Hyperfiltration (e.g., Reverse Osmosis, Etc.) Patents (Class 210/652)
  • Publication number: 20120125851
    Abstract: A transportable disaster-relief generating system is a power generated, multi-functional, and compact relief unit with means for providing area lighting via a power generator, purifying and storing potable water from a non-potable water source, and creating ice utilizing purified water. The disaster-relief unit of the present invention may further provide a portable ice storage bin in a knockdown configuration to hold a large quantity of ice. A bladder may be used to hold potable water produced. The equipment is physically protected by the structural framework and base. The device may comprise access doors and suitable paneling on the walls and roof of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Irwin Shapiro
  • Patent number: 8182693
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying water are provided. A feed water such as seawater can be fed to a filter such as a microporous or nanofiltration membrane to produce a permeate that can, in turn, be fed to an electrodeionization system to produce fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick C. Wilkins, Anil Jha, Gary C. Ganzi
  • Patent number: 8177978
    Abstract: An interfacial polymerization process (IFP) for preparing a highly permeable TFC RO membrane by contacting on a porous support membrane for IFP, a polyfunctional acyl halide monomer and a polyamine monomer and recovering a highly permeable thin film (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. At least one of solutions may contain nanoparticle additives which may release ions into solution and at least one of the solutions may contain additional ions from a second additive. The presence of the nanoparticle additives during IFP may increase the hydrophilicity and/or permeability of the recovered membrane compared to a control membrane. The presence of the additional ions from the second additive may also increase the permeability of the recovered membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: NanoH20, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher James Kurth, Jeffrey Alan Koehler, Meijuan Zhou, Brett Anderson Holmberg, Robert Leon Burk
  • Patent number: 8177979
    Abstract: This invention relates to heterogenous pore polymer nanotube membranes useful in filtration, such as reverse osmosis desalination, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and gas separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: NanOasis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy V. Ratto, Jason K. Holt, Alan W. Szmodis
  • Publication number: 20120103906
    Abstract: The retrofit technology utilizes pressurized brine of convention RO to feed a Closed Circuit Desalination (CCD) unit; wherein, further desalination takes place to a desired recovery level. The application exemplified in FIG. 4 is of a retrofit unit comprising a Booster Pump (BP2) for raising pressure of inlet feed; a Circulation Pump (CP) for creating cross flow over membranes (E) in the pressure vessel (M), thereby enable efficient RO desalination; an Actuated Valve (AV) in line with a partially open Manual Valve (MV) to enable periodic replacement of high salinity concentrates with fresh feed without stopping desalination; No Return (NR) valve means to control the direction of flow in the system; and monitoring means such as of electric conductivity (CM) and flow (FM). Periodic replacement of high salinity concentrates by fresh feed initiated at desired high system electric conductivity and terminated at a desired low system electric conductivity, while desalination continued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Desalitech Ltd.
    Inventor: Avi Efraty
  • Publication number: 20120103899
    Abstract: A maple sap reverse osmosis device has a support rack configured and sized to rest atop a tank. The support rack supporting a reverse osmosis device. The reverse osmosis device has a pump line and a dump line both located within the tub. The pump line being located at an upper region of the tank. A pumping means to pump the maple sap from the pump line. The pumping means pushing maple sap through an osmosis membrane. The dump pipe purging concentrate resulting from sap not passing through the osmosis membrane into the deepest region of the tub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Denis Côtè
  • Publication number: 20120103905
    Abstract: A microfiltration method and system for treating production water, for example, from oil and gas operations so that the treated water can be put to a beneficial user(s) such as agriculture, irrigation, industrial or municipal or potable applications. The production water is treated using a ceramic microfilter after pretreatment, for example, to remove volatile hydrocarbons and heavier oils, such as paraffins and asphaltenes, that could foul the ceramic filter. The effluent from the ceramic microfiltration can be further treated, for example, with activated charcoal or otherwise for the intended end use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: PRODUCED WATER DEVELOPMENT, LLC
    Inventor: David Rakestraw Stewart
  • Patent number: 8167143
