The invention relates to a modular flow system having a plurality of frame elements (101, 102) configured to be combined together to form a stack for forming a functional member. This functional member may be in particular a membrane distillation stage, a vapor generator, a condenser, a heat exchanger, a filter and/or a pervaporation stage. The frame elements (101, 102) each include: ⋅ an outer frame (39) and an inner frame (43), the inner frame (43) encasing a central inner region (40) and being surrounded by the outer frame (39), and ⋅ passage openings (13 to 16) and vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) arranged between the outer frame (39) and the inner frame (43). At least one of the two vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) is connected to the central inner region (40) by at least one vapor and/or liquid channel opening (22) constituting a through hole in the inner frame. In the frame elements (101, 102), when combined together to form the modular flow system, the vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) are arranged above the inner region (40).

The invention relates to a modular flow system having a plurality of frame elements (101, 102) configured to be combined together to form a stack for forming afunctional member such as in particular a membrane distillation stage, a vapor generator, a condenser, a heat exchanger, a filter and/or a pervaporation stage, wherein the frame elements (101, 102) each include: an outer frame (39) and an inner frame (43), the inner frame (43) encasing a central inner region (40) and being surrounded by the outer frame (39), passage openings (13 to 16) and vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) arranged between the outer frame (39) and the inner frame (43), wherein at least one of the vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) comprises at least one internal strut member (48) extending between the inner frame (43) and the outer frame (39).

Systems, devices and methods for molecular separation including a molecular separation device comprising at least a polycrystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) and a nanocrystalline, zeolite MFI, wherein the MOF forms a polycrystalline membrane with zeolite MFI nanoparticles dispersed therein, and the MOF membrane matrix contacting and surrounding the zeolite MFI nanoparticles form a permselective nanoporous structure.

Methods and systems are provided herein utilizing a membrane cascade to separate a hydrocarbon feed into boiling point fractions. Also provided herein are methods for selecting membranes for said cascades to achieve the desired boiling point fraction separation.

Provided is a method of efficiently treating a fluid to be treated containing a compound that destroys a zeolite membrane to prevent the fluid from destroying the zeolite membrane. A fluid to be treated 10 formed of a liquid mixture or a gas mixture and containing a compound that destroys a zeolite membrane 2 is brought into contact with particles (3, 5) made of the same type of zeolites as the zeolite membrane 2 and filling a pretreatment device 4 installed upstream of a membrane module 1 including the zeolite membrane 2 or a portion upstream of the zeolite membrane 2 in the membrane module 1 to destroy the zeolite forming the particles (3, 5) and the fluid to be treated 10 is made to contain a component generated by the destruction.

A membrane apparatus including a housing, a forward osmosis membrane dividing an internal space of the housing into an inlet region and a mixing region, and a pervaporation membrane dividing the internal space of the housing into the mixing region and a discharge region. The forward osmosis membrane separates a preliminary filtration liquid from an inlet liquid and provides the separated preliminary filtration liquid to the mixing region, the preliminary filtration liquid is mixed with a forward osmosis draw solution to make a mixed solution, the pervaporation membrane separates a final filtration liquid from the mixed solution and provides the separated final filtration liquid to the discharge region, the final filtration liquid is vaporized in the discharge region to make vapor, and an amount of the vapor is adjusted by at least one of a temperature of the mixed solution and a degree of vacuum of the discharge region.

Systems and methods for separating organic chloramines and inorganic chloramines from an aqueous solution. Such a method includes providing a first container containing an aqueous solution that includes organic and inorganic chloramines and free chlorine, providing a second container containing a trapping solution and a tubular hydrophobic membrane through which inorganic chloramines contained in the aqueous solution can diffuse into the trapping solution, pumping the aqueous solution from the first container through the tubular hydrophobic membrane of the second container; and collecting the aqueous solution pumped through the tubular hydrophobic membrane in a third container connected to the tubular hydrophobic membrane. After pumping is completed, the second container contains an aqueous solution containing the inorganic chloramines and the third container contains an aqueous solution containing the organic chloramines and the free chlorine.

Provided is a method of efficiently treating a fluid to be treated containing a compound that destroys a zeolite membrane to prevent the fluid from destroying the zeolite membrane. A fluid to be treated 10 formed of a liquid mixture or a gas mixture and containing a compound that destroys a zeolite membrane 2 is brought into contact with particles (3, 5) made of the same type of zeolites as the zeolite membrane 2 and filling a pretreatment device 4 installed upstream of a membrane module 1 including the zeolite membrane 2 or a portion upstream of the zeolite membrane 2 in the membrane module 1 to destroy the zeolite forming the particles (3, 5) and the fluid to be treated 10 is made to contain a component generated by the destruction.

The present invention relates to synthetic membranes and use of these synthetic membranes for isolation of volatile organic compounds and purification of water. The synthetic membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer. The invention includes a method of isolating volatile organic compounds with the synthetic membrane by contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation. The invention also includes a method of purifying water with the synthetic membrane by contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis. The invention also relates to methods of isolating non-polar gases by gas fractionation.

An ion exchange membrane has multiple layers of ionic polymers which each contain substantially different chemical compositions. i.e. varying side chain lengths, varying backbone chemistries or varying ionic functionality. Utilizing completely different chemistries has utility in many applications such as fuel cells where for example, one layer can help reduce fuel crossover through the membrane. Or one layer can impart substantial hydrophobicity to the electrode formulation. Or one layer can selectively diffuse a reactant while excluding others. Also, one chemistry may allow for impartation of significant mechanical properties or chemical resistance to another more ionically conductive ionomer. The ion exchange membrane may include at least two layers with substantially different chemical properties.