Abstract: The invention relates to a forward osmosis (FO) device (10) with a semipermeable membrane (5, 5a) capable of performing forward osmosis between a first (F1) and a second fluid (F2). In a first fluid confinement (4a), a first swirl generator (7a) is positioned and in a second fluid confinement (4b) positioned on the other second side of the membrane, a second swirl generator (7b) is positioned. The swirl generators are arranged to create a circular flow pattern (S2, S3) for the first and the second fluid, respectively, wherein the first (7a) and second (7b) swirl generator, upon engagement, are arranged to create a circular flow pattern for the first and the second fluid, respectively, by rotating motion (RA1, RA2). The invention is advantageous by obtaining FO device that is capable of reducing the concentration polarization (CP) near the membrane by creating a cross flow velocity over the membrane and facilitate control of the cross flow velocity independent of the through flow of the membrane.

Abstract: A method for operating a tapered flow pressure driven arrangement containing a plurality of membrane modules, which comprises positioning said membrane modules in at least two successively arranged flow stages, such that the number of membrane modules operating in parallel in a given flow stage is greater than their number in the consecutive flow stage, passing a feed stream through a flow stage to generate a permeate and a concentrate, directing said concentrate to the consecutive flow stage and passing said concentrate therethrough, while periodically replacing one or more of the membrane modules belonging to said consecutive flow stage with one or more membrane modules belonging to the previous flow stage, wherein the periodicity of said replacement is such that the surface of membranes disposed in said consecutive flow stage is exposed to super-saturation conditions associated with the passage of said concentrate for a period of time that is shorter than the time required for said concentrate to precipita

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for wastewater purification. The system may include a sludge filtration unit, a screen filtration unit, a multi-media filtration unit, and a soluble hydrocarbon filtration unit. The sludge filtration unit may remove impurities from wastewater. Impurities include hydrocarbons, suspended solids, and/or dissolved solids. The screen filtration unit may remove impurities from the wastewater. The multi-media filtration unit may remove impurities from the wastewater. The soluble hydrocarbon filtration unit may remove impurities from the wastewater.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a plurality of feed pumps each having a feed pump input and a feed pump output, an input manifold in fluid communication with the feed pump inputs and a membrane feed manifold in fluid communication with the feed pump output. The system also includes a plurality of membrane chambers each in fluid communication with the membrane feed manifold and generating a permeate output and a brine output, each brine output in fluid communication with a brine manifold. The system further includes a plurality of booster devices each having a turbine portion with a turbine input in fluid communication with the brine manifold and a pump portion having a booster device pump input and a booster device pump output, each booster device pump output in fluid communication with the membrane feed manifold. The system includes a pump input manifold in fluid communication with the booster device pump input.

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 process for treatment of water. Hardness and non-hydroxide alkalinity are removed from feedwaters to an extent sufficient to avoid scaling when concentrated. Sparingly ionizable components in the feedwater are urged toward increased ionization by increasing the pH of the feedwater. In this manner, species such as silica become highly ionized, and (a) their rejection by membranes used in the process is significantly increased, and (b) their solubility in the reject stream from the membrane process is significantly increased. Sparingly ionized species such as boron, silica, and TOC are highly rejected. Recovery ratios of ninety percent (90%) or higher are achievable with many feedwaters, while simultaneously achieving a substantial reduction in cleaning frequency of membranes used in the process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reverse osmosis filtration devices, and more particularly, to membrane filtration devices (10, 11, 12) that have flow meters and fluid conductivity meters powered by RFID tags. Embodiments of the present invention comprise reverse osmosis filters and filtration systems comprising measuring devices, including flow and conductivity meters. The meters of the present invention are preferably located on or within permeate core tubes (16) of filtration devices and systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for optimizing water purification profile, has a front processing unit, a booster pump having a water inlet, a rear processing unit, a waterflow control unit, an emission control unit, a control circuit, and a temperature sensing probe. The front processing unit is connected to the water inlet via a pipe. The control circuit corresponds to the emission control unit. The temperature sensing probe senses water temperature. The control circuit is connected to the temperature sensing probe whereby automatically adjusting time of producing purified water in a periodic cycle. The apparatus implements a constant water utilization rate as water temperature changes.

