A polyimide separation membrane is comprised of a polyimide, a halogen compound (e.g., halogenated aromatic epoxide) that is soluble in the polyimide and a hydrocarbon having 2 to 5 carbons (e.g., ethane, ethylene, propane or propylene). The gas separation membrane has improved selectivity for small gas molecules such as hydrogen compared to polyimide membrane not containing the halogen compound or hydrocarbon. The polyimide separation membrane may be made by shaping a dope solution comprised of a polyimide, a halogen containing compound that is soluble in the polyimide, removing the solvent and then exposing the untreated polyimide membrane to a treating atmosphere comprising a hydrocarbon having 2 to 5 carbons for a sufficient time to form the polyimide membrane.

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 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.

This invention relates to the field of keratin extraction and recovery from keratinous animal body parts (KABP) including, but not limited to, hair, wool, nails, skins, feathers, hooves, claws and other body parts. More specifically, the invention relates to processes to extract keratin from KABP and hydrolyze it to keratin hydrolysates (KHs) using a thermal hydrolysis process (THP) and recover KHs by membrane filtration, in particular, using shear wave-induced ultra- or nano-membrane filtration (SWIUF) or a combination of SWIUF and reverse osmosis (RO), to select given molecular weight (MW) fractions of the protein or KHs or/and to increase the concentration of protein or KHs.

Provided is a method for separating a specific gas from a raw gas using a gas separation membrane module that includes a gas separation membrane element enclosed in a housing. The element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The method includes: preparing the module; increasing pressure in an interior of the module; increasing a temperature in the interior; and feeding a raw gas to the interior. The layer of the module prepared is adjusted to contain moisture, and a moisture content thereof is an amount that allows an equilibrium relative humidity at a temperature of 23 C. of a gas phase portion in the housing to be 10% RH or more. The raw gas feeding step is performed after the preparation step. The pressure increase step and the temperature increase step are performed after the preparation step and before the raw gas feeding step.

Provided is a method for separating a specific gas from a raw gas using a gas separation membrane module that includes a gas separation membrane element enclosed in a housing. The element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The method includes: preparing the module; increasing pressure in an interior of the module; increasing a temperature in the interior; and feeding a raw gas to the interior. The layer of the module prepared is adjusted to contain moisture, and a moisture content thereof is an amount that allows an equilibrium relative humidity at a temperature of 23 C. of a gas phase portion in the housing to be 10% RH or more. The raw gas feeding step is performed after the preparation step. The pressure increase step and the temperature increase step are performed after the preparation step and before the raw gas feeding step.

Provided herein is an apparatus for producing dialysis fluid including a forward osmosis unit used for diluting a dialysis concentrate for producing dialysis fluid. The FO-unit includes a FO-membrane that separates a first side from a second side. The apparatus also comprises a first flow path including a first side and a control arrangement providing priming fluid from a source to the first flow path. A return path fluidly connects an inlet port of the first side to an outlet port of the first side to allow priming fluid from the outlet port to circulate to the inlet port via the return path. The apparatus further comprises a gas collection chamber arranged in the first flow path between the first side and the return path. The gas collection chamber removes gas from first flow path. The present disclosure also relates to a method for priming a FO-unit.

A whole blood filtration device is provided with a filter membrane separating a feeding volume and a clean side of the filter membrane from each other. The feeding volume communicates with a first feeding side opening and with a second feeding side opening. The filter membrane has pores with a pore size that ensures permeability of the filter membrane to blood plasma/serum and that retains blood cells. The first feeding side opening can be coupled to a first blood pump for feeding blood from the first feeding side opening into the feeding volume so that blood plasma/serum permeates the filter membrane and blood cells, retained by the filter membrane, exit from the feeding volume through the second feeding side opening.

A whole blood filtration device is provided with a filter membrane separating a feeding volume and a clean side of the filter membrane from each other. The feeding volume communicates with a first feeding side opening and with a second feeding side opening. The filter membrane has pores with a pore size that ensures permeability of the filter membrane to blood plasma/serum and that retains blood cells. The first feeding side opening can be coupled to a first blood pump for feeding blood from the first feeding side opening into the feeding volume so that blood plasma/serum permeates the filter membrane and blood cells, retained by the filter membrane, exit from the feeding volume through the second feeding side opening.

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.