According to the present invention, since a pretreatment mechanism can be operated while inhibiting the pretreated water from fluctuating in pressure, a fresh-water production apparatus is obtained in which the desalting mechanism can be stably operated. Furthermore, the period of water supply or flushing in the step of washing the pretreatment mechanism can be shortened, and the load on the lines where washing is not being performed is hence reduced. Consequently, a fresh-water production apparatus is obtained in which the pretreatment mechanism can be operated while inhibiting the pretreatment membranes from being fouled.

A method includes monitoring an indicator of fluid volume of a patient via a sensor device, and setting an initial fluid volume removal prescription for a blood fluid removal session based on the monitored indicator of fluid volume. The method may further include transmitting data regarding the indicator of fluid volume from the implantable sensor device to fluid removal device. The system includes a blood fluid removal device and control electronics configured to set the initial fluid removal volume and rate prescription. In some embodiments, the fluid removal device sets or calculated the initial fluid volume removal prescription based on the data received from the implantable sensor. The indicator of fluid volume may be an indicator of tissue fluid volume or an indicator of blood fluid volume.

A method for cleaning a blood filter includes: (i) pumping a physiologically safe fluid back and fourth through the insides and/or the outsides of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes of the blood filter to remove or loosen blood residuals, such as blood clots, proteins and/or biological fluid; (ii) injecting air into the physiologically safe fluid to form an air/fluid mixture; (iii) pumping the air fluid mixture through the insides and/or outsides of the plurality of the hollow fiber membranes of the blood filter to further or remove or loosen blood residuals therefrom; and (iv) removing the air/physiologically safe fluid mixture along with the removed or loosened blood residuals to drain.

A method of operating a filtration apparatus according to the present invention is a method of operating a filtration apparatus which includes one or more filtration modules provided with a plurality of hollow-fiber membranes arranged in parallel in one direction and a pair of holding members configured to fix both ends of the plurality of hollow-fiber membranes, and one or more cleaning modules configured to supply bubbles from below the filtration modules, the method including an operation step of carrying out a filtration treatment with the filtration modules, and a cleaning step of cleaning the filtration modules while stopping the filtration treatment with the filtration modules for 0.25 to 3 hours. The cleaning step is performed at intervals of 12 to 72 hours.

A medical monitoring device for monitoring electrical signals from the body of a subject is described. The medical monitoring device monitors electrical signals originating from a cardiac cycle of the subject and associates each cardiac cycle with a time index. The medical monitoring device applies a forward computational procedure to generate a risk score indicative of hyperkalemia, hypokalemia or arrhythmia of the subject. The medical monitoring device can adjust the forward computational procedure based upon clinical data obtained from the subject.

A conditioning system for a filter module is disclosed. The conditioning system may generally include an inlet, a heat exchanger, a magnetically levitated pump, a channel provided to bypass the heat exchanger, a controller, an outlet, and a base. The system may have components lined with corrosion-resistant materials. A method of conditioning a filter module is also disclosed. The method may generally include measuring TOC in a source of ultrapure water, heating the ultrapure water, rinsing a filter module with the heated water, flushing the filter module with ambient temperature water, and repeating the rinsing with heated water and flushing with ambient temperature water. A method of facilitating conditioning of the filter module is also disclosed. The method may generally include providing a portable filter module conditioning system and providing instructions for installation or use.

A method for controlling a hollow fiber nanofiltration membrane system with controllable power consumption, including the following steps. A filtration flow rate is determined by the program control system according to preset working conditions and the electricity price and the inlet water temperature obtained by a first monitoring module when the hollow fiber nanofiltration membrane assembly is started to perform a filtration process. The inlet water pressure change and the permeability change are monitored and recorded by a second monitoring module during the filtration process. A flushing mode and a flushing intensity of the cleaning system are determined by the program control system according to the inlet water pressure change and the permeability change during the filtration when the filtration process is completed.

A high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system includes a disc membrane assembly having a frame and at least two support shafts. Each support shaft defines a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs, with each shaft further coupled to the frame. A permeate tube is coupled to each support shaft and in fluid communication with the membrane discs associated with that support shaft. A vessel defines a treatment chamber and is configured to removably support the disc membrane assembly within the treatment chamber. The vessel further includes a wall. The filtration system also includes a drive system. The permeate tubes are configured to extend through a portion of the vessel wall when the disc membrane assembly is positioned within the treatment chamber. The permeate tubes are further configured for rotation by the drive system.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for analyzing an influence variable on membrane fouling of a seawater desalination system, wherein influence variables other than variables having a low degree of influence, among variables affecting the membrane, are selected, and the influence thereof on membrane fouling is used to derive an equation. The apparatus includes a variable storage unit configured to store variables affecting membrane fouling of a seawater desalination system, a dominant variable selection unit configured to select at least one dominant variable among the variables through at least one algorithm, and an equation derivation unit configured to derive a specific equation based on a correlation between the selected dominant variable and the membrane fouling.

A membrane separation device includes a separation membrane unit A that has a separation membrane unit component 8, feed stream side lines F1 and F2, and a permeate stream line P, and a unit for feeding a stream-to-be-treated, wherein a stream-to-be-treated sealing material is provided in the perimeter of an anti-telescoping plate of the separation membrane element, wherein the separation membrane elements can be moved within a cylindrical pressure vessel substantially in either direction, wherein the separation membrane unit is configured to feed the stream-to-be-treated through one of the feed stream side lines F1 and F2 and to discharge the concentrate stream through the other of the feed stream side lines, and wherein the separation membrane unit includes a mechanism that can switch the flow between the feed stream side lines.