A method for reducing beverage loss during loading of beverage into an ethanol concentration system having a set of reverse osmosis pressure vessels, each pressure vessel having a feed inlet, a retentate outlet, and a permeate outlet. The method includes feeding deaerated water into the feed inlet of a first pressure vessel, feeding the beverage into the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel, monitoring an alcohol percentage at the retentate outlet of a second pressure vessel, the second pressure vessel coupled directly or indirectly to the first pressure vessel, and coupling a retentate from the retentate outlet of the second pressure vessel to a feed tank coupled to the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel when the alcohol percentage is within a first target range of 0.5 to 18% alcohol-by-volume (ABV).

A spiral membrane element is provided which has a restricted outer diameter but is heightened in effective membrane area, and further which can be decreased in operation energy therefor. The spiral membrane element is an element including plural membrane leaves L in each of which a permeation-side flow-channel member 3 is interposed between opposed separation membranes 1; a supply-side flow-channel member 2 interposed between any two of the membrane leaves L; a perforated central pipe 5 on which the membrane leaves L and the supply-side flow-channel member 2 are wound; and sealing parts that prevent a supply-side flow-channel from being mixed with a permeation-side flow-channel. The sealing parts include both-end sealing parts 11 in which an adhesive is used to seal two-side end parts of each of the membrane leaves L on both sides of the leaf in an axial direction A1 of the leaf. The thickness T1 of the both-end sealing parts 11 is 390 to 540 μm.

A disc tube reverse osmosis module is provided. In various embodiments, deflector disc assemblies and associated membranes are sequentially alternately disposed from top to bottom. The upper flange is in sealing connection with the central pull rod, the upper lock nut is in threaded connection with an upper end of the central pull rod and located above the upper flange, the yielding water collecting pipe sleeves the central pull rod and is in sealing connection with a lower side of the lower flange, the lower lock nut is in threaded connection with a lower end of the central pull rod, an end of the yielding water receiving pipe is fixedly connected to the yielding water collecting pipe, an inner surface of the shell is respectively in sealing connection with the upper flange and the lower flange, and the water inlet receiving pipe and the concentrated liquid receiving pipe are fixed to the lower flange.

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.

The present invention relates to separation methods and systems for converting high concentrations of animal wastes into useful products, wherein the separation of the desired useful products is conducted with a cross-flow filtration system having the ability to the separate desired useful energy and/or products from both viscous and non-viscous medium.

Provided herein is a membrane filter device comprising a cell top cover (A, Y) and a cell bottom cover (B, Z) covering the device, a flexible tube (35, E, F) whereas at the end of the tube, a nozzle jet (22) is also secured via conical reducer to produce upper Reynold's number and for distributing the feed fluid, within the hex hollow chamber (C, X) for storing and receiving feed fluid, a reducer chamber (C, R1, R2) for storing and receiving permeate filtrated fluid, a connector (32, 53, 56) connecting both feed chambers (A, Y, Z) and reducer chambers (A, Y, Z), a membrane assembly (M/F) comprising a layer of membrane (130) sandwiched by a pair of seal rings (P1, OR, P2) and a layer of support net (MS) for securing said membrane (M/F). Most of the joints are connected using threaded joint and flow pressure, therefore no external clamp, nuts or bolts is needed. The flexible tube and the cylindrical shape ensure uniform flow in chambers. The apparatus is therefore a user-friendly and steadfast membrane filter device.

A membrane device is presented that can used for a wide range of applications from once-through filtration, crossflow filtration, molecular separation, gas/liquid absorption or reaction, gas dispersion into liquid, and degassing of liquid. The device comprises a thin flat sheet membrane that allows certain fluid or molecules go through while blocking others. The membrane sheet is fixed on a supporting structure with mini channel on two sides of the membrane for respective feed and sweep flows. The membrane sheet is sealed with gaskets with two cover plates that the membrane sheet can be replaced or cleaned. The cover plate provides connection ports to connect the feed fluid to the feed channels on one membrane surface and to connect the sweep fluid to the sweep channels on the other surface of the membrane.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements for spiral wound elements that prevent nesting of adjacent spacer layers and occlusion of feed space during element rolling.

Embodiments of the invention provide replacements for a continuous layer of feed spacer mesh in spiral-wound reverse osmosis elements and replacing such mesh with discrete regions of feed spacer supporting the inlet and outlet ends of the element and a stiffening bridge feature to bridge between these regions at the tail end of each membrane leaf comprising the element during the element rolling process. The stiffening bridge feature prevents inward deflection of the inner layer of the membrane leaf during rolling, facilitating proper sealing of the adhesive through the permeate carrier to the adjacent membrane film using known membrane rolling techniques.

Provided is a spiral membrane module which is suitable for being set up in the vertical direction since at one end of its pressure vessel, the supply of feed liquid and the discharge of concentrated liquid can be attained.