Abstract: The present invention is a technique to fabricate thin-film composite perm-selective membranes by a transfer method. The composite membranes are useful in separating liquid, vapor or gaseous mixtures by selective permeation and reduce mass transfer resistance of the support layer. Selectivity and flux are improved by reduction of the mass transfer resistance of the support layer.

Abstract: In a method for treating a liquid medium by reverse osmosis in a cyclic process, the pressure to the upstream side of the reverse osmosis membrane is generated by transferring the power of a basically free-falling weight to a hydraulic cylinder which generates the high pressure needed to overcome the osmotic pressure of the liquid medium. The system performing the method uses a weight medium capable of travelling vertically between an initial and terminal position. The power thereby generated is transmitted to a hydraulic cylinder containing the liquid medium which is subjected to a high pressure and delivered to the upstream side of a reverse osmosis unit.

Abstract: The cross-linked polyphosphonate composition for the removal of metal ions from wastewater is a cross-linked anionic polyelectrolyte polymer having the formula: The cross-linked anionic polyelectrolyte is made by cyclocopolymerizing diallylaminomethylphosphonic acid and 1,1,4,4-tetraallylpiperazinium dichloride (a cross-linker) to form a cross-linked polyzwitterionic acid (CPZA). The CPZA is then treated with a base, such as sodium hydroxide, to form a cross-linked anionic polyelectrolyte polymer having the above formula. The composition may be used to remove heavy metal ions, such as Cu2+ and Pb2+, from wastewater.

Abstract: Certain disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.

Abstract: A thin film composite membrane includes an active layer on a support membrane, wherein the active layer includes at least two chemically distinct first and second crosslinked polyamide film sub-layers. The first film sub-layer includes a polyamide unit; and the second film sub-layer includes a copolyamide with two chemically distinct polyamide units. The first film sub-layer is closer to the support than is the second film sub-layer.

Abstract: There is provided a composite semipermeable membrane that shows a high salt removal ratio and high performance in rejecting boron that is not dissociated in the neutral region. The composite semipermeable membrane is produced by a process that includes forming a separating functional polyamide layer on a porous substrate film, while using an organic solvent solution containing a specific cyclic aliphatic compound or a specific aromatic compound such that a polyamide molecule that forms the separating functional polyamide layer has a partial structure composed of “a cyclic aliphatic group or an aromatic group having at least two specific substituents, at least one of which contains a heteroatom bond and a carbonyl group at the ? or ? position”.

Abstract: A process for preparing a reverse osmosis membrane that includes (A) providing a polyamine, a polyfunctional acid halide, and mono-hydrolyzed trimesoyl chloride; (B) combining the polyamine, polyfunctional acid halide, and mono-hydrolyzed trimesoyl chloride on the surface of a porous support membrane; and (C) interfacially polymerizing the polyamine and the polyfunctional acyl halide on the surface of the porous support membrane to form a reverse osmosis membrane comprising (i) the porous support membrane and (ii) a discrimination layer comprising a polyamide. The reverse osmosis membrane is characterized by a flux that is greater than the flux of the same membrane prepared in the absence of the mono-hydrolyzed trimesoyl chloride.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for systems for removing contaminants from a leachate, methods of removing contaminants from a leachate, and the like.

Abstract: In a process for the desalination of water, an impure, salt-containing water feed is passed through one or more filter media to remove from the feed impurities having a particle size greater than 50 ?m and produce a first filtered water stream. The first filtered water stream is then passed through at least one further filter having an average pore size of 1 ?m to 60 ?m produced from sintered polyethylene particles having a molecular weight of at least 4×105 g/mol as determined by ASTM-D 4020 to remove at least a portion of the impurities having a particle size less than or equal to 50 ?m from the first filtered water stream and produce a second filtered water stream. The second filtered water stream is passed directly to a reverse osmosis membrane to produce a purified water stream.

Abstract: Processes for manufacturing a thin film composite membrane comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes include contacting under interfacial polymerization conditions an organic solution comprising a polyacid halide with an aqueous solution comprising a polyamine to form a thin film composite membrane on a surface of a porous base membrane; at least one of the organic solution and the aqueous solution further including multi-walled carbon nanotubes having an outside diameter of less than about 30 nm.

