Abstract: A method for removing leukocytes, whereby leukocytes can be removed at a higher level of performance in a short filtration time without clogging. A method comprising passing a leukocyte-containing liquid through a filter for removing leukocytes made of a nonwoven fabric having an average fiber diameter of from 0.3 to 3.0 ?m, and thus removing the leukocytes from the leukocyte-containing liquid, to give a leukocyte-free liquid, characterized by using a nonwoven fabric having a formation index (y) of 50 or less corresponding to a thickness of 0.3 mm; use of a leukocyte removal filter therefore; and the leukocyte removal filter.

Abstract: A filter cartridge (400) with a first end cap (420) comprising a rigid adaptor ring (430) and a seal structure (480). The adaptor ring (430) includes a shelf (440) on which the first axial edge (413) of filtering media (410) sits and a clip (450) situated radially and axially outward from the filtering media (410). The seal structure (480) encapsulates the shelf (440) and a first end portion (415) of the filter media (410). The clip (450) is not encapsulated by the seal structure (480) whereby it is available for insertion into a housing channel.

Abstract: A static screen used upstream of a membrane assembly within a water treatment system has a screening surface with a number of openings distributed over its area. Liquid flows through the screening surface to reach the membrane assembly. Various shapes of screening surfaces are described including three-dimensional bodies with openings at or near their lower ends. Methods for cleaning the screen are described including aeration, backwashing and lowering down the water level in an upstream section by partially or completely draining a tank. Various treatment systems or process designs incorporating the screen are described. Screen elements may be made in two or more parts comprising a supporting structure and a separation layer and may be mounted on a conduit or pan.

Abstract: In a liquid filter of the reverse-flow flush-cleaning type, the present invention provides the improvement of mounting the pack of discs (170) intermediate to an assembly including a seat member (200) and screw-thread split-ring (202).

Abstract: Panels of a filter screen have a plurality of rods and a plurality of wires. The rods are arranged parallel to one another in a first direction. The wires are arranged parallel to one another and are attached in a perpendicular direction to the rods. The rods have jointed ends with a tab and a bevel along one edge of the panels and have flush ends along an opposite edge of the panels. The panels are connected together edge to edge in an elongated sheet by adjoining the jointed and the flush ends of the rods and then welding a plurality of splice bars alternatingly between adjacent ones of the rods at the joints. The elongated sheet is then rolled into a cylindrical tier that can be used as a portion of a basket, centerpipe or other cylindrical screen for a radial flow process or the like.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composite porous membrane, which has not only excellent filtration capacity, but also excellent adhesion between a porous membrane and a braid and mechanical properties, and a method for producing the composite porous membrane. The present invention relates to a composite porous membrane comprising a braid, and a membrane material; wherein the membrane material comprises a first porous layer comprising a dense layer which is arranged on the outer surface of the braid, and a second porous layer comprising a dense layer which is arranged on the first porous layer, and a method for producing the composite porous membrane.

Abstract: Self-remediating filters have a heavy metal remediation agent contained in a water-soluble, polymeric material, adjacent to or disposed in a filter medium. A method of remediating conventional, heavy metal-contaminated filters is also provided, wherein a contaminated filter is allowed to contact an aqueous slurry of a heavy metal remediation agent.

Abstract: A cartridge for a water treatment system, effective to assist in the removal of contaminants by photocatalytic oxidation and by adsorption, includes a plurality of stacked disks, preferably made of a UV light transmissive material, which disks define circuitous flow paths for water being treated. In a preferred embodiment, the disk surfaces contacted by the water are provided with a coating of a catalyst, such as TiO2, activated by a UV light source positioned in the center of the cartridge.

Abstract: An internal filter includes a lower substrate and an upper substrate. Fluid passages are formed by etching grooves into the surface(s) of the upper and/or lower substrates and/or in one or more intermediate layers. The filter pores extending between the fluid passages are formed by etching second grooves that fluidly connect the fluid passages. Two or more sets of the one or two intermediate layers can be implemented to provide additional filter passages and/or pores. Each set can be connected to a separate fluid source and/or a separate microfluidic device. In another internal filter, the inlet and outlet passages and the filter pores are formed on the same upper or lower substrate. The inlet and outlet passages are partially formed in a first step. In a second step, the inlet and outlet passages are completed at the same time that the filter pores are formed.

