outlet on the elongate conduit. A flow assembly is provided for creating cyclonic flow of the fluid from the inlet through the outlet of the elongate conduit in order to centrifugally separate the fluids so that that the separated fluids flow concentrically through the outlet. The separator can include an outer tank surrounding the elongate conduit.

Abstract: The instant invention provides a strip shaped filter material having a longitudinal plane with crimps molded therein for filtering a liquid or a gas comprising filter material being folded in a zigzag shape and having individual fold segments; said individual fold segments being held at a distance from one another via the crimps; said filter material having nondeformed filter strip segments adjacent to each crimp; said crimp having a zenith height; and the filter material having a thickness, in a cross section placed perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of the strip, which constantly decreases within the area of the crimps, starting from the nondeformed filter strip segments, up to the zenith height of the crimp, and that at the same time, the filter material is increasingly compressed in the direction of decreasing thickness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the high yield, cost efficient means of separating enantiomers. The process utilizes a supported liquid membrane and a chiral carrier which selectively complexes with one of the two enantiomeric optical configurations. The invention is also directed to an apparatus adaptable to the continuous and staged separation of enantiomers. In one embodiment, the apparatus utilizes a semi-permeable barrier and source and receiving locations each of which may be kept at temperatures which facilitate the complexation and dissociation processes.

Abstract: The invention comprises an improvement in a cleaning apparatus particularly useful for filters. A mechanism drives a hood into position adjacent partitions. A sealing member is selectively actuated to seal off at least one such compartment for cleaning while the remainder of the filter remains in service. Sealing is accomplished by interaction between the hood and the partitions. The invention also relates to techniques for selectively bringing the hood into contact with the partitions, and a construction of the hood and a media support plate which allows flexibility to lilft and scour the filter media using a gas to dislodge impurities, coupled with a liquid backwash involving drawing filtered water back through the media to carry away the impurities out of the filter.

Abstract: Non-brackish water can be produced from the brackish water found in many inactive oil wells. The inactive well is perforated at the level known to have brackish water and the water is pumped out. The brackish water is desalinated producing non-brackish water, preferably, potable water. A preferred method of desalination is by reverse osmosis.

Abstract: In a liquid purification system, a plenum defining walled housing including a blower and walled drain receptacle having protuberances to space the receptacle from the housing wall to define a lineally extending exhaust passage therebetween sized to provide sound baffling and air exhaustion, the housing further including a pair of filter casings and a pump which are mounted on a frame which absorbs vibrations of the pump independently of the housing.

Abstract: A process is provided for modifying a ceramic ultrafiltration membrane system consisting of a sub-microporous top layer and a microporous inorganic carrier whereby said top layer after modification has reduced pore size and/or is made catalytically active.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for filtering liquids. More particularly it is concerned with providing a clog-resistant filter of the kind in which a open end and with walls of metal, plastic or other suitable material bearing numerous perforations, is placed within a housing in such a manner that the liquid entering the housing must flow from the inside of the filter element out through the perforations in the latter, before it can leave the housing, with the result that solid material strained from the liquid flowing through the filter is retained within the filter element.

Abstract: The microfiltration of a turbid liquid, especially the microfiltration of a fermentation liquid to recover beer from a suspension containing excess yeast is controlled by measuring a flow velocity (v) and a pressure drop (.DELTA.p) and calculating from the flow velocity (v) and the pressure drop (.DELTA.p) by an apparatus-characteristic function F (v, .DELTA.p) containing the flow velocity (v) and pressure drop (.DELTA.p) as variables a value of concentration of the turbidity-producing solids in the retentate stream. The value of the concentration as thus determined forms an actual value which is compared with a setpoint value of the concentration to determine a difference which is used to control the rate at which the concentrate stream is withdrawn from the retentate stream.

Abstract: A composite semipermeable membrane having improved chlorine tolerance, produced by employing the development of a thin film polymer layer by precipitation of the polymer at the interface of an aqueous (or organic) liquid layer; and an aqueous emulsion polymer layer at or near the surface of a semiporous support or substrate. No chemical reaction is involved.

