A hybrid electro-pressure driven method for the recovery, purification, and concentration of lithium salts is described. A fractionating electrodialysis stack equipped with selective ion exchange membranes is s used to separate a lithium containing brine into a monovalent enriched fraction and a divalent enriched fraction. The monovalent enriched fraction is further processed to remove remaining impurities by use of pressure driven nanofiltration. An optional concentrating electrodialysis device may further concentrate the monovalent enriched fraction in lithium content. The method may be combined with a subsequent solvent extraction and electrolysis step to produce lithium hydroxide, a Li+ selective sorbent step for producing purified lithium chloride, or a Li+ selective sorbent and precipitative step to produce lithium carbonate.

Processes and systems for filtering a liquid sample are provided. Batches of a liquid sample can be routed to two or more cycling tanks (e.g., first and second cycling tanks). Upon filling a first cycling tank, a first batch of the liquid sample can be routed to a filtration assembly by a continuous diafiltration process that includes routing produced retentate back to the first cycling tank or to a collection vessel. Upon filling a second cycling tank, a second batch of the liquid sample is routed to the filtration assembly by a continuous diafiltration process that includes routing produced retentate back to the second cycling tank or to the collection vessel. The filling and continuous diafiltration of batches of the liquid sample continues to alternate between the two or more cycling tanks until a total product volume is processed.

Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for controllably removing one or more solutes from a solution. Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for removing water from alcoholic beverages.

A filter module (10) has a housing (12) which is subdivided by a membrane filter (14) into an inlet chamber (16), which is connected to an inlet connecting piece (22) arranged rigidly on the housing (12), and an outlet chamber (18), which has a filtrate outlet (20). The inlet connecting piece has two connectors, specifically a first connector (26) and a second connector (28), which connect selectively and fluidically to the inlet chamber with a 3-way valve (24) integrated into the inlet connecting piece. The valve has a first entry, which is connected to the first connector, a second entry, which is connected to the second connector, and an exit, which is connected to the inlet chamber. The first connector is configured as an adapter for outwardly sealed coupling of a culture medium bottle (30), which coupling permits a gravity-driven exchange of liquid with the first entry of the valve.

A filter module (10) has a housing (12) which is subdivided by a membrane filter (14) into an inlet chamber (16), which is connected to an inlet connecting piece (22) arranged rigidly on the housing (12), and an outlet chamber (18), which has a filtrate outlet (20). The inlet connecting piece has two connectors, specifically a first connector (26) and a second connector (28), which connect selectively and fluidically to the inlet chamber with a 3-way valve (24) integrated into the inlet connecting piece. The valve has a first entry, which is connected to the first connector, a second entry, which is connected to the second connector, and an exit, which is connected to the inlet chamber. The first connector is configured as an adapter for outwardly sealed coupling of a culture medium bottle (30), which coupling permits a gravity-driven exchange of liquid with the first entry of the valve.

A serial filtration system for liquid purification includes a preliminary-stage reverse-osmosis (RO) module and a first-stage, high-permeability, reverse-osmosis (HiRO) module. Both modules include (a) a chamber including an inlet, a retentate outlet, and a permeate outlet, and (b) at least one membrane separating the chamber into a retentate side on an upstream side of the membrane and a permeate side on a downstream side of the membrane. The membrane in the preliminary stage is an RO membrane, while the membrane in the first stage is an oxidized membrane. The first-stage inlet is in fluid communication with the preliminary-stage, retentate outlet; and the oxidized membrane in the first stage, comprises an oxidized polyamide active layer coated on a porous support, wherein the oxidized polyamide active layer has an atomic oxygen/nitrogen ratio of at least 1.5.

A system for treating a source of water contaminated with PFAS is disclosed. The system includes a PFAS separation stage having an inlet fluidly connectable to the source of water contaminated with PFAS, a diluate outlet, and a concentrate outlet and a PFAS elimination stage positioned downstream of the PFAS separation stage and having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the PFAS separation stage, the elimination of the PFAS occurring onsite with respect to the source of water contaminated with PFAS, with the system maintaining an elimination rate of PFAS greater than about 99%. A method of treating water contaminated with PFAS is also disclosed. The method includes introducing contaminated water from a source of water contaminated with a first concentration of PFAS to an inlet of a

PFAS separation stage, treating the contaminated water in the PFAS separation stage to produce a product water substantially free of PFAS and a PFAS concentrate having a second PFAS concentration greater than the first PFAS concentration, introducing the PFAS concentrate to an inlet of a PFAS elimination stage; and activating the PFAS elimination stage to eliminate the PFAS in the PFAS concentrate. A method of retrofitting a water treatment system as described herein is also disclosed. The method includes providing a PFAS elimination module as described herein and fluidly connecting the PFAS elimination module downstream of a PFAS separation stage.

A purification system is for purifying a mixture containing a first solvent, a second solvent, and an impurity. The purification system includes a first membrane separation device including a pervaporation membrane and a second membrane separation device including a filtration membrane. The pervaporation membrane separates the mixture into a first permeated fluid and a first concentrated fluid. The first permeated fluid has a lower concentration of the impurity than that in the mixture, and the first concentrated fluid has a higher concentration of the impurity than that in the mixture. The filtration membrane separates the first concentrated fluid into a second permeated fluid and a second concentrated fluid. The second permeated fluid has a lower concentration of the impurity than that in the first concentrated fluid, and the second concentrated fluid has a higher concentration of the impurity than that in the first concentrated fluid.

A water treatment system 100 includes: a filtration device 16 that includes an RO membrane element 12 and an NF membrane element 14, and treats raw water containing sodium chloride by the RO membrane element 12 and the NF membrane element 14 to generate concentrated raw water; and an electrolytic device 18 that is disposed downstream of the filtration device 16 and electrolyzes the concentrated raw water to generate water containing sodium hypochlorite.

A device for tangential flow filtration includes a filter unit having first and second fluid openings, a filter element and a permeate opening, a first flow connection to connect the first fluid opening to a reservoir, a second flow connection to connect the second fluid opening to the reservoir, a first centrifugal pump in the first flow connection to convey the fluid from the reservoir to the filter unit, a first controller to actuate the first centrifugal pump, the filter unit designed such that the fluid for tangential flow filtration is capable of flowing substantially parallel to the filter element, a second centrifugal pump in the second flow connection, with which a counter-pressure is capable of being generated at the second fluid opening, and a second controller to actuate the second centrifugal pump.