    Abstract: DCMD and VMD systems and methods for use in desalination applications are provided. The DCMD and VMD systems employ coated porous hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. The coatings advantageously function to essentially eliminate pore wetting of the membrane, while permitting substantially unimpeded water vapor permeance through the fiber walls. The DCMD and VMD membranes are characterized by larger fiber bore diameters and wall thicknesses. The membranes substantially reduce the loss of brine sensible heat, e.g., heat loss via conductive heat flux through the membrane wall and the vapor space and, in exemplary embodiments, the brine-side heat transfer coefficient is dramatically enhanced by horizontal/vertical cross flow of brine over the outside surface of the coated fibers. Superior water vapor fluxes are achieved with the systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: New Jersey Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kamalesh K. Sirkar, Baoan Li
  • Publication number: 20120091062
    Abstract: An energy efficient desalination process that does not produce waste products involves the extraction of water from a first solution, such as seawater, by using a second concentrated solution to draw the water from the first solution across a semi-permeable membrane. By manipulating the equilibrium of the soluble and insoluble species of solute within the second solution in favor of the soluble species of the solute, a saturated second solution can be used to generate osmotic pressure on the first solution. Also, by adjusting the equilibrium in favor of the less soluble species after the water has been drawn from the first solution, a portion of the solute can easily be precipitated out. Heating the second solution decomposes the solute into its constituent gases. The constituent gases and precipitated solute may be recycled through the process to affect the changes in equilibrium and eliminate waste products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Yale University
    Inventor: Robert L. McGinnis
  • Publication number: 20120085094
    Abstract: A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and a method of cooling photovoltaic (PV) cells in the system is described herein. Energy from an excitation source such as the sun hits the PV cells in the PV-T system causing heating that reduces PV efficiency. The PV cells are cooled by fluid in an intact heat-transfer system making a heated water byproduct while the PV cells release a form of energy. In addition, the PV-T system can be implemented in a desalination plant to harvest energy and heat for desalination processes. The present invention also includes methods for transferring heat from PV cells to the earth to improve PV performance and reduce thermal shock to the PV cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Thomas A. Davis, Malynda A. Cappelle
  • Patent number: 8152999
    Abstract: The present invention provides counter flow cascade separation systems useful to separate solute/solute pairs present in a solvent. The separation systems include a series of interconnected stages with each stage comprising a diafilter preferentially permeable for one solute. Solute/solute pairs are preferentially separated by the diafilter into permeate and retentate flows. Stages are combined to form separation systems capable of operation approaching an ideal cascade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Edwin N. Lightfoot, Jr., Michael C. Cockrem
  • Patent number: 8147757
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for accurately measuring the concentration of a substance within a filter housing. A concentration sensor and a communications device are coupled so as to be able to measure and transmit the concentration of a particular substance within the filter housing while in use. This system can comprise a single component, integrating both the communication device and the concentration sensor. Alternatively, the system can comprise separate sensor and transmitter components, in communication with one another. In yet another embodiment, a storage element can be added to the system, thereby allowing the device to store a set of concentration values. The use of this device is beneficial to many applications. For example, the ability to read concentration values in situ allows integrity tests to be performed without additional equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony DiLeo
  • Patent number: 8142663
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for producing purified drinking water are disclosed. A hand pump is used in a closed system to generate pressure sufficient to pass the untreated water through a system of filters and a reverse osmosis membrane. The system preferably includes an ultrafiltration filter. The resulting water is substantially pure, being free of bacteria and having a significant amount of minerals and salts removed to make it safe for drinking. The system can produce enough potable water to supply the daily needs for a small village.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Acuity/Sparkle, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael H. Francisco, Subhash Mehra, Sumeet Mehra
  • Patent number: 8142656
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for reducing the demand of wastewater volume flowing through a wastewater collection piping system and thereby increasing the effective capacity of the system. A portion of the wastewater is diverted from a sewer main. The solids are separated from the liquid, for example, by a vortex separator. The recovered liquid can be treated and made available for reuse or can be disposed of, for example, in a body of water or pumped into the ground. The concentrated solids are reintroduced into the main sewage line in a portion that adjusts the wastewater loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range. Also disclosed is a system capable of reintroducing the concentrated solids into the sewer main in a portion that adjusts the solids loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ecolivegreen Corp.
