In an aspect, a system includes a mixer configured to mix a fuel stream with a solvent to form a mixed stream, the solvent having a higher affinity for a second component of the fuel stream than for a first component of the fuel stream. The system includes a first separator configured to separate the mixed stream into (i) a first fuel fraction including the first component of the fuel stream and (ii) a mixed fraction including the second component of the fuel stream based on a difference in volatility of the first fuel fraction and the mixed fraction. The system includes a second separator configured to separate the mixed fraction into a second fuel fraction including the second component of the fuel stream and a solvent fraction.

In an aspect, a system includes a mixer configured to mix a fuel stream with a solvent to form a mixed stream, the solvent having a higher affinity for a second component of the fuel stream than for a first component of the fuel stream. The system includes a first separator configured to separate the mixed stream into (i) a first fuel fraction including the first component of the fuel stream and (ii) a mixed fraction including the second component of the fuel stream based on a difference in volatility of the first fuel fraction and the mixed fraction. The system includes a second separator configured to separate the mixed fraction into a second fuel fraction including the second component of the fuel stream and a solvent fraction.

A method for separating ionic species from an analyte solution to form a fractionated sample, the method comprising contacting the analyte solution with an ion-exchanger that is selectively permeable to ionic species of either a positive or negative charge, contacting an opposing side of the ion-exchanger with a draw solution, wherein the draw solution comprises adsorber particles dispersed in a liquid carrier, establishing a concentration gradient across the ion-exchanger to allow at least some ionic species from the analyte solution to permeate through the ion-exchanger to the draw solution, adsorbing ionic species that permeate from the analyte solution onto the adsorber particles, separating adsorber particles having the ionic species adsorbed thereto from at least part of the draw solution, and eluting the ionic species from the separated adsorber particles to form a fractionated analyte sample comprising eluted ionic species.

A rack for a diagnostic robot with at least one support for at least one container; at least one gas-outlet to supply the at least one container with a gas at a predefined but individually adjustable pressure level; a first gas pump to generate a gas at a predefined super-atmospheric pressure level; a second gas pump to generate a gas at a pre-defined sub-atmospheric pressure level; a first tubing system attached to the first gas pump and holding the gas generated by the first gas pump; a second tubing system attached to the second gas pump and holding the gas generated by the second gas pump; and at least one tube bridge, wherein one end of the bridge connects via a first valve into the first tubing system and the other end of the bridge connects via a second valve into the second tubing system, and wherein the at least one gas-outlet is connected to the center of the bridge.

Various systems and processes are directed to filtering organic compounds using nanoporous membranes and osmosis. In various implementations, the nanoporous membrane can be trained on one or more organic compounds such that the nanoporous membrane preferentially allows the one or more organic compounds to permeate the nanoporous membrane to the exclusion of other compounds. In some implementations, the nanoporous membrane is trained on ethanol such that the nanoporous membrane preferentially allows ethanol to permeate the nanoporous membrane to the exclusion of other compounds, such as water or other compounds or mixtures. In some implementations, the selective ethanol permeation of the nanoporous membrane may occur even where the other compounds have smaller molecules than ethanol.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

Methods for monitoring patient parameters and blood fluid removal system parameters include identifying those system parameters that result in improved patient parameters or in worsened patient parameters. By comparing the patient's past responses to system parameters or changes in system parameters, a blood fluid removal system may be able to avoid future use of parameters that may harm the patient and may be able to learn which parameters are likely to be most effective in treating the patient in a blood fluid removal session.

Methods for monitoring patient parameters and blood fluid removal system parameters include identifying those system parameters that result in improved patient parameters or in worsened patient parameters. By comparing the patient's past responses to system parameters or changes in system parameters, a blood fluid removal system may be able to avoid future use of parameters that may harm the patient and may be able to learn which parameters are likely to be most effective in treating the patient in a blood fluid removal session.

An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.

Selective removal of non-aromatic hydrocarbons from a xylene isomerization process for para-xylene production is accomplished using a membrane unit positioned within a xylene recovery loop. The membrane unit may include a one-stage or multi-stage (e.g., two-stage) membrane system and may be configured to separate a membrane unit product stream from a non-aromatics rich stream, which can be removed from the xylene recovery loop. The membrane unit may have a xylene permeance of about 60 gm/m2/hr/psi and a xylene to non-aromatic permeance ratio of about 15.