[Problem] A treatment agent having an excellent ability to remove biofilms and a biofilm treatment method in which the treatment agent is used are provided.

[Solution] A biofilm treatment agent characterized by containing at least A1 and/or A2 below. A1: An aromatic monohydric alcohol. A2: An anthranilic acid analog and a biosurfactant. Preferably, the biofilm treatment agent is characterized by containing at least an aromatic monohydric alcohol, an anthranilic acid analog, a biosurfactant, and a synthetic surfactant.

Liquid solution concentration methods and related systems involving osmosis units and energy recovery are generally described. In some embodiments, an osmotic system has a pump, a first reverse osmosis unit, a second reverse osmosis unit, and one or more energy recovery devices. Various embodiments are directed to features such as balancing streams, recirculation streams, and/or valving that alone or in combination may afford improved energy efficiency and/or system performance. Some embodiments may improve performance of certain types of energy recovery devices in combination with osmosis units, such as isobaric or turbine energy recovery devices.

An electrochemical separation device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a cell stack including alternating depleting compartments and concentrating compartments disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, an inlet manifold configured to introduce a fluid to one of the depleting compartments or the concentrating compartments an outlet manifold, and one or more of a fluid flow director disposed within the inlet manifold and having a surface configured to alter a flow path of the fluid introduced into the inlet manifold and direct the fluid into the one of the depleting compartments or the concentrating compartments, and a second fluid flow director disposed within the outlet manifold and having a surface configured to alter a flow path of the fluid introduced into the outlet manifold via one of the depleting compartments or the concentrating compartments.

A predictive system for monitoring fouling of membranes of a desalination or water softening plant includes ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, and/or nanofiltration (NF) membranes. In addition, the system includes one or more UF skids including a plurality of UF units. Each UF unit contains therein a plurality of UF membranes. Further, the system includes one or more RO/NF skids including one or more RO/NF arrays. Each of the one or more RO/NF arrays includes a plurality of RO units, with each RO unit containing therein a plurality of RO membranes, a plurality of NF units, with each NF unit containing therein a plurality of NF membranes, or a combination thereof. Still further, the system includes UF sensors and/or RO/NF sensors. The system also includes a controller comprising a processor in signal communication with the UF sensors and/or the RO/NF sensors.

A method for manufacturing a composite semipermeable membrane is capable of forming, on a surface of a porous support in a highly reproducible manner, a separation layer that is extremely thin and that exhibits superior separability. It provides, on a surface of a porous support, a composite semipermeable membrane that has an organic/inorganic hybrid separation layer that is extremely thin and that exhibits superior separability. A method for manufacturing a composite semipermeable membrane includes forming, on a surface of a porous support, a separation layer containing a cross-linked condensate having a siloxane bond by bringing an organic solution that contains an organic silicon compound containing three or more reactive functional groups, each of which is at least one type selected from a hydrolyzable group and a hydroxyl group, into contact with water or an aqueous solution on the porous support, and by performing interfacial polycondensation of the organic silicon compound.

A system and method for decontaminating a fluid and recovered vapor, particularly processing and recycling water used in an oil zone steam process, utilizing a vaporizer-desalination unit to separate a contaminated water flow into a contaminated disposal flow and a clean water vapor flow. The contaminated water flow is recovered after separation from a combined oil and water flow from an oil well. The clean water vapor flow is preferably passed through a steam generator to produce the steam used in the oil zone steam process. The steam is injected into the oil zone of a designated well and then extracted as the combined oil and water flow. Once primed with sufficient external water, the system and method is designed to operate continuously with minimal replenishment because of the water/vapor/steam cycle.

A high salinity water purification system and process, including a forward osmosis system and a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration system. A concentrated brine of a zinc or iron complex combined with a salt or acid draws pure water across the FO membrane from the influent water. The diluted brine is pumped through a vessel holding an anionic adsorption media to remove the zinc or iron complex and the resultant brine is passed through the RO or nanofiltration system to obtain purified water and a concentrated brine stream. The adsorption media is regenerated by a rinse cycle using fresh water or water from the RO system, removing the zinc or iron complex adhered to the media. The resultant brine is stored and mixed with the output of the RO system. Charged membrane can be used as a standalone membrane in FO process or in combination with resin or resin embedded membrane.

A method and system for treating and purifying saltwater contaminated by volatile compounds. The saltwater is evaporated resulting in a gas composed of water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds. The gas is condensed into a condensate containing the contaminated volatile compounds which is biologically treated to remove the volatile compounds thereby producing purified water. The latent heat released by condensing is used to evaporate the purified water into the atmosphere in an energy efficient manner.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward a collection element. The collection element absorbs and converts a solar radiation into thermal energy. A superheater tube enclosed by the heat collection element controls volume flow that partially fills the superheater tube with processed ocean water, which allows steam to escape into a portion of the superheater tube that generates electricity and additional processed ocean water.

The sub-ambient solar desalination system includes a solar pond and a pressure reducing structure. The solar pond is adapted for receiving saltwater and heating the saltwater through direct exposure to solar radiation at atmospheric pressure. The pressure reducing structure is in fluid communication with the solar pond for receiving heated saltwater therefrom. The pressure reducing structure is configured such that pressure of the heated saltwater within a central portion of the pressure reducing structure is at sufficiently reduced sub-ambient pressure to undergo a phase change to produce pure water vapor and a concentrated brine solution. The pressure reducing structure has a vapor outlet for releasing the pure water vapor, which is collected in a fresh water tank and condensed into pure liquid water. The solar pond is in fluid communication with an outlet portion of the pressure reducing structure for recycling the concentrated brine solution back to the solar pond.