Abstract: A filter device for the depletion of the leukocyte content from blood products comprising: a porous element comprising at least one fibrous web having a pore size suitable for leukocyte removal (possibly the range for the pore size should be defined), said web comprising fibres of a hydrophobic polymer coated with a hydrophilic polymer suitable to enhance the CWST of said hydrophobic polymer, characterised in that said web further includes adsorbent particles having a mean diameter lower than 30 ?m, said particles being bonded to said fibres by means of said hydrophilic polymer coating said fibres.

Abstract: An improved cross-flow filtration unit utilizing at least one two-ply membrane is disclosed that has a particular pore size relationship in the two membrane layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for separating blood plasma, having a mixing unit in the form of a first injection having a first connecting tube and a first piston to provide a compartment for a mixture composed of plasma to be separated and the protein-precipitating agent; a separating unit composed of a filtering tube for separating and preserving a solid material after separation. The filtering tube includes a third connecting tube a filter and a third piston, the third connecting tube communicates with the fourth injection tube having a fourth piston for receiving a separated liquid; and a storage unit in the form of a fifth injection tube having a fifth connecting tube, a second connecting valve and a fifth piston.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for sludge treatment which transfers sludge into a dewatering device while maintaining the sludge density at a predetermined level constant suitable for dewatering the sludge even when the density of the precipitated sludge varies, thus improving the sludge treating efficiency and sludge dewatering efficiency, and reducing the amount of a coagulant to be used. In the system for sludge treatment, a sludge concentration device is installed in a mixing flocculation tank. Thus, the sludge is mixed with the coagulant and flocculated in the mixing flocculation tank to produce flocs and a supernatant, while the supernatant is directly discharged from the mixing flocculation tank. Furthermore, the amount of the supernatant is controlled to maintain the desired density of the flocs to be transferred to the dewatering device. Thus, the dewatering device can be stably operated.

Abstract: In at least some embodiments, a filter comprises a filtering media. The filtering media is impregnated with chemical compounds that effectively retain water molecules and water-alcohol molecules but not alcohol molecules. The filter also comprises a liquid channeling structure, wherein the liquid channeling structure directs liquid entering an input of the filter to flow through the filtering media before exiting an output of the filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter insert (36, 66) for cleaning machines, in particular continuous-flow dishwashers (10), in which a batch to be cleaned runs through at least one treatment zone. The at least one treatment zone is assigned a washing tank (12). The filter insert (36) has a number of longitudinal ribs (38) which run parallel to one another and delimit flumes (48).

Abstract: It is intended to provide a filter for selectively removing leukocytes whereby leukocytes can be selectively and efficiently removed without worsening in the performance due to sterilization while causing little elution and minimizing loss in platelets. Namely, a filter for selectively removing leukocytes which is highly tolerant to sterilization and contains a polymer on the filter surface, characterized in that the polymer consists of a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate unit having 3 or 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety, a monomer unit having a basic nitrogen-containing functional group, and a monomer unit having an ethylene oxide chain with a repetition number of 2 to 9, the content of the monomer unit having the basic nitrogen-containing functional group ranges from 2% by mol to 9% by mol in the polymer, and the ethylene oxide chain content ranges from 1% by weight to 10% by weight in the polymer.

Abstract: A filter element for filtering fluids has at least one filter unit (12, 14, 16) that is disposed concentrically around the axis of the element. The unit is supported on at least one supporting element (24, 26, 30) in the direction of the flow of the fluid. At least part of the supporting elements (24, 26) is provided, at least on the side facing the filter unit (12, 14, 16), with channels (28) for guiding the fluid. Longitudinal ribs (50) delimit the channels (28), and extend along the supporting element (24, 26) in the form of spiral tracks. The two free ends of each channel (28) emerge at opposite ends of the corresponding supporting element (24, 26). The channels (28) extend continuously along the supporting element, are devoid of multiple deviations in the fluid flow and only partially surround the corresponding supporting element (24, 28) to form a torsional guide for the fluid flow.

Abstract: Provided are a plasma or serum separator and a plasma or serum sampling method capable of isolating plasma or serum with good efficiency from a small amount of blood without using a centrifuge and without causing leakage of a blood cell component or hemolysis, and in addition, capable of isolating and collecting plasma or serum from a whole blood test sample in a short time with simplicity in a blood test in the scene of medical care requiring an instant treatment any time such as an emergency test, home-use test or the like.

