A fluid degassing device can include a shell configured to retain a selectively permeable hollow fiber bundle, wherein the shell defines a first flow port and a second flow port and at least a third flow port, and a selectively permeable hollow fiber bundle having a plurality of hollow fibers disposed within the shell such that a first flow circuit is defined between the first flow port and the second flow port, and a second flow circuit is defined in fluid communication with at least the third port such that an inner channel of one or more of the hollow fibers is in fluid communication with at least the third flow port, wherein second flow circuit is partially fluidly isolated from the first flow circuit such that at least one first fluid cannot pass through a wall of one or more hollow fibers, but such that at least one second fluid can pass through the wall of the one or more hollow fibers. The shell and the fiber bundle include a non-cylindrical shape.

A degassing chamber is disclosed, adapted for the efficient removal of entrained gases from liquids. In a preferred embodiment the degassing chamber is combined with and works in conjunction with a sedimentation tank to provide an efficient clarification station. The combined clarification station can have a footprint the same size as, or only slightly larger than, the footprint of the sedimentation tank alone. The degassing chamber is well-suited for retrofitting, and can easily be combined with most types of solid-liquid sedimentation tanks that are currently used in the industry.

A static devolatilisation apparatus (1) adapted for devolatilising a viscous liquid (2) comprising a volatile component is disclosed. The apparatus (1) comprises a phase separation chamber (100) in an upper region (5) for treating the viscous liquid (2) in a first devolatilisation step to form a first devolatilised viscous liquid (21), and a distributor sub-unit 200 is located below the phase separation chamber (100) and above a lower sump region (4). The sub-unit (200) has a second discharge region (222) embodied such that it is contacted by the first devolatilised viscous liquid (21), and the region (222) has a surface (223) embodied such that the first devolatilised viscous liquid (21) is treated in a second devolatilisation step. The present invention further relates to a process to devolatilising a viscous liquid using the apparatus (1) and also to the use of the apparatus (1) in the devolatilisation of polymer melt or solution.

An immersion lithographic apparatus is described in which a two-phase flow is separated into liquid-rich and gas-rich flows by causing the liquid-rich flow to preferentially flow along a surface.

A method includes receiving, in a first vessel, a flow of fluid from a second vessel, wherein the flow of fluid is generated by pressurizing a head space over the fluid in the second vessel; capturing the flow of fluid from the second vessel at an upper end of a de-bubbling slide in the first vessel; and directing the flow of fluid along a flow surface of de-bubbling slide to a lower portion of the first vessel, such that bubbles and dissolved gases in the fluid exit the fluid on the flow surface of the de-bubbling slide.

An immersion lithographic apparatus is described in which a two-phase flow is separated into liquid-rich and gas-rich flows by causing the liquid-rich flow to preferentially flow along a surface.

A plant for dealcoholising alcoholic beverages includes a rectification column having at least one inlet for the alcoholic beverage, a sump and a top. The rectification column is operable such that dealcoholised beverage can be removed from the sump and exhaust vapour can be removed from the top. At least one evaporator is configured to supply the rectification column with vapour. A condenser arrangement condenses the exhaust vapour removed from the top of the rectification column, at least in part. The plant further includes a heat pump which can operate the evaporator as well as the condenser arrangement. A method for dealcoholising alcoholic beverages in a rectification column is also disclosed.

The ventilation pipe 60 having the openings at both the ceiling side and the bottom side is provided in the area where the rectification boards 50a to 50f are arranged, thereby nitrogen released from water (nitrogen released from water based on that gas dissolved in water is substituted by oxygen) can be moved to the ceiling side of the retainer body through the ventilation pipe 60. Thereby, nitrogen can be effectively exhausted from the exhaust opening 30a, thus it can be restrained that nitrogen is accumulated in the retainer body 10. Accordingly, it can be restrained that oxygen concentration (partial pressure) in the retainer body 10 decreases. Since oxygen quantity dissolved in water is increased, gas dissolved in water can be effectively substituted.

A release device for releasing a specific gas component from a rich absorption liquid which is an absorption liquid containing the specific gas component absorbed therein, the release device including a channel structure internally having a release channel which is connected to a rich absorption liquid supply unit so as to receive the rich absorption liquid supplied from the rich absorption liquid supply unit and connected to a liberating agent supply unit so as to receive a liberating agent supplied from the liberating agent supply unit, the liberating agent having a boiling point lower than a boiling point of the rich absorption liquid and being incompatible with the rich absorption liquid. The release channel is a microchannel configured to guide the received rich absorption liquid so that the received rich absorption liquid releases the specific gas component while flowing. The release channel has a treatment channel part which guides the rich absorption liquid and vapor of the liberating agent while bringing the rich absorption liquid and the vapor of the liberating agent into contact with each other so that the specific gas component is liberated from the rich absorption liquid to be transferred to the vapor of the liberating agent.

Examples of gas liquid separators include a chamber, a fluid mixture inlet, a gas outlet and a liquid outlet. The fluid mixture inlet and the gas and liquid outlets are in fluid communication with the chamber. A fluid mixture received at the fluid mixture inlet diffuses inside the chamber and is separated into a liquid and a gas. The separated liquid is gravity-fed to the liquid outlet. The gas liquid separators have reduced dispersion and increased liquid recovery in comparison to conventional gas liquid separators used for chromatographic separations. The reduced dispersion yields an improvement in the shape of chromatographic peaks.