Abstract: A method of purifying impure water contaminated with a filterable impurity and a dissolved impurity, such as seawater, comprising the steps of: providing impure water to a primary microfiltration or ultrafiltration unit to remove the filterable impurity and produce impure filtered water contaminated with a dissolved impurity; providing the impure filtered water contaminated with a dissolved impurity to a reverse osmosis unit to produce a potable water stream and a residual reverse osmosis stream; and treating the residual reverse osmosis stream prior to reuse. The treatment may be in the form of passing through a secondary filter (such as another microfiltration or ultrafiltration membrane or a cartridge filter, and the subsequently treated reverse osmosis reject may be used to backwash the microfiltration or ultrafiltration unit.

Abstract: Processes and systems for treating high salinity aqueous liquids containing dissolved minerals, suspended solids, colloidal solids, free oil and grease, dissolved organics, and dissolved hydrocarbons. The liquid is passed into an electrocoagulation system in fluid communication with a solids removal clarifier, pressurized ultrafiltration system, the draw side of forward osmosis, and a dilute draw water reverse osmosis system. Impaired water with high sulfate content is used as a source of deionized water for dilution of the forward osmosis draw solution. After concentration, the forward osmosis feed solution is further treated by lime soda softening and sludge from the softening system may be recycled to increase hardness precipitation and silica removal, the outfall from which may be treated by a separate ultrafiltration system and a feed water reverse osmosis system. Concentrate from the feed water reverse osmosis system can be treated to offer a zero liquid or near zero liquid discharge.

Abstract: A water recovery method for improving water recovery efficiency may include inflowing a low concentration solution including water into an in-series flow path. The in-series flow path may include a plurality of flow paths for a low concentration solution coupled in series. The method may additionally include inflowing a high concentration solution having the same concentration into a plurality of flow paths for a high concentration solution. Each of the plurality of flow paths for the high concentration solution may be connected to each of plurality of flow paths for the low concentration solution via a respective semipermeable membrane being interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A purifying device and a process for deeply treating printing and dyeing wastewater are provided. The device includes a nanometer catalytic microelectrolysis system, a membrane filtration and separation system and a a membrane washing regeneration system. The method includes the following steps of: drawing the printing and dyeing wastewater by a first water pump (12), pumping a first part of the wastewater into a nanometer catalytic microelectrolysis tank (13) to perform catalysis microelectrolysis, and a second part of the wastewater into a neutralization tank (16) to mix with the water from the nanometer catalytic microelectrolysis tank (13) to precipitate, filtering the wastewater by a sand filtration tank (17), and then pumping the wastewater into an adsorption and filteration device of granular active carbon (18) for adsorption and filtration. The process has lower cost and higher energy efficiency, and can realize recycled water to be reused.

Abstract: A membrane filtration method and membrane filtration device including a pre-treatment membrane module that filters raw water with a filtration membrane and obtains pre-treated water; a reverse osmosis membrane module that filters the pre-treated water obtained from the pre-treatment membrane module with a reverse osmosis membrane and obtains permeate and retentate; a communicating tube channel that directly joins the pre-treated water outlet of the pre-treatment membrane module and the pre-treated water inlet of the reverse osmosis membrane module; and a branch tube channel that branches from the communicating tube channel and diverts a portion of the pre-treated water flowing in the communicating tube channel from the communicating tube channel. The filtration membrane of the pre-treatment membrane module is backwashed using the pre-treated water that has been diverted by the branch tube channel.

Abstract: A water purification system has a closed water channel to circulate circulating water not containing substances causing fouling at the downstream side separated from the water to be treated with a semipermeable membrane. By performing reverse osmosis membrane treatment on the circulating water of a low concentration of organic substances after reclaiming water from the water to be treated containing organic substances to the circulating water through a forward osmosis membrane in which fouling is hard to occur, the substances causing fouling can be prevented from contacting onto the reverse osmosis membrane and thus fouling can be suppressed.

