Abstract: A cell-capturing filter that filters out cells includes a metallic porous film having a plurality of through holes that extend through a first main surface and a second main surface, which are opposite to each other. The metallic porous film includes a filtering portion including the plurality of through holes, and a frame portion disposed to surround an outer periphery of the filtering portion. In the filtering portion, a first film thickness of the metallic porous film at a center of the filtering portion is smaller than a second film thickness of the metallic porous film at a portion located closer to the frame portion than the center of the filtering portion.

Abstract: A method of providing ultrapure water from feed water containing hardness forming ions, comprising at least the steps of passing the feed water successively through: (i) providing a feed water stream containing hardness forming ions: (ii) passing the feed water stream through a reverse osmosis (RO) unit to remove at least some ionic contamination to provide a RO permeate water stream: (iii) passing the RO permeate water stream though a capacitive de-ionisation (CDI) unit to remove at least some of the ions to provide a post-CDI stream: and (iv) passing the post-CDI stream through an electrodeionisation (EDI) unit to remove at least some of the ions and carbon dioxide and to provide an ultrapure water stream for dispense or storage. In this way, the capacitive deionisation provides a wholly or substantially continuous process for removing a proportion of unwanted ions, especially the hardness forming ions, from the feed water prior to the use of electrodeionisation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of concentrating an aqueous solution by low pressure under a zero osmotic pressure difference condition, and more particularly to a method of concentrating a solute-containing aqueous solution by low pressure under a zero osmotic pressure difference condition. When the method of the present invention is used, there are advantages in that energy consumption is low, and an aqueous solution can be concentrated until it can reach the maximum solute concentration or a solute concentration of 100%, without having to use an extraction solvent. In addition, there is an advantage in that the need to use a separate osmotic pressure draw solution is eliminated.

Abstract: Hydrophobic hollow-fiber membrane made from a vinylidene fluoride polymer with a wall and a wall thickness, an outer surface on its outer side, an inner surface on its inner side and facing its lumen and adjacent to the inner surface a supporting layer having a structure that is substantially isotropic across the wall thickness, the supporting layer extending over at least 80% of the wall thickness and comprising pores having an average diameter of less than 1 ?m, and wherein the hollow-fiber membrane has pores on its outer surface and on its inner surface, characterized in that the vinylidene fluoride polymer has a weight-average molecular weight MW in the range from 550 000 to 700 000 daltons and a polydispersivity greater than 3.0; the pores in the outer and in the inner surface are formed like islands and have a maximum ratio of their longitudinal extension to the transverse extension of 10; the porosity lies in the range from 50 to 90 vol.

Abstract: Underwater systems for data center cooling and water desalination are provided. Aspects of the systems include a data center subunit and a desalination subunit that are co-located with each other at an underwater location, where the desalination subunit is configured to receive warm water output from the data center. Aspects of the invention also include methods for cooling a data center and desalinating water using underwater systems as described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved semipermeable membranes based on acrylonitrile copolymers for use in dialyzers for the extracorporeal treatment of blood in conjunction with hemodialysis, hemofiltration or hemodiafiltration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of producing such membranes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment that comprises a device 1 for providing fresh dialysate and a drain 2 for used dialysate, a balancing device 4 for balancing fresh dialysate and used dialysate, an ultrafiltration device 15, and a dialyser 3 that is divided into a blood chamber 6 and a dialysate chamber 7 by a semi-permeable membrane 5. The invention further relates to a method for operating such an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment. The apparatus according to the invention is based on the use of the ultrafiltration device 15 of the blood treatment apparatus for raising the liquid level in the air separation device 12 on the secondary side of the dialysate system I. In the apparatus according to the invention, the ultrafiltration device 15 is designed such that the ultrafiltration device can be operated not only in an ultrafiltration mode, but also in a ventilation mode.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a coalescing separator apparatus includes a containment well configured to include a coalescing media an inlet on a first end wall and an outlet on a second end wall; a surface-skimming drain disposed in the containment well; and a modular weir comprising a weir front wall, a weir middle wall, and a weir back wall, each of which are coupled to two opposing weir side walls, a through-hole being disposed in the weir back wall, through which the outlet is disposed. A modular weir and method for quickly replacing, maintaining, or repairing a weir in a coalescing separator apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a first pretreatment system and a fluid source located below a reservoir. A first membrane housing has a reverse osmosis membrane therein. A first turbocharger includes a first pump portion and a first turbine portion. The first pump portion receives feed fluid from the first pretreatment system, pressurizing the feed fluid and communicates the feed fluid to the feed fluid inlet. The first turbine portion receives brine fluid from the brine outlet. The system further includes a second and third turbocharger. A second turbine portion and the third turbine portion receive brine fluid from the first turbine portion. Second feed fluid is communicated through a booster pump, a second pretreatment system, and second pump portion to increase a pressure of the second feed fluid. The second feed fluid is communicated to the third pump portion which communicates the pressurized second feed fluid to the first pump portion.

