Membrane-based method of washing and deacidification of oils, wherein a stream of oil is conveyed from an oil reservoir along one side of porous hydrophobic membrane, and washing aqueous solution is conveyed along another side of this membrane. The membranes form hollow fibers, and their total surface area and porosity are large enough for efficient removal of fatty acids, water, ions and hydrophilic organic impurities from oil. Membrane pore size is small enough, so that hydrodynamic mixing of oil and aqueous solution does not take place. Additional stabilization of oil/water meniscus in the pores is achieved by transmembrane pressure difference.

A hybrid diafiltration system includes an intermediate tank, a feed pump and a single-pass concentration (SPC) module, feed and product flow diverting valves to affect a multi-step concentration, wash and final-concentration process with fewer recirculation passes than conventional systems.

A separation module that includes a porous membrane, where the porous membrane includes a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer containing 10 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol and 60 to 90 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol; and a block copolymer containing backbone or pendant blocks of poly(C.sub.2-4 alkylene oxide). The separation module can be used in devices for wastewater treatment, water purification, desalination, separating water-insoluble oil from oil-containing wastewater, membrane distillation, sugar purification, protein concentration, enzyme recovery, dialysis, liver dialysis, or blood oxygenation.

The invention concerns a device comprising a base (2) and a door (20), said device having a closed door position in which a circuit (8) of the device comprises a bag comprising two flexible films and connectors of the conveying network, and a press (9) comprising a first she (16) disposed on a front face (5) of said base (2) and a second shed (17) disposed in said door (20); and a hinge system hinging said door (20) relative to said base (2), and disposed only on one side of said door (20) so as to form lateral clearances between said door (20) and said base (2) over the rest of a perimeter of said door (20).

A dialyzer (15) includes a hollow fiber dialysis column (20), a liquid tubing section (12a), and a flow rate changing section (16a). The hollow fiber dialysis column (20) includes a hollow fiber membrane, a first flow channel that allows a dialysis target to flow internally of the hollow fiber membrane, and a second flow channel that allows an external liquid to flow externally of the hollow fiber membrane. The liquid tubing section (12a) tubes the dialysis target to an inlet (20a) of the first flow channel. The flow rate changing section (16a) is capable of changing a flow rate of the dialysis target at the dialysis target flowing out of an outlet (20b) of the first flow channel.

A dialysis machine useful in hemodialysis can process or treat a reverse osmosis water flow received through the machine to prepare a dialysate. The machine can include an additive source to introduce an additive, such as bicarbonate, to the reverse osmosis water flow. The machine can include a sensor in fluid communication with the additive introduction point that can measure the conductivity or similar characteristic of the solution. During a first time period when additive is actively introduced to the reverse osmosis water flow, the sensor can measure a relatively high conductivity value. During a second time period when additive is not introduced to the reverse osmosis water flow, the sensor can measure a relatively low conductivity value. The dialysis machine can include a controller that processes these measurements to assist control and operation of the machine.

The present disclosure relates to a molecular exchange device. In particular, the molecular exchange device comprises at least one fluid passageway and an actuator, the actuator positioned to provide a secondary fluid pathway within at least one of the fluid passageways.

The present disclosure relates to a molecular exchange device. In particular, the molecular exchange device comprises at least one fluid passageway and an actuator, the actuator positioned to provide a secondary fluid pathway within at least one of the fluid passageways.

Disclosed is a self-wetting porous membrane comprising an aromatic hydrophobic polymer such as polysulfone and a wetting agent comprising a copolymer of formula A-B or A-B-A, wherein A is a hydrophilic segment comprising a polymerized monomer of the formula (I): CH.sub.2═C(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2), wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as described herein, and B is an aromatic hydrophobic polymeric segment, wherein segments B and A are linked through an amidoalkylthio group. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a self-wetting membrane comprising casting a solution containing an aromatic hydrophobic polymer and the wetting agent, followed by subjecting the cast solution to phase inversion. The self-wetting porous membrane finds use in hemodialysis, microfiltration, and ultrafiltration.

The present invention relates to novel co-polymers and their use in the manufacture of porous membranes for haemodialysis application. In particular, such a co-polymer comprises a first segment comprising recurring units poly(aryl ether sulfone) [PAES recurring units], and a second segment comprising-recurring units poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) [PVP recurring units], wherein said first segment and said second segment are linked together via a group of formula —O-Ph-NH—C(═O)—C(CH.sub.3).sub.2—CH.sub.2—.