A filter device includes an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and membrane filter units. Each membrane filter unit has an inlet opening for a fluid flow to be processed, a first outlet opening for a retentate portion of the fluid flow, and a second outlet opening for a remaining portion of the fluid flow. Each inlet opening is fluidly connected to the inlet manifold, and each first outlet opening is fluidly connected to the outlet manifold. The two membrane filter units are staggered and are not axially aligned with respect to each other. One of the membrane filter units is fluidly connected to the inlet manifold and to the outlet manifold via a first set of conduits, and the other membrane filter unit is fluidly connected to the inlet manifold and to the outlet manifold via a second set of conduits.

A separation membrane module that is provided enables a bending load that is applied to a support member that supports ends of tubular separation membranes to be decreased and enables a seal member between the outer circumferential surface of the support member and the inner circumferential surface of a housing to be omitted. The separation membrane module includes a tubular housing 2, tubular separation membranes 3 that are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the housing 2, end tubes 4 that are connected to the lower ends of the tubular separation membranes 3, a support box 5 that supports the end tubes 4, and a backpressure chamber 16 below the support box 5. The tubular separation membranes 3 are in communication with a collection chamber 5v of the support box 5. A permeated fluid is extracted via a nozzle 5n that is disposed on the support box 5. A chamber 11 and the backpressure chamber 16 are in communication with each other via a gap between the outer circumferential surface of the support box 5 and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 2. Pressure in the chamber 11 and pressure in the chamber 16 are substantially the same.

A tubular membrane is provided with a vortex generator at an upstream end of the tubular membrane. A spacer with multiple vortex generators may be added to module having a plurality of tubular membranes. A cap over the spacer may have separate inlets for a feed water and gas mixture and recirculating retentate. A system for membrane filtration includes a tubular membrane, a vortex generator, a liquid pump, a gas pump, and a retentate recirculation loop. In a filtration process, a gas is pumped into a flow of a feed liquid to produce a two-phase flow wherein the liquid is the continuous phase. The two-phase flow passes through the vortex generator and through a lumen of the tubular membrane. A continuous gas phase forms in part of the lumen of the tubular membrane. Contaminants in the liquid may be biased towards the continuous gas phase.

The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to systems, apparatus, and methods for fluid filtration (e.g., water) with a ceramic membrane having a seal. For example, the present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to a cross-flow fluid filtration assembly comprising (a) an elongate ceramic membrane filter having a first filter end, a second filter end, at least one filter side, and at least one interior channel spanning the length of the filter, (b) a first filtration seal gasket fixed to the first filter end forming a fluid-tight seal therebetween, and (c) a second filtration seal gasket fixed to the second filter end forming a fluid-tight seal therebetween. The present disclosure also relates to a cross-flow fluid filtration module comprising a fluid path defined by a contaminated media inlet chamber, a fluid filtration assembly positioned in a permeate chamber, and a concentrate chamber.

A method for processing a fluid with forward osmosis process includes providing one or more tubular membranes each including a tubular nonwoven base layer on the outside of the tubular membrane forming an outer shell of the tubular membrane and providing a lumen for feed flow; a polymer substrate layer on the lumen-side of the tubular membrane comprising three regions, including a region where the polymer substrate layer is partially intruded into the tubular base layer, a region with an open macrovoid structure and a region with an asymmetrical foamy layer, where the partially intruded region forms an intermediate layer; and a functional top layer on the polymer substrate layer. The tubular base layer comprises a longitudinal weld. The method includes providing the feed flow through the lumen and providing a draw solution on the outer shell side of the tubular membrane; and processing the feed flow with the membrane.

A separation membrane module that is provided enables a bending load that is applied to a support member that supports ends of tubular separation membranes to be decreased and enables a seal member between the outer circumferential surface of the support member and the inner circumferential surface of a housing to be omitted. The separation membrane module includes a tubular housing 2, tubular separation membranes 3 that are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the housing 2, end tubes 4 that are connected to the lower ends of the tubular separation membranes 3, a support box 5 that supports the end tubes 4, and a backpressure chamber 16 below the support box 5. The tubular separation membranes 3 are in communication with a collection chamber 5v of the support box 5. A permeated fluid is extracted via a nozzle 5n that is disposed on the support box 5. A chamber 11 and the backpressure chamber 16 are in communication with each other via a gap between the outer circumferential surface of the support box 5 and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 2. Pressure in the chamber 11 and pressure in the chamber 16 are substantially the same.

Provided herein are tubular membrane filter elements, tangential flow filtration systems comprising such filter elements and methods of using such filter elements and filtration systems.

A ceramic filter membrane module enables a fluid to be filtered, such as raw water, with higher efficiency using multiple ceramic filters in a housing. As the diameter of a through-hole located at the center is considerably larger than the diameter of the surrounding flow path, water pressure pushing the raw water is applied from the through-hole at the center toward the outside of a filter body, such that the raw water passes through the filter body smoothly, thereby improving the purification efficiency and uniformly setting the overall flow direction of the raw water. As packing members are installed and fixed between the housing and the ceramic filters, sealing of the incoming raw water and the filtered water becomes more effective, such that the risk of leakage is reduced. As a plurality of ceramic filters are housed in a single housing, economic benefit can be achieved.

A treatment module including a housing having an input port and an output port; a plurality of treatment members, each treatment member having a skeleton and a mesh material provided over the skeleton, the mesh material being joined to the skeleton at one or more portions of the skeleton; and a layer of particles formed over a first side of the mesh material, the layer having pores of sufficient size to enable a fluid to flow through the layer.

A system is disclosed for inerting a fuel tank. The system includes a fuel tank and an air separator including an air inlet, a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, an oxygen-depleted air outlet, and an oxygen-enriched air outlet. A catalytic reactor is arranged to receive oxygen-depleted air from the oxygen-depleted air outlet and fuel, to react the fuel with oxygen in the oxygen-depleted air, and to discharge an inert gas from a reactor outlet. An inert gas flow path is arranged to receive inert gas from the reactor outlet, or from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, or from the reactor outlet and from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, and to direct inert gas to the fuel tank.