A raw water channel spacer capable of suppressing formation of a concentration polarization layer in a region in the vicinity of a separation membrane in a raw water channel, and a spiral wound membrane element including the same are provided. A raw water channel spacer is formed by superposing a first yarn row and a second yarn row, and includes alternately a first mesh structure having a configuration in which first rectangular meshes formed of the yarn rows are continuous in an extending direction of the second yarn row, and a second mesh structure having a configuration in which meshes are continuous in the extending direction of the second yarn row such that an interval in the second yarn row is smaller than an interval of the second yarn row forming the first mesh structure.

A spiral wound membrane module has a brackish water RO or NF membrane combined with a permeate carrier having a narrow spacing between membrane contacting elements. The membrane may have water permeability (A-Value) of at least 8*10.sup.−5 cm/s/bar at 25° C. The membrane may have salt diffusion rate (B-Value) of at least 0.5*10.sup.−5 cm/s at 25° C. The permeate carrier may have a density of 54 wales per inch or more of a gap between adjacent ribs of 215 um or less. The permeate carrier may have a channel cross-sectional area of 16*10.sup.−9 m.sup.2 or more. Water is fed to the module at a high feed pressure, for example a pressure of at least 50 bar, optionally up to 120 bar. Retentate may be discharged at a concentration of 100 g/L, 130 g/L, or 150 g/L or more.

A composite semipermeable membrane 12 of the present invention includes a porous support membrane 12a and a skin layer 12b supported by the porous support membrane 12a. The membrane surface of the composite semipermeable membrane 12 has an elastic modulus of 250 MPa or more and 500 MPa or less as calculated by force curve measurement using AFM in water. A spiral membrane element 20 of the present invention includes the composite semipermeable membrane 12 of the present invention. A water treatment system 100 of the present invention includes the spiral membrane element 20 of the present invention.

A piece of substrate material is formed under heat and pressure against a cavity into a shaped substrate sheet having one or more depressions. Two substrate sheets are bonded together to form a substrate wherein the one or more depressions form one or more interior channels. The substrate, if not formed with pre-coated substrate material, is coated with a dope and quenched to form a filtering membrane. A plurality of membranes may be placed side by side to form a bundle with permeating ends of the membrane, which are open to the one or more interior channels, separated by gaps or spacers. The bundle is connected to a header to produce a module. The module can be assembled into a cassette.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

A separation membrane element of the present invention includes: a separation membranes each having a feed-side face and a permeate-side face and forming a separation membrane pair by being arranged so that the permeate-side faces face each other; and a permeate-side channel material provided between the permeate-side faces of the separation membranes, the permeate-side channel material includes a sheet and a plurality of projections formed on the sheet, the sheet is a porous sheet having pores on a surface thereof, and has densely fused parts, coarsely fused parts and non-fused parts on the surface, and the projections contain a resin, and a part of the resin is impregnated into the pores of the sheet.

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.

Embodiments provide methods and strictures for purification or volume reduction of a brine by an advanced vacuum distillation process (AVMD) to achieve higher flux by passage of vapors through an AVMD distillation unit. In one example, brine is circulated in a tank. The tank may include one or more membrane pouches that are submerged in the circulating brine or placed above the water level of the hot circulating brine. In other embodiments the membrane pouches are outside of the tank that includes the hot circulating brine but still in communication with it. The circulating brine is heated, allowing creation of water vapor. Using a vacuum, the water vapor is drawn through the membrane, where it may be condensed and subjected to further beneficial use. This process can concentrate to levels to generate crystals or solids, which can be separated and utilized.

Embodiments of the present invention provide elements that are beneficial for use in fluid filtration. Embodiments provide elements that have variable feed spacer height, variable permeate spacer height, or both. The variable height allows flow properties to be matched to fluid volume as the filtration occurs.

The present invention provides a separation membrane and a separation membrane element which are capable of exhibiting good water production performance and excellent in handleability and process passage. A separation membrane of the present invention is a separation membrane including: a separation membrane main body having a feed-side face and a permeate-side face; and a permeate-side channel member adhered to the permeate-side face of the separation membrane main body, in which the permeate-side channel member includes a composition containing at least a high-crystalline polypropylene (A) and satisfies the following requirements (a) and (b): (a) a content of the high-crystalline polypropylene (A) in the composition is from 40 to 95% by weight; and (b) the permeate-side channel member has a melting endothermic energy amount (ΔH) of from 20 to 70 J/g.