A hollow fiber membrane element, comprising: a core tube comprising a side face having a plurality of pores; and a hollow fiber membrane group consisting of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed around the core tube, the hollow fiber membrane element being a both open-ended type hollow fiber membrane element in which both ends of the core tube and the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are open. The hollow fiber membrane group includes a first hollow fiber membrane layer composed of a plurality of first hollow fiber membranes disposed so as to surround the core tube and a second hollow fiber membrane layer composed of a plurality of second hollow fiber membranes disposed so as to surround the first hollow fiber membrane layer, and a permeability coefficient of the plurality of first hollow fiber membranes is smaller than a permeability coefficient of the plurality of second hollow fiber membranes.

Air flows across an air-liquid interface such that liquid desiccant flowing through the interface absorbs water from the air and is thereby diluted to form an output stream. The output stream is circulated through an electrodialytic stack having a central ionic exchange membrane and first and second outer ionic exchange membranes. A redox shuttle loop circulates around the first and second outer ionic exchange membranes. A voltage is applied across the electrodialytic stack, which regenerates the liquid desiccant.

The present invention relates to a method for concentrating, with low energy, a solute-containing solution in a state of multiple-no osmotic pressure difference (M(multiple)−Δπ=0 RO), and, more specifically, to a method for concentrating, with low energy, an solute-containing solution intended to be concentrated, as a low pressure in a state of multiple-no osmotic pressure difference. The method for concentrating a solution containing a solute at a low pressure in a state of multiple-no osmotic pressure difference, of the present invention, consumes less energy, enables concentration to be performed until a saturated aqueous solution with a maximum solute concentration is obtained or the concentration of the solute becomes 100% even though an extraction solvent is not used, and does not require the use of an additional osmosis-inducing solution.

Provided are a system and a method of treating wastewater. The system includes a forward osmosis (FO) liquid concentration apparatus and an electrodialysis (ED) apparatus. The FO liquid concentration apparatus increases the concentration of the salt in the wastewater to between 7% and 14%. The ED apparatus is disposed downstream of the FO liquid concentration apparatus and coupled to the FO liquid concentration apparatus to receive the wastewater introduced by the FO liquid concentration apparatus, and make the salt in the wastewater into an acid solution and a basic solution.

The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive solution and in particular, a solution for use in an osmosis process that is suitable for separating or purifying solutes and or water from an aqueous solution on a large scale and under energy efficient conditions.

A raw material solution concentration system that has: a first unit for obtaining a concentrated raw material solution and a diluted induction solution by bringing a raw material solution containing a solvent and a solute into contact with an induction solution containing an induction solute through a forward osmosis membrane and transferring the solvent in the raw material solution into the induction solution and the induction solute in the induction solution into the raw material solution; and a second unit for performing a freeze-dry treatment on the concentrated raw material solution and obtaining a further-concentrated product.

Included are methods and systems for recycling a gas emitted from non-aqueous cleaning. An example method includes contacting a contaminated equipment with a non-aqueous cleaning material; wherein the spent non-aqueous cleaning material emits the gas. The method further comprises capturing the emitted gas, filtering the emitted gas, and recycling the emitted gas into the non-aqueous cleaning material.

Described herein are polysulfone-based and polyether sulfone-based thin-film nanocomposite (TFNC) membranes produced by solution blow spinning (SBS) technology for forward osmosis applications, including desalination and wastewater treatment. These TFNC membranes exhibit ultra-fast water flux, low reverse salt flux, and fouling resistance.

Devices and methods herein remove water from human or animal biological waste fluids using one or more forward osmosis filters. The devices allow for the volume of liquid or semi-liquid waste, including potentially infectious liquid waste, to be filtered to reduce potential exposure of healthcare staff to infectious liquid waste. On a hospital, healthcare staff, or individual patient basis, removing water and concentrating the waste can reduce challenges in management and disposal of the waste. Devices herein use forward osmosis to manage and filter, using one or more suitably sized filter(s), biological fluid exudate from wounds. The devices can be constructed to transport water present in the exudate away from a wound. The wound treatment devices herein not only allow for fluid from wounds to be filtered but also provide structures that can protect wounds from external contaminants, including bacteria and viruses. The wound treatment devices can be incorporated into negative pressure wound therapy systems, if desired.

Devices and methods herein remove water from human or animal biological waste fluids using one or more forward osmosis filters. The devices allow for the volume of liquid or semi-liquid waste, including potentially infectious liquid waste, to be filtered to reduce potential exposure of healthcare staff to infectious liquid waste. On a hospital, healthcare staff, or individual patient basis, removing water and concentrating the waste can reduce challenges in management and disposal of the waste. Devices herein use forward osmosis to manage and filter, using one or more suitably sized filter(s), biological fluid exudate from wounds. The devices can be constructed to transport water present in the exudate away from a wound. The wound treatment devices herein not only allow for fluid from wounds to be filtered but also provide structures that can protect wounds from external contaminants, including bacteria and viruses. The wound treatment devices can be incorporated into negative pressure wound therapy systems, if desired.