In a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR or SMU), diffusers are used to eject air bubbles, primarily to facilitate the movement of mixed liquor past the membrane surfaces, cleaning and scouring the surfaces of the membranes with the mechanical energy of the combined air/liquid/solids movement. Oxygen transfer from the bubbles into the mixed liquor is often a secondary goal, for supplying oxygen to biological processes. The invention involves the use of a specific bubble diffuser, oriented at a selected upward angle, to enable a single style diffuser to accomplish simultaneous generation of mid-size and fine bubble aeration, with adjustment of the tilt angle varying the percentages of mid-size and fine bubble aeration. The angle selection, along with the number of diffusers and air volume selected, allows achievement of target liquid movement through the MBR.

A membrane filter configured to filter a liquid, the membrane filter including a base element including at least one membrane carrier that is externally flowable by the liquid and a gas; hollow fiber membranes respectively including lumen and attached at a top of the at least one membrane carrier wherein a liquid permeate is filterable from the liquid into the lumen; a one piece extruded circumferentially closed pipe that envelops the hollow fiber membranes; a gas inlet configured to let gas into a bottom of the membrane filter; at least one permeate collection cavity included in the base element and connected with the lumen and configured to collect the liquid permeate from the hollow fiber membranes; a permeate outlet included in the base element and configured to drain the liquid permeate from the at least one permeate collection cavity laterally from the base element.

Algae harvesting and cultivating systems and methods for producing high concentrations of algae product with minimal energy. In an embodiment, a dead-end filtration system and method includes at least one tank and a plurality hollow fiber membranes positioned in the at least one tank. An algae medium is pulled through the hollow fiber membranes such that a retentate and a permeate are produced.

Algae harvesting and cultivating systems and methods for producing high concentrations of algae product with minimal energy. In an embodiment, a dead-end filtration system and method includes at least one tank and a plurality hollow fiber membranes positioned in the at least one tank. An algae medium is pulled through the hollow fiber membranes such that a retentate and a permeate are produced.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame with a membrane support structure having first and second membrane support plates that are free from perforations and that include a plurality of microgrooves configured to provide flow channels for at least part of the permeate stream. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a return conduit fluidly connecting a buffer tank and a reformate conduit, a return valve assembly configured to manage flow in the return conduit, and a control assembly configured to operate a fuel processing assembly between run and standby modes based, at least in part, on detected pressure in the buffer tank and configured to direct the return valve assembly to allow product hydrogen stream to flow from the buffer tank to the reformate conduit when the fuel processing assembly is in the standby mode.

A gas separation membrane unit includes: a gas separation membrane configured to separate a predetermined gas component contained in a mixed gas supplied to a first surface by allowing the predetermined gas component to permeate to a second surface that is a reverse surface of the first surface; a gas flow path part including a wall body configured to define an internal space through which the predetermined gas component separated flows; and a first convex structure protruding from at least one of the first surface of the gas separation membrane and an outer surface of the wall body.

An enclosure assembly configured to receive a plurality of fiber membranes configured to filter fluid may include an elongated tubular member including an elongated wall extending between first and second ends, and a removable hatch coupled to opposing side edges of the elongated wall, thereby forming a hollow enclosure having an interior. The interior of the elongated tubular member may be configured to receive a plurality of fiber membranes configured to filter fluid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water treatment system in which explosions can be prevented even when filtering water to be treated that is able to generate flammable gas. A water treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a water-to-be-treated tank which stores water to be treated, a crossflow-type filtration membrane module which filters the water to be treated, a supply passage through which the water to be treated is supplied to the filtration membrane module from the water-to-be-treated tank by using a supply pump, and a recirculation passage through which the water to be treated is recirculated from the filtration membrane module to the water-to-be-treated tank. The supply passage is provided with an aspirator which mixes a gas with the supplied water to be treated, the gas being recirculated through the recirculation passage to the water-to-be-treated tank together with the water to be treated. The water-to-be-treated tank has an upper space provided above the liquid surface of the stored water to be treated, the upper space being hermetically filled with an inert gas. The water-to-be-treated tank is further provided with a gas transport passage through which the inert gas is supplied from the upper space to the aspirator.

An object is to provide an intermittent-bubbling device that can generate a bubble having a large diameter and that can be suitably used for, for example, claiming a filtration module. The present invention provides an intermittent-bubbling device used while being immersed in a liquid, and formed from a series of tubes, the intermittent-bubbling device including a gas storage path, one end of which opens downward, which stores a predetermined amount of gas, and which has a substantially inverted U-shape, and a gas-guiding path that communicates with the other end of the gas storage path, and that guides the gas upward from the other end. Preferably, a highest point at a lowest position of the gas-guiding path is not lower than the other end of the gas storage path. A cross-sectional area on the one end side of the gas storage path at a horizontal level position horizontal to the other end of the gas storage path is preferably larger than a cross-sectional area of the gas-guiding path. An upper end of the gas-guiding path is preferably located at a level equal to or higher than a highest point of the gas storage path. The tubes that form the gas storage path or the gas-guiding path may be connected to one another so as to be rotatable about an axis.

An object is to provide a filtration apparatus which can be reduced in size by relatively densely arranging a plurality of filtration modules and in which the efficiency of cleaning the hollow-fiber membranes can be increased. A filtration apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of filtration modules, each including a plurality of hollow-fiber membranes, which are arranged in parallel in a vertical direction so as to form a substantially curtain-like shape, and a pair of rod-shaped holding members that secure top and bottom ends of the hollow-fiber membranes; one or more cleaning modules that supply bubbles to the filtration modules from below; and a frame that holds the filtration modules and the one or more cleaning modules. The filtration modules are arranged in parallel and with substantially constant intervals therebetween. A plurality of guide rails that engage with the lower holding members of the filtration modules extend between opposing surfaces of a plurality of frame members that are arranged horizontally in parallel. The one or more cleaning modules preferably have bubble ejection holes disposed between the lower holding members in top view.