Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforced tubular membrane comprises the steps of manufacturing the tubular support from monofilament thread, impregnating the support with membrane dope and adjusting the inner and the outer diameter of the membrane. A coating apparatus comprises a casting bob and an orifice to adjust respectively the inner and outer diameter of the membrane. A tubular reinforced polymeric membrane comprises a tubular support and membrane substance. The tubular support is made of monofilament thread and has a sufficiently open structure (openings larger than 0.1 mm). Touching and/or engaging parts of the thread may be linked prior to impregnating the support with membrane dope. The support may comprise loops of the monofilament thread, which are also linked.

Abstract: A process comprising a duplex type impregnating apparatus providing the steps of: (i) providing an elongated porous web, said elongated porous web comprising two outermost surfaces; (ii) transporting said elongated porous web downwards between two impregnating heads comprising two slots each with substantially vertical upper and lower slot faces substantially parallel to said elongated porous web providing simultaneously to both surfaces of said elongated porous web metered substantially identical quantities of a dope, comprising at least one membrane polymer and at least one solvent therefor; (iii) thereby impregnating said elongated porous web completely with said dope and providing substantially equally thick dope layers on each surface of said outermost surfaces of said elongated porous web with a thickness independent of the gap between one of said lower slot faces and the surface of said elongated porous web nearest thereto; (iv) subjecting said dope associated with said elongated porous web to symmetri

Abstract: Process comprising the steps of: (i) providing an elongated porous web, said elongated porous web comprising two outermost surfaces; (ii) transporting said elongated porous web downwards between two impregnating heads comprising two slots each with substantially vertical upper and lower slot faces substantially parallel to said elongated porous web providing simultaneously to both surfaces of said elongated porous web metered substantially identical quantities of a dope, comprising at least one membrane polymer and at least one solvent therefor; (iii) thereby impregnating said elongated porous web completely with said dope and providing substantially equally thick dope layers on each surface of said outermost surfaces of said elongated porous web with a thickness independent of the gap between one of said lower slot faces and the surface of said elongated porous web nearest thereto; (iv) subjecting said dope associated with said elongated porous web immediately after dope-impregnation to symmetric phase inver

Abstract: A device for the filtration of liquids includes membrane curtains (2), each curtain being formed of a singular row of capillary membranes (5). The device has at least one bottom header (3) provided at a lower end of the membrane curtains (lower end of the capillary membranes) and linked to the capillary membranes of at least one membrane curtain and an individual top header (4) for each membrane curtain. The top header is provided at an upper end of the membrane curtain and is linked to the capillary membranes thereof. Top headers of adjacent membrane curtains (41, 42) are arranged at different heights and the capillary membranes (5) of the adjacent membrane curtains (2) have different lengths.

Abstract: A membrane bag comprising a volume for permeate collection, wherein the volume is completely enclosed in seamless membrane substance; a filtration unit comprising at least one above-described seamless membrane bag; the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag in a membrane bioreactor; the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag in water filtration or waste water purification; and the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag for the filtration or separation of a mixture of fluids, vapors and particles.

Abstract: Disclosed are seamless membrane bags, for example, a membrane bag comprising a spacer fabric and a volume for permeate collection, the spacer fabric comprising a first part and a second part that are spaced apart and tied together at a predefined distance by monofilament thread and the first and second parts are at least partially embedded with membrane substance and the volume for permeate collection is interposed between the first and second parts. The membrane substance embeds portions of the monofilament thread and fills the spacer fabric along the border of the membrane bag. The membrane substance completely enclosing the volume is seamless. Also disclosed are processes for producing such bags, a filtration unit comprising such a membrane bag, and their uses in the separation of fluids, vapors and particles.

Abstract: A process for preparing an ion-permeable web-reinforced separator membrane includes the steps of: providing a web (2A) and a suitable paste (5), guiding the web (2A) in a vertical position, equally coating both sides of the web with the paste to produce a paste coated web (2B), and applying a symmetrical surface pore formation step and a symmetrical coagulation step to the paste coated web to produce a web-reinforced separator membrane.

