The invention relates to liquid predominantly water purification systems of membrane type and/or of desalination type with recirculation used in industry household and/or drinking water supply on factories, water treatment stations, public institutions, household, in country side.

Liquid purification system with predetermined ratio between purified and drainage liquid, containing raw liquid line equipped with pump, membrane element, connected to purified liquid line and recircualtion line, equipped with pressure regulator, and connected to drainage liquid line, characterized in that it is configured to spontaneous pressure maintenance not less than necessary to carry out the filtration process, because pressure regulator is made as mechanical spring valve, and the ratio between raw liquid feed velocity and total velocity of purified liquid and drainage liquid withdrawal more than 1. 1 independent and 2 dependent claims, 1 figure.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements for spiral wound elements which promote mixing within the feed space during element operation thereby improving element performance and reducing concentration polarization and potential for biological fouling.

Apparatus for in-line liquid exchanging a biomolecule-containing liquid is provided. The apparatus comprises a means (3) for mixing at least two liquids comprising a multiple inlet flow-controller (2), the means for mixing also comprising an outlet in fluid connection with a tangential flow filtration device (1) configured in single-pass mode.

[Object] To prevent deterioration of dehumidification efficiency by suppressing uneven distribution of hollow fiber membranes in an outer casing.

[Solution] A dehumidifying element 1 includes a dehumidification space 7 that are formed between a pair of potting material portions 5 and 6 and that accommodates hollow fiber membranes 3 through which highly humid dehumidification-target air is circulated. The dehumidifying element 1 also includes an air supply hole 35 for supplying purging air having a humidity lower than the dehumidification-target air to the dehumidification space 7 and an air discharge hole 36 for discharging the purging air supplied to the dehumidification space 7. In the dehumidification space 7, a guide member 47 is disposed so as to form a plurality of regions in a cylindrical casing 2 as viewed in the axis-L direction, and the hollow fiber membranes 3 are accommodated in the dehumidification space 7 so as to be distributed into the plurality of regions.

A hollow fiber membrane module includes a housing having an inlet formed one end thereof and an outlet formed on the other end thereof, in which hot and humid humidifying fluid flows in through the inlet and the humidifying fluid after humidifying a cool and dry fluid flowing out of the housing through the outlet; at least one hollow fiber membrane bundle which is inserted into the housing in the longitudinal direction; a partitioning part for supporting the hollow fiber membrane bundle and partitioning an inflow space, in which the humidifying fluid flowing into the housing momentarily remains, and an outflow space, in which the humidifying fluid momentarily remains before being discharged through the outlet; and a potting part for potting both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle to the housing.

A gas exchanger with a restriction element or elements to reduce gas exchange as desired to avoid hypo-capnia and hyper-oxygenation in small patients. The gas exchanger includes a gas exchanger housing with an outer wall and a core which defines an inner wall and having a blood inlet for receiving a blood supply and a blood outlet. The gas exchanger also includes a hollow fiber bundle disposed within the housing between the core and the outer wall, and a gas inlet compartment for receiving an oxygen supply and directing the oxygen supply to the first ends of the hollow fiber bundle, wherein the gas inlet compartment includes at least one restriction element configured to allow the oxygen supply to reach only a portion of the hollow fiber bundle.

A process and system for cleaning semipermeable membranes is described that is particularly well suited for cleaning membranes contained in a water purification system, such as a reverse osmosis process. In order to clean the filter membranes, the membranes are placed in a cleaning chamber capable of allowing a reduction in pressure. In one embodiment, for instance, the membranes are contained in a filter housing and the filter housing is converted into a cleaning chamber by sealing off at least one end. The membranes are then submerged in a cleaning fluid and the pressure within the cleaning chamber is reduced causing the cleaning fluid to form bubbles. The process and system of the present disclosure is well suited to cleaning filter membranes, particularly ceramic membranes, in-line without having to remove the membranes from the water purification system.

A concentration apparatus that includes a liquid tank storing a liquid containing a filtration object, a tubular member having first and second end portions disposed in the liquid tank and forming a first circulation flow path therebetween, a circulation pump for supplying the liquid stored in the liquid tank to flow from the first end portion to the second end portion, a filtration filter disposed in a sidewall of the tubular member, a bypass pipe having first and second ends thereof connected to sidewalls of the tubular member so as to form a second circulation flow path between the first and second end portions of the tubular member, a switching valve constructed to cause the liquid to flow in one of the first or second circulation flow paths, and a control unit controlling driving of the circulation pump and a switching operation of the switching valve.

An external circulation-type hollow fiber membrane module which has a high processing capacity and which is capable of inhibiting a to-be-treated liquid within a case from flowing through a short path and efficiently bringing the liquid into contact with a hollow fiber membrane in whichever direction of a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, etc., the liquid flows. An external circulation-type hollow fiber membrane module is provided with: a hollow fiber membrane bundle; a case; and a short-path prevention body that blocks flowing of a to-be-treated liquid in a gap between the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the case, wherein a first end of the hollow fiber membrane bundle is fixed in the case, and the short-path prevention body is provided to the downstream side of a first port which is a liquid flow-in port in the case so as to project from the inner surface of the case.

A reverse osmosis system includes a multi-element membrane array having membrane elements disposed in series. Permeate pipes receive permeate from respective membrane elements. The connectors coupling the permeate pipes have a flow restrictor. The restrictors have an effective area that increases in subsequent connectors. The body has an outer wall and an orifice plug within a longitudinal passage. The orifice plug is separated from the body. Each orifice plug has a carrier body with a plug passage therethrough. Each carrier body has an orifice plate having an orifice disposed within the plug passage and a spring disposed within the carrier body resisting movement of the orifice plate, whereby movement of the orifice plate changes an amount of fluid flowing through each connector. Each spring in subsequent connectors provides a reduced amount of spring force for resisting movement of the orifice plate.