Abstract: The invention relates to 100% renewably-powered desalination/water purification stations for universal applications, the station is disruptive, scalable, amphibious and deportable to seawater, brackish or spill oil sites for simple wave-powered and autonomous operations, the station has a mooring assembly with pumping-purification-delivery subsystems powered by wave and solar energies, the pumping subsystems has the simplest, most efficient wave push/pull pump mechanisms powered by amplified wave centrifugal forces , the mechanical purifications has turbine filters, reverse-osmosis filters, forward-osmosis filters and relief valves to backwash buildups without releasing brine, release water through collecting spill oil, the solar thermal purifications are provided with distilling processes under vaccine conditions, the delivery subsystems with wave turbines and solar panels for generating electricity, propellering and transferring the stations for delivering fresh waters to destinations under GPS guide with t

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for use with a pump. The method includes, (a) placing liquid in a tube coupled to the pump, (b) injecting an air bubble into the tube in a manner that does not increase pressure within the tube, and such that there is a predetermined volume of liquid between the air bubble and the pump, (c) using the pump to advance the air bubble along the tube to the bubble detector of the pump, (d) using the pump, assessing accuracy of the pump by automatically measuring the volume of liquid pumped to advance the air bubble to the bubble detector, and (e) using the pump to continue advancing the air bubble along the tube, past the bubble detector, and using the pump to measure a volume of the air bubble. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: A method of filtering a liquid feed is described, comprising passing a liquid feed through a single pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) system and recovering the retentate and permeate from the system in separate containers. A method of filtering a liquid feed is also described comprising passing a liquid feed through a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system, recovering permeate and a portion of the retentate from the system in separate containers without recirculation through the TFF system, and recirculating the remainder of the retentate through the TFF system at least once. The methods of the invention can be performed using an SPTFF or a TFF system that comprises manifold segments to serialize the flow path of the feed and retentate without requiring diverter plates.

Abstract: A regenerative filter that includes a filter housing having inlet and outlet zones; a fluid path provided between the inlet and outlet zones; a plurality of filter elements each having an outer surface filter media applied thereto and functioning to filter particulate or contaminants from the fluid path; and a tube sheet that is supported across the filter housing, that is disposed just before the outlet zone and that provides the support for the plurality of filter elements. The plurality of filter elements are disposed in an array and includes bridging members or elements that connect between adjacent filter elements, and that forms with the filter elements, a closed interstitial space between adjacent filter elements for liquid flow; a nanoscale barrier on interior surfaces, including that of the regenerative media itself, providing a mechanism to disrupt the cell wall of microscopic viruses and organisms.

Abstract: A gas separation membrane, a method for making the gas separation membrane, and a method for using the gas separation membrane are provided. An exemplary gas separation membrane includes a polyether-block-polyamide (PEBA) matrix and a cross-linked network including functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles dispersed through the PEBA matrix.

Abstract: A water purifying apparatus including a head having a water inlet portion and a water outlet portion; a shaft provided in the head and rotatably mounted between the water inlet portion and the water outlet portion; a bypass flow path passing through a circumference of the shaft, and communicating the water inlet portion with the water outlet portion according to rotation of the shaft; a filter detachably mounted to the head, and having a filter inserting portion in which the shaft is inserted when being mounted on the head; and a filtering flow path in which an inlet port and an outlet port are formed on the circumference of the shaft in a direction intersecting the bypass flow path, and communicated between the filter, the water inlet portion and the water outlet portion with each other according to the rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a porous device (10) is described. The method comprises creating (340) a carbon nanomembrane (40) on a top surface (22) of a base material (20) having latent pores (23) and etching (360) the latent pores (23) in the base material (20) to form open pores (24). The porous device (10) can be used as a filtration device.

Abstract: A filtering device is for obtaining a chemical liquid by purifying a liquid to be purified, and has an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a filter A, at least one filter B different from the filter A, and a flow path which includes the filter A and the filter B arranged in series between the inlet portion and the outlet portion and extends from the inlet portion to the outlet portion, in which the filter A includes at least one kind of porous membrane selected from the group consisting of a first porous membrane having a porous base material made of polytetrafluoroethylene and a non-crosslinked coating which is formed to cover the porous base material and contains a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer and a second porous membrane containing polytetrafluoroethylene blended with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer.

Abstract: A membrane distillation apparatus includes a housing and an impeller. The housing includes a hot medium compartment, a cold medium compartment, an air gap compartment, a membrane, and a thermally conductive plate. The hot medium compartment includes a hot medium inlet configured to receive a hot medium stream including water. The cold medium compartment includes a cold medium inlet configured to receive a cold medium stream. The membrane defines pores that are sized to allow water vapor originating from the hot medium stream to pass from the hot medium compartment through the membrane to the air gap compartment. The thermally conductive plate and the cold medium stream are cooperatively configured to condense the water vapor from the hot medium stream. The air gap compartment is substantially filled with air and includes a permeate outlet configured to discharge the condensed water vapor. The impeller is disposed within the air gap compartment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filtering panel (100) for a disk filter and a disk filter for water purification, comprising a metal filter cloth (16, 116) such as a stainless steel filter cloth, pre-tensioned in both warp and weft directions and fastened to a frame (10, 110) comprising a peripheral portion (11, 111), which is integral with an inner grillwork (12) and which divides the inner area of the peripheral portion (11, 111) into fields (15, 115). The frame (10, 110) comprises a plastic material reinforced with glass fibers or carbon fibres such as polypropylene loaded with fibreglass in an amount of at least 20 weight percent. Each field of the grillwork (12, 112) has an area not exceeding 10% of the inner area of the peripheral portion (11, 111). The pre-tensioning of the filter cloth (16, 116) in both directions is from at least 20% of the yield stress of the cloth (16, 116).

