A cord for supporting a biofilm has a plurality of yarns. At least one of the yarns comprises a plurality of hollow fiber gas transfer membranes. At least one of the yarns extends along the length of the cord generally in the shape of a spiral. Optionally, one or more of the yarns may comprise one or more reinforcing filaments. In some examples, a reinforcing yarn is wrapped around a core. A module may be made by potting a plurality of the cords in at least one header. A reactor may be made and operated by placing the module in a tank fed with water to be treated and supplying a gas to the module. In use, a biofilm covers the cords to form a membrane biofilm assembly.

A cord for supporting a biofilm has a plurality of yarns. At least one of the yarns comprises a plurality of hollow fiber gas transfer membranes. At least one of the yarns extends along the length of the cord generally in the shape of a spiral. Optionally, one or more of the yarns may comprise one or more reinforcing filaments. In some examples, a reinforcing yarn is wrapped around a core. A module may be made by potting a plurality of the cords in at least one header. A reactor may be made and operated by placing the module in a tank fed with water to be treated and supplying a gas to the module. In use, a biofilm covers the cords to form a membrane biofilm assembly.

A method for operating a separation membrane module including identifying a clogged portion of the separation membrane module based on a resistance of a lower portion of the separation membrane module, a filtration resistance of a separation membrane portion, and a resistance of an upper portion of the separation membrane module, in a water production system for obtaining treated water by filtering water-to-be-treated with the separation membrane module.

A method for operating a separation membrane module including identifying a clogged portion of the separation membrane module based on a resistance of a lower portion of the separation membrane module, a filtration resistance of a separation membrane portion, and a resistance of an upper portion of the separation membrane module, in a water production system for obtaining treated water by filtering water-to-be-treated with the separation membrane module.

Disclosed herein is a perfusion filtration module or bioreactor for filtering a fluid, wherein the filtration module or bioreactor has a plurality of hollow fiber filter membranes that are splayed to reduce fouling of the filtration array.

Exemplary embodiments in desalination by direct contact membrane distillation present a cylindrical cross-flow module containing high-flux composite hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. The present embodiments are directed to a model that has been developed to describe the observed water production rates of such devices in multiple brine feed introduction configurations. The model describes the observed water vapor production rates for different feed brine temperatures at various feed brine flow rates. The model flux predictions have been explored over a range of hollow fiber lengths to compare the present results with those obtained earlier from rectangular modules which had significantly shorter hollow fibers.

Exemplary embodiments in desalination by direct contact membrane distillation present a cylindrical cross-flow module containing high-flux composite hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. The present embodiments are directed to a model that has been developed to describe the observed water production rates of such devices in multiple brine feed introduction configurations. The model describes the observed water vapor production rates for different feed brine temperatures at various feed brine flow rates. The model flux predictions have been explored over a range of hollow fiber lengths to compare the present results with those obtained earlier from rectangular modules which had significantly shorter hollow fibers.

A system for regeneration of acidic gas solvent, the system comprising; a regeneration cell having a solvent chamber arranged to receive a solvent flow, and an internal chamber arranged to receive a steam flow; said regeneration cell including a gas permeable membrane separating the solvent chamber and internal chamber; wherein the regeneration cell is arranged to vent acidic gas stripped from the solvent by the steam.

A fiber de-gassing membrane includes a plurality of membrane fibers. At least one of the membrane fibers has a first stiffness. The membrane includes reinforcing fibers. The reinforcing fibers are positioned adjacent to at least one of the membrane fibers. The reinforcing fibers have a second stiffness. The second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness.

A hollow-fiber membrane according to an aspect of the present disclosure contains a polytetrafluoroethylene or a modified polytetrafluoroethylene as a main component and has an average outer diameter of 1 mm or less and an average inner diameter of 0.5 mm or less. In a measurement of a heat of fusion of the polytetrafluoroethylene or the modified polytetrafluoroethylene with a differential scanning calorimeter, when the polytetrafluoroethylene or modified polytetrafluoroethylene is subjected to a first step of heating from room temperature to 365° C., a second step of cooling from 365° C. to 350° C., maintaining the temperature, subsequently cooling from 350° C. to 330° C., and further cooling from 330° C. to 305° C., and a third step of cooling from 305° C. to 245° C. at a rate of −50° C./min and subsequently heating from 245° C. to 365° C. at a rate of 10° C./min, a heat of fusion from 296° C. to 343° C. in the third step is 30.0 J/g or more and 45.0 J/g or less.