A bioreactor for cultivating microorganisms and cells of animal or plant origin includes a filter pocket which is arranged on the inner surface of a flexible wall of the bioreactor and which is delimited on the outside by the wall of the bioreactor and on the inside by a filter pocket wall. The inside filter pocket wall is formed at least partially by a filter medium. A spacer is arranged in the filter pocket between the wall of the bioreactor and the filter medium. The spacer has at least one through opening. A connecting portion of the filter medium protrudes through the through opening and is directly connected to the wall of the bioreactor. A method of manufacturing a filter pocket in a bioreactor for cultivating microorganisms and cells of animal or plant origin is also provided herein.

A spiral-wound type gas separation membrane element includes a central tube and a laminate wound around the central tube. Laminate includes at least one structure where a feed-side flow path member, a gas separation membrane, and a permeate-side flow path member are superimposed in this order. Permeate-side flow path member has a thickness of 400 μm to 1300 μm. Gas separation membrane is a membrane where a hydrophilic resin composition layer, a porous layer, and a permeate-side surface layer are superimposed in this order. Permeate-side surface layer faces Permeate-side flow path member and has a Young's modulus of 20 MPa to 400 MPa.

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.

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.

A filter element comprises a membrane layer; and a feed spacer on the membrane layer, wherein the feed spacer comprises a plurality of unit cells arranged in three dimensions, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a cavity defined by a triply periodic minimal surface, and wherein the cavities of the plurality of unit cells are interconnected to allow a fluid to pass through the cavities of the plurality of unit cells.

A particle separation multi-membrane matrix device and method are provided. The particles isolated may comprise nano-scale particles, such extracellular membrane vesicles, having a size of about 50 to about 150 nm. The vesicles are released by many different cell types, and may be efficiently isolated at high yield and purity according to the present methods from various body fluids (e.g., blood, saliva, breast milk, serum, plasma, ascites fluid, etc.). Such isolated exosome preparations may include biomarkers, such as disease biomarkers (diagnostic markers) for various disease (early stage and late stage cancers, neurological disorders (Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease), diabetes, pancreatic diseases, renal failure, infectious diseases (HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis)). The present methods and devices may be used to detect and monitor animals (human, livestock, companion animal) for infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and other diseases. The methods and devices require minimal sample material (10 μl), are rapid, economical, yield highly enriched small molecule (eg, exosomes) preparations, and do not require electricity.

A filter element comprises a membrane layer; and a feed spacer on the membrane layer, wherein the feed spacer comprises a plurality of unit cells arranged in three dimensions, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a cavity defined by a triply periodic minimal surface, and wherein the cavities of the plurality of unit cells are interconnected to allow a fluid to pass through the cavities of the plurality of unit cells.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the deposition of spacing elements for spiral wound elements which promote mixing within the feed space during element operation thereby improving element performance and reducing concentration polarization and potential for biological fouling.

An apparatus utilizes a membrane unit to capture components from atmospheric air, including carbon dioxide, enriches the carbon dioxide concentration, and delivers the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The membrane is configured such that as a first gas containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide is drawn through the membrane, a permeate stream is formed where the permeate stream has an oxygen concentration and a carbon dioxide concentration higher than in the first gas and a nitrogen concentration lower than in the first gas. A permeate conduit, having a vacuum applied to it by a vacuum generating device receives the permeate stream and a delivery conduit delivers at least a portion of the enriched carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The apparatus may comprise a component of a system where the system may have a flue gas generator and/or a secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generating device and the sequestering facility.

A CMS membrane module includes plurality of hollow fiber CMS membranes that are enclosed within an open cylindrical shell whose ends are embedded in tubesheets. The shell is concentrically disposed within an open cylindrical pressure vessel whose open ends are covered by and secured by end caps. The shell includes a feed fluid inlet formed therein between the tubesheets and a retentate outlet in between one of the tubesheets and an adjacent end cap. A retentate seal is formed between the shell and the pressure vessel at a position between the tubesheets. A permeate seal is formed between the pressure vessel and the tubesheet that is adjacent a permeate port of the module. A structure made up of the CMS membranes, shell, tubesheets, and seals is slidable within the pressure vessel and not fixed in place in relation to the pressure vessel and end caps.