A reverse osmosis filtration system includes a set of two or more reverse osmosis pressure vessels coupled in series, each pressure vessel having one or more reverse osmosis membrane elements, a feed inlet, a retentate outlet, a permeate outlet. The pressure vessels are coupled so that each successive pressure vessel has (a) its feed inlet coupled to the retentate outlet of its preceding pressure vessel and (b) its permeate outlet coupled to the permeate outlet of its preceding pressure vessel. The permeate outlet of at least one pressure vessel includes a front permeate outlet and the permeate outlet of at least one other pressure vessel includes a back permeate outlet. The back permeate outlet of one pressure vessel is coupled to the front permeate outlet of a successive pressure vessel.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of generally parallel water separation membrane cartridges each having a water separation membrane, an impermeable cartridge wall surrounding the membrane, and a product water collection tube that collects from inside the cartridges at least partially desalinated product water passing through the membrane, and through which the at least partially desalinated water exits the cartridges and enters a product water collection manifold. The cartridges are mounted in a perforated divider plate. In embodiments, a) the manifold is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the collection tubes, orb) the divider plate is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the cartridge walls or ends, or both a) and b). The adhesive reduces the likelihood of leakage at the manifold or divider plate.

The present invention relates to the process for molecular separation of hydrocarbons using nanopore membrane comprising passing the hydrocarbon feedstock with or without separation enhancing additive/additives to produce permeate streams having different refractive indices which resonate with that of naphtha, kerosene and heavier molecules.

A serial filtration system for liquid purification includes a preliminary-stage reverse-osmosis (RO) module and a first-stage, high-permeability, reverse-osmosis (HiRO) module. Both modules include (a) a chamber including an inlet, a retentate outlet, and a permeate outlet, and (b) at least one membrane separating the chamber into a retentate side on an upstream side of the membrane and a permeate side on a downstream side of the membrane. The membrane in the preliminary stage is an RO membrane, while the membrane in the first stage is an oxidized membrane. The first-stage inlet is in fluid communication with the preliminary-stage, retentate outlet; and the oxidized membrane in the first stage, comprises an oxidized polyamide active layer coated on a porous support, wherein the oxidized polyamide active layer has an atomic oxygen/nitrogen ratio of at least 1.5.

A method for promoting biological activity uses a filter system to increase cell production of a fed batch bioreactor. The filter system cycles bioreactor fluid through a hollow fiber tangential flow filter which separates metabolic wastes (as well as proteins) from cells produced in bioreactor and returned to fed batch bioreactor, improving cell production in the fed batch bioreactor. The filter system includes a disposable pump and filter, and a reusable control system. The pump is a low shear gamma stable pump gently cycling bioreactor fluid through the filter with minimal damage to the cells produced in the bioreactor. The pumphead and hollow fiber tangential flow filter are disposable. The pump motor is part of the control system and is reusable. The pumphead and filter are provided as an assembled and pre-sterilized unit allowing simple and quick attachment to the fed batch bioreactor, and simple and quick disposal.

A desalination brine dispersal apparatus and method employ airlift to remove, oxygenate and disperse brine from a desalination apparatus. The apparatus includes a brine removal conduit having a brine inlet that receives brine from the desalination apparatus, a plurality of brine outlets submerged in seawater and one or more air introduction points located at depths below the brine outlets. The supplied air oxygenates and moves brine through the brine removal conduit and outlets via airlift and disperses the brine into seawater away from the brine removal conduit. The apparatus avoids the formation of concentrated, high shear brine plumes and can disperse brine into seawater over a wide area well away from the brine removal conduit.

A desalination brine dispersal apparatus and method employ airlift to remove, oxygenate and disperse brine from a desalination apparatus. The apparatus includes a brine removal conduit having a brine inlet that receives brine from the desalination apparatus, a plurality of brine outlets submerged in seawater and one or more air introduction points located at depths below the brine outlets. The supplied air oxygenates and moves brine through the brine removal conduit and outlets via airlift and disperses the brine into seawater away from the brine removal conduit. The apparatus avoids the formation of concentrated, high shear brine plumes and can disperse brine into seawater over a wide area well away from the brine removal conduit.

Apparatus for in-line liquid exchanging a biomolecule-containing liquid is provided. The apparatus comprises a means for mixing at least two liquids comprising a multiple inlet flow-controller, the means for mixing also comprising an outlet in fluid connection with a tangential flow filtration device configured in single-pass mode.

The invention relates to the design of an enclosure for a membrane aeration module, which incorporates a reversible, low-pressure, air-lift pump to encourage a vertical water flow through and between the membranes in the module. These enclosed membrane modules are suitable for use in membrane aerated biofilm reactors, which are used to treat water or wastewater.

The disclosure provides a filtration system for a cell culture apparatus and a method of cell culture. The filtration system comprises a bioreactor vessel and two or more alternating tangential flow (ATF) filters connected in parallel. A failure in either filter is detected by an in-line sensor, and an automated response system functions to sequester the malfunctioning filter by stopping the flow of liquid media through the filter. Media flow through the remaining operable filters can be increased so that the rate of perfusion through the bioreactor remains relatively unchanged. Such a system may prevent issues that arise from ATF filter failures in conventional perfusion bioreactors, thereby improving the long-term viability of cell cultures.