    Inventor: Paul L. Culler
  • Patent number: 8137983
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for accurately measuring the concentration of a substance within a filter housing. A concentration sensor and a communications device are coupled so as to be able to measure and transmit the concentration of a particular substance within the filter housing while in use. This system can comprise a single component, integrating both the communication device and the concentration sensor. Alternatively, the system can comprise separate sensor and transmitter components, in communication with one another. In yet another embodiment, a storage element can be added to the system, thereby allowing the device to store a set of concentration values. The use of this device is beneficial to many applications. For example, the ability to read concentration values in situ allows integrity tests to be performed without additional equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony DiLeo
  • Publication number: 20120055878
    Abstract: A process of producing a structure for molecular separations includes providing a plurality of template materials. The template materials are selected from biomolecules, biopolymers, polymers, or combinations thereof. A sieve material, suitable for producing a structure for molecular separations, is provided around the template materials. The template materials are positioned in an arrangement for leaving pores suitable for molecular separations. The template materials are removed to leave pores in the sieve material and produce the structure suitable for molecular separations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Karl D. Bishop, Tyler J. Kirkmann
  • Publication number: 20120055879
    Abstract: A method of making a porous membrane is disclosed. One such method optionally includes: forming a plurality of pillars in an array form over a substrate; and forming a layer with a mixture of a porous material precursor and a surfactant over the substrate. The method optionally includes removing the pillars to leave cavities in the layer; filling the cavities in the layer with a cavity filler; and removing the surfactant from the layer. The porous membrane can be used as, for example, a sieve for separating molecules from a chemical reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventor: Kwangyeol Lee
  • Patent number: 8127937
    Abstract: In the present invention high performance cross-linked polybenzoxazole and polybenzothiazole polymer membranes and methods for making and using these membranes have been developed. The cross-linked polybenzoxazole and polybenzothiazole polymer membranes are prepared by: 1) first synthesizing polyimide polymers comprising pendent functional groups (e.g., —OH or —SH) ortho to the heterocyclic imide nitrogen and cross-linkable functional groups in the polymer backbone; 2) fabricating polyimide membranes from these polymers; 3) converting the polyimide membranes to polybenzoxazole or polybenzothiazole membranes by heating under inert atmosphere such as nitrogen or vacuum; and 4) finally converting the membranes to high performance cross-linked polybenzoxazole or polybenzothiazole membranes by a crosslinking treatment, preferably UV radiation. The membranes can be fabricated into any convenient geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Chunqing Liu, Man-Wing Tang, Raisa Serbayeva, Lubo Zhou
  • Patent number: 8123948
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing salinity power using pressure retarded osmosis and a biometric membrane (e.g., a liquid bilayer membrane or a lipid membrane containing multiple bilayers of fused deposited lipid vesicles) containing aquaporin water channels. The invention also provides power plants for producing salinity energy using pressure retarded osmosis and a biometric water membrane containing functional aquaporin channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Aquaporin A/S
    Inventor: Peter Holme Jensen
  • Patent number: 8119006
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a membrane for aromatics separation that is stable in an alcohol containing environment. The polymeric membrane is a epoxy amine based membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Abhimanyu O. Patil, Timothy D. Shaffer, David T. Ferrughelli, Beth A. Winsett, Benjamin A. McCool, Randall D. Partridge
  • Patent number: 8119008
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of purifying fluid, typically an aqueous fluid steam, with the method involving at least two reverse osmosis stages with retentate from a first reverse osmosis stage being subjected to the second reverse osmosis stage, and with intermediate treatment of retentate from the first reverse osmosis stage by exposure to an electric field. The intermediate treatment may involve electrocoagulation to remove sparingly-soluble compounds and permit enhanced reverse osmosis recovery. Additional treatment may be performed prior to the first reverse osmosis stage, between the first reverse osmosis stage and the intermediate treatment with an electric field, between such intermediate treatment and the second reverse osmosis stage, or after the second reverse osmosis stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher Heiss
  • Publication number: 20120037566
    Abstract: Systems and methods for osmotically assisted desalination include using a pressurized concentrate from a pressure desalination process to pressurize a feed to the desalination process. The depressurized concentrate thereby produced is used as a draw solution for a pressure-retarded osmosis process. The pressure-retarded osmosis unit produces a pressurized draw solution stream that is used to pressurize another feed to the desalination process. In one example, the feed to the pressure-retarded osmosis process is impaired water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Andrea Achilli, Amy E. Childress, Tzahi Y. Cath
  • Patent number: 8114259
