The present invention provides a spiral membrane element suitable for suppressing a decrease in a permeation rate (or a permeation flux) of a permeated fluid from a separation membrane. A spiral membrane element of the present invention includes: a central tube; a membrane leaf that has a separation membrane and a permeation spacer and is wound around the central tube; and a flow passage spacer that is connected to the permeation spacer and is wound around the central tube on a side closer to the central tube than the membrane leaf is. A pressure loss of the flow passage spacer measured by a predetermined test is smaller than a pressure loss of the permeation spacer.

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 m.

A filtration module includes a stack of at least two spacers. At least one spacer in the stack includes a first and a second outer plate and at least one internal permeate channel arranged in between the first and second outer plates such that the outer plates form two of the walls that define at least one internal permeate channel. The at least one internal permeate channel extends between two opposite side, other than the first and second outer plates, of the spacer. Moreover, the first and second outer plates of at least one spacer are porous or perforated and a filtration membrane is attached to the first and second outer plate of at least one spacer such that liquid transferred across the membrane is further transported through the pores or perforations to the at least one internal permeate channel. The spacers of the stack are separated by separate elongated distance-pieces that are attached to the outer plates along the edge to the opposite sides between which the internal permeate channels extend, thereby forming filtrate channels between adjacent spacers in the stack, and wherein the filtrate channels extend in a direction other than the direction of the permeate channels. A method for producing a filtration module and a filtration device are also disclosed.

The present disclosure discusses a system and method that includes a microfluidic device that can be used in either an extracorporeal or implantable configuration. The device supports efficient and safe removal of carbon dioxide from the blood of patients suffering from respiratory disease or injury. The microfluidic device can be a multilayer device that includes gas channels and fluid channels. Distensible membranes within the device can affect a cross-sectional area of the blood channels.

An ultra-filtration membrane assembly having an exterior housing having a housing; an ultra-filtration membrane provided within the housing, the ultra-filtration membrane being having a plurality of elongated filtration fibers arranged in a spiraled coil; and one or more filaments woven around the plurality of elongated filtration fibers thus binding each of the one or more adjacent elongated filtration fibers at a predetermined axial spacing from one another.

The present invention relates to a separation membrane element for use in separation of ingredients contained in fluids such as liquid and gas. An object of the present invention is to provide a separation membrane element which, even when used in a high-recovery ratio operation, has high fresh-water production performance and high removal performance and is less apt to suffer scaling.

A filter module includes: a center tube having at least one purified water inlet on an outer peripheral surface thereof and provided at one end thereof with a connection portion having a purified water outlet formed therein; a reverse osmosis filter wound on the center tube, the reverse osmosis filtering raw water introduced through one end thereof and discharging the filtered raw water to the purified water inlet; and a post-treatment filter disposed inside the center tube and allowing purified water introduced into the center tube to be post-treated by passing through the post-treatment filter, wherein the center tube includes: a first tube member provided at one end thereof with the connection portion and having a first post-treatment filter mounting slot formed therein; and a second tube member detachably connected to the other end of the first tube member and having a second post-treatment filter mounting slot formed therein.

The disclosure relates to enhancing alkalinity of brine, e.g. seawater, using bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) without removing divalent cations that otherwise cause scaling. In one embodiment, a BPMED is employed wherein the brine volumetric flow rate through a basification compartment is greater at a given current density than that through a brine compartment which increases the pH of the brine output while keeping it below the precipitation pH. In one embodiment, the spacer located in the basification compartment is thicker than spacers elsewhere in the BPMED so as resist membrane distortion due to the increased hydrostatic pressure in the basification compartment given the greater volumetric flow. The brine output having increased alkalinity can be returned to the ocean to mitigate acidification and enable capture of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Assembly for treating fluids, comprising a support (12) having a first and second oppositely arranged surfaces (121) for backing support of a semi permeable membrane (11), a first fluid conveying compartments (124) interposed between the first and second surfaces, a plurality of first fluid passages (126) extending from the first surface (121) and being in fluid communication with the first compartments (124), and a first duct attached to the support (12) and in fluid communication with the first compartments. The assembly comprises a second compartment (125) arranged for conveying fluid and different from the first compartment, and a second duct attached to the support (12) and configured to be in fluid communication with the second compartment (125).

The present invention provides a filter element (500) having a radial permeate discharge path (550). The filter element generally includes a closed membrane structure (510) wrapped about a core (530) in reciprocating clockwise and counterclockwise directions, forming semicircular folds of membrane about the core. The semicircular folds of membrane have opposingly situated apical ends (560) separated by a gap. The interior of the closed membrane structure (510) defines a feed channel and the exterior of the closed membrane structure defines at least one permeate channel (522). A radial permeate discharge path (550) extends through the gap between the apical ends of the semicircular folds of membrane. Systems containing, and methods of using, filter elements including radial permeate discharge paths are also provided.