A method of producing a sugar liquid includes: (A) reacting mannanase with a liquid component obtained by hydrolysis treatment of woody biomass to obtain a saccharified liquid; and (B) filtering the saccharified liquid in Step (A) through a microfiltration membrane and/or ultrafiltration membrane to collect a sugar liquid from a permeate side.

A method of producing a sugar liquid includes: (A) reacting mannanase with a liquid component obtained by hydrolysis treatment of woody biomass to obtain a saccharified liquid; and (B) filtering the saccharified liquid in Step (A) through a microfiltration membrane and/or ultrafiltration membrane to collect a sugar liquid from a permeate side.

Provided are reverse-osmosis-membrane device capable of treating raw water including a large amount of membrane foulants, such as MBR-treated water, with stability while preventing a reduction in the amount of permeate, and a method for operating the reverse-osmosis-membrane device. The raw water includes a high-molecular organic substance having a molecular weight of 10,000 or more at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. The reverse-osmosis-membrane device includes a reverse-osmosis-membrane element including a membrane unit, the membrane unit including a reverse osmosis membrane having a thickness of 0.1 mm or less, a feed spacer disposed on a surface of the reverse osmosis membrane, and a permeate spacer disposed on the other surface of the reverse osmosis membrane. The reverse-osmosis-membrane device is operated at a permeation flux of 0.6 m/d or less.

Provided are reverse-osmosis-membrane device capable of treating raw water including a large amount of membrane foulants, such as MBR-treated water, with stability while preventing a reduction in the amount of permeate, and a method for operating the reverse-osmosis-membrane device. The raw water includes a high-molecular organic substance having a molecular weight of 10,000 or more at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. The reverse-osmosis-membrane device includes a reverse-osmosis-membrane element including a membrane unit, the membrane unit including a reverse osmosis membrane having a thickness of 0.1 mm or less, a feed spacer disposed on a surface of the reverse osmosis membrane, and a permeate spacer disposed on the other surface of the reverse osmosis membrane. The reverse-osmosis-membrane device is operated at a permeation flux of 0.6 m/d or less.

A spiral wound filtration assembly including: i) a pressure vessel comprising a feed port, concentrate port and permeate port; ii) at least one spiral wound membrane module comprising at least one membrane envelop wound around a permeate tube which forms a permeate pathway to the permeate port; and iii) a bioreactor having a cylindrical outer periphery extending along an axis (Y) from a first end to a second end, an inlet located near the first end, and an outlet located near the second end; wherein the spiral wound membrane module and bioreactor are serially arranged within the pressure vessel.

A spiral wound filtration assembly including: i) a pressure vessel comprising a feed port, concentrate port and permeate port; ii) at least one spiral wound membrane module comprising at least one membrane envelop wound around a permeate tube which forms a permeate pathway to the permeate port; and iii) a bioreactor having a cylindrical outer periphery extending along an axis (Y) from a first end to a second end, an inlet located near the first end, and an outlet located near the second end; wherein the spiral wound membrane module and bioreactor are serially arranged within the pressure vessel.

A methane fermentation system which can efficiently generate methane gas is provided. The methane fermentation system decomposes an organic waste with an anaerobic microorganism to cause methane fermentation so as to generate the methane gas. The methane fermentation system includes a wet bead mill which finely pulverizes the organic waste. The methane fermentation system also includes a methane fermentation chamber in which the organic waste finely pulverized in the wet bead mill is decomposed with the anaerobic microorganism to cause the methane fermentation so as to generate the methane gas.

A methane fermentation system which can efficiently generate methane gas is provided. The methane fermentation system decomposes an organic waste with an anaerobic microorganism to cause methane fermentation so as to generate the methane gas. The methane fermentation system includes a wet bead mill which finely pulverizes the organic waste. The methane fermentation system also includes a methane fermentation chamber in which the organic waste finely pulverized in the wet bead mill is decomposed with the anaerobic microorganism to cause the methane fermentation so as to generate the methane gas.

Provided is a biological treatment method and an apparatus that allow organic wastewater from a manufacturing process of electronic devices to be neutralized efficiently during its biological treatment with a less neutralizer in contrast to excessive use thereof in the conventional biological treatment and thereby make it possible to reduce an amount of an inorganic coagulant used in the downstream coagulation step and to reduce salt loads in RO membrane separation and ion exchange treatment. Wastewater from a process of manufacturing electronic devices is passed sequentially through two or more biological treatment tanks that include at least two aerobic biological treatment tanks including the final-stage aerobic biological treatment tank while adding a neutralizer to the biological treatment tank or tanks except the final-stage biological treatment tank so that an M-alkalinity of the liquid in the final-stage biological treatment tank is maintained at not more than 50 mg/L as CaCO.sub.3.

Provided is a biological treatment method and an apparatus that allow organic wastewater from a manufacturing process of electronic devices to be neutralized efficiently during its biological treatment with a less neutralizer in contrast to excessive use thereof in the conventional biological treatment and thereby make it possible to reduce an amount of an inorganic coagulant used in the downstream coagulation step and to reduce salt loads in RO membrane separation and ion exchange treatment. Wastewater from a process of manufacturing electronic devices is passed sequentially through two or more biological treatment tanks that include at least two aerobic biological treatment tanks including the final-stage aerobic biological treatment tank while adding a neutralizer to the biological treatment tank or tanks except the final-stage biological treatment tank so that an M-alkalinity of the liquid in the final-stage biological treatment tank is maintained at not more than 50 mg/L as CaCO.sub.3.