Abstract: Systems for recycling slurry materials during polishing processes are provided. One system includes a polisher having an inlet and drain outlet, and a slurry storage tank to supply a slurry including a preselected material to the polisher inlet, and a recycling assembly including a cross flow filter including an inlet to receive a waste slurry including the preselected material from the polisher drain outlet, where the cross flow filter is configured to concentrate the preselected material in an outlet slurry, a density meter configured to measure a concentration of the preselected material in the filter outlet slurry, a valve coupled to the filter outlet and configured to supply the slurry storage tank, and a controller coupled to the density meter and valve, where the controller is configured to open the valve when the concentration of the preselected material reaches a first concentration threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method for remineralizing desalinated water. The desalination system includes, but is not limited to, a conventional reverse osmosis membrane system, forward osmosis membrane system, electro dialysis system, Multi Stage Flash (MSF) system, and Multi Effect Distillation (MED) system.

Abstract: A vent assembly is described for use in an extracorporeal fluid unit. A vent structure adjacent to a micro-porous membrane forms the assembly. The vent structure is porous and changes color when the vent structure becomes wet, thereby providing a visual indication that the vent structure has been exposed to liquid.

Abstract: A process for removing a solvent from a source solution, said process comprising a) contacting the source solution with one side of a selectively permeable membrane, b) contacting a draw solution having a higher osmotic pressure (higher solute concentration) than the source solution with the opposite side of the membrane, such that solvent from the source solution passes across the membrane to dilute the draw solution by direct osmosis, c) removing solvent from the diluted draw solution to regenerate the draw solution, and d) recycling the regenerated draw solution to step a), characterized in that a portion of the draw solution is discarded or treated before and/or after the draw solution is regenerated in step c) so as to reduce the concentration of any solute species present in the draw solution from the source solution.

Abstract: Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus for producing purified water from sea water or some other salty or brackish water source by using brackish concentrate mixed with salty water. The various embodiments also provide methods and apparatus for the treatment of toxicity of brackish concentrate, which brackish concentrate exhibits on aquatic life inhabiting the area of discharge of the brackish concentrate, as well as a method for environmentally safe disposal of brackish concentrate.

Abstract: Ultra-low energy membrane-based dewatering systems and methods are provided herein. Dewatering systems of the invention employ both micro-filtration and forward osmosis, and optionally employ settling, to concentrate biomass at a low concentration, such as about 0.5 g/L, to a concentration of about 50 g/L or more.

Abstract: There is provided a ceramic filter provided with a ceramic porous membrane having few defects, small and uniform membrane thickness, and high resolution performance. The ceramic filter includes: a porous substrate which is a microfiltration membrane (MF membrane), a titania UF membrane which is an ultrafiltration membrane (UF membrane) formed on the porous substrate and has an average pore size of 2 to 20 nm and an average thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 ?m, and a silica membrane which is formed on the titania UF membrane and a ceramic porous membrane a part of which has penetrated into pores of the titania UF membrane or into pores of the UF membrane and the porous substrate.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for separating particles and dissolved matter from a fluid stream. Specifically, the present invention includes a first pressure source which transports untreated fluid into a separator annulus with a filter element disposed therein. The untreated fluid is placed under appropriate pressure sufficient to produce turbulent flow, increased particle kinetics and/or cavitation physics allowing the desired fluid to penetrate and pass into and through the filter media. The filtered fluid is then transported to a collection tank. The contaminant particulate matter retained on the exterior of the filter media may be removed by the instantaneous reverse pressurization of the separator annulus by a second pressure source thereby removing the contaminant particles away from contact with the filter media, and which may then be transported to a waste collection tank or a concentrator for further treatment.