    Abstract: An electrically-driven separation apparatus can be used with a pressure-driven separation apparatus to provide potable water having a desired total dissolved solids (TDS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph E. Zuback, Gary C. Ganzi, Evgeniya Freydina, Anil D. Jha, Li-Shiang Liang, Frederick C. Wilkins
  • Patent number: 8114286
    Abstract: Prior water treatment equipments have several water clarifying process filters, water purifier and water reservoir separated from each other, occupying too much space to install under a water tank and resulting inconvenient installment. The water treatment equipments for home cannot be received in water tanks, and thus water clarifier and water purifier are disposed in the water tanks while the water reservoir is disposed separately. Water pipes are connected in between. Therefore, water clarifying processors, water reservoir and water purifier utilizing RO membrane may be integrated to eliminate unnecessary space in existing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Yoichi Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20120031844
    Abstract: A flow-switch controlled, zero waste reverse osmosis water treatment system having a first conduit for providing a supply of water, a second conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with the first conduit for selectively receiving a flow of water from the first conduit, a reverse osmosis element positioned along the second conduit, the reverse osmosis element separating the flow of water within the second conduit into a purified water stream and a reject water stream, a purified water conduit having an inlet configured to receive the purified water stream and a reject water conduit having an inlet configured to receive the reject water stream and an outlet in fluid communication with the first conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: ATLAS WATER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: MARK J. ST. HILAIRE
  • Publication number: 20120024789
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: MICHIGAN MOLECULAR INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Abhijit Sarkar, Petar R. Dvornic, Peter I. Carver, Joseph L. Rousseau
  • Patent number: 8101078
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for reducing the demand of wastewater volume flowing through a wastewater collection piping system and thereby increasing the effective capacity of the system. A portion of the wastewater is diverted from a sewer main. The solids are separated from the liquid, for example, by a vortex separator. The recovered liquid can be treated and made available for reuse or can be disposed of, for example, in a body of water or pumped into the ground. The concentrated solids are reintroduced into the main sewage line in a portion that adjusts the wastewater loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range. Also disclosed is a system capable of reintroducing the concentrated solids into the sewer main in a portion that adjusts the solids loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ecolivegreen Corp.
    Inventor: Paul L. Culler
  • Patent number: 8101083
    Abstract: A pre-treatment method for cleaning and maintaining reverse osmosis membrane filters by injecting sulfurous acid into waters with suspended solids in a liquid fraction to be filtered to form sulfurous acid (H2SO3) to acid leach heavy metals into the liquid fraction, reduce alkalinity and mineral scaling, add sufficient SO2 as a biocide to attack bacteria and other micro organisms to prevent membrane fouling, reduce iron to prevent iron deposit build-up, scavenge and remove dissolved oxygen prior to filtration to prevent membrane oxidation, and then sequentially filtering the acidified water through membrane filters to create a metal free permeate and a brine retentate, which can be pH adjusted to remove the heavy metals as metal hydroxide precipitates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Ruehr, Evelyn Ruehr, legal representative, Terry R. Gong, Marcus G. Theodore
  • Patent number: 8097163
    Abstract: A method and system for purifying production water obtained from oil and gas operations so that the purified water need not be disposed of by forced injection back into the geological formation but can be put to a beneficial use such as agriculture, irrigation, industrial or municipal or potable applications. The production water is treated in a ceramic microfilter after it has been pretreated (preferably by aeration and with a walnut shell filter) to remove volatile hydrocarbons and heavier oils, such as paraffins and asphaltenes, that could foul the ceramic filter. The permeate from the ceramic microfiltration can then be treated with activated charcoal or otherwise treated to meet the specific requirements for the intended beneficial use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Produced Water Development, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Stewart, Lawrence Y. C. Leong
  • Publication number: 20120006749
    Abstract: A multi-ported vessel system includes an outer pressure vessel containing a plurality of flow distribution tubes, each of which comprises a plurality of reverse osmosis membrane elements aligned serially within each tube. The outer pressure vessel includes bypass flow paths whereby feed water flows around each of the tubes within the vessel. Slots are disposed in the flow distribution tubes at the upstream end of each RO membrane element such that feed water reaches all RO membrane elements of the tubes in parallel. The serial alignment of the membranes also allows for serial water processing also. A product water tube collects the purified water from the reverse osmosis elements and provides it to a product water port. Brine water is provided to an output port to be discarded of for further processing. The parallel processing of feed water by all membrane elements results in increased productivity and reduced costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: MegaVessals, Inc.
