A novel fibrous membrane comprises at least one substrate layer comprising at least 80% by weight of microfibers that carry positively charged and/or negatively charged functional groups, and at least one layer of filtration material attached to the substrate layer, wherein the layer of filtration material comprises at least 80% by weight of nanofibers that carry negatively charged and/or positively charged functional groups. The fibrous membrane is able to remove or reduce the concentration of bacteria, viruses and heavy metals while maintaining relatively high water flow. A filter comprising the fibrous membrane and a method for manufacturing the fibrous membrane are also provided.

Cation exchange membranes and materials including silica-based ceramics, and associated methods, are provided. In some aspects, cation exchange membranes that include a silica-based ceramic that forms a coating on and/or within a porous support membrane are described. The cation exchange membranes and materials may have certain structural or chemical attributes (e.g., pore size/distribution, chemical functionalization) that, alone or in combination, can result in advantageous performance characteristics in any of a variety of applications for which selective transport of positively charged ions through membranes/materials is desired. In some embodiments, the silica-based ceramic contains relatively small pores (e.g., substantially spherical nanopores) that may contribute to some such advantageous properties. In some embodiments, the cation exchange membrane or material includes sulfonate and/or sulfonic acid groups covalently bound to the silica-based ceramic.

A selectively permeable membrane device for separating a first fluid from a second fluid in a flow can include a membrane conduit configured to receive the flow and to allow permeation of the first fluid therethrough, and configured to not allow permeation of the second fluid. The device can include a residence time enhancing structure disposed within the membrane conduit and configured to increase residence time of the flow within the membrane conduit.

The invention relates to the field of membrane gas separation. A method of removing components of gas mixtures which is based on passing the components of a gas mixture through a nanoporous membrane and subsequently selectively absorbing them with a liquid absorbent that is in contact with the nanoporous membrane, wherein to prevent the gas from getting into the liquid phase of the absorbent and the liquid phase of the absorbent from getting into the gas phase, a nanoporous membrane with homogeneous porosity (size distribution less than 50%) and a pore diameter in the range of 5-500 nm is used, and the pressure differential between the gas phase and the liquid absorbent is kept below the membrane bubble point pressure. An acid gas removal performance of more than 0.3 nm.sup.3/(m.sup.2 hour) in terms of CO.sub.2 is achieved at a hollow-fiber membrane packing density of up to 3200 m.sup.2/m.sup.3, which corresponds to a specific volumetric performance of acid gas removal of up to 1000 nm.sup.3 (m.sup.3 hour). The technical result is that of providing effective extraction of undesirable components from natural and process gas mixtures.

A molecular separation method can include: passing a deasphalted oil stream through a reactor containing an active substrate, wherein the catalytic active substrate adsorbs heteroatom species from the deasphalted oil stream and produces a pretreated hydrocarbon feed stream essentially free of 4+ ring aromatic molecules (ARC 4+ species), metal species, and heteroatom species; and chromatographically separating with a simulated moving bed apparatus or a true moving bed apparatus (SMB/TMB) the pretreated hydrocarbon feed stream into a saturate fraction and an aromatics fraction.

The present inventions are directed to systems and methods to increase the removal of PFAS and other recalcitrant organic compound contaminants from water, and particularly ground and drinking water, using sub-micron powdered activated carbon.

A carbon dioxide absorption medium. The absorption medium includes a plurality of hollow fibers and a plurality of binder particles. The hollow fibers have walls comprising a selectively permeable membrane that is configured to permit passage of gaseous carbon dioxide but not liquids. The plurality bind particles are dispersed between the hollow fibers and comprise an absorbent material configured to absorb gaseous carbon dioxide and to bind the carbon dioxide in a solid state.

Methods and circuits for a device for interrupting concentration-related polarisation phenomenon and for self-cleaning of electromembrane processes by application of asymmetric inverse-polarity pulses with high intensity and variable frequency are described. The device, a bipolar switch, is based on the use of solid-state electronics to carry out polarity inversion in a range of frequencies, intensities and pulse widths to prevent or reduce formation of precipitates on the surfaces of the membranes. The inversion protocol, with a frequency that varies as a function of the appearance of dirt on the membranes, as measured by the decrease in voltage or electrical resistance of the membrane cell during electromembrane processes, is also provided. This device and configuration provides application of modulated and stable high-intensity pulses using a second power source. Electromembrane processes can be updated by replacing electrodes, suitable for polarity inversion, and adding a second power source and the bipolar switch described.

The present invention relates to a composite hollow fiber membrane, a manufacturing method therefor, a hollow fiber membrane cartridge including same, and a fuel cell membrane humidifier, the composite hollow fiber membrane comprising a hollow fiber membrane and a contaminant collection layer coated on the inner surface of the hollow fiber membrane. The composite hollow fiber membrane can prevent performance deterioration of a fuel cell by removing, without a separate gas filtering device, contaminants such as nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.x), sulfur oxide (SO.sub.x), and ammonia (NH.sub.3) during a humidifying process.

The present disclosure describes a desalination system, comprising a membrane distillation unit; a preheater having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the outlet being in communication with the inlet; an evaporator in communication with the liquid outlet of the MD, and having a fluid inlet configured to provide heat to aqueous liquid in the evaporator, the evaporator having a vapor outlet; at least one adsorption-desorption unit, having a vapor inlet in communication with the vapor outlet of the evaporator, the AD including a fluid inlet configured to receive either a heating or a cooling fluid and a fluid outlet, the AD having a vapor outlet and further including a fluid inlet in communication with the fluid inlet of the AD, a fluid outlet in communication with the heating fluid inlet of the preheater; and a condenser in communication with the permeate vapor outlet of the MD or the AD or both and having a condensation outlet.