A chemical reactor for use in a chemical process wherein a reactant and/or a target product is prone to produce undesirable byproducts through secondary reactions. The reactor is configured with a first flow passage for passing a flow of an overly reactive reactant; a permeable first wall for controlled flow of the overly reactive reactant into a second flow passage providing a flow of a second reactant; a permeable second wall having a catalyst supported on an inner surface thereof for catalyzing reaction of the reactants flowing in the second flow passage; the permeable second wall passing through a flow containing the target product; and a non-permeable third wall defining a third flow passage for exiting the product mixture. The reactor can be employed in selective oxidation, oxidative dehydrogenation, and alkylation processes to reduce the formation of byproducts.

A thermally reflective membrane apparatus comprises a housing structure, and a thermally reflective membrane contained within the housing structure. The thermally reflective membrane comprises a semipermeable structure, and a porous, thermally reflective structure physically contacting the semipermeable structure. The porous, thermally reflective structure comprises discrete thermally reflective particles, and a binder material coupling the discrete thermally reflective particles to one another and the semipermeable structure. A fluid treatment system and method of treating a fluid are also described.

A multi-stage direct contact membrane distillation (MS-DCMD) system and a process for using the MS-DCMD are provide. The MS-DCMD includes a plurality of modules, wherein each module includes a feed chamber fluidically coupled to a feed line and a carrier gas line, wherein the feed line introduces a liquid feed into the feed chamber from a liquid feed tank, and wherein the carrier gas line introduces a carrier gas into the feed chamber. Each module includes a cold chamber fluidically coupled to a cold-water feed line and a cold-water return line, wherein cold water is circulated through the cold chamber. Each module further includes a membrane separating the feed chamber from the cold chamber, wherein the membrane allows transportation of vapor from the feed chamber to the cold chamber while blocking liquid from moving from the feed chamber to the cold chamber.

A multistage vacuum membrane distillation (MS-VMD) system including a plurality of modules is provided along with a method for using the MS-VMD. The MS-VMD system includes a feed chamber coupled to a feed line and a carrier gas line, wherein the feed line introduces a liquid feed into the feed chamber from a liquid feed tank, and wherein the carrier gas line introduces a carrier gas into the feed chamber. The MS-VMD system also includes a vacuum chamber coupled to a vacuum line, wherein the vacuum line pulls a vacuum on the vacuum chamber, and a membrane separating the feed chamber from the vacuum chamber, wherein the membrane allows transportation of vapor from the feed chamber to the vacuum chamber while blocking liquid from moving from the feed chamber to the vacuum chamber.

The present invention relates to a desalination and/or purification device, a desalination and/or purification carbon membrane, and a method of desalinating and/or purifying a liquid by using such a desalination and/or purification device. In various illustrative embodiments, a desalination and/or purification device is provided, the desalination and/or purification device comprising a carbon membrane body comprising a carbon surface, and a structure of microchannels and/or nanochannels at least partially permeating the carbon membrane body and ending at openings at the carbon surface, a liquid transportation structure extending at least partially through the carbon membrane body without being exposed at the carbon surface, and a condenser arranged above the carbon membrane body. The liquid transportation structure is arranged and configured to supply the structure of microchannels and/or nanochannels of the carbon membrane body with a liquid to be desalinated and/or purified and the structure of microchannels and/or nanochannels of the carbon membrane body may be an at least two-level disordered network of channels.

A method of operating a membrane is provided. The membrane comprises: a porous layer; a first electrically conductive layer located on a first side of the porous layer; and a second electrically conductive layer located on a second side of the porous layer. When an electric voltage is applied between the first and second electrically conductive layer across the porous layer, the membrane prevents moisture intrusion from a first surface of the membrane towards a second surface of the membrane. The method comprises applying an electric voltage between the first and second electrically conductive layer across the porous layer to prevent moisture intrusion from the first surface of the membrane towards the second surface of the membrane when it is desired to prevent moisture intrusion from the first surface towards the second surface. A membrane system for performing the method is also provided.

An improved, modular cooling chamber for reaction gas product collection manifolds of a gaseous electrolysis apparatus can include a helium permeable element separating helium from hydrogen and/or deuterium reactants. This system can provide a controllable thermal gradient across the helium permeable element promoting helium transport through the cooling chamber.

A dehumidifier is connected to a respiratory gas measuring apparatus. A membrane dryer has a first flow path through which a respiratory gas of a subject passes, and a second flow path through which a purge gas passes. A first normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a first upstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path. A second normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a first downstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path. A third normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a second upstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path. A fourth normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a second downstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path.

An integrated system has functions of high-abundance protein depletion, on-line denaturation and reduction of middle and low-abundance proteins, desalting and protein digestion. This system includes an antibody column for the depletion of high-abundance protein from body fluids, clustering hollow fiber membranes based high temperature denaturator and reducer, solvent exchanger and immobilized enzymatic reactor. The protein sample from body fluid is firstly treated by antibody column to remove the high-abundance proteins, and then the eluted medium-low abundance protein is subjected to on-line, rapid denaturation and reduction by a high-temperature denaturator and reducer, subsequently the denaturing and the reducing agents in proteins are removed by a solvent exchanger, finally the purified proteins were enzymatically hydrolyzed by an immobilized enzymatic reactor. The peptides produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis can be analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS).

A subsea fluid processing system which receives a wellstream flow. The subsea fluid processing system includes a pressure control device which regulates a pressure of the wellstream flow, a gas-liquid separator unit which receives the wellstream flow downstream of the pressure control device and which provides a liquid stream and a gas stream, a first membrane separator which receives the gas stream and which provides a retentate stream and a permeate stream, a compressor which receives the permeate stream and which provides a compressed permeate stream, and a discharge cooler which receives the compressed permeate stream and which provides a cooled compressed permeate stream for injection into a subsurface reservoir. A density of the cooled compressed permeate stream is higher than a density of the compressed permeate stream.