Abstract: The device is made up of modules comprising a number of hollow membrane fibres or tubes which fibres or tubes are intended for being flowed through by one of the medium flows, while the other medium flows at the outside of said fibres or tubes whose ends project in a sealed manner through module parts lying opposite each other and forming part of chambers having an aperture for feeding or discharging of medium, the feed apertures and discharge apertures of adjacent modules being in register and connected to each other in a liquid-tight manner, the chambers form part of a point-symmetrical frame with a square, polygonal or circular shape and the longitudinal directions of the fibres or tubes of adjacent modules are substantially perpendicular to each other and the feed aperture and discharge aperture of each module have diametrically or diagonally opposite positions. The device can be assembled such that modules thereof are linked together located after one another or next to each other.

Abstract: A method for removing undesired components from the soil which comprises screening adjacent soil from the contaminated soil having the undesired components therein, supplying an extracting agent, suitable for removing the undesired components, to the soil at a level either above or below the contaminated soil, and removing the extracting agent having the undesired components therein from the soil at a level on the other side of the contaminated soil.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the upgrading of solid material containing bound water and free or chemically bound carbon, in particular brown coal, which process involves a heat treatment at a temperature of at least 150.degree. C and at a pressure that is higher than the vapor pressure of water at that temperature.