Abstract: The invention concerns a filter for liquids loaded with solid particles, comprising a vessel (52) provided with an inlet for the liquid to be filtered, an outlet for the filtrate emerging into a manifold and a discharge orifice for the sludge of solid particles and wherein is enclosed a plurality of filtering elements (10), each filtering element shaped like an elongated pocket (16) of fabric (12) of filtering media having an upper opening (10) in communication with the outlet and mounted around frames (18) provided with longitudinal drainage channels (30) and suspended to support elements housed in said vessel and comprising a radial pipe (20) forming a manifold wherein emerges the opening of the filtering elements. The invention is characterized in that the upper edge of said pockets is provided with a hem (17) receiving a stiffening element (19) and urged to be tightly fixed in a peripheral catching element (21) integral with said support elements.

Abstract: Blood collection systems include an integral flexible filter to remove leukocytes from blood components.

Abstract: A rotatable water treatment device including a hollow shaft and multiple filtering units is provided. The hollow shaft has an axis hole, an external wall and a plurality of through holes defined through the external wall and communicating with the axis hole. The multiple filtering units watertightly mounted on the external wall of the hollow shaft, and each of the filtering units includes a center hole, two clipping nets, a supporting net and two filtering membranes. The supporting net is mounted between the clipping nets and two filtering membranes sandwiches the clipping nets such that the filtering membranes can be prevented from sinking into the meshes of the supporting net with the pump effect to accelerate the conducting of the water-filtering.

Abstract: A pipe trap comprising a body, a disc filter, a pipe and a plurality of mesh filter suitable for filtering gases is provided. The pipe trap body has a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The disc filter and the mesh filters are enclosed inside the pipe trap body. One end of the pipe connects with the disc filter and the other end of the pipe connects with the gas outlet. The mesh filters are enclosed inside the pipe. Using a multi-stage filtering method, liquid matter separates out first and then gaseous particles are filtered according to the particle size so that the pipe trap has a high filtering efficiency.

Abstract: A water purifier includes a base, an outer casing mounted on the base, a fresh water conduit demountably mounted in the outer casing, a plurality of filtering units demountably mounted on the fresh water conduit and a cover demountably mounted on the outer casing. Each filtering unit includes a membrane bag and multiple supporting members. The membrane bags are sandwiched by the supporting members and are arranged in a cascading manner. Gaps are formed between each pair of adjacent membrane bags so that the filtering bags can be cleaned directly.

Abstract: A filter bag (1) for a filter device includes a tubular, flexible, air-penetrable filter body (6) provided with a suspension arrangement at an unfolded end thereof. The suspension arrangement includes a rigid ring element (7) with outwardly protruding members 10 annularly secured to the unfolded end of the filter body. The ring element (7) is arranged at least partially at an interior part of the filter body (6). Also a filter device including a housing with a dust chamber (4) and a clean-air chamber (5) that are separated by an partition wall (3) suspending at least one filter bag (1) as described above that extends through an opening (2) provided in the partition wall (3) with a main part of the filter body (6) located in the dust chamber (4). The ring element (7) of the filter bag (1) extends at least partially into the opening (2) in the partition wall (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for separating blood plasma, having a mixing unit in the form of a first injection having a first connecting tube and a first piston to provide a compartment for a mixture composed of plasma to be separated and the protein-precipitating agent; a separating unit composed of a filtering tube for separating and preserving a solid material after separation. The filtering tube includes a third connecting tube a filter and a third piston, the third connecting tube communicates with the fourth injection tube having a fourth piston for receiving a separated liquid; and a storage unit in the form of a fifth injection tube having a fifth connecting tube, a second connecting valve and a fifth piston.

Abstract: Tangential flow filtration device is provided wherein liners are provided between the filtration element and the top and bottom holders or manifolds. The liners incorporate the flow channels and inlet and outlet ports that were previously present in the manifolds. The liners are made of an inexpensive material and therefore are disposable after a single use, making it more cost effective to dispose of them than to clean the conventional manifolds. In addition, the liners can be pre-sterilized.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composite porous membrane, which has not only excellent filtration capacity, but also excellent adhesion between a porous membrane and a braid and mechanical properties, and a method for producing the composite porous membrane. The present invention relates to a composite porous membrane comprising a braid, and a membrane material; wherein the membrane material comprises a first porous layer comprising a dense layer which is arranged on the outer surface of the braid, and a second porous layer comprising a dense layer which is arranged on the first porous layer, and a method for producing the composite porous membrane.

