The invention relates to pre-treating an oil derived from a renewable feedstock to remove at least a portion of one or more contaminants by filtering the oil with a nanofiltration membrane. The resulting permeate oil has a reduced concentration of the contaminant relative to the feed stream to the nanofiltration membrane.

A process for the preparation of grape seed extracts from selected unfermented marc, the process comprising steps of grape seed selection, sieving, dehydration, extraction in aqueous solvent, tangential micro-, ultra- and nanofiltration through membranes and spray-drying.

The extracts thus obtained have an analytical profile of active substances useful for preventing the risk of ophthalmological diseases and for controlling the early stages of viral infections of the upper respiratory tract.

A priming subsystem of a cell processing system carries out a method for priming a spinning membrane separator having an inlet and first and second outlets. The method includes opening a first selectable junction disposed between a priming fluid container and the inlet to open a path between the priming fluid container and the inlet, operating a first pump coupled to the first outlet to draw priming fluid from the priming fluid container into the spinning membrane separator, and closing the first selectable junction and a second selectable junction coupled to the second outlet after drawing the priming fluid into the spinning membrane separator. The method further includes operating the first pump after the first selectable junction is closed to draw a vacuum, and opening the first selectable junction after drawing the vacuum.

A system includes an ion exchange softener fluidly coupled to a wastewater treatment system. The first ion exchange softener may receive a first brine stream from the wastewater treatment system and to remove a plurality of minerals from the first brine stream to generate a second brine stream including the plurality of minerals and a third brine stream. The system also includes a mineral removal system disposed downstream from the ion exchange softener and that may receive the second brine stream and to generate a sodium chloride (NaCl) brine stream and an acid and caustic production system disposed downstream from and fluidly coupled to the mineral removal system. The acid and caustic production system includes a first electrodialysis (ED) system that may receive the NaCl brine stream from the mineral removal system and to generate hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) from the NaCl brine stream. The system also includes a second ED system disposed downstream from the ion exchange softener and upstream of the acid and caustic production system. The second ED system is fluidly coupled to the ion exchange softener and to the acid and caustic production system, and the second ED may generate desalinated water from the third brine stream and an ED concentrate stream. The second ED system may direct the ED concentrate stream to the acid and caustic production system.

A method of treating aqueous, preferably concentrated, waste streams with a unique combination of steps in a way that is easily scalable and able to be used with batch or continuous flows. The method comprises at least the following steps: Adding at least one precipitating agent to the waste water to produce precipitated solids; and removing the precipitated solids from the waste water using a forward flushable membrane to remove the precipitate solids.

Methods of recovering lithium from a lithium source or a lithium-containing material using low pH solutions and membrane technologies to purify and concentrate the recovered lithium. The lithium sources may include a spent lithium-ion battery/cell, a lithium-containing mineral deposit, or other lithium containing materials. The processes described herein recovery the lithium after digestion of the lithium-containing material with a low pH solution through one or more acid-stable, semipermeable membranes.

Provided is a method for separating, from a raw gas containing a specific gas, the specific gas using a gas separation membrane module. The gas separation membrane module includes a housing and a gas separation membrane element enclosed in the housing. The gas separation membrane element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer for selectively allowing for permeation of the specific gas. The method includes the steps of: increasing pressure in an interior of the gas separation membrane module; increasing a temperature in the interior of the gas separation membrane module; and feeding a raw gas to the interior of the gas separation membrane module in that order.

Provided is a method for separating, from a raw gas containing a specific gas, the specific gas using a gas separation membrane module. The gas separation membrane module includes a housing and a gas separation membrane element enclosed in the housing. The gas separation membrane element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer for selectively allowing for permeation of the specific gas. The method includes the steps of: increasing pressure in an interior of the gas separation membrane module; increasing a temperature in the interior of the gas separation membrane module; and feeding a raw gas to the interior of the gas separation membrane module in that order.

A process and associated system for the improved reclamation of disturbed lands (e.g., mined lands) is disclosed. In particular, the system including a dewatering cyclone, a screw classifier, and a dewatering apparatus (e.g. a dewatering belt) arranged in series to enable rapid and cost effective dewatering of slurries containing dilute clay and sand tailings to create an improved engineered reclamation material (ERM). The ERM formed by the controlled combining of dewatered sand tailings with dilute clay slurry and with a flocculant and overburden. The ratio of clay:sand: overburden of the ERM may be achieved by balancing the solid content (Cw) and water content (1Cw) materials of the clay slurry, sand tailings and overburden. In some embodiments, the system may include at least one additional component, such as, for example, static screen(s), centrifuge(s), vibrating screens, drum screens, belt screens, belt filters, and/or other liquid-solid separation devices.

Provided are a membrane separation method and a membrane separation device that enable membrane separation of a hydrocarbon mixture with high separation efficiency. The membrane separation method includes a step (A) of exposing a zeolite membrane to an atmosphere having a dew point of 20 C. or lower and a step (B) of using the zeolite membrane to perform membrane separation of a hydrocarbon mixture after step (A). The membrane separation device includes: a membrane separation module including a housing and a zeolite membrane that is housed in the housing and is configured to perform membrane separation of a hydrocarbon mixture; a feedstock supply mechanism configured to supply the hydrocarbon mixture into the membrane separation module; and a gas supply mechanism configured to supply a gas having a dew point of 20 C. or lower into a space in which the zeolite membrane is housed in the membrane separation module.