A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of hot-swappable water separation membrane modules arrayed in an approximately polygonal configuration around a product water collection conduit that represents or is proximate to and generally aligned with a central axis of the array; a plurality of hot-swap product water valves connected to the conduit and detachably connected to generally radially-extending product water collection manifolds in fluid communication with a plurality of water separation membrane cartridges within the modules; the modules having in cross-section generally tapered module sides that converge towards the conduit and assist in underwater docking and attachment of a replacement module to a hot-swap product water valve.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes a plurality of water separation membrane elements that when supplied with salinated water under pressure at a first depth will produce at least partially desalinated product water and concentrate or brine; a product water collector that receives product water from the membrane elements; and a permeate conduit that transports product water from the collector downwardly to a motorized submersible pump remotely located from the membrane elements and collector at a second depth greater than the first depth. The second depth is sufficiently greater than the first depth so that the height of a standing column of product water in the product water collector and permeate conduit between the membrane elements and the suction side of the pump maintains a net positive suction head that prevents inlet side cavitation during pump startup and operation.

A filtration apparatus includes a tubular casing having a longitudinal axis and first and second casing ends, a plurality of partition plates positioned in the casing and sealed thereto to thereby define an intake collection chamber between a first of said partition plates and the first casing end, a discharge collection chamber between a second of said partition plates and the second casing end, and a reject collection chamber opposite the second partition plate from the second casing end, a plurality of elongated filtration membrane stacks positioned side-by-side in the casing generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, each filtration membrane stack comprising an intake end fluidly connected to the intake collection chamber, a discharge end fluidly connected to the reject collection chamber, and a permeate channel extending between the first and second ends and fluidly connected to the discharge collection chamber. The filtration apparatus also includes an intake pipe connected to the intake collection chamber, a discharge pipe connected to the discharge collection chamber, and a reject pipe connected to the reject collection chamber. Each filtration membrane stack is made of a plurality of filtration membranes which are each sealed to a corresponding hole in a corresponding partition plate, each filtration membrane having an inlet end and an outlet end and being sealed to the corresponding hole between the inlet and outlet ends, and the outlet end being spaced apart from an adjacent partition plate located closer to the second casing end.

Fluid treatment system comprising a row of vertically arranged cylindrical filtration modules having a cylindrical shell, an upper end, a lower end and a shell interior and an upper and a lower header coupled to upper and lower end of the shell. In the shell interior, hollow fiber membranes are embedded with their ends in an upper and a lower tube sheet and are open at the ends. An exterior filtrate space is formed around the membranes extending between upper and lower tube sheets and an inner surface of the shell. Upper and lower head spaces are formed between upper and lower tube sheets and the respective headers. The lumina of the hollow fiber membranes are in fluid communication with the head spaces. The cylindrical shells comprise outlet ports being in fluid communication with the exterior filtrate spaces and being connected to a filtrate branch pipe. Upper headers are in fluid connection with each other thereby forming an upper collecting duct running along the row at the same level as or above the upper headers. Lower headers are in fluid connection with each other thereby forming a lower collecting duct running along the row on the level of or below the lower headers. The filtrate branch pipes are connected to and open into a filtrate collecting pipe running lengthwise of the row at the upper end of the filtration modules. Upper collecting duct and filtrate collecting pipe are arranged at the upper headers eccentrically and on different sides with respect to a cross-sectional center of the shell and parallel to each other at the same height level.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of generally parallel water separation membrane cartridges each having a water separation membrane, an impermeable cartridge wall surrounding the membrane, and a product water collection tube that collects from inside the cartridges at least partially desalinated product water passing through the membrane, and through which the at least partially desalinated water exits the cartridges and enters a product water collection manifold. The cartridges are mounted in a perforated divider plate. In embodiments, a) the manifold is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the collection tubes, orb) the divider plate is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the cartridge walls or ends, or both a) and b). The adhesive reduces the likelihood of leakage at the manifold or divider plate.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes a plurality of water separation membrane elements, a product water collector that receives product water from the membrane elements, and a variable output motorized submersible pump having a suction side that receives product water from the product water collector and a discharge side that pumps product water away from the apparatus through a product water conduit for surface or subsurface use. An automatic control or coupling is employed to reduce the pump output upon the occurrence or onset of suction side cavitation, and discourage or prevent cavitation over a range of product water flow rates from the membrane elements.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes a plurality of water separation membrane elements, a product water collector that receives product water from the membrane elements, and a variable output motorized submersible pump having a suction side that receives product water from the product water collector and a discharge side that pumps product water away from the apparatus through a product water conduit for surface or subsurface use. At least a portion of the product water is used to lubricate and optionally also cool at least a portion of the pump, motor or both the pump and motor.

Provided is a red blood cell filtering apparatus comprising: a filtering film having multiple through holes; and a shell having a first opening on an upper portion of one lateral part of the shell, and a second opening on a lower portion of the other lateral part of the shell; the filtering film is accommodated in the shell. Also provided is a red blood cell filtering system comprising the red blood cell filtering apparatus, a first blood collector and a second blood collector; wherein the first blood collector has a first connecting opening, and the first connecting opening is connected with the first opening through the first connecting apparatus; the second blood collector has a second connecting opening, and the second connecting opening is connected with the second opening through the second connecting apparatus.

A separation membrane module may decrease a bending load applied to a support member supporting ends of tubular separation membranes and omission of a seal member between the outer circumferential surface of the support member and the inner circumferential surface of a housing. The separation membrane module may include a tubular housing, tubular separation membranes arranged in a longitudinal direction of the housing, end tubes connected to lower ends of the tubular separation membranes, a support box supporting the end tubes, and a backpressure chamber below the support box. The tubular separation membranes may be in communication with a support box collection chamber. A nozzle disposed on the support box may extract permeated fluid. A chamber and the backpressure chamber are in communication via a gap between the support box outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface. The chamber and backpressure chamber have substantially the same pressure.

A product concentration device that utilizes a reservoir connected to a hollow-fiber filter element where the reservoir can serve as a container for filtrate emanating from another filtering device, such that product in the reservoir can be stored, concentrated and/or further processed as desired. Enclosed reactor systems, each of at least three chambers, fluid flow between the chambers controlled by selectively permeable barriers, flow controlled by an alternating flow diaphragm pump.