The invention relates to a porous separation article having a fluoropolymer or polyamide binder interconnecting one or more types of interactive powdery materials or fibers. The interconnectivity is such that the binder connects the powdery materials or fibers in discrete spots rather than as a complete coating, allowing the materials or fibers to be in direct contact with, and interact with a fluid. The resulting article is a formed multicomponent, interconnected web, with porosity. The separation article is useful in water purification, as well as in the separation of dissolved or suspended materials in both aqueous and non-aqueous systems in industrial uses. The separation article can function at ambient temperature, as well as at elevated temperatures.

An apparatus for an extracorporeal treatment of blood has a supply line, a waste line, and an ultrafilter inserted in the supply line. An air inlet line is connected to a first chamber of the ultrafilter. A pressure sensor is configured for detecting pressure in the waste line or a second chamber of the ultrafilter. A controller is configured to perform an integrity test procedure for detecting when an ultrafilter membrane of the ultrafilter has multiple or single fiber breaks. A method of testing the ultrafilter is also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for the separation of isocyanate monomers from isocyanate-containing mixtures by the provision of the mixture in a solvent and dialysis of the dissolved mixture against the solvent by means of a permeable membrane having a pore size in the range of between 5 and 400 nm. The method may in particular be employed for the separation of isocyanate monomers from prepolymers containing isocyanate groups, with said prepolymers being used for the production of adhesives, insulating, and expanding foams.

Separation processes using forward osmosis are disclosed generally involving the extraction of a solvent from a first solution to concentrate a solute therein by using a second concentrated solution to draw the solvent from the first solution across a semi-permeable membrane. One or both of the solute and solvent may be a desired product. By manipulating the equilibrium of the soluble and insoluble species of solute within the second solution, a saturated second solution can be used to generate osmotic pressure on the first solution. The various species of solute within the second solution can be recovered and recycled through the process to affect the changes in equilibrium and eliminate waste products. Enhanced efficiency may result from using low grade waste heat from industrial or commercial sources.

Systems and methods for processing a fluid including a suspension of biological cellular components are disclosed including a single-use kit comprising a container for the fluid; a separation device for retaining selected biological cellular components and allowing other biological cellular components of said fluid to pass therethrough; a flow path connecting the container to the separation device, the container being configured, when in use, to be positioned so that gravity tends to flow fluid through the flow path. The flow path has a segment in close proximity to the container with a configuration including a positive slope, so that biological cellular components moving through the segment are subjected to a gravitational force tending to impede movement through the flow path segment. The flow path segment preferably has a generally circular configuration, and a diameter of approximately 1.5 inches. Alternatively, the flow path segment may have a generally S-shaped configuration.

Apparatuses and methods for extracting desired chemical species including, without limitation, lithium, specific lithium species, and/or other chemical compounds from input flows in a modular unit. The input flows may be raw materials in which lithium metal and/or lithium species are dissolved and/or extracted. The apparatuses and methods may include daisy chain flow through separate tanks, a column array, and combinations thereof.

The present invention relates in part to a filter comprising a tubular housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a housing lumen therethrough; a tubular membrane having a proximal end, a distal end and a membrane lumen therethrough, wherein the tubular membrane is positioned within the housing lumen; a contaminated fluid sample inlet fluidly connected to the proximal end of the membrane, and a contaminated fluid sample outlet fluidly connected to the distal end of the membrane, thereby creating a sample flow-path from the sample inlet through the membrane lumen to the sample outlet; and a purification material inlet fluidly connected to a distal region of the housing lumen, and a purification material outlet fluidly connected to a proximal region of the housing lumen, thereby creating a purification material flow-path from the purification material inlet through the housing lumen to the purification material outlet; wherein the direction of the sample flow-path is in the opposite direction of the purification material flow-path. The invention also relates a method of purifying a contaminated fluid using said filter.

A multi-container system apparatus comprising at least two independent containers, each container of said at least two containers for containing at least one component of the final formulation of a medium; a connector; a connecting tubing line connected to the connector; at least two output tubing lines, the first and second output tubing lines of said at least two output tubing lines connecting the first and second containers of said at least two containers, respectively, to the connecting tubing line.

The present disclosure relates to semipermeable membranes which are suitable for blood purification, e.g. by hemodialysis, which have an increased ability to remove larger molecules while at the same time effectively retaining albumin. The membranes are characterized by a molecular retention onset (MWRO) of between 9.0 kD and 14.5 kD and a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of between 55 kD and 130 kD as determined by dextran sieving curves and can be prepared by industrially feasible processes excluding a treatment with salt before drying. The invention therefore also relates to a process for the production of the membranes and to their use in medical applications.

The present disclosure relates to a dialyzer comprising a bundle of semipermeable hollow fiber membranes which is suitable for blood purification, wherein the dialyzer has an increased ability to remove larger molecules while at the same time it is able to effectively remove small uremic toxins and efficiently retain albumin and larger proteins. The invention also relates to using said dialyzer in hemodialysis.