Enhanced cleaning of a fouled membrane is achieved via controlled deformation in a method wherein a feed composition, comprising a solvent and dissolved components, flows into a retentate side of a membrane module. The solvent passes through the membrane from the retentate side to a permeate or draw side of the membrane module while retaining the dissolved components on the membrane. As a foulant accumulates on either side of the membrane, a driving force is generated across the membrane, wherein the membrane responds cyclically by deforming back and forth toward the permeate or draw side and toward the retentate side. The foulant is dislodged from the membrane via mechanical fatigue at the foulant-membrane interface caused by the deformation of the membrane and contact with a spacer in contact with the membrane.

A water purification system and method embodying a submerged conduit with a semipermeable surface, thereby leveraging water pressure to cost-effectively and energy-efficiently purify the water that permeates the semipermeable surface. A intake conduit may provide the semipermeable surface, wherein the system contemplates rotating the intake conduit so that as it rotates it engages brushes or blades that clear the semipermeable surface of obstructions.

A method of separating material, such as foam, sludge, oil or grease, at a fluid's surface, by applying acoustic pressure shock waves to the material and the fluid's surface such that acoustic pressure shock waves are propagated in liquid medium of the fluid and in gas medium above the fluid surface.

Provided is a filter screen having a plurality of slots, each slot having a longest principal axis A1 that has a length L, and each slot having a second axis A2 that is perpendicular to A1 and that has a length W, wherein the distance between adjacent slots in the direction of the axes A2 is XP; wherein XP is greater than W; wherein the distance between adjacent slots in the direction of the axes A1 is YP; either wherein L is 800 micrometers or less and XP is 350 micrometers or less, or wherein L is 1600 μm or less and XP is 180 μm or less.

Also provided is a method of filtering feed water using such a filter screen.

The “sludge dehydrator” equipment is a machine that permits to remove low turbidity water from sludge or watery pastes of industrial or mining origin, with the following objectives: To optimize ore recovery processes such as flotation by means of an increase of the sludge density; To thicken sludge or watery pastes for optimizing the filtering and drying processes, as well as to dispose of mining tailings; To concentrate and dispose of solids in suspension and to recover and recycle clean or clarified water. The “sludge dehydrator” equipment has been designed on the basis of a rectangular tank provided with the necessary infrastructure for containing inside a series of suction plates being connected to a vacuum system, through which the process of solid-liquid separation is carried out and, on the other hand, to contain the cleaning mechanism—the cleaning car—with its motor system made up by pneumatic or hydraulic components required to clean suction plates the filtering medium and to keep them permanently operative. In accordance with the “sludge dehydrator” feeding and the design of the lower or bottom cone of the rectangular tank will benefit to be derived from the industrial and mining operation.

A system for treatment of a polluted effluent includes an outer chamber and a computerized control system. The system is configured to treat an effluent/catalyst mixture that includes the polluted effluent in admixture with a purification slurry. The slurry includes particles of one or more catalysts and/or organoclays. The treatment of the effluent/catalyst mixture is carried out by contact between the particles of the catalysts and/or organoclays and the polluted effluent to mineralize or degrade pollutants in the polluted effluent.

Enhanced cleaning of a fouled membrane is achieved via controlled deformation in a method wherein a feed composition, comprising a solvent and dissolved components, flows into a retentate side of a membrane module. The solvent passes through the membrane from the retentate side to a permeate or draw side of the membrane module while retaining the dissolved components on the membrane. As a foulant accumulates on either side of the membrane, a driving force is generated across the membrane, wherein the membrane responds cyclically by deforming back and forth toward the permeate or draw side and toward the retentate side. The foulant is dislodged from the membrane via mechanical fatigue at the foulant-membrane interface caused by the deformation of the membrane and contact with a spacer in contact with the membrane.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous web of polymeric membrane and for continuous downstream processing of said web. The apparatus (10) comprises: a casting station (20) for casting the continuous web (M); a carrier (24) for carrying the web downstream; a membrane drier (30) downstream of the carrier, for drying the web; and a brushing station (40) downstream of the drier for brushing the web. Said drier is located immediately downstream of the carrier, and upstream of said brushing station. The apparatus (10) further includes an additional drying station (50) downstream of the brushing station (40). Brushing after drying retains more surfactant in the membrane which is useful for certain applications. In addition, initial drying eliminates virtually all solvents from the membrane, but leaves some non-solvent (e.g. water) within it, which in turn fixes the surfactant on the nitrocellulose fibers, which improves significantly the consistency and reproducibility of the membrane.

A control method is provided for a filter system, which includes at least one filter element (2). The method includes continuously recording a total energy consumption (E.sub.G) during a filtration cycle (22) of the filter system. The total energy consumption (E.sub.G) includes at least of the energy consumption (E.sub.B) for a physical cleaning (24) and the energy consumption (E.sub.P) for the subsequent production cycle (23) up to a predefined, in particular current point in time. The method further includes computing a relative energy consumption (E.sub.rel) by way of division of the recorded total energy consumption (E.sub.G) by a net permeate volume (Q.sub.N) which has been produced during the filtration cycle (22) up to the predefined point in time and starting a physical cleaning (24) in dependence on the relative energy consumption or of a characteristic value derived from this.

Filter and method for filtering solve problem of filtering of microfibers. The filter is specifically designed for efficient removal of microfibers from fluids including wastewater such as is emitted by washing machines and clothes dryers in their normal mode of operation. The filter and filtering method hereby disclosed is characterized by the possibility to insert the filtering device directly into existing washing machines without the need for modifications. The filer has a form that allows its direct insertion into an existing void in the washing machine that is connected or an integral part of the drain pump.