Abstract: Cartridges useful in regenerating or purifying dialysis solutions are described as well as methods to regenerate or purify spent dialysis solutions. Dialysis systems using the sorbent cartridges of the present invention are further described.

Abstract: An inline backwash, flushing filter assembly comprising a header assembly, a rotatable valve assembly, and a filter element assembly disposed within a filter housing assembly. In operation, the controller moves the turn knob of the rotatable valve assembly a one-quarter turn which results in the reversal of fluid flow through the assembly to periodically back flush the filter utilizing fluid from the system inlet. Debris removed from the filter element during the backwash process are immediately discharged from the system through a drain port. Simultaneously, the hydraulic shearing mechanism of the backwash process dislodges and drains debris which may have accumulated on the screen and at the bottom of the lower filter assembly during normal filter operations. The controller then returns the filter assembly to filtration operation by a reverse one-quarter turn of the turn knob of the rotatable valve assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter arrangement for the separation of blood into plasma and cellular components, comprising at least one filter element with an inlet line and an outlet chamber in a closed housing, separated by a fine pore membrane. The inlet chamber is connected to an inlet line for donor blood an dan outlet line for cellular components and the outlet chamber is connected to an outlet line for plasma. The arrangement further comprises a device for the production of a backpressure in the filter element, whereby the fine pore membrane is in the form of a U-shaped bundle of n=650 hollow fibers of the type Micro PES-TF 10 from Akzo Faser AG, the ends of which are fixed in an air-tight and germ-tight manner to an aperture plate which seals the open end region of the housing, which is open at just one end, in an air-tight and germ-tight manner.

Abstract: A plasma- or serum-collecting device with simple structure and easy to handle is provided. The device comprises a vacuum blood drawing tube accommodating a blood-filtering unit, wherein the vacuum tube contains a space above the blood-filtering unit to preserve blood to be filtered and a partition wall under the blood-filtering unit to keep a backspace at reduced pressure, and the blood-filtering unit contains a communicating needle to break the partition wall at the bottom.

Abstract: A multi-component drain and/or serving tray apparatus. A perforated drain tray is provided that has an opening which accommodates a drain plug. The drain plug may be configured for draining various sized canned goods. A bottom and/or top housing member may be provided to receive drainage materials or to cover food items, etc. The apparatus in various arrangements may be used for many purposes.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating oily wastewater, such as bilge water or ballast water, generated on a ship. The process uses a combination of a centrifugal separation step and a membrane separation step, such as an ultrafiltration step. The membrane separation step uses a dense, non-porous filtration membrane. The process is able to remove both emulsified oil and dissolved oil from the wastewater to low levels.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly dual lube venturi filter cartridge which has no metallic components. A plastic centertube having a venturi section supports a bypass filter element on standoffs molded into the centertube. An outer concentric full flow filter element surrounds the bypass filter. The full flow filter is supported on a plastic centertube which creates a gap between it and the bypass filter. A first bypass filter endcap both seals the bypass filter and provides standoffs for allowing full flow oil around the bypass filter. The standoffs thus split the full flow which progresses through the primary filter in two paths, a primary path around the bypass filter and into the centertube, and a bypass path through the secondary filter and the venturi. Plastic upper and lower endcaps carry grooves for simple sealing gaskets, a radial seal gasket on the bottom which seals against both the endcap which carries it and a flange in the housing, and an axial seal gasket at the top.

Abstract: An inline backwash, flushing filter assembly comprising a header assembly, a rotatable valve assembly, and a filter element assembly disposed within a filter housing assembly. In operation, the controller moves the turn knob of the rotatable valve assembly a one-quarter turn which results in the reversal of fluid flow through the assembly to periodically back flush the filter utilizing fluid from the system inlet. Debris removed from the filter element during the backwash process are immediately discharged from the system through a drain port. Simultaneously, the hydraulic shearing mechanism of the backwash process dislodges and drains debris which may have accumulated on the screen and at the bottom of the lower filter assembly during normal filter operations. The controller then returns the filter assembly to filtration operation by a reverse one-quarter turn of the turn knob of the rotatable valve assembly.

Abstract: Novel low pressure reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes and a process for their preparation are disclosed. Polyamide reverse osmosis membranes are contacted with organic sulfonic acid solutions without the need for additional treatment by a rejection enhancing agent. These membranes provide sodium chloride rejections of greater than 20 percent and water fluxes greater than 15 gallons per square foot per day at a test pressure of 75 psi. Optimally treated membranes when tested similarly on 0.2 percent magnesium sulfate provide rejections greater than 95 percent with water fluxes greater than 15 gallons per square foot per day.

Abstract: A sulfonated aromatic polymer comprising the repeating structural unit of the formula I —O—Ar1(SO3R)n—C(CF3)2—Ar1(SO3R)n—O—Ar2—(X—Ar2)m—, ??(I) in which Ar1 and Ar2 are, independently of one another, divalent aromatic or heteroaromatic radicals which are optionally substituted by one or more monovalent organic groups which are inert under the conditions of use, R is hydrogen, an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ion or an ammonium ion, n is an integer from 0 to 3, m is 0, 1 or 2 and X is a —CO—, —O—, —CpH2p—, —CpF2p— or —S— group, in which p is an integer from 1 to 10, is described. Membranes with high proton conductivities can be produced from this polymer and are preferably used in fuel cells.

