Liquid solution concentration systems, and related methods, are generally described. