A concentration apparatus including a negatively charged membrane, a sample water supply, a first solenoid valve on a flow path from the sample water supply to the negatively charged membrane, an acidic solution storage tank storing an acidic solution, a second solenoid valve on a flow path from the acidic solution storage tank to the negatively charged membrane, an alkaline solution storage tank storing an alkaline solution, a third solenoid valve on a flow path from the alkaline solution storage tank to the negatively charged membrane, an outlet to discharge fluid, a fourth solenoid valve and a first suction pump each on a flow path from the negatively charged membrane to the outlet, a collection container in which fluid is collected, a fifth solenoid valve on a flow path from the negatively charged membrane to the collection container, and a controller that controls opening and closing of the solenoid valves.

A membrane filtration system, in particular for reverse osmosis, includes a plurality of stages. Each stage has at least one pump and one filter membrane. The stages are hydraulically interconnected in sequence by connecting lines. The system also includes a bypass line for each stage for diverting liquid flow around the stage. At least one bypass valve blocks the respective bypass line in the closed state. The system further includes a control and regulating unit that can actuate the respective bypass valve.

A system for separating a suspension of biological cells is disclosed comprising a single-use fluid circuit and a durable hardware component. The fluid circuit comprises a separator having a housing that includes an inlet for introducing the suspension of biological cells into the gap, a first outlet in communication with the gap for flowing a first type of cells from the separator, and a second outlet in communication with the second side of the filter membrane for flowing a second type of cells from the separator. The hardware component comprises a pump for flowing the suspension of biological cells to the inlet of the separator and at least one flow control device associated with the first outlet and the second outlet of the separator for selectively opening and closing the outlets so as to permit one of the first type of cells and the second type of cells to flow out of the separator in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle equal to the ratio of a target flow rate of first type of cells through the first outlet to the predetermined inlet flow rate.

An apparatus for refining proteins or other biomolecules in biological compositions, such as for separation of proteins from milk, whey, blood plasma, fermentation broth, or similar.

A filter assembly including an RFID tag, for use in monitoring fluid processing, as well as a system and a method for monitoring fluid processing, and a filter for use in the filter assembly, are disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to ion-exchange systems and devices that can monitor key parameters related to the performance of the ion-exchange device. Specifically, the ion-exchange systems and devices disclosed herein can provide real time voltage drop across groups of membrane pairs using diagnostic spacer borders between the pairs. In addition, the ion-exchange systems and devices disclosed herein can monitor the compression force applied by the compression plates holding the ion-exchange systems and devices together.

An osmotic process comprising for a first period, passing a draw stream and a feed stream through an osmotic unit having a semi-permeable membrane, permitting the passage of water but not salts. The feed stream is an aqueous stream with a lower salinity than the draw stream. The feed stream has a scalant with a concentration above saturation in a region on a feed side of the semi-permeable membrane. The draw stream passes over a draw side of the membrane and the feed stream passes over the feed side so water passes across the membrane from the feed stream to the draw stream. For a second time period, the flow rate of the draw stream is lower than the flow rate in the first time period, and the feed stream passes over the feed side such that the concentration of the scalant in said region is reduced.

A method for filtering suspended solids from a feed fluid involves filtering the feed fluid by pumping the feed fluid through a first retentate channel of a first cross-flow membrane unit and through a second retentate channel of a second cross-flow membrane unit that is connected in parallel with the first membrane unit. The retentate exiting the units after filtering is pumped through a suspended solids concentrating path. While the filtering is being performed by both membrane units, at least one of the membrane units may be cleaned by performing a forward flush on it in which a portion of the retentate from at least one of the first and the second retentate channels is drawn into a forward flushing path. The forward flushing path is fluidly connected to the retentate channel of the membrane unit that is being forward flushed.

A device and method are described for the treatment of blood, which device may be used in conjunction with or in place of a failed Kidney. The device includes an ultrafiltration unit to remove proteins, red and white blood cells and other high molecular weight components, a nanofiltration unit to remove glucose, at least one electrodeionization unit to transport ions from the blood stream, and a reverse osmosis unit to modulate the flow of water, to both the blood and urine streams. In one embodiment, a specialized electrodeionization unit is provided having multiple chambers defining multiple dilute fluid channels, each channel filled with an ion specific resin wafer, and electrodes at the extremity of the device and proximate each of the resin filled dilute channels. By selective application of voltages to these electrodes, the ion transport functionality of a given dilute channel can be turned on or off.

Disclosed are an integrated composite filter cartridge (200) and a water purifying system (300) having same. The integrated composite filter cartridge (200) comprises: an outer shell (20), wherein a chamber (21) is defined in the outer shell (20), and the outer shell (20) is provided with a raw water inlet (22), a pre-treated water outlet (23), a pre-treated water inlet (24), a purified water outlet (25) and a waste water outlet (26) which are in communication with the chamber (21); a pre-treatment filter cartridge (100); a central pipe (30); a filter membrane (40); and a control member, which is connected to the pre-treated water outlet (23) and the pre-treated water inlet (24). When the integrated composite filter cartridge (200) is used for the first time, the control member switches on the raw water inlet (22) and the pre-treated water outlet (23) and switches off the pre-treated water inlet (24).