Abstract: Granules comprise binder-agglomerated active particles for liquid treatment or filtration. Each granule has a center core of a material that itself has binding properties without the addition of other binders or sprays or adhesives, or, alternatively, each granule comprises a matrix of active materials stuck together with the binder. The binder structure preferably ranges from a non-uniform matrix of binder formed by heat-deformed binder particles, to a clump of binder particles generally retaining the original shape or the binder particles, to non-continuous connectors of binder between active particles. The invented two-part media has high surface area per volume of media, which, because the outer surface and inner void surfaces of the particles are preferably substantially covered with active particles, translates to high activity for the preferred treatment process.

Abstract: A fluid path control element which when stacked alternatively with a fluid porous sheet can be formed into a filtration module. The fluid path control element comprises a porous membrane having sealed to a portion of its periphery a thermoplastic element that extends into an opening either through the membrane or in an opening through the thermoplastic element. The portion of the thermoplastic element that extends into the opening can be heat sealed with a second thermoplastic element to prevent fluid flow between the opening and the membrane.

Abstract: The collecting filter can capture and collect various chlorinated organic compounds in both particulate form and gaseous form contained in a fluid at the same time, and is easy to extract the collected chlorinated organic compounds therefrom. This collecting filter 7 is provided with a fluid-permeable molded body containing fibers and an inorganic binder for binding the fibers to one another, and a hydrophobic material having higher hydrophobicity than that of the fibers and the inorganic binder, which is retained in the molded body. Various chlorinated organic compounds such as dioxins in both particulate form and gaseous form contained in the sample gas are captured and collected upon passage through the collecting filter 7.

Abstract: The invention is a method for fabricating molecular filters which can separate objects approximately 1-5 nm in range, where the filtration size is controlled by using thin films of materials and technologies to form a filtration channel or pore in a middle thin film layer in a multilayered structure. Lithography is used to define two offset arrays of blind holes into the opposing sides of a multi-layer membrane. The blind holes extend across a thin central filtration layer. A selective etch is used to attack the filtration layer to form a communicating channel between the two holes. The only connection between one side of the filter and the other is through the channel in the filter layer, whose thickness, d, determines the largest size object which can traverse the filter.

Abstract: A filter device, in particular, for high-pressure applications in a molten polymer filtration, has a screw-in piece (10), provided with a first threaded section (12) for fixing the filter device, and a second threaded section (14) for fixing a filter medium (16), in particular, in the form of a metal wool and with a perforated support tube (18) for the metal wool. The other free end of the filter device is provided with a volume displacer (24). The metal wool is surrounded by a support grid (20) and fixed by two fixing pieces (28, 30), held at a separation from each other by the support grid (20). One fixing piece (28) is fixed to the second threaded section (14) of the screw-in piece (10). The other fixing piece forms a handle (30) for the fixing formed.

Abstract: An edge filter assembly is disclosed. The edge filter assembly may include a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The edge filter assembly may further include a filter element disposed within the housing including first and second filter plates and first and second spacers disposed between the first and second filter plates. The spacers and filter plates may be configured and arranged to form a flow channel extending generally radially within the housing and defined between the first and second filter plates and the first and second spacers. The flow channel may have an inner flow gate and an outer flow gate. The inner flow gate may be disposed radially inward of the outer flow gate and may have a different cross-sectional configuration than the outer flow gate. The first filter plate may have an axial projection extending therefrom generally aligned with a fluid path within the housing.

Abstract: A drain water filter assembly for filtering debris laden liquids. The filter assembly has an apertured filter holder constructed and arranged to be placed into a basin, tub or sink. A removable and disposable filter is provided for placement within and securement to the filter holder structure. The filter holder has an elevated bottom portion which permits debris to be filtered and the filtered drain water to be dispensed through the apertures in the elevated portions of the filter holder bottom.

Abstract: A nanofeature particulate trap comprising a plurality of densely packed nanofeatures, such as nanotubes, and a particulate detector incorporating the nanofeature particulate trap are provided. A method of producing a nanotrap structure alone or integrated with a particulate detector is also provided.

