The present disclosure provides an electrodialysis stack that may be used for the treatment of an electrically conductive solution. The stack includes two electrodes (at least one is a recessed electrode), a plurality of ion-transport membranes and stack spacers. The membranes and spacers are arranged between the electrodes to define electrodialysis cell pairs. The stack includes an electrically insulated zone that extends substantially from a distribution manifold past the recessed edge of the electrode and substantially from the recessed electrode to the opposite electrode for a distance that is about 8% to 100% of the total distance between the electrodes. The overlap distance that the electrically insulated zone extends past the recessed edge of the electrode is calculated as: distance in cm=(0.062 cm.sup.−1)*(exp(−60/total cp)*(area in cm.sup.2 of the manifold ducts of the concentrated stream at the recessed edge) +/−10%.

Systems and methods using: a membrane unit to treat fluids recovered from an oil and gas well are provided. The membrane unit may include a membrane having a porous substrate at. least partially coated with graphene oxide, making the membrane hydrophilic. The membrane separates water from other components within a fluid stream. The membrane unit may include an inlet to receive a fluid stream into the membrane unit. The fluid stream may be pretreated prior to reaching the membrane unit The membrane unit may also include a first outlet in fluid communication with one side of the membrane and a second outlet in fluid communication with the opposite side of the membrane.

Systems and methods using: a membrane unit to treat fluids recovered from an oil and gas well are provided. The membrane unit may include a membrane having a porous substrate at. least partially coated with graphene oxide, making the membrane hydrophilic. The membrane separates water from other components within a fluid stream. The membrane unit may include an inlet to receive a fluid stream into the membrane unit. The fluid stream may be pretreated prior to reaching the membrane unit The membrane unit may also include a first outlet in fluid communication with one side of the membrane and a second outlet in fluid communication with the opposite side of the membrane.

A thin micro-porous membrane sheet and filtering device using it is presented. The membrane sheet includes a thin porous metal sheet of thickness between 20 and 200 μm with a porous ceramic coating of thickness less than 25 μm on at least one of its surfaces. The porous metal sheet has mean pore sizes at micro and sub-micrometer level and has a surface substantially free of pores greater than 10 micrometers. The ceramic coating layer may be made of particles with a mean particle size in a range of 10 to 300 nm and contains certain sintering promoters. The ceramic coating is sintered with the metal sheet in non-oxidizing environment at lower temperatures than typical ceramic membranes. The thin membrane sheet is used to filter fine particulates from micrometers to nanometers from a liquid or gas stream. The thin membrane sheet may be assembled into a filter device having high surface area packing density and straight mini-flow channels.

The technology disclosed herein relates to a vent assembly having a vent housing that defines a first airflow pathway, a second airflow pathway, and a third airflow pathway. The first airflow pathway is configured for fluid communication with an interior of an enclosure. The second airflow pathway is configured for fluid communication with the external environment, and the third airflow pathway extends between the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway. A membrane is coupled to the vent housing such that the second airflow pathway and the third airflow pathway are in communication through the membrane. Coalescing filter media is disposed within the vent housing such that the third airflow pathway and the first airflow pathway are in communication through the coalescing filter media. The vent assembly defines a spacing region between the coalescing media and the membrane.

A technique for separating components of a microfluid, comprises a self-intersecting micro or nano-fluidic channel defining a cyclic path for circulating the fluid over a receiving surface of a fluid component separating member; and equipment for applying coordinated pressure to the channel at a plurality of pressure control areas along the cyclic path to circulate the fluid over the receiving surface, applying a pressure to encourage a desired transmission through the separating member, and a circulating pressure to remove surface obstructions on the separating member. The equipment preferably defines a peristaltic pump. Turbulent microfluidic flow appears to be produced.

A filter medium is provided. The filter medium according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first support body having a plurality of pores; a nanofiber web comprising nanofibers disposed on upper and lower sides of the first support body and forming a three dimensional network structure; and a second support body having a plurality of pores interposed between the first support body and the nanofiber web, wherein the nanofiber web is realized as a filter medium that satisfies: (1) an elongation of 25% or more, (2) an air permeability of 0.1 to 2.00 cfm, and 3) porosity of 60%˜85%. Accordingly, since the filter medium has a fixed level of mechanical properties of the nanofiber web, the shape, structure deformation, and damage of the filter medium are minimized and a flow path is smoothly secured during a water treatment operation so that the filter medium can have a high flow rate. In addition, since the filter medium of the present invention has a prolonged use life due to excellent durability of the filter medium even at high pressure applied during backwashing, and has excellent filtration efficiency and water permeability, the filter medium can be applied in various ways in various water treatment fields.

A filter medium is provided. The filter medium according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first support body having a plurality of pores; a nanofiber web comprising nanofibers disposed on upper and lower sides of the first support body and forming a three dimensional network structure; and a second support body having a plurality of pores interposed between the first support body and the nanofiber web, wherein the nanofiber web is realized as a filter medium that satisfies: (1) an elongation of 25% or more, (2) an air permeability of 0.1 to 2.00 cfm, and 3) porosity of 60%˜85%. Accordingly, since the filter medium has a fixed level of mechanical properties of the nanofiber web, the shape, structure deformation, and damage of the filter medium are minimized and a flow path is smoothly secured during a water treatment operation so that the filter medium can have a high flow rate. In addition, since the filter medium of the present invention has a prolonged use life due to excellent durability of the filter medium even at high pressure applied during backwashing, and has excellent filtration efficiency and water permeability, the filter medium can be applied in various ways in various water treatment fields.

Disclosed herein are articles and methods for blood separation. For example, inventive articles and methods that remove red blood cells from blood samples are described.

There is provided a system and method for angstrom confinement of trapped ions. The method including: receiving water molecules and ionic compounds in a first reservoir, an angstrom confinement assembly is positioned between the first reservoir and a second reservoir, the angstrom confinement assembly defining angstrom conduits; and repeatedly applying an electric field across a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the first reservoir and the second electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the second reservoir, the electric field applied such that, when the electric field is applied, positive ions of the ionic compounds are induced to flow through the angstrom conduits, and wherein, when the electric field is not applied, water molecules flow into the angstrom conduits due to capillary forces to confine the positive ions in the angstrom conduits.