A method is disclosed for preventing carbon nanotube degradation in ionizable environments. The method includes immersing a porous thin-film nanotube (CNT)/polymer composite Joule heating element in an ionizable environment; and applying an alternating current at a frequency of at least 100 Hz to the porous thin-film nanotube (CNT)/polymer composite Joule heating element in the ionizable environment.

The present disclosure describes a desalination system, comprising a membrane distillation unit; a preheater having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the outlet being in communication with the inlet; an evaporator in communication with the liquid outlet of the MD, and having a fluid inlet configured to provide heat to aqueous liquid in the evaporator, the evaporator having a vapor outlet; at least one adsorption-desorption unit, having a vapor inlet in communication with the vapor outlet of the evaporator, the AD including a fluid inlet configured to receive either a heating or a cooling fluid and a fluid outlet, the AD having a vapor outlet and further including a fluid inlet in communication with the fluid inlet of the AD, a fluid outlet in communication with the heating fluid inlet of the preheater; and a condenser in communication with the permeate vapor outlet of the MD or the AD or both and having a condensation outlet.

An object of the present invention is to provide a porous membrane for membrane distillation excellent in thermal insulation properties. The porous membrane for membrane distillation of the present invention contains aerogel particles.

A process for preparing an ion-exchange membrane having a textured surface profile comprising the steps (i) and (ii): (i) screen-printing a radiation-curable composition onto a membrane in a patterned manner; and (ii) irradiating and thereby curing the printed, radiation-curable composition; wherein the radiation-curable composition has a viscosity of at least 30 Pa.Math.s when measured at a shear rate of 0.1 s.sup.1 at 20 C.

A subsea oil filtration system is described that forms a closed circuit with and is mounted on or connected to a subsea rotating machine. According to some embodiments, the oil filtration system enables the removal of dirt and/or water that has entered the barrier fluid/oil system whether it comes from the Hydraulic Pressure Unit (HPU), from the umbilical or from other parts of the oil contained lubrication and/or barrier fluid systems.

A membrane distillation device, provided with a membrane distillation module including a plurality of hydrophobic porous hollow fiber membranes, and a condenser for condensing water vapor extracted from the module. The average pore diameter of the porous hollow fiber is 0.01-1 m. The filling ratio of the porous hollow fiber of the membrane distillation module is 10-80%, and the pressure condition for the membrane distillation is equal to or greater than 1 kPa and equal to or less than the saturated vapor pressure of water at the temperature of the water being treated.

Systems and methods for debottlenecking propane feed, including a propylene separation system and C3 distillation column are provided herein. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a dry feed stream including propane and propylene to a propylene separation system including a membrane configured to separate the C3 feed stream into a retentate stream and a permeate stream, and providing at least a portion of the permeate stream and at least a portion of the propylene discharge stream to a propylene refrigeration system.

A solar membrane distillation apparatus includes a housing comprising a light transmitting wall. A solar distillation membrane is positioned in the housing to receive solar radiation transmitted through the light transmitting wall. The solar distillation membrane includes a porous graphitic foam and a coating of a hydrophobic composition on the surface and pores of the graphitic foam. A water chamber within the housing is provided for retaining water adjacent to the solar distillation membrane. A vapor chamber is provided for collecting water vapor distilling through the solar distillation membrane. A condenser is provided for condensing distilled water vapor from the vapor chamber into liquid water. A separation membrane and a method of solar distillation are also disclosed.

A desalination device may comprise: a membrane distillation module comprising a water feed chamber, a carrier gas (CG) chamber, and a hydrophobic microporous membrane configured to separate the water feed chamber and the CG chamber; and a bubble column dehumidifier comprising a bubble column inlet, a bubble column gas outlet, and a product outlet, wherein the MD module allows water vapor to translocate to the CG chamber, but not liquid water, and wherein the water feed each chamber has comprises a water feed inlet and a water feed outlet, wherein the CG chamber comprises a CG chamber inlet and CG chamber outlet, wherein the CG chamber outlet is upstream of and connected to the bubble column dehumidifier, and wherein the CG chamber inlet is downstream of and connected to the bubble column dehumidifier so as to cycle a carrier gas through the CG chamber and the bubble column dehumidifier.

A membrane distillation module with a circulating line to circulate a portion of distilled water, which is formed and accumulated in a distillate zone, to enhance a permeate flux of water vapor through a hydrophobic membrane of the membrane distillation module. Various combinations of embodiments of the membrane distillation module are provided.