Abstract: An internal filter includes a lower substrate and an upper substrate. Fluid passages are formed by etching grooves into the surfaces(s) of the upper and/or lower substrates and/or in one or more intermediate layers. The filter pores extending between the fluid passages are formed by etching second grooves that fluidly connect the fluid passages. Two or more sets of the one or two intermediate layers can be implemented to provide additional filter passages and/or pores. Each set can be connected to a separate fluid source and/or a separate microfluidic device. In another internal filter, the inlet and outlet passages and the filter pores are formed on the same upper or lower substrate. The inlet and outlet passages are partially formed in a first step. In a second step, the inlet and outlet passages are completed at the same time that the filter pores are formed.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying water, that includes a frame, in connection with which is arranged a primary space for water to be filtered, secondary space for filtered water and a filter. The filter is arranged to filter water, that is driven by gravity from the primary space existing in the frame to the secondary space, wherein the filtering influence of the filter is based essentially on a thin filtering film made of plastic based material. Essentially underneath the primary space is arranged an accessory space for the filtering means, that is in connection with the primary space and that has an essentially smaller cross-section than the same, in order to keep the filter surrounded by unclean water in the auxiliary space of the primary space, being limited from the secondary space, totally separate from the secondary space.

Abstract: Semi-permeable membranes are described that allow for the efficient processing of many liquid based feed solutions, particularly those that contain acids. The membranes of this invention are able to process such feeds with high permeate rates while maintaining excellent retention of dissolved metals, cations, and organic compounds, even in the presence of hot concentrated acids. The semi-permeable membranes of this invention are able to conduct such separations for a useful period of time due to their chemical stability towards acids and their ability to permeate acids.

Abstract: In a filtration device (1) comprising a pressure-resistant housing (2) with a liquid inlet opening (3) and an outlet opening (4) for filtered matter, into which a collecting channel (12) terminates, at least one filter element (8–11) designed as flat membrane is connected to the collecting channel (12) in a pressure-tight manner. This device provides a high liquid throughput at the same time having a compact construction.

Abstract: A filter assembly through which a fluid can flow and a method for the production thereof are provided. The filter assembly includes at least one covering layer made of an at least partially porous material with at least one boundary region and includes at least one fiber layer made of a fiber fabric. The at least one covering layer forms a sleeve that encloses the fiber layer so that the fiber layer is permanently disposed inside the at least one covering layer. The filter assembly makes it possible to produce a filter body that can be used, in particular, for cleaning exhaust gases of mobile internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A micro-filter for filtering blood cells has a plurality of filtering channel structures, each having a first through hole and a first concave portion connecting to each other, and a plurality of through channel structures respectively connect to the filtering channel structures. Each defines a second through hole opposite the first concave portion, whereby the filtering channel structures are respectively attached to the through channel structures to provide more than two filtering effects.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positively charged microporous membrane having a protein binding capacity of about 25 mg/ml or greater comprising a hydrophilic porous substrate and a crosslinked coating that provides a fixed positive charge to the membrane. The present invention further provides a positively charged microporous membrane comprising a porous substrate and a crosslinked coating comprising pendant cationic groups. The membranes of the present invention find use in a variety of applications including ion-exchange chromatography, macromolecular transfer, as well as detection, filtration and purification of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, endotoxins, and the like.

Abstract: A disposable flexible vessel contains a septum, dividing a first chamber from a second chamber. By flowing a fluid through the septum, the fluid is treated as it moves from the first chamber to the second chamber. The particular configuration of the septum allows for treatments such as mixing, reacting, heating, and cooling, as well as filtering of the fluid.

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: The invention relates to a filtering device for taking a filtrate sample from liquid matter containing solid particles. The filtering device comprises two filter parts and at least one filtering slot between the filter parts. The filter parts are adapted to move in relation to each other in such a manner that the width of the filtering slot changes when the filter parts move in relation to each other. When taking a sample from a process, the filtering slot between the filter parts is at its smallest, and it is adapted to filter the sample while the liquid matter being measured flows from the process to the measurement. When rinsing the filtering device against the sampling direction, the filter parts are adapted to move away from each other, whereby the filtering slot widens.

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: A non-woven melt-blown filament medium includes a mass of essentially continuous melt-blown polymer filaments and an essentially continuous traversing melt-blown polymer filament extending through the mass. The mass has a depth dimension, a longitudinal dimension, and a latitudinal dimension. The mass includes a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers being generally oriented in the longitudinal and latitudinal dimensions. The traversing filament is generally oriented in the depth dimension and extends through at least one layer of the mass. In one embodiment, the mass is cylindrical in shape and the layers comprise concentric zones. The traversing filament is intentionally deposited and positioned to improve the physical properties of the mass.

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: Filters, more particularly to multifunctional filters that are capable of removing as well as adding components to a filtered material are provided by the present invention. In addition to a multifunctional filter, the present invention relates to the use of such a multifunctional filter in an apparatus, to process a filtrate and to the filtrate produced by the process of the present invention.