An apparatus, systems comprising the apparatus, and methods of using and making the apparatus are disclosed, with the apparatus comprising an inlet, at least one oxygen membrane separator in communication with the inlet and in communication with an ambient airflow, with the ambient airflow comprising an ambient oxygen concentration, at least one piezoelectric pump in communication with the at least one oxygen membrane separator, and an outlet for emitting an enhanced oxygen concentration airflow.

Improved reverse osmosis (RO) systems include at least first and second stages wherein each stage has at least one RO membrane, each stage has a feed stream inlet, a permeate stream outlet, and a concentrate stream outlet, the feed stream inlet of the second stage is coupled to the concentrate stream outlet of the first stage, the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, and pressure exchangers associated with each of the first and second stages are configured to recover energy from the second stage concentrate stream. The systems include M reverse osmosis membranes in the first stage and N reverse osmosis membranes in the second stage, wherein MN. The first pressure and second pressure are configured so that spatial variance in flux of the first stage permeate stream relative to flux of the second stage permeate stream is minimized.

A membrane element includes a central pipe having, in its outer periphery, holes; a membrane wound body in which a membrane member is wound on the central pipe; end members arranged, respectively, at both ends of the membrane wound body; and an exterior member fitted to at least an outer periphery of the membrane wound body. In this element, the exterior member includes a fiber reinforced resin having a reinforcing fiber wound on the outer periphery of the membrane wound body; the end members each includes flexible portions extended from a main body toward the membrane wound body; and the reinforcing fiber is wound also onto an outer periphery of the flexible portions in a state that the flexible portions are deformed toward an outer peripheral surface of the membrane wound body.

A membrane element includes a central pipe having, in its outer periphery, holes; a membrane wound body in which a membrane member is wound on the central pipe; end members arranged, respectively, at both ends of the membrane wound body; and an exterior member fitted to at least an outer periphery of the membrane wound body. In this element, the exterior member includes a fiber reinforced resin having a reinforcing fiber wound on the outer periphery of the membrane wound body; the end members each includes flexible portions extended from a main body toward the membrane wound body; and the reinforcing fiber is wound also onto an outer periphery of the flexible portions in a state that the flexible portions are deformed toward an outer peripheral surface of the membrane wound body.

A spiral wound membrane module including a specialized end cap assembly including a connecting conduit defining a passageway extending radially inward from its outer periphery, and a differential pressure sensor connected to the passageway of the connecting conduit.

A spiral wound membrane module including a specialized end cap assembly including a connecting conduit defining a passageway extending radially inward from its outer periphery, and a differential pressure sensor connected to the passageway of the connecting conduit.

The extent of fouling of a spiral wound membrane module such as used in water treatment plants can be monitored using one or more sensors disposed between wraps of the membrane. The sensors, including electrodes, can communicate signals to a two-part computing device. A first part is located inside the pressure vessel in which the membrane module is disposed. The first part provides input signals and power to the sensors and receives sensor signals. A second part is located on the outside of the pressure vessel and communicates power to the first part via inductive coupling. The second part wirelessly receives the sensor signals from the first part and processes the signals to determine the extent of fouling of the membrane module.

The extent of fouling of a spiral wound membrane module such as used in water treatment plants can be monitored using one or more sensors disposed between wraps of the membrane. The sensors, including electrodes, can communicate signals to a two-part computing device. A first part is located inside the pressure vessel in which the membrane module is disposed. The first part provides input signals and power to the sensors and receives sensor signals. A second part is located on the outside of the pressure vessel and communicates power to the first part via inductive coupling. The second part wirelessly receives the sensor signals from the first part and processes the signals to determine the extent of fouling of the membrane module.

The invention relates to a method for uninstalling a filter element from a pipeline, said filter element having a substantially central opening and an outer contour that substantially corresponds to an inner contour of said pipeline, wherein: a tool is inserted into said substantially central filter element opening, which opening runs in the longitudinal axial direction of said filter element, said tool is subsequently enlarged in at least one subsection of its peripheral surface in an extension running substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axial direction of the filter element, and is force and/or form-fittingly connected to an inner lateral surface of the substantially central filter element opening, said filter element finally being pushed with the tool in the longitudinal axial direction until the filter element projects out of the pipeline and is removed from the pipeline.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a composite semi-permeable membrane having high processing efficiency even when processing of wastewater having a suspended matter content high enough to tend to result in clogging, said processing efficiency being unlikely to decline even under elevated-pressure operation accompanying continuous use at high pressure. The present invention pertains to a composite semi-permeable membrane having a polymer porous layer on one surface of a nonwoven cloth layer, and a polyamide separation function layer on the polymer porous layer, wherein the ratio of the thickness of the polymer porous layer to the thickness of the nonwoven cloth layer is 0.22 to 0.45.