Abstract: A cartridge filter assembly includes a depth filter element and a downstream second filter element. The depth filter element has a mass of melt-blown polymer filaments. The depth filter removes 0.5 to 10 micron sized contaminants at an efficiency of 90% or more. The depth filter preferably comprises multiple zones occupying different depths, with one or more melt-blown polymer filaments traversing two or more of the zones. The second filter element comprises nano-fibers having a diameter of 1 micron or less, and removes a material percentage of contaminants that are less than 1 micron in size, preferably less than 0.5 microns in size. The depth filter element may be in the form of a tube and the second filter element may be in the form of a pleated sheet located inside of the depth filter. The cartridge filter assembly may be used to pre-treat a feed water upstream of an RO membrane. The SDI of the feed water may be reduced to 3 or less or 2 or less.

Abstract: A water treatment system having modular-filter based residential reverse osmosis (RO) system that passes a stream of purified water through an ultraviolet light (UV) filter twice to ensure the water is sterile, while using only one UV filter, thereby forcing the water through a UV filter twice in a modular-filter based RO system. The water treatment system also includes a system whereby water passes through the UV filter at both points using only one UV filter by employing a system whereby a purified water stream is passed through a single remineralization module twice. The present invention also includes the method for treating water through such double forced sterilization system.

Abstract: A method of forming a gas separation membrane including: depositing a first hydrophilic polymer solution; depositing on top of the first hydrophilic polymer solution a second, different hydrophilic polymer solution, thereby forming a two-layer polymer solution; forming the two-layer polymer solution into one of a forward osmosis membrane and a pressure retarded osmosis membrane by bringing the second, different hydrophilic polymer solution into contact with water to form the dense layer; coating one of the forward osmosis membrane and the pressure retarded osmosis membrane with a thin layer of a third, different, hydrophilic polymer more pH tolerant than the first and second hydrophilic polymer solutions to form a dense rejection layer thereon; and exposing one of the coated forward osmosis membrane and the coated pressure retarded osmosis membrane to a high pH solution. A gas separation membrane formed from the foregoing process.

Abstract: A water desalination mechanism, including: a running pipe, for fresh water; a venturi arrangement, having a first venturi nozzle, a second venturi nozzle and a branch between; the first and second nozzles; a container divided by a reverse osmosis membrane into a first side and a second side and having: a first side inlet, for contaminated water; a first side outlet, for remaining salts and/or minerals; and a second side outlet, for desalinated water.

Abstract: Methods for testing the integrity of spiral wound modules including the introduction of pressurized gas within a sealed permeate collection tube and the detection of gas exiting at least one of the scroll faces of the module. The location(s) of gas exiting the scroll face can be correlated to defects in the module. In preferred embodiments, the subject test methods are non-destructive and can be applied to modules in either a dry or wet condition.

Abstract: RO membranes using chlorinated water as a feed stream maybe protected from damage by the chlorine with a protective layer including reactive nitrogen which forms chloromines on the surface of the membrane that reduce chlorine penetration. This protective layer also provides substantial anti-fouling capabilities, whether used with a chlorinated or unchlorinated feed stream because the chloramines are anti-bacterial. Although chlorine is lost in use, the anti-fouling layer or coating can be recharged with additional chlorine without damaging the discrimination layer. The anti-fouling layer or coating may be advantageously used with Thin film composite, TFC, membranes for use in forward and reverse osmosis may include nanoparticles, monohydrolyzed and/or di-hydrolyzed TMC, and/or alkaline earth alkaline metal complexes or other additives.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system according to the present disclosure includes a first membrane array, a second membrane array, a hydraulic pressure booster, and a motor-generator. The first membrane array is configured to generate a first permeate stream and a first brine stream from a feed stream. The second membrane array is configured to generate a second permeate stream and a second brine stream from the first brine stream. The booster is configured to use energy from the second brine stream to increase pressure of at least one of the feed stream and the first brine stream. The motor-generator is coupled to the hydraulic pressure booster and is operable to use energy from a power supply to drive the hydraulic pressure booster. The motor-generator is also operable to use energy from the second brine stream to provide power to the power supply.

