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.

The present invention relates to a reverse osmosis filter module including an improved feed spacer, and particularly, to a reverse osmosis filter module including an improved feed spacer which has an asymmetric diameter in an intersection in which a first set of filaments and a second set of filaments intersect, thereby reducing differential pressure by increasing a cross-sectional area of a flow path, and mitigating concentration polarization by developing a swirl flow.

A side-flow type RO filter is provided including a filter housing including a top-open housing and a bottom-open cap coupled to an opening of the housing, where a raw water inlet port, a purified water outlet port and a concentrated water outlet port are formed in the filter housing; an RO filter provided inside the filter housing with a reverse osmosis membrane sheet wound in a roll-type; and a central pipe provided in a center portion of the RO filter and an exit thereof is connected to the purified water outlet port, the central pipe being configured to collect the purified water that passes a peneratrion hole after being purified by the reverse osmosis membrane sheet and transfer the purified water to the purified water outlet port, wherein the RO filter is configured to transfer the raw water introduced through an outside end of the reverse osmosis membrane sheet in a longitudinal direction of the reverse osmosis membrane sheet thereby extending the transfer path of the raw water and separate the raw water into purified water that passes the reverse osmosis membrane sheet and concentrated water filtered by the reverse osmosis membrane sheet to be transferred to the concentrated water outlet port.

Provided are a spiral-wound gas separation membrane element, a manufacturing method therefor, a gas separation membrane module and a gas separation apparatus that include the element. The element includes a laminated body wound around a perforated central tube and including a separation membrane-flow channel member composite body. The composite body includes a gas separation membrane including a first porous layer and a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The gas separation membrane is folded with the first porous layer being located outside the hydrophilic resin composition layer. The composite body also includes a flow channel member that forms a gas flow channel, the flow channel member being sandwiched in the folded gas separation membrane. The flow channel member is provided with a first cover that covers one end portion of four end portions. The first cover is located closest to a turn-back part of the folded gas separation membrane.

A membrane tube is provided for the permeative separation of a gas from gas mixtures. The membrane tube has at least two membrane tube sections, each with a porous, gas-permeable, metallic, tubular support substrate, and a membrane which is selectively permeable for the gas to be separated off. The tube also has, applied to the support substrate around the circumference, at least one connecting section which is gastight at least on the surface and by way of which the two adjacent membrane tube sections are joined, and at least one spacer in the region of the connecting section. The spacer projects in the radial direction to above the membrane.

Systems and methods for the desalination of seawater and the purification of surface and groundwater are provided. The systems utilize the hydrostatic pressure of a natural or induced water column to filter water through a reverse osmosis, nanofiltration or other membrane, whereby a certain desired water quality or potable water is obtained.

A flow guide mesh has a water inlet side and a water outlet side opposite to each other, wherein a first water isolating material is provided on the water inlet side of the flow guide mesh to seal a part of the water inlet side, and an effective water inlet width is defined on the water inlet side, a second water isolating material is provided on the water outlet side of the flow guide mesh to seal a part of the water outlet side, and an effective water outlet width is defined on the water outlet side. In addition, the flow guide mesh has a comb-like structure comprising at least one comb tooth within the effective water outlet width of the water outlet side. Also disclosed are a membrane element and a filter assembly.

A reverse osmosis apparatus including a reverse osmosis unit having a housing; a cylindrical drum rotatably disposed inside the housing wherein a lateral gap therebetween defines a intervening chamber, and including an outer cylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall to define an inner cylindrical feed chamber and an outer annular separation chamber therewithin; and at least one channeling structure defining a permeate channel extending radially from the inner cylindrical wall to the outer cylindrical wall, wherein a first channel end is closed and a second channel end opens into the intervening chamber. The at least one channeling structure including a membrane element extending lengthwise forming a semi-permeable interface between the permeate channel and a feed-flow-region in fluid communication with the inner cylindrical feed chamber. The apparatus including a pump to pressurize the inner cylindrical feed chamber, and a motor to rotate the cylindrical drum for generating centrifugal force.

A gas separation element comprising a membrane sheet and a permeate spacer, wherein the membrane sheet comprises a porous support and a discriminating layer, CHARACTERISED IN THAT: (a) the permeate spacer has an open space volume of at least 0.0004 m.sup.3/m.sup.2; and (b) the membrane sheet has an aspect ratio of at least 1.5.

The present invention provides compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance. The invention further provides filtration systems (e.g., TFF systems) and processes (e.g., SPTFF processes) employing compact spiral-wound filter elements having cassette-like performance.