The present invention relates to a process for the purification of complex biocompositions.

The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive solution and in particular, a solution for use in an osmosis process that is suitable for separating or purifying solutes and or water from an aqueous solution on a large scale and under energy efficient conditions.

The invention relates to the field of dairy products and particularly concerns a method for the demineralization of whey. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: obtaining a whey, electrodialysis of the whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., acidification of the whey to a pH of between 2 and 3.5, pasteurization of the acidified whey, electrodialysis of the pasteurized acidified whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., and neutralization of the demineralized whey to a pH between 6.7 and 7.2. The method according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the whey demineralization using only the method of electrodialysis while avoiding the problems conventionally encountered with this method, namely a limited demineralization rate, fouling of the membranes, and an insufficient service life.

A system for producing steam includes a source of superheated water with superheated water output; a membrane filtration system in fluid communication with the superheated water output and including a membrane filter with a permeate side and an opposing retentate side. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject organic molecules. The system may be used for removing organic compounds, such as anti-corrosion agents or contaminants, from superheated water to produce steam. A method for producing steam includes directing a cross-flow of heated pressurized water including a first concentration of an organic compound across a membrane filter. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject the organic compound; and one or more support layers adjacent the separation membrane. A steam permeate including a second concentration of the organic compound is collected, where the second concentration is lower than the first.

Certain disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.

Certain disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.

A membrane apparatus including a housing, a forward osmosis membrane dividing an internal space of the housing into an inlet region and a mixing region, and a pervaporation membrane dividing the internal space of the housing into the mixing region and a discharge region. The forward osmosis membrane separates a preliminary filtration liquid from an inlet liquid and provides the separated preliminary filtration liquid to the mixing region, the preliminary filtration liquid is mixed with a forward osmosis draw solution to make a mixed solution, the pervaporation membrane separates a final filtration liquid from the mixed solution and provides the separated final filtration liquid to the discharge region, the final filtration liquid is vaporized in the discharge region to make vapor, and an amount of the vapor is adjusted by at least one of a temperature of the mixed solution and a degree of vacuum of the discharge region.

An apparatus for water purification includes a membrane distillation (MD) cell; an air conditioner; a photovoltaic solar collector (PVSC) cell including a transparent photovoltaic cell configured to generate electricity, an absorber plate configured to absorb solar radiation, and a flow tube configured to receive the fluid; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; and a fluid source storing a fluid configured to circulate through the apparatus, wherein the fluid circulating in the apparatus carries heat generated by a condenser of the air conditioner to the PVSC cell where the fluid interacts with the PVSC cell to increase a temperature of the fluid to become a heated fluid; and the heated fluid circulates to the hot channel where the heated fluid drives the distillation of water in the MD cell.

A method of treating a fluid comprises introducing a feed fluid stream comprising multiple materials to first side of a semi-permeable membrane. A draw fluid stream having a higher temperature than the feed fluid stream is introduced to second, opposing side of the semi-permeable membrane to form a thermal gradient across the semi-permeable membrane. One or more of the multiple materials of the feed fluid stream is drawn through the semi-permeable membrane and into the draw fluid stream via thermal gradient osmosis. A fluid treatment system and a thermal gradient osmosis apparatus are also described.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system for optimizing dirty water remediation and re-use. The system can include a first treatment system that includes a direct contact thermal distillation system or an evaporator. The system can further include a frac water re-use treatment system.