Abstract: An improved fluid pick-up assembly for the control of the flow of fluids upwardly through a pick-up tube from a fluid reservoir is disclosed comprising, a slidable tubular gate, disposed over a hollow tube having fluid inlet voids therein for fluid flow from said reservoir to said hollow tube, said gate sliding upwardly or downwardly over said inlet voids in response to a fluid level within said reservoir. Provision is also made for said fluid pick-up assembly in combination with an ultrafiltration device.

Abstract: The water filtration system according to the present invention includes a containment vessel(s) in which a filtration matrix is contained. The filtration matrix comprises a plurality of particles on which a regenerative membrane is formed directly on the surface. Through extensive experimentation, it has been found that the conditions suitable for reducing iron and manganese from water entering the vessel can be performed simply by controlling the amount of Fe.sup.3+ and pH in raw water entering the containment vessel. This is true even though the chemical characteristics of the underground water are changing.In one embodiment, the matrix comprises a plurality of polymeric particles selected from particles having specific gravity ranging from about 1.4 to about 2.7. Further, the particles have a nonuniformity coefficient no greater than about 2, and an average particle diameter ranging from about 1.0 mm to about 1.6 mm.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to non-porous isocyanurate-crosslinked polyurethane membranes. These membranes are useful for the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons from non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The separation can be performed using any commonly accepted membrane separation technique, e.g. reverse osmosis, dialysis, pervaporation or perstraction but is preferably performed under pervaporation or perstraction conditions.

Abstract: A twin filter comprises two filter housings 11 and 12 which are selectively supplied by a switchover device having a housing 13 with a liquid to be filtered. A closure slide 42 is movable in the housing 13 into two closed positions in which it blocks the supply of the liquid to one of the two filter housings. The closure slide 42 is released from its closed position for displacement into the respective other closed position by a releasing device in the form of a lifting device 48.

Abstract: In this process a percolation of supercritical gas through the starting material is conducted, the carbon dioxide loading with extractable compounds, then, when the percolation pressure reaches a predetermined value, the percolation medium is let down, feeding the latter into a separation zone in which the volatile compounds are trapped in the solid carbon dioxide formed, these compounds being recovered in aqueous solution after sublimation of CO.sub.2. According to the invention, the extraction is conducted, in the separation zone, in the presence of a trapping medium suitable for retaining the volatile compounds, advantageously a medium which has very low solubility in liquid or supercritical CO.sub.2 and is capable of dissolving the volatile compounds (glycerol or edible oil) or of complexing these (cyclodextrins). The starting material chosen has a lipid content which is not excessively high (especially fruits and derived products).

Abstract: Multiple bundle fluid separation apparatus having at least two hollow fiber membrane bundles arranged in end-to-end linear series encased in a shell or casing. The bundles are in communication with a core tube and are connected serially in such fashion that one end of one bundle is connected to one end of its adjacent bundle. There is also present an auxiliary permeate tube to convey permeate to a permeate exit port. The casing has appropriate ports for feed inlet, and retentate and permeate outlets.

Abstract: Semipermeable membranes comprised of certain sulfonated substituted polysulfone polymers containing the polymer repeat unit (A) or (B) as herein defined. The invention also pertains to processes for using said membranes for the selective permeation of at least one gaseous component from a mixture of gases containing said gaseous component in admixture with other gaseous components.

Abstract: A supported-fluid membrane process for the removal of inhibitory ammonia formed during the culturing of mammalian cells is disclosed.

Abstract: A fluid control mechanism for a fluid control system including a flexible fluid conduit with first and second gripping members to grip the conduit at preselected first and second locations, the gripping members being relatively movable to flex the conduit from a preselected minimum arc position to a maximum arc position to control the rate of fluid flow therethrough.

Abstract: A portable ultrafiltration device is disclosed comprising a prefilter, pump, membrane filter cartridges, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, process interdiction and control means placed to detect temperature and pressure variations of a feed mixture being processed by the device, and means cooperating with said temperature and pressure means to interdict the operation of the device to prevent damage to the components.