Abstract: A method for producing of ultra-clean and high-purity electronic acetic acid is disclosed. The method including following steps: Step 1, industrial acetic acid is fast distilled; Step 2, filtering the fraction by membrane of 0.05˜0.3 ?m aperture; Step 3, rectification; Step 4, membrane filtration again. Due to the adoption of the technical scheme above, the ultra-clean and high-purity electronic grade acetic acid which purity is 99.8% is produced. The content of single metal ion is lower than 1 ppb and the content of particulates which is ?0.5 ?m is lower than 5 pcs/ml. The method of the invention will help to reduce energy consumption, to simplify the operation, and to achieve the high security.

Abstract: The invention includes a process for recovering ionic liquids used in the treatment of biomass for production of biofuels and other biomass-based products. Ionic liquid recovery and purification minimizes waste production and enhances process profitability.

Abstract: Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided.

Abstract: Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided.

Abstract: Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided.

Abstract: Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided.

Abstract: A method for deionization of a solution, the method comprising functionalizing plural apertures of a graphene sheet to repel first ions in the solution from transiting through the functionalized plural apertures. The non-transiting first ions influence second ions in the solution to not transit through the functionalized plural apertures. The graphene sheet is positioned between a solution flow path input and a solution flow path output. Solution enters the solution flow path input and through the functionalized plural apertures of the graphene sheet, resulting in a deionized solution on the solution flow path output side of the graphene sheet and a second solution containing the first ions and second ions on the solution flow path input side of the graphene sheet.

Abstract: Provided is a dehydrator that requires no excessively large apparatus structure and achieves cost-saving while maintaining suction efficiency at a desired level by use of suction means. A dehydrator 100 for separating water from a target liquid 13 includes at least two water separation membrane units 1a and 1b which are provided in series in a flow direction of the target liquid 13. The water separation membrane unit 1a on an upstream side out of the water separation membrane units 1a and 1b is connected to suction means 7 for sucking a gas phase containing water through one condenser 4, and the one condenser 4 condenses water in the gas phase and thereby separates the water. The gas phase sucked by the suction means 7 from the one condenser 4 is transferred to at least one downstream condenser 8 provided downstream of the one condenser 4, and the downstream condenser 8 condenses water in the gas phase and thereby separates the water.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and processes employing a low energy forward osmosis membrane water processing system to simultaneously (1) detoxify reverse osmosis (RO) residual (reject) brines from ground water treatment, and (2) expand available industrial and agricultural ground water supplies.

Abstract: A microfluidic fluid separator for separating target components of a fluid by filtration is described. Methods for separating target components of a fluid by filtration and methods for processing blood on a large scale with the microfluidic fluid separator are provided.

Abstract: A method for treating water including intaking a first amount of water into a plurality of treatment blocks, treating the first amount of water, outputting aqueous treated water streams from each of the plurality of treatment blocks, separating the aqueous treated water streams from each of the plurality of treatment blocks into aqueous permeate streams and concentrate reject streams, monitoring each of the aqueous permeate streams, controlling the operation of at least one of the plurality of treatment blocks based on predefined water-characteristic tolerances that fall within a predetermined concentration range based on the different qualities of the aqueous permeate streams, combining the aqueous permeate streams of at least two of the plurality of treatment blocks based on the identified characteristics and the predefined water-characteristic tolerances, and outputting the product water stream and the at least one concentrate reject stream.

Abstract: A separation system includes at least a hydrocyclone and one or more membranes. In another aspect, a separation system includes a membrane having graduated and/or asymmetrical pore sizes. A further aspect of a separation system includes an inner membrane, an outer membrane and a hydrocyclonic flow between the membranes.

