A permeable membrane tube to separate mixed fluids is provided, including a cyclone generator configured to cause fluid entering the permeable tube to flow in a spiral direction. The cyclonic generator may be a plug positioned at the fluid entrance of the membrane tube. The fluid passes through the permeable membrane tube, which has a center axis along a length of the tube, and flows in the spiral direction thereby separating the fluid into first and second portions, wherein the first portion comprises fluid having a greater density than the second portion and the first portion is directed to an inner surface of the tube.

Subject-matter of the invention is a modular distribution head for a membrane housing body including a front side, a pipe connection to the membrane housing body, a gasket to seal the membrane housing body which is placed in the pipe connection, at least two flow openings in the distribution head through which the liquid can flow in and out of the distribution head and the membrane housing body whilst the flow opening is e.g. a liquid inlet, a permeate outlet or a concentrate outlet. The use of the distribution head or plant as per the invention leads to a considerable reduction in space required. In addition to less required space, a further advantage of the distribution heads as per the invention is that the connector pieces and the hydraulic connections are no longer necessary since the distribution heads are directly connected to each other and less collector pipes are needed in a plant.

Parallel processing reverse osmosis water filtration systems using multiple RO (reverse osmosis) filter systems having their raw water input connections coupled together, their product water output connections coupled together and their drain connections coupled together. Using appropriate valving, any one or more reverse osmosis filter systems may be decoupled from the rest of the system for servicing without shutting down the entire system, and one or more additional reverse osmosis filter systems may be added to increase the product water output capacity when needed. Optional features disclosed include enhanced product water storage capacity, control of the total dissolved solids in the product water dispensed, and protection against leaks that may disable one RO filter system, but not the entire parallel processing reverse osmosis water filtration systems. Various embodiments are disclosed.

A filtration module is provided, the module including at least one filtration packet containing filtration media or one or more membranes, such as a stack of membranes, the at least one filtration packet having one or more fluid ports, the one or more fluid ports being surrounded by a primary seal and a secondary seal spaced from the primary seal. The secondary seals are designed to maintain sterility of the assembly during shipping, handling and/or installation. A removable film may cover one or more fluid ports to maintain sterility prior to use.

Hemofilters for in vivo filtration of blood are disclosed. The hemofilters disclosed herein provide an optimal flow of blood through the filtration channels while maintaining a pressure gradient across the filtration channel walls to enhance filtration and minimize turbulence and stagnation of blood in the hemofilter.

Methods of filtering a liquid feed are disclosed. In one version, the method comprises passing a liquid feed through a single pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) system and recovering the retentate and permeate from the system in separate containers without recirculation through the SPTFF system. In another version, the method of filtering a liquid feed, comprises passing a liquid feed through a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system, recovering permeate and a portion of the retentate from the system in separate containers without recirculation through the TFF system, and recirculating the remainder of the retentate through the TFF system at least once. The methods can be performed using an SPTFF or a TFF system that comprises manifold segments to serialize the flow path of the feed and retentate without requiring diverter plates.

A humidifier for transferring water vapour from a first gas stream to a second gas stream in a fuel cell system has a stack of thin plates joined together at their edges by planar sealing surfaces, with water permeable membranes between the plates. Each plate defines a gas flow passage along its top and bottom surfaces, with an inlet and outlet defined along edges of the plate, and a flow field extending between the inlet and outlet openings. Inlet and outlet passages connect the inlet and outlet openings to the flow field, with the planar sealing surfaces including bridging portions extending across these passages. Support structures are provided throughout the flow field to support the membrane and diffusion medium layer(s). Each support structure comprises a porous material which is sufficiently porous to permit gas flow through the flow field.

Parallel membrane elements are arranged in parallel within a pressure vessel. A sealing body is disposed within the pressure vessel and is compressed against an inner surface of the pressure vessel to provide a leak-right seal in between a feed gas side of the sealing body and a non-permeate side of the sealing body. The sealing body may be slid within the pressure vessel without damaging the sealing body and in all cases without requiring mechanical assistance.

A gas separation device includes a first separation membrane unit including a first gas separation membrane configured to separate a predetermined gas component contained in a mixed gas supplied to a first front surface, by allowing the predetermined gas component to permeate through a first back surface, which is opposite to the first front surface, and a first gas flow path section through which the separated predetermined gas component flows; a gas introduction unit that is arranged via a gap from the first front surface and that includes a gas introduction section that introduces the mixed gas toward the first gas separation membrane; and a gas exhaust unit that is arranged via a gap from the first front surface and that includes a gas exhaust section that exhausts the mixed gas introduced from the gas introduction unit.

The invention concerns a filtration device comprising a manifold providing fluid connection and mechanical connection comprising a clamping plate movably mounted relative to the manifold and adapted to compress at least one cassette against the manifold, means for driving and guiding the clamping plate comprising a rod extending between the manifold and the plate, an actuator provided with a body and a member moveable relative to the body, which member is adapted to move through a predetermined travel between an extended position and a retracted position, the body being carried by the manifold, and the member carrying the rod and driving the plate via the rod to a clamped position in which the member is in an intermediate retracted position in which it has moved through a shorter travel than the predetermined travel relative to its extended position.