The invention relates to a self-supporting highly moisture-permeable heat-insulating aerogel film and a preparation method thereof. The aerogel film is a self-supporting single-layer film with a SiO.sub.2 porous skeleton structure, having a thickness of 150 m to 300 m, which increases an exchange rate of vapor by 50% to 200%, and reduces a heat conductivity coefficient by 50% to 90%. The preparation method includes the following steps: (1) preparation of a template; (2) hydrolysis of nano-cellulose; (3) preparation of an aerogel film; and (4) post-treatment of the aerogel film.

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.

There is described a method of use of a mass exchanger. In the method the mass exchanger comprises: a first channel for accommodating flow of a liquid to be treated; and a second channel for accommodating flow of a treatment agent, the first and second channels have a permeable membrane provided between them, so as to allow transfer of selected species between the first channel and the second channel. The steps of the mass transfer method comprise passing the liquid to be treated along the first channel and introducing a mixture of liquid and gas into the second channel to provide a two-phase treatment agent. It is desirable to provide a means of adjusting the concentration of gas species in a liquid such as blood, while simultaneously controlling the temperature of the liquid and optionally adjusting the concentration of ionic and/or dissolved species in that liquid. By this method and mass exchanger providing a two-phase treatment agent, it is possible to simultaneously deliver gaseous species (e.g. oxygen) into the treated liquid, while making use of the high heat capacity of the liquid phase of the treatment agent to transfer significant heat into or from the treated liquid.

The gas separation method is executed under a condition in which a partial pressure of a first gas (G1) in a feed gas that contains at least mutually different gases being the first gas (G1) and a second gas (G2) becomes less than or equal to a total pressure of a permeate-side space (S2) of a gas separation membrane (30). The gas separation method includes a step of causing flow of a sweep gas that contains at least a third gas (G3) being a different gas from the first gas (G1) and the second gas (G2) into the permeate-side space (S2) of the gas separation membrane (30) while supplying a feed gas to a feed-side space (S1) of the gas separation membrane (30). The permeation rate of the first gas (G1) in the gas separation membrane (30) is greater than the permeation rate respectively of the second gas (G2) and the third gas (G3).

[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 is disclosed that includes both a porous hollow fiber and a nonporous film coating. The hollow fiber membrane is suitable for use in solubilizing gases into liquids. This can include for example carbonation of an aqueous liquid by CO.sub.2 gas. Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for producing a device for a mass transfer between two fluids, wherein at least one hollow-fiber mat (9) is wound on an at least partly hollow core assembly (1, 1a, 1b, 2), and the formed coil is inserted into a housing (10). The assembly of the housing (10) and the coil is then sealed (10), in particular potted, with a sealant at the opposing axial ends in the regions between the hollow-fiber ends and the housing. The core assembly (1, 2) is made of at least two axially adjacent core parts (1, 1a, 1b, 2) arranged one behind the other, at least one (1, 1a, 1b) of which has a hollow design, and the core parts (1, 1a, 1b, 2) are kept in specified axial positions relative to each other, in particular at a distance to each other, by means of at least one aid element (7) at least over the period of the sealing process and preferably over the period of the winding process as well. After the sealing process and the removal of the at least one aid element (7), at least the axially end-face core parts (1, 1a, 2) are kept in their relative positions to each other by means of the sealant. The invention also relates to a coil, a core assembly, and a core system.

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.

The present invention relates to processes and systems for basic gas, e.g., ammonia, recovery and/or acid-gas separation. In some embodiments, a system for acid gas separation may be integrated with an ammonia abatement cycle employing a high temperature absorber. In some embodiments, a system for acid gas separation may employ a higher temperature absorber due to the lower energy consumption and cost of the integrated ammonia abatement cycle. Advantageously, heat may be recovered from the absorber to power at least a portion of any acid gas desorption in the process. Reverse osmosis or other membranes may be employed.

An apparatus for removing water vapor from a feed gas is provided that comprises a membrane housing, a membrane that divides a first pressure side and a second pressure side of the membrane housing, a feed gas inlet and outlet on the first pressure side, a sweep gas inlet and outlet on the second pressure side, a sweep gas flow regulator, and a pump. In some embodiments the feed gas can be at ambient pressure and a pressure drop across the membrane can be less than about 1 atm.