Abstract: The subject disclosure provides systems for electric power generation and water desalination. In certain aspects, the systems include a power generation unit such as a reciprocating generator or fuel cell having a water cooling subsystem configured to receive cool water and output warm water and a water desalination plant co-located with the power generation unit and configured to receive and desalinate the warm water. Aspects of the invention also include methods for cooling a power generation unit using a water cooling subsystem and desalinating water with a desalination plant that is co-located with the power generation unit.

Abstract: A high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system disc membrane assembly includes a frame having first and second end members and a plurality of rails extending between the first and second end members. At least two parallel support shafts are coupled to the frame, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs. The plurality of membrane discs associated with one of the at least two parallel support shafts is interspersed between the plurality of membrane discs associated with another of the at least two parallel support shafts. Each rail of the plurality of rails is configured to be received by a mounting rail within a vessel defining a treatment chamber. A permeate tube is coupled to each support shaft and in fluid communication with the membrane discs associated with that support shaft.

Abstract: In a cell-capturing filter including a metal porous membrane, degradation over time is determined earlier. A cell-capturing filter includes a metal porous membrane having a plurality of through-holes that penetrate between two principal surfaces facing each other. The metal porous membrane is made of an alloy of nickel and an element selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, and palladium, or a metal containing nickel as a main component. A metal containing copper as a main component is attached to a part of either one of the principal surfaces of the metal porous membrane. By checking a state change of the metal containing copper as a main component, degradation over time of the metal porous membrane can be determined earlier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the extracorporeal removal of protein-bound toxins from blood comprising at least one blood purification apparatus, in particular at least one dialysis machine, hemofilter or adsorber, as well as at least one means for generating a field in the blood purification apparatus and/or in an element in flow communication with the blood purification apparatus, in particular in a line section connected to the blood purification apparatus, wherein the means comprises at least two strip conductors which are arranged on at least two preferably oppositely disposed sides of the blood purification apparatus or of the element such that the field is preferably predominantly generated within the blood purification apparatus or preferably predominantly within the element.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a membrane housing comprising a reverse osmosis membrane therein. The membrane housing comprising a feed fluid inlet, a brine outlet and a permeate outlet. A first turbocharger has a first pump portion and a first turbine portion. The brine outlet is coupled to a first pipe directing a first portion of brine to the first pump portion. The first pump portion is in fluid communication with the feed fluid inlet. A feed pump communicates feed fluid to the feed fluid inlet through the first turbine portion. The brine outlet is coupled to a second pipe directing a second portion of brine toward a drain through a brine control valve.

Abstract: The present invention provides a separation material including porous polymer particles that comprise at least one of styrene and divinylbenzene as a monomer unit at a proportion of 90% by mass or more based on the total amount of the monomers; and a coating layer that comprises a macromolecule having hydroxyl groups and covers at least a portion of the surface of the porous polymer particles, wherein the coating amount provided by the coating layer is 1 to 15 mg/m2 per unit specific surface area of the porous polymer particles.

Abstract: This repair method for a hollow fiber membrane module is a method for repairing a leaking section occurring in the hollow fiber membrane module, the repair method having a repair step for using a repair adhesive that hardens due to a composite curing function that comprises a moisture-curing function and a photo-curing function, to repair the leaking section.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing antifouling coatings on reverse osmosis membranes with initiated vapor deposition or oxidative vapor deposition. The coatings enhance the stability and lifetime of membranes without sacrificing performance characteristics, such as permeability or salt retention.

Abstract: This invention relates to an asymmetric composite membrane containing a polymeric matrix and carbon nanotubes within a single membrane layer, where the carbon nanotubes are randomly oriented within the polymeric matrix and the composite membrane is formed by phase inversion. This invention also relates to a method for producing the composite membrane which includes: coating a surface with a film of a polymer solution containing a polymeric matrix and carbon nanotubes dissolved in at least one solvent; immersing the coated surface in a non-solvent to affect solvent/non-solvent demixing resulting in phase inversion to form a carbon nanotube-containing membrane; and optionally, removing the carbon nanotube-containing membrane from the surface. The invention also relates to a desalination method using the composite membrane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane distillation apparatus that comprises an evaporation part comprising a liquid phase part 1 in which water to be treated flows, a gas phase part 1, and a hydrophobic porous membrane that separates the liquid phase part 1 and the gas phase part 1, a condensation part comprising a liquid phase part 2 in which cooling water flows, a gas phase part 2, and a cooling member that separates the liquid phase part 2 and the gas phase part 2, and a gas phase part 3 connecting the gas phase part 1 with the gas phase part 2, wherein the pressure of the gas phase parts 1 to 3 is 1 kPa or higher and the saturated steam pressure of water at the temperature of water to be treated or lower.

Abstract: Described are silicon carbide filters for use with liquid metals such as liquid tin, as well as methods of using such a filter to remove particles from the liquid metal, and systems and processes that use the filtered liquid metal.