    Inventor: Hany Armia Said
  • Patent number: 8083948
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Masanobu Noshita, Kazutaka Takata, Mitsushige Shimada, Noboru Miyaoka, Kenji Takesaka
  • Patent number: 8083942
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for purifying liquids. In a particular implementation, the system includes a forward-osmosis unit for diluting a water source for a downstream desalination unit. A pretreatment unit may be located hydraulically upstream of the desalination unit, such as upstream or downstream of the forward-osmosis unit. In certain embodiments, the system includes an extraction unit for extracting a relatively easily extractable osmotic agent from an osmotic draw solution. The system may include one or more forward-osmosis units downstream of the desalination unit for diluting a concentrated brine stream produced by the desalination unit. In particular embodiments, a downstream forward-osmosis unit uses the concentrated brine stream as an osmotic agent, such as to extract water from seawater or brackish water. Another downstream forward-osmosis unit may use impaired water as a feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on Behalf of the Universary of Nevada, Reno
    Inventors: Tzahi Y. Cath, Amy E. Childress
  • Patent number: 8083946
    Abstract: This invention relates to the fabrication of a polymeric membrane and a process for utilizing the polymeric membrane for separating components of a feedstream. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to the fabrication of a polymeric membrane and a process for utilizing the polymeric membrane in the separation of aromatics from a hydrocarbon based feedstream. The membranes of the present invention possess low soft segment glass transition temperatures and improved separation characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Craig Y. Sabottke, Bal K. Kaul, Dennis G. Peiffer
  • Patent number: 8084259
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system for accurately measuring the concentration of a substance within a filter housing. A concentration sensor and a communications device are coupled so as to measure and transmit the concentration of a particular substance within the filter housing while in use. This system allows the operator to certify the integrity of the filters within the filter housing at the customer site without additional equipment. In one embodiment, a tracer gas, such as helium or hydrogen, is added to a carrier and injected into the system. The concentration of tracer gas at a specific operating transmembrane pressure is indicative of bubble pointing specific pores in the filter. This test will give a more sensitive indication of the bubble point and the presence of defects than a standard diffusion test. In a second embodiment, two gasses, in a known ratio, are introduced into the filter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony DiLeo
  • Publication number: 20110309020
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for desalination of salt water based on an engineered acoustic field that causes constructive and destructive interference at pre-computed spatial positions. The engineered acoustic field can cause high-pressure and low-pressure regions where desalination membranes are located. The induced pressure from the acoustic field can force pure water through the membranes leaving ionic and dissolved molecular species behind.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Edward A. Rietman, Bart Lipkens
  • Patent number: 8080161
    Abstract: Dialysis treatment devices and methods for removing urea from dialysis waste streams are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a dialysis treatment device including: 1) a first filter having a filtration membrane, 2) a urea removal unit having urease and in fluid communication with the first filter, and 3) a second filter having an ion rejection membrane and in fluid communication with the first filter and the urea removal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Yuanpang Samuel Ding, Ying-Cheng Lo
  • Publication number: 20110303608
    Abstract: A desalination system is provided that may be operated in a self-sustained fashion. The desalination system is comprised of (i) a wind turbine; (ii) an air compressor coupled to, and powered by, the wind turbine; (iii) a compressed air storage tank for storing the pressurized air from the air compressor; (iv) a pneumatic actuator that is powered by compressed air stored in the air storage tank; (v) at least one compression cylinder coupled to, and powered by, the pneumatic actuator; (vi) a source of salt water that is introduced into the compression chamber(s) of the compression cylinder(s); and (vii) a reverse osmosis desalination column that is configured to receive pressurized salt water from the compression cylinder(s) and output desalinated water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: WAWE, LLC
    Inventor: Tony Tak-Shee Huen
  • Patent number: 8075779
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an integrated process and system for water treatment, in particular, an integrated process and system for water treatment in the beverage manufacture cycle. The water treatment process is directed to treating an influent water solution, a low sugar concentration solution, and a high sugar concentration solution. The water treatment system is directed to a system for treating an influent water solution, a system for treating a low sugar concentration solution, and system for treating a high sugar concentration solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Environmental Management Corporation
    Inventor: David Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8075740
    Abstract: A system for treating feedwater includes a fluidized bed heat exchanger unit connected to receive feedwater and a flash concentrator column connected to receive feedwater discharged from the fluidized bed heat exchanger unit. A spray dryer is provided to receive a solids/liquid slurry discharged from the flash concentrator column. Feedwater can be treated by converting dissolved solids in the feedwater to suspended solids, vaporizing a portion of the feedwater to produce a solids/liquid slurry, and separating solids from the solids/liquid slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignees: AHT Solutions, LLC, Watervap, LLC