Abstract: A process for separating dissolved components from a solution, said process comprising a) introducing a first solution into a solar pond and irradiating the solution with solar energy, such that temperature and concentration gradients are established, whereby the temperature and concentration of solute at the base of the pond is greater than the temperature and concentration of solute at the surface of the pond, b) introducing a portion of the first solution from the pond into a first osmosis unit, and contacting the portion with one side of a selectively permeable membrane, c) contacting the other side of the selectively permeable membrane with a second solution having a lower solute concentration than the portion of first solution from the pond, such that solvent from the second solution passes across the membrane to dilute and pressurize the portion of first solution, d) removing the diluted portion of first solution from the first osmosis unit, and e) using the pressure generated in the diluted portion of

Abstract: A water treatment system combines a microfiltration or ultrafiltration membrane system with a downstream reverse osmosis membrane system. The MF or UF system has multiple trains of immersed membrane modules. The trains are connected to a common permeate pump. The permeate pump discharges directly into the inlet of an RO feed pump. The membrane trains are each subjected to the same suction. The permeate pumps are operated to provide the required flow to the RO feed pump at or above the minimum inlet pressure of the RO feed pump.

Abstract: Filtration membrane comprising polymeric nanofibers and/or microfibers attaching dendrimer component presenting reactive sites selective for chemicals to be filtered, and related nanofibers and microfibers, composite materials, compositions, methods and system.

Abstract: A blood filtration device, system, and method that can and selectively remove or reduce an unwanted, in certain cases unknown, substance from a patient's blood stream. More specifically, a specific size or size range of unwanted substance is selectively removed. The unwanted substance includes one or more of a pathogen, a toxin, an activated cell, and an administered drug. The device and system employ a microfluidic separation device that minimizes thrombogenesis and can permit the use of anticoagulants to be avoided. The device or system can be portable and can include its own power supply. Sensors in the system may monitor for the presence and/or concentration of unwanted species including pathogens or drugs and invoke a blood cleansing process responsively to the sensor signals in closed loop control process. The control may combine the infusion of therapeutic agents into the blood of a patient as well.

Abstract: A serviceable device for filtering lubricating oil includes an inlet and an outlet, a first filtering element and an absorption filtering element. The absorption filtering element is configured to absorb a fluidic contaminant present in the lubricating oil when in contact with the absorption filtering element. A flow path for the lubricating oil is from the inlet, through the first filtering element, and out the outlet. The flow path further includes lubricating oil contact with the absorption filtering element.

Abstract: The separation membrane for seawater desalination pretreatment is a separation membrane for seawater desalination pretreatment used in pretreatment for seawater desalination with a reverse osmosis membrane, wherein a standard flux A is 2 m/d or more, which is defined as a maximum value of a flux that can satisfy P2?1.5×P1 where P1 and P2 represent an average intermembrane differential pressure, and a saccharide removal rate B or a granular carbon removal rate C expressed by a prescribed equation is 0.3 or more, and desirably 0.5 or more.

Abstract: Blow down water from an evaporative cooling system, such as a cooling tower, is treated for re-use as cooling make up water. Water in or entering the cooling system is treated with chemicals, for example corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, or biocides. These chemicals are preferably chosen to be compatible with ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems. Blow down water is removed from the cooling systems and filtered first through a UF membrane unit. The UF membrane unit removes total suspended solids (TSS), microorganisms and organic contaminants, among other things, from the blow down water. Permeate from the UF membrane unit is then filtered through a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit to remove, for example, divalent ions and hardness from the water. The RO membrane unit is preferably operated at a high cross flow velocity to reduce fouling. Permeate from the RO system is returned to the cooling system as make up water.

Abstract: A method of treating a liquid. The method comprises providing a feed liquid comprising at least one solvent and at least one solute to a first side of a membrane. A single-phase draw solution comprising at least one of an aminium salt, an amidinium salt, and a guanidinium salt is provided to a second side of the membrane. The at least one solvent is osmosed across the membrane and into the single-phase draw solution to form a diluted single-phase draw solution. At least one of CO2, CS2, and COS is removed from the diluted single-phase draw solution to form a first multiple-phase solution comprising a first liquid phase comprising the at least one solvent, and a second liquid phase comprising at least one of an amine compound, an amidine compound, and a guanidine compound. A liquid purification system is also described.