Abstract: Process comprising the steps of: (i) providing an elongated porous web, said elongated porous web comprising two outermost surfaces; (ii) transporting said elongated porous web downwards between two impregnating heads comprising two slots each with substantially vertical upper and lower slot faces substantially parallel to said elongated porous web providing simultaneously to both surfaces of said elongated porous web metered substantially identical quantities of a dope, comprising at least one membrane polymer and at least one solvent therefor; (iii) thereby impregnating said elongated porous web completely with said dope and providing substantially equally thick dope layers on each surface of said outermost surfaces of said elongated porous web with a thickness independent of the gap between one of said lower slot faces and the surface of said elongated porous web nearest thereto; (iv) subjecting said dope associated with said elongated porous web immediately after dope-impregnation to symmetric phase inver

Abstract: An apparatus for producing an ion-permeable web-reinforced separator comprising a duplex type impregnating apparatus comprising two slots each with substantially vertical upper and lower slot faces for providing premetered substantially identical quantities of a dope simultaneously to either side of an elongated porous web, a transport means providing for substantially vertical downwards transport of said elongated porous web through said duplex impregnating apparatus and subsequent phase inversion, coagulation and washing stations, said phase inversion station providing for phase inversion of said dope and said coagulation station providing for coagulation and washing of solvent from the resulting phase-inverted dope, wherein there is an air gap between said duplex impregnating apparatus and said phase inversion station and wherein the distance between the lower faces of each impregnating apparatus is greater than the distances between the upper faces of each impregnating apparatus; a process comprising the

Abstract: A membrane has a permeate channel including a 3D spacer fabric having an upper and a lower fabric surface (2,3) spaced apart by monofilament thread (4) at a predefined distance, the permeate channel being interposed between two membrane layers (12, 13), wherein the membrane layers are linked at a multitude of points with the upper and lower fabric surfaces to form an integral structure with a high bonding strength suitable for backflush operations. A method provides an integrated permeate channel membrane, including the steps of: —Providing a 3D spacer fabric having an upper and lower surface fabric (2,3) spaced apart by monofilament thread (4) at a predefined distance; and—Applying a membrane layer to both the upper and the lower surface fabric.

Abstract: A filtration device removes particles from a liquid. The filtration device includes a collector header and a plurality of planar membrane assemblies having an upper side and a lower side, the lower side being operatively linked to the collector header. Each planar membrane assembly is formed as a single row of a plurality of capillary membranes and is linked to an individual upper header.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforced tubular membrane comprises the steps of manufacturing the tubular support from monofilament thread, impregnating the support with membrane dope and adjusting the inner and the outer diameter of the membrane. A coating apparatus comprises a casting bob and an orifice to adjust respectively the inner and outer diameter of the membrane. A tubular reinforced polymeric membrane comprises a tubular support and membrane substance. The tubular support is made of monofilament thread and has a sufficiently open structure (openings larger than 0.1 mm). Touching and/or engaging parts of the thread may be linked prior to impregnating the support with membrane dope. The support may comprise loops of the monofilament thread, which are also linked.

Abstract: Disclosed are seamless membrane bags for example, a membrane bag comprising a spacer fabric and a volume for permeate collection, the spacer fabric comprising a first part and a second part that are spaced apart and tied together at a predefined distance by monofilament thread and the first and second parts are at least partially embedded with membrane substance and the volume for permeate collection is interposed between the first and second parts. The membrane substance embeds portions of the monofilament thread and fills the spacer fabric along the border of the membrane bag. The membrane substance completely enclosing the volume is seamless. Also disclosed are processes for producing such bags, a filtration unit comprising such a membrane bag and their uses in the separation of fluids, vapours and particles.

Abstract: A membrane bag comprising a volume for permeate collection, wherein the volume is completely enclosed in seamless membrane substance; a filtration unit comprising at least one above-described seamless membrane bag; the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag in a membrane bioreactor; the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag in water filtration or waste water purification; and the use of at least one above-described seamless membrane bag for the filtration or separation of a mixture of fluids, vapours and particles.

Abstract: A membrane has a permeate channel including a 3D spacer fabric having an upper and a lower fabric surface (2,3) spaced apart by monofilament thread (4) at a predefined distance, the permeate channel being interposed between two membrane layers (12, 13), wherein the membrane layers are linked at a multitude of points with the upper and lower fabric surfaces to form an integral structure with a high bonding strength suitable for backflush operations. A method provides an integrated permeate channel membrane, including the steps of:—Providing a 3D spacer fabric having an upper and lower surface fabric (2,3) spaced apart by monofilament thread (4) at a predefined distance; and—Applying a membrane layer to both the upper and the lower surface fabric.

Abstract: A process for preparing an ion-permeable web-reinforced separator membrane includes the steps of: providing a web (2A) and a suitable paste (5), guiding the web (2A) in a vertical position, equally coating both sides of the web with the paste to produce a paste coated web (2B), and applying a symmetrical surface pore formation step and a symmetrical coagulation step to the paste coated web to produce a web-reinforced separator membrane.