Abstract: The invention pertains generally to dental units (e.g., a high-speed dental handpiece (11), an ultrasonic scaler (13) and an air/water syringe (12)) connected to a water supply that provides coolant and rinse water to the dental units. More particularly the invention pertains to a dental unit using water that is continuously treated with a water treatment agent, such as microbiocidal silver ions. The treated dental unit water is supplied to the dental units via dental unit waterlines (6, 7, 8, 9, and 10).

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. These systems contact a fluid with an extraction solvent, which causes the lipids in the fluid to separate from the fluid or causes lipids in the lipid-containing organisms to separate from the lipid-containing organism, using at least one hollow fiber contactor. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a level below a particular threshold enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or be stored.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to feed spacers used in various filtration membrane modules, such as in spiral wound membranes, used in cross-flow filtration. Such spacers have an influence in promoting the mixing between the bulk of the fluid and the fluid element adjacent to the membrane surface so as to keep the membrane surface relatively clean. To optimize these properties, novel spacer designs are disclosed having a plurality of rows of elongated strands, the strands in each row being arranged substantially in parallel to one another, with adjacent rows being attached and disposed at an angle to one another, the strands of at least one row when viewed in cross-section having a central portion of a width smaller than the width of its extremities. Novel membrane modules incorporating such feed spacers are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention includes a membrane construction for selectively transferring a constituent to or from a fluid. The membrane construction includes a multi-layer fluid impermeable support sheet having a plurality of supports on at least one side of the support sheet that form a plurality of flow channels. At least one layer of the multi-layer support sheet is a bonding layer. A fluid permeable layer extends over the flow channels and is bonded to the plurality of the supports by the bonding layer.

Abstract: The invention concerns an anti-microbial porous part based on a polymeric material grafted at the surface and in its volume with ammonium motifs with anti-microbial and/or bactericidal and/or fungicide activity, preferably benzalkonium. The invention is characterized in that it has a porosity sufficiently high to enable a liquid with compatible viscosity to pass through its structure and sufficiently low to trap contaminating germs within said structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biaxially stretched, laminated, white microporous polyester film, which can be used in a wide range of industrial applications including printing, imaging, advertising and display. The film of the present invention comprises a porous polyester resin layer B containing a thermoplastic resin non-compatible with polyester; a polyester resin-based photic layer A formed on one surface of the resin layer B, the photic layer A having a 60-degree gloss of the surface thereof of more than 100%; and an aphotic layer C formed on the other surface of the resin layer B, the aphotic layer C having a 60-degree gloss of the surface thereof of less than 50%. The total density of the photic layer A and the aphotic layer C is 0.55–1.2 g/cm3. This film has excellent gloss and flexibility so that it is very suitable for use in printing and imaging.

Abstract: In an apparatus for filtering and separating a flow medium by way of membranes disposed in a pressurized housing, which has an inlet for supplying the flow medium to the housing and outlets for discharging the retentate and the permeate from the housing, the membrane structure comprises a central permeate collection and discharge structure to which a plurality of membrane pillows are connected so as to extend therefrom in a spiral pattern and each membrane pillow is in communication with a permeate inlet opening in the permeate collection and discharge structure through which permeate is conducted out of the membrane pillow into the central permeate collection and discharge structure and to the retentate outlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to the area of ceramics and to ceramic multilayer filters, such as used for separating gases. The invention provides ceramic multilayer filters which are more economical to produce. To this end, the inventive ceramic multilayer filters include at least two layers of different particle size, the particle surfaces of all of the ceramic particles being completely or partially perfused with a material and spot and/or surface joints being formed between particles. The invention also provides a method for producing ceramic multilayer filters of this type, according to which slips are produced from at least two ceramic powders of different particle size, the particles of the ceramic powders being perfused with a material or a material in powder form being added to the ceramic slips. One or more layers are formed from the slips and then dried. At least two layers are placed one above the other and/or joined to each other and together are subjected to a temperature increase.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing deionized water is provided. Water is supplied to a first conduit. A plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels are connected to the first conduit. A filtering experimental vessel is connected to the first conduit, the filtering experimental vessel is separated from the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels. A second conduit is connected to the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel for outputting the deionized water. A third conduit is connected to the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel for outputting concentrated ion water. The plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel concurrently or independently separates the supplying water into the deionized water and the concentrated ion water.

Abstract: A method for membrane filtration of effluent water containing suspended matter reduces membrane clogging and improves filtration capacity of the membrane. The method includes adding a dose of a preselected coagulation reactant to the effluent before the effluent passes over the membrane. The added dose is a fraction of the coagulating reactant dose (X) that would render the zeta potential of the effluent equal to zero. The range of the added dose is X/30-X/80. The suspended matter in the effluent is subjected to the added dose of coagulation reactant for destabilizing the suspended matter.