Abstract: A first connector of a connector assembly of a sterile batch container can be unsealed. The connector assembly can be attached to a filling port of the sterile batch container and can have a sterile filter arranged between the filling port and the first connector. The first connector can be coupled so as to receive produced purified water. A transmembrane pressure can be monitored across the sterile filter while flowing the purified water through the connector assembly into the sterile batch container so as to provide a sterile fluid stored therein. The connector assembly can be detached from the filling port of the sterile batch container. After the detaching, the sterile batch container can be coupled to the blood treatment system. In response to a change in the transmembrane pressure exceeding a predefined level, an alarm signal can be generated.

Abstract: Contaminating water and/or fuel material may be removed from a stream of internal combustion engine lubricating oil being circulated over parts of an operating engine. A suitable membrane material is supported in a suitable housing. At least a portion of the oil stream is flowed over one side of the membrane and water and/or fuel material diffuses through the membrane to its other side where they are gathered and removed from the housing. The water and fuel material may be recovered separately using different membranes or different regions of a membrane. They may be swept from the membranes and housings using streams of flowing air heated to a pre-selected temperatures using waste engine heat for disposition outside the housing. Application of this practice to other membrane-separable mixtures is described.

Abstract: A method of removing water and/or methanol from fluid mixtures of the water or methanol with other compounds uses vapor permeation or pervaporation of the water or methanol, as the case may be, from the mixture through a membrane having an amorphous perfluoropolymer selectively permeable layer. The novel process can be applied in such exemplary embodiments as (a) removing water or methanol from mixtures of compounds that have relative volatility of about 1-1.1 or that form azeotropic mixtures with water or methanol, (b) the dehydration of hydrocarbon oil such as hydraulic fluid to concentrations of water less than about 50 ppm, (c) removing water and methanol byproducts of reversible chemical reactions thereby shifting equilibrium to favor high conversion of reactants to desirable products, (d) drying ethanol to less than 0.5 wt.

Abstract: A process of producing an injection water stream of controlled salinity and controlled sulfate anion content that is suitable for injection into an oil bearing formation of an oil reservoir, the process comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a source water having a total dissolved solids content in the range of 20,000 to 45,000 ppm and a sulfate anion concentration in the range of 1,000 to 4,000 ppm, preferably, 1,500 ppm to 4,000 ppm to a desalination plant that comprises a plurality of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane units and a plurality of nanofiltration (NF) membrane units wherein the source water is pressurised to a pressure in the range of 350 to 1250 psi absolute, and dividing the source water to provide a feed water for the RO membrane units (hereinafter “RO feed water”) and a feed water for the NF membrane units (hereinafter “NF feed water”); (b) if necessary, increasing the pressure of the RO feed water to a value in the range of 900 to 1250 psi absolute before introducing the RO feed water to the RO m

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods and compositions for detection and isolation of cancer cells with metastatic potential. The invention further relates to assays for measuring the metastatic potential of such cancer cells and drug screening assays for the identification of agents having anti-metastatic potential. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for inhibiting the metastatic potential of cancer cells by modulating the activity of serine integral membrane proteases [(SIMP) consisting of seprase and dipetidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV)] expressed on the surface of metastasizing cancer cells.

Abstract: A fluid feed stream is flowed, subject to electromagnetic pulses, to a filter element via an input feed conduit for the filter element. A coil assembly is disposed about the input feed conduit and an AC power source is connected with the coil assembly. The AC power source has a period including first and second half-cycles of opposing polarities. A switch in series with the coil assembly forms a series connected circuit. A second switch connected with the coil assembly forms a second circuit. A control means closes the first switch and opens the second switch during a first half-cycle of the AC power source. During a second half-cycle, the control means closes and then opens the second switch to produce a first large ringing pulse in the coil assembly. A subsequent pulse may be produced either before or after the first pulse substantially decays.

Abstract: Disclosed is an economical process for the purification of water containing soluble and sparingly soluble inorganic compounds using single-stage or two-stage membrane processes that integrate membrane water purification with chemical precipitation softening and residual hardness and silica removal from the membrane concentrates using ion exchange resins and silica sequestering media, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention involves the use of a multi-stage membrane system for gas, vapor, and liquid separations. In this multi-stage membrane system, high selectivity and high permeance or at least high selectivity polybenzoxazole membranes or cross-linked polybenzoxazole membranes are applied for a pre-membrane or both the pre-membrane and the secondary membrane. A primary membrane can be from conventional glassy polymers. This multi-stage membrane system can reduce inter-stage compression cost, increase product recovery and product purity for gas, vapor, and liquid separations. It can also save the cost compared to the system using all the high cost polybenzoxazole membranes or cross-linked polybenzoxazole membranes.

Abstract: A process for removing a solvent from a first solution, said process comprising positioning a selective membrane between the first solution and a second solution having a higher osmotic potential than the first solution, such that solvent from the first solution passes across the membrane to dilute the second solution, and extracting solvent from the second solution, wherein the membrane has an average pore size of at least 10 Angstroms, and wherein the second solution contains solute species that are too large to pass through the pores of the membrane.

Abstract: A processes is provide herein for converting waste bio-product pomace to useful bio-product extracts. The process includes the steps of forming a mixture of water as a solvent and a specified quantity of the waste bio-product pomace. Then optionally adding a suitable quantity of citric acid to the water/waste bio-product mixture. Then heating waste bio-product pomace/water mixture to an elevated temperature below the boiling point of water. Then optionally adding a suitable quantity of sodium metabisulfite to the heated waste bio-product pomace/water mixture Then stirring heated waste bio-product pomace/water mixture for a suitable time to disperse the waste bio-product uniformly in the water solvent. Then cooling the stirred, heated waste bio-product pomace/water mixture to a suitable lower temperature at a rate of about 60° C. per hour. Then removing solids from the stirred waste bio-product pomace/water mixture. Then clarifying the cooled stirred water/waste bio-product mixture.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus for producing purified water from sea water or some other salty or brackish water source by using brackish concentrate mixed with salty water. The various embodiments also provide methods and apparatus for the treatment of toxicity of brackish concentrate, which brackish concentrate exhibits on aquatic life inhabiting the area of discharge of the brackish concentrate, as well as a method for environmentally safe disposal of brackish concentrate.

Abstract: A method for preparing a blood component composition for reducing risk of transfusion related injury includes passing a blood component composition through a tangential flow filter unit comprising one or more filter membranes. A diafiltration solution is added to the blood component composition during the filtration process. Non-cellular plasma components, including antibodies, are removed from the blood component composition by the tangential flow filtration.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for removing pathogens from a transfusion grade platelet composition. The method comprises the steps of passing a platelet preparation through a first tangential flow filtration (TFF) device having a TFF filter, and collecting a retentate from the TFF device, wherein the retentate comprises filtered platelets to be used for transfusion. The platelet preparation comprises a platelet activation inhibitor and an anti-coagulant. During the TFF process, a diafiltration solution is added to the retentate to maintain the volume of the platelets.

Abstract: There is provided a water treatment apparatus, including: first membrane filtration means in which a filtration membrane having an average pore diameter of 1 ?m or more is used; second membrane filtration means for treating water filtered by the first membrane filtration means, by using a microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane; and reverse osmosis membrane filtration means for treating water filtered by the second membrane filtration means. In particular, there is provided a water treatment apparatus, wherein a hydrophobic polymer membrane that is not subjected to hydrophilicizing processing is used as the filtration membrane having an average pore diameter of 1 ?m or more. There is also provided a water treatment method that can be implemented by these water treatment apparatuses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting lipids of varying polarities from oleaginous material.