Abstract: A perfluorocarbon-free membrane composed of a non-perfluorocarbon material having a first side and a second side opposite of the first side. The perfluorocarbon-free membrane also includes a plurality of pores, each having an inlet and outlet and each passing through the non-perfluorocarbon material so that each pore provides fluidic communication between the first and second sides of the non-perfluorocarbon material. A portion of the non-perfluorocarbon material extends over the inlet and outlet of each the plurality of pores so that a cross-sectional area of the inlets and outlets in a direction of the extension of the non-perfluorocarbon material is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the respective pore in the direction of the extension of the non-perfluorocarbon material. The perfluorocarbon-free membrane does not include a hydrophobic perfluorocarbon coating.

Abstract: A draw solute for forward osmosis membrane process, comprising an addition polymer obtained by addition polymerization of an alkylene oxide having 2 to 10 carbon atoms to an amine compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing lipid particles that have a desired particle diameter, the method comprising: (A) a step for preparing, in a first mixing region, a primary dilution by mixing a first solution containing a lipid and an alcohol with a second solution containing water; (B) a step for feeding the primary dilution from the first mixing region to a second mixing region through a liquid feed pipe within a prescribed time; and (C) a step for preparing a secondary dilution by mixing the primary dilution with a third solution containing water in the second mixing region, wherein the steps (A)-(C) are continuously carried out, and the particle diameter of the lipid particles is controlled by adjusting at least one condition selected from the group consisting of the concentration of the alcohol and the concentration of the lipid in the primary dilution, the prescribed time, and the temperature during mixing.

Abstract: A filtering device is for obtaining a chemical liquid by purifying a liquid to be purified, and has an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a filter A, at least one filter B different from the filter A, and a flow path which includes the filter A and the filter B arranged in series between the inlet portion and the outlet portion and extends from the inlet portion to the outlet portion, in which the filter A includes at least one kind of porous membrane selected from the group consisting of a first porous membrane having a porous base material made of polytetrafluoroethylene and a non-crosslinked coating which is formed to cover the porous base material and contains a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer and a second porous membrane containing polytetrafluoroethylene blended with a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer.

Abstract: A bilayer electrospun membranes for treating hydraulic fracking wastewater via membrane distillation, and more particularly to bilayer electrospun membranes having an omniphobic layer to prevent low-surface tension solution wicking and an oleophobic antifouling surface to prevent foulant depositing on the membrane. Nanoparticles are decorated on the omniphobic surface through electrochemical interaction, which is coated with a fluorine monomer on the nanoparticles. A zwitterionic co-polymer is grafted using self-assembly between hydroxy groups on the antifouling surface generated by alkaline treatment and anchor segment epoxy groups on zwitterionic co-polymer.

Abstract: An ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) membrane has at least one nanoporous UHMWPE film, where each of the nanoporous UHMWPE film is biaxial oriented with a thickness of 0.1 to 12 ?m and pores that exclude particles in excess of 10 nm with a total porosity of 65 to 75 percent. The nanoporous UHMWPE film can be coated or laminated by a hydrophilic polymer to form a Janus membrane and can be made with a multilayer composite structure. The UHMWPE membrane can be used in a device for molecular distillation (MD), reverse osmosis (RO), or forward osmosis (FO).

Abstract: The present invention provides, in various embodiments, hybrid single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies, disposable single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies, scalable single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies and adaptable modular single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies. In other embodiments, the invention relates to processes for recovering proteins from the surface of a filtration membrane in a single-pass tangential flow filtration assembly and for cleaning a tangential flow filtration assembly. In additional embodiments, the invention provides methods of increasing the processing capacity of a single-pass tangential flow filtration assembly.

Abstract: A polysulfone membrane is modified so that monomers are wafted onto the surface of the membrane. The polysulfone membranes can be grafted by contacting the membrane with a grafting solution and exposing the membrane to electromagnetic radiation, typically within the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. The monomers that are grafted are typically anionic or cationic. The grafted membranes can be used for filtering impurities, such as positively and negatively charged particles, from a liquid. Anionic membranes provide improved filtration of negatively charged impurities, while cationic membranes provide improved filtration of positively charged impurities.

Abstract: A method for making a graphene membrane includes applying a suspension of graphene platelets in a fluid onto a porous substrate, and applying a pressure differential to force the fluid through the substrate to yield a filtered fluid while retaining the graphene platelets on the substrate. The graphene platelets and the substrate form the graphene membrane.

Abstract: The invention belongs to the technical field of composite membrane, and in particular discloses a UIO-66-NH2 doped organosilicon high salinity wastewater treatment membrane and a preparation method thereof. The membrane is formed into UIO-66-NH2/organosilicon hybrid membrane on the prefabricated ceramic support surface through the dip-coating method by doping the UIO-66-NH2 metal-organic framework material into the organosilicon polymeric sol. The UIO-66-NH2/organosilicon hybrid membrane prepared by the present invention exhibits high water permeability (up to 1.6×10?10 m3/(m2 s Pa) and high salt retention (NaCl retention rate is more than 99.9. %) in the application of pervaporation desalination, and maintains stable membrane structure in the treatment process of TDS>5 wt % high salinity wastewater.