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.

Described embodiments include a graphene membrane film for solvent purification and related method, and a solvent purification system using same. The graphene membrane film for solvent purification is formed having a plurality of stacked graphene plate-shaped flakes, and at least one pair of the plurality of stacked graphene plate-shaped flakes comprises a physical bond or a chemical bond connecting layers. The graphene membrane film for solvent purification is produced by preparing a graphene oxide dispersion liquid by dispersing graphene oxide in distilled water; confining the graphene oxide dispersion liquid between a pair of substrates; and applying heat and pressure to the graphene oxide dispersion liquid between the substrates to perform a hydrothermal reaction to concurrently thermally reduce the graphene oxide and bind graphenes. Due to lipophilic surface property and fine pores, size exclusion separation and hydrophilic-lipophilic component separation through polarity may be realized, and thus is usable in fine chemistry fields.

The invention relates to membranes, membrane modules, and applications therefor. In particular, the invention relates to the construction of membranes and membrane modules for use in osmotically driven membrane processes.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for flow control devices on a spiral wound membrane, on a device proximal the inlet edge of a spiral wound membrane, or both. The flow directing devices can alter fluid flow characteristics to discourage fouling of the inlet fluid paths.

Provided is a filtration device exhibiting a high water treatment capacity and capable of increasing the longevity of a hollow-fiber filter, in a water purification device not requiring a purification material and requiring a high water treatment capacity. The filtration device (3) has: a housing case (15) having a water inlet unit and a water outlet unit arranged on one end side thereof; and a membrane module (17) provided inside this housing case (15). A first flow path (31) for causing raw water that has flowed in from the water inlet unit (21) to flow further to the other end side of the housing case (15) than the membrane module (17), and a second flow path (33) for causing the raw water that has flowed further to the other end side of the housing case (15) along this first flow path (31) to pass through the membrane module (17) and flow to the water outlet unit (23) are provided inside the housing case (15). A spacer (19) is provided on the upstream side of the membrane module (17) in the second flow path (33).

The present invention discloses membrane modules utilizing innovative geometries of net-type feed spacers for improved performance in separations and spacer-fabrication methods therein. Membrane modules include: a central tube having perforations along its length for collecting a permeate; at least two filtration envelopes, each filtration envelope having two membrane sheets and a porous, fabric-type insert in between the two membrane sheets for facilitating the permeate to flow, wherein each envelope is closed along three edges of the two membrane sheets, and wherein each envelope is configured to allow the permeate to exit from a fourth, open edge attached to the central tube; and a respective feed-spacer sheet in planar contact with an outer membrane surface of a respective filtration envelope; wherein the respective feed-spacer sheet is in the form of net having nodes connected by flexible segments such that the net forms a regular planar net.

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.

Spacers for filtration membranes that are formed from perforated films. The spacer include unperforated regions, which can serve as integrated lamination strips, advantageously omitting the need for separate lamination steps required with woven and nonwoven spacer fabrics while also providing a spacer with a uniform thickness.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a separation membrane element which has an element configuration having high fresh water production performance and high removal performance, has an improved membrane surface linear velocity whereby fouling due to hardly-soluble salts (scales) or organic matters is less likely to occur on the membrane surface particularly in high recovery ratio operation, and is excellent in fresh water production performance and removal performance over a long period of time.

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.