A system that uses single or multiple elements arranged in a single unit or multiple arrays for the extraction, purification, and concentration of lithium and other constituents from a brine that can be constructed in a mobile unit.

An electromembrane extraction (EME) device including a union connector, an acceptor compartment with a connector end and a donor compartment with a connector end wherein both connector ends are connectable to the union connector, wherein the union connector includes a flat membrane with a seal on each side thereof, wherein the seals when the acceptor compartment and the donor compartment are connected to the union connector are arranged respectively between the acceptor compartment connector end and the flat membrane and the donor compartment connector end and the flat membrane.

A method of separating impurities from a natural gas stream. CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2S are separated from the natural gas stream in a membrane separation system, thereby creating a partially-treated gas stream and a permeate gas stream, both of which are at a lower temperature than the natural gas stream. The partially-treated gas stream is contacted with a first lean solvent stream in a first contactor to separate H.sub.2S from the partially-treated gas stream, thereby producing a first rich solvent stream and a fully-treated gas stream. The permeate gas stream is contacted with a second lean solvent stream in a second contactor to separate H.sub.2S therefrom to produce a second rich solvent stream and a CO.sub.2 gas stream. H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2 are removed from the first and second rich solvent streams, thereby producing the first and second lean solvent streams.

A method of separating impurities from a natural gas stream. The natural gas stream is cooled through heat exchange with one or more process streams to produce a chilled gas stream, which is contacted with a lean solvent stream in a contactor to separate hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) from the chilled gas stream, thereby producing a rich solvent stream and a partially-treated gas stream. Carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and H.sub.2S are separated from the partially-treated gas stream in a membrane separation system, thereby creating a fully-treated gas stream and a permeate gas stream, the permeate gas stream being comprised primarily of H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2, and the fully-treated gas stream being comprised primarily of natural gas. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream are at a lower temperature than the partially-treated gas stream. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream comprise the one or more process streams.

A membrane based process separates amines or organic acids from a solution containing at least one amine or at least one organic acid according to their hydrophobic properties. The more hydrophobic amine or organic acid passes the hydrophobic membrane into an acidic aqueous solution, thus selectively removing the amine or organic acid from the first solution. The process is particularly suitable to obtain chiral amines in high yield. A transaminase-catalyzed transamination of an amino donor and amino acceptor is combined with a hydrophobic membrane separation of the produced chiral amine. The selective removal of the chiral amine from the reaction mixture promotes the further transformation of the amino acceptor into the product chiral amine.

The present invention concerns a method for recovering pure oil stream and viscosifying polymers in polymer-flood produced water issued from an oil and gas field using a membrane coalescing contactor.

A salt ion membrane may be paired with an absorption device to provide advantaged separation processes comprising: introducing a first aqueous salt stream and a mixed feed stream comprising at least one olefin and at least one paraffin to a salt ion membrane under conditions effective to form at least two phases; obtaining an olefin-rich permeate stream and an olefin-lean retentate stream from the salt ion membrane, in which the olefin-rich permeate stream and/or the olefin-lean retentate stream further comprises a salt ion membrane aqueous salt phase; introducing at least a portion of the olefin-lean retentate stream and a second aqueous salt stream to an absorption device under conditions effective to promote olefin extraction; obtaining an olefin-rich aqueous salt stream from the absorption device; and providing at least a portion of the olefin-rich aqueous salt stream as at least a portion of the first aqueous salt stream.

A method of separating blood into two or more components and subsequently washing a component, comprising providing a blood storage container containing an initial blood composition, and a blood separation circuit comprising a separator. The method also comprises separating and washing cellular material within the same blood separation circuit.

A device for the separation of water, in particular water vapor, from a fluid flow containing water, in particular water vapor, may include at least a water-permeable membrane body that delimits at least one membrane body interior space, wherein at least one hydrophobic fluid is located in the membrane body interior space for receiving water, in particular water vapor, which exits the fluid flow and passes through the membrane body into the membrane body interior space.

Provided is an extraction system which can be used to recover light oils and other organic materials during a supercritical or subcritical fluid extraction. The extraction system may include a dual purpose pressure vessel which can be used as an independent, full spectrum extractor by adding organic material within a compartment within the vessel and passing liquefied, compressed gases onto and through organic material as well as a separator to separate the extracting fluid from the extracted material. Filter membranes having different size pore openings designed to capture and retain various compounds based on their molecular size may be used in conjunction with the pressure vessel. The filter membranes are part of a filtration system which may be incorporated as an internal component of the pressure vessel or may be utilized at different locations within the extraction system.