Components, systems, and methods for producing highly hydrophilitic, functionalized inorganic filtration membranes, pre-treating organic and biological-containing waste waters for minimal membrane fouling and scaling when processed using such functionalized membranes, and use of such functionalized membranes of the present invention in filtration systems for separating such pre-treated waste waters, all with respect to optimal permeate production rates, purity of permeate and resistance to fouling and scale formation on the membranes.

A method of manufacturing a separator element for obtaining molecular and/or particulate separation by tangential flow of a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, the element having a structure (2) of at least two porous rigid columns (3) made of the same material, positioned side by side to define, outside their outside walls, a volume (4) for recovering the filtrate, each column (3) presenting, internally, at least one open structure (5) for passing a flow of the fluid medium, opening out in one of the ends of the porous column for inlet of the fluid medium for treatment, and in the other end for outlet of the retentate. The element is a single-piece rigid structure (2) made as a single piece that is uniform and continuous throughout, without any bonds or exogenous additions.

A humidifier, a device including a fuel cell, and a motor vehicle. The humidifier of the includes at least one humidifying duct and is designed in such a way that a first gas to be humidified can be conducted in the humidifying duct in a direction of flow and, separated by a water-permeable material, past a humidifying second gas so that water is transferred from the second gas to the first gas. The humidifier includes a cross-sectional area of the humidifying duct available to the first gas tapers in the direction of flow. The fact that the cross-sectional area tapers results in a drop in pressure along the humidifying duct, and the drop in pressure reduces, compensates or overcompensates an increase in pressure resulting from the increasing humidification, so the partial difference in pressure between the first gas and the second gas remains large over the distance of the humidifying duct in spite of the transfer of humidity.

The invention relates to a filter device (10) serving to filter a liquid, in particular for treating water. The filter device comprises: at least two plate-shaped filter elements (12) and at least one holding element (20) for filter elements (12). According to the invention, the holding element (20) comprises a holding frame (22), a grout material (26), and an end unit (24), which is separate from the holding frame (22), wherein the grout material (26) is arranged between the filter elements (12) and the holding frame (22), such that the grout material seals the filter elements (12) against the holding frame (22), that the end unit (24) is fastened on the holding frame (22) in a liquid-tight manner, and that the holding frame (22) and the end unit (24) delimit a liquid collection chamber (40).

In one aspect, a material structure is disclosed, which includes a macroscopic porous substrate configured to receive a flow of a medium for passage of at least a portion thereof through the porous substrate. At least one porous coating is disposed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the porous substrate, wherein the porous coating comprises a matrix having a plurality of interconnected passages. The porous substrate and the coating are configured to treat at least one contaminant, if any, present in the flowing medium.

A sealing element (5) for a filter element (2) in a housing body (1) of a filtration system, preferably in a cross-flow filtration system. The sealing element (5) is one piece and is annular in shape and comprises one section for sealingly arranging the filter element (2) in the housing body (1) and one section for impact damping for the filter element (2)

A flat ceramic membrane 1 has a plate-shaped porous support 21 made of ceramics and a filtration membrane 22 formed on an outer surface of the porous support 21. A plurality of water collection channels 2 where filtrate water obtained by permeation of water-to-be-treated through the filtration membrane 22 flows are formed inside the porous support 21. Further, a region where a thickness between a membrane surface 20 of the filtration membrane 22 and the water collection passage 2 is different is ensured inside the porous support 21.

A monolithic separation membrane structure according to the present invention includes a porous support body and a separation membrane. The porous support body has a plurality of filtration cells opening at both end surfaces, a plurality of water collecting cells closed on the both end surfaces, a plurality of discharge flow paths running through the plurality of water collecting cells and opening on an outer peripheral surface, and a monolithic base body including the outer peripheral surface. The separation membrane is formed on inside surfaces of the plurality of filtration cells. The plurality of filtration cells includes a first filtration cell and a second filtration cell which are adjacent to each other. The plurality of water collecting cells include water collecting cell which is adjacent to the first filtration cell and are separated from the second filtration cells. A thickness of a first partition wall of the base body between the first filtration cell and the water collecting cell is thicker than a thickness of a second partition wall of the base body between the first filtration cell and the second filtration cell.

A filter device includes one or more filter membranes, and a filter housing enclosing the one or more filter membranes. Each of the filter membranes includes a base membrane made of a ceramic material, and a plurality of through holes. The base membrane is coated with a coating material.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing at least one monolithic inorganic porous support (1) having a porosity comprised between 10% and 60% and an average pore diameter ranging from 0.5 μm to 50 μm, using a 3D printer type machine (I) to build, in accordance with a 3D digital model, a manipulable three-dimensional raw structure (2) intended to form, after sintering, the monolithic inorganic porous support(s) (1).