Abstract: A subsurface wave action harnessing system includes a seabed mounting plate adapted for securing to a seabed, a wing having generally opposed first and second wing surfaces extending between a first and second wing ends, the second wing end being pivotably mounted to the seabed mounting plate such that pivoting motion about a pivot axis generally parallel to the mounting plate is imparted to the wing by subsurface wave action acting on the first and second wing surfaces, and a drive arm pivotably connected to the wing to convert the pivoting motion into reciprocal motion. An electrical generator, water purifier or other wave action load can be driven by the drive arm.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating contaminated impound water are disclosed which include a pretreatment stage wherein contaminated water is oxidized, pH adjusted, treated with a coagulant, and treated with a polymer to form a flocculent comprising bulk solids and fine particles. The oxidizing step may include two or more stages, one of which is a treatment with ferrous iron generated from iron filings or steel wool. Bulk solids are removed, and the liquid portion containing fine particles is applied to a low pressure microfiltration unit to remove the fine particles resulting in a microfilter effluent. The microfilter effluent may be directly fed to a reverse osmosis (R/O) unit. The R/O reject may be recycled to another R/O unit (second pass). The R/O permeate may be blended as needed with the microfiltration effluent to provide the final discharge effluent with reduced contaminant levels and maximized throughput.

Abstract: Equipment, systems, processes and techniques for conducting reverse osmosis processing of solutions are described. The techniques can be applied to provide diluted solution (i.e. purified solvent), concentrate solution or each. A variety of specific equipment, example systems and processes are depicted and described.

Abstract: A novel method for improving water recovery from desalination systems by the removal of cations and/or anions using ion exchange (IX) technology. The system described herein is particularly useful for water recovery in brackish ecosystems and is unique in that important features include recycling, regeneration, and recovery of key components, thereby reducing costs and waste products.

Abstract: Process and facility for treating an aqueous solution containing substantial concentrations of a variety of contaminants, including solids, semi-solids, colloids, complexes, oligomers, polyvalents, organics and monovalents, and which tend to form gels and scale precipitates when their concentration levels are increased during treatment of the aqueous solution, the process comprising the steps of: a) feeding the aqueous solution to an ultrafiltration (UF) plant and recovering therefrom an UF permeate reduced in such suspended solids, semi-solids and colloids; b) feeding the UF permeate obtained from step (a) to a nanofiltration (NF) plant and recovering therefrom an NF permeate reduced in such complexes, oligomers, polyvalents and organics; and feeding the NF permeate obtained from step (b) to a first reverse osmosis (RO) plant and recovering therefrom an RO permeate reduced in such monovalents. The process and facility may be used for treating process water from wet process phosphate acid production.

Abstract: Carbon Dioxide capture processes utilizing ammonia, or ammonia in water as the capture fluid for carbon dioxide generate concentrated solutions of ammonium carbonate species in water, which are subsequently decomposed to capture the carbon dioxide and recycle the ammonia. Forward osmosis processes utilize ammonium carbonate species as draw solutions to pull water from saline solutions such as seawater in the ammonium carbonate solution. The ammonium carbonate solution is then heated to decompose the ammonium carbonate to ammonia and CO2 which are both reused, while a portion of the aqueous stream is recovered as pure water. Combination of carbon capture process with an integrated forward osmosis process provide great economies over standalone operations. Furthermore, the very high concentrations of ammonium carbonate provide a further opportunity to include osmotic power recovery cycles with the integrated forward osmosis and carbon capture process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for improving the efficiency of a combined-cycle power generation plant and desalination unit. The process includes supplying exhaust gases from a gas turbine set used to generate electrical power to a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and then directing the steam from the HRSG to a steam turbine set. Salinous water is supplied into an effect of the desalination unit. Steam exhausted from the steam turbine set is utilized in the effect of the desalination unit to produce a distillate vapor and brine from the effect by heat exchange. Additionally, steam is introduced steam from at least one additional heat source from the combined-cycle power generation plant to the effect to increase the mass flow rate of steam into the effect. In one embodiment, the additional heat source is an intercooler heat exchanger. Heated water from the intercooler heat exchanger is provided to a reduced atmosphere flash tank, and the steam flashed in the flash tank is provided to the effect.