    Inventors: Robert E. Bailie, Robert R. Wright
  • Publication number: 20110300231
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Richard B. Peterson, James R. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20110297614
    Abstract: Disclosed is a treatment apparatus capable of inhibiting growth of microorganisms and carrying out long-term stable treatment in an activated carbon tower and a reverse osmosis membrane separation device during processes including activated carbon treatment and RO membrane separation treatment of a later step in a system for manufacturing ultrapure water used in an electronic device factory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Nozomu Ikuno
  • Patent number: 8070954
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Masanobu Noshita, Kazutaka Takata, Mitsushige Shimada, Noboru Miyaoka, Kenji Takesaka
  • Patent number: 8070953
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Katsuhide Motojima, Kazuya Uematsu, Masanobu Noshita, Kazutaka Takata, Mitsushige Shimada, Megumi Manabe
  • Patent number: 8070955
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Masanobu Noshita, Kazutaka Takata, Mitsushige Shimada, Noboru Miyaoka, Kenji Takesaka
  • Publication number: 20110290728
    Abstract: An SWRO module for use in a desalination plant receives refresh water to increase production and product quality and reduce scaling problems. The SWRO module includes a pressure vessel having a front-end feed port, a rear-end brine port and a rear-end permeate port. A plurality of RO membrane elements are located in series within the pressure vessel. At least one refresh port leading to an interconnector mixing zone within the pressure vessel is located between two of the plurality of RO membrane elements. The port is configured such that refresh water added to the SWRO module through the refresh port mixes with the feed water supplied through the front-end feed port in the interconnector mixing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Orlando J. Viera Curbelo
  • Patent number: 8066881
    Abstract: A process of obtaining a natural, bioactive concentrate, rich on hydroxytyrosol, from olive tree residues and subproducts using clean technologies is presented. These technologies comprise supercritical fluid extraction, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis which are used individually or in an integrated mode. The natural extract comprises hydroxytyrosol at a minimum concentration of 15% (mass fraction) and a maximum concentration of 98% (mass fraction). The hydroxytyrosol-rich concentrate exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities, which are superior to the activities observed for isolated hydroxytyrosol in equivalent concentration. The hydroxytyrosol-rich concentrate can be prepared in the form of solid particles, as an aqueous solution, in an emulsion or as lipidic based nanoparticles. Industrial application includes the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventors: Manuel Luís De Magalhães Nunes Da Ponte, José Luís Cardador Dos Santos, Ana Alexandra Figueiredo Matias, Ana Vital Morgado Marques Nunes, Catarina Maria Martins Duarte, João Paulo Serejo Goulão Crespo
  • Patent number: 8066887
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for reducing the demand of wastewater volume flowing through a wastewater collection piping system and thereby increasing the effective capacity of the system. A portion of the wastewater is diverted from a sewer main. The solids are separated from the liquid, for example, by a vortex separator. The recovered liquid can be treated and made available for local reuse. The concentrated solids are reintroduced into the main sewage line in a portion that adjusts the wastewater loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range. Also disclosed is a system capable of reintroducing the concentrated solids into the sewer main in a portion that adjusts the solids loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ecolivegreen Corp.
    Inventor: Paul L. Culler
  • Patent number: 8062522
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for reducing the demand of wastewater volume flowing through a wastewater collection piping system and thereby increasing the effective capacity of the system. A portion of the wastewater is diverted from a sewer main. The solids are separated from the liquid, for example, by a vortex separator. The recovered liquid can be treated and made available for local reuse. The concentrated solids are reintroduced into the main sewage line in a portion that adjusts the wastewater loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range. Also disclosed is a system capable of reintroducing the concentrated solids into the sewer main in a portion that adjusts the solids loading in the sewer main to a predetermined amount or predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ecolivegreen Corp.
    Inventor: Paul L. Culler
  • Patent number: 8062527
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Katsuhide Motojima, Kazuya Uematsu, Masanobu Noshita, Kazutaka Takata, Mitsushige Shimada, Megumi Manabe, Noboru Miyaoka, Kenji Takesaka
  • Patent number: 8062528
    Abstract: A method and components for heating and hydrating foods and beverages using an exothermic and pressure generating chemical reaction are described. The exothermic reaction can be initiated by water, spark, electrical impulse, squib, friction, or shock to heat non-potable water and force the water through a membrane filter, thereby producing heated, potable water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Mainstream Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Dwight D. Back, Lawrence R. Grzyll, Deborah Stewart, legal representative, Robert P. Scaringe, R. Paul Roth