Abstract: A method comprising providing a power train comprising a plurality of cells, each cell forming a hydraulic loop; producing a power train cycle comprising a controlled concentration-pressure loop wherein the concentration field: (a) osmotically induces a continuous and constant flow rate of substantially salt-free permeate flux throughout the power train; (b) maintains a salt concentration difference across the semipermeable membrane shared by the adjacent cells in the plurality of cells; (c) defines a salt concentration ratio within each cell that ensures a net positive power generation; and, (d) discharges the concentrated brine at the opposing end cell; and operating the power train under conditions effective to generate net positive power at an efficiency of 35% or more.

Abstract: One embodiment of a method to system for enhancing TOC removal while maintaining membrane filter performance is the implementation of a dual pH control system. This embodiment will enhance the ability to maximize TOC removal while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance. By adjusting pH, dosing a chemical coagulant and incorporating liquid-solids separation, a considerably higher degree of TOC removal is possible. By adjusting pH again after liquid-solids separation this embodiment can drastically increase the efficiency of the membrane microfiltration/ultrafiltration system. Thus pH control for soluble organic removal is critical. This pH level however may not be the ideal set point for minimizing membrane fouling which is the basis for this embodiment. An example: the pH set point for optimum soluble organic removal is designated to be 5.5. However, the optimum pH set point for optimum membrane performance is 7.0.

Abstract: A method is provided for merging different load forecasts for power grid centers. Area load forecasts are accepted from load forecast engines. A relational database saves load forecast engine data. A comprehensive operating plan integrates individual load forecasts into a composite load forecast to present a comprehensive, synchronized and harmonized load forecast.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a plurality of feed pumps each having a feed pump input and a feed pump output, an input manifold in fluid communication with the feed pump inputs and a membrane feed manifold in fluid communication with the feed pump output. The system also includes a plurality of membrane chambers each in fluid communication with the membrane feed manifold and generating a permeate output and a brine output, each brine output in fluid communication with a brine manifold. The system further includes a plurality of booster devices each having a turbine portion with a turbine input in fluid communication with the brine manifold and a pump portion having a booster device pump input and a booster device pump output, each booster device pump output in fluid communication with the membrane feed manifold. The system includes a pump input manifold in fluid communication with the booster device pump input.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for the hydrolyzation of ensiled biomass is disclosed. Ensiled biomass is processed in multiple phases, resulting in a liquid precursor hydrozate and a solid precursor hydrozate. The liquid precursor having significant economic value, and being suitable for uses such as, for example, lower cost and improved efficiency ethanol production. A method for lower cost, improved efficiency alcohol production that uses the resulting liquid precursor hydrozate being produced at distributed sources is further disclosed.

Abstract: Certain disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.

Abstract: A forward osmosis method for desalination includes recyclable driving solutes which are easy to remove and recycle, have a high rejection by forward osmosis membranes, have low toxicity and are cost efficient.

Abstract: A method of integrating individual water treatment assemblies into a seamless water treatment control system. A Reverse Osmosis assembly contains a controller wherein all other pretreatment and post-treatment assemblies are electrical coupled thereto. The controller is preprogrammed for use in recognizing the coupling of the pretreatment and/or post treatment assemblies wherein and for receiving all control commands for operation thereof. The controller employs cells that allows and installer to interconnect assemblies by coupling low voltage control signal wiring having predefined inputs, set up as PnP, or by use of a personal wireless network.

Abstract: A system adapted to condition an initial water feed stream into a treated water stream and to discharge the treated water stream. The initial water feed stream includes at least one of: a plurality of particles; an oil; a volatile organic compound; a hydrogen sulfide; a non-volatile compound; a heavy metal; and, a dissolved ion. The system includes a particle and oil removal subsystem adapted to treat the initial water feed stream to remove the plurality of particles and the oil to form a first partial treated water stream, a chemical oxygen demand reduction subsystem adapted to treat the first partial treated water stream to remove the volatile organic compound, the hydrogen sulfide and/or the non-volatile organic compound to form a second partial treated water stream, and a heavy metal and dissolved ion removal subsystem adapted to treat the second partial treated water stream to remove the heavy metal and the dissolved ion to form a treated water stream.

Abstract: A cooling tower blow-down, groundwater and wastewater re-use process and system is provided, which system may further include a cooling tower evaporation recovery system and process. Thus, blow-down from cooling equipment may be reused by appropriate treatment of the blow-down water, or treatment of other sources of water such as groundwater or wastewater, for use as make-up water in a cooling tower or other cooling equipment, and the capture of evaporation from cooling equipment is conducted to increase the efficiency and lower costs in the operation of such equipment.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating apparatus that is capable of efficiently and stably producing fresh water. Provided is a fresh water generating apparatus equipped with a seawater-treating reverse osmosis membrane device that produces fresh water from seawater by a reverse osmosis membrane, including a mixing section that mixes wastewater as dilution water with seawater to produce mixed water, and a first seawater-treating reverse osmosis membrane device that acts as the seawater-treating reverse osmosis membrane device to filter the mixed water, in which the apparatus is configured so that used water that is wastewater resulting from the use of the produced fresh water as service water is mixed as dilution water with seawater at the mixing section.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for treating and disposing of wastewater produced by a facility. This aspect of the present invention is particularly well suited to manage and dispose of wastewater produced by an agricultural processing facility. Treated wastewater is selectively blended with untreated wastewater of the facility and the blended mixture is provided to a disposal unit for disposal. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for maximizing the efficiency of an impurity removal unit designed to remove at least one impurity from a liquid. More specifically, this system is preferably designed to blend influent entering the impurity removal unit with another source of liquid to ensure that the liquid treated by the impurity removal unit has an impurity concentration approximately equal to the maximum impurity concentration that the impurity removal unit can satisfactorily process.

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 relates to surface modification of reverse osmosis membranes to introduce antifouling properties without compromising the separation properties of the original membranes. This approach utilizes: providing a coated membrane surface having enhanced hydrophilic characteristics that prevents the biofoulants from settling; have a surface that consists of hydrophilic brushes that unsettle any biofoulants that get through; and having antimicrobial ions present in the membrane coatings and able to remove or minimize any remaining biofoulants without leaching into the permeate. These coatings are made using dendritic polymers such as hyperbranched polymers or dendrimers.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.

Abstract: A device for the tangential filtration of a fluid to be processed and intended to be divided into a filtrate and a retentate includes, in an outer case, a series of filtration elements of tubular form lying parallel to each other, at least one output for the filtrate, communicating with the filtrate collection receptacle, a first communication chamber in which are fitted the separation resources, communicating with respectively a first series and a second series of filtration elements forming the go and return circuits of a circulation loop for the fluid to be processed, where the separation resources include a turbine of a circulation pump. The input for the fluid to be processed opens into the first communication chamber of the outer case between the turbine of the circulation pump and the filtration elements of the series forming the return circuit of the circulation loop.

Abstract: One embodiment of a method to system for enhancing TOC removal while maintaining membrane filter performance is the implementation of a dual pH control system. This embodiment will enhance the ability to maximize TOC removal while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance. By adjusting pH, dosing a chemical coagulant and incorporating liquid-solids separation, a considerably higher degree of TOC removal is possible. By adjusting pH again after liquid-solids separation this embodiment can drastically increase the efficiency of the membrane microfiltration/ultrafiltration system. Thus pH control for soluble organic removal is critical. This pH level however may not be the ideal set point for minimizing membrane fouling which is the basis for this embodiment. An example: the pH set point for optimum soluble organic removal is designated to be 5.5. However, the optimum pH set point for optimum membrane performance is 7.0.

Abstract: A system and process for enhancing total organic carbon (“TOC”) removal from raw, untreated water while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance. The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art water filtration systems by controlling the pH level of the water, prior to the water being directed through said membrane filter, so that the particulate charge of the water aligns with the electromagnetic surface charge of membrane filter. Maintaining the particulate charge of the water within an optimum charge window for the particular membrane filter enhances the membrane filter's performance by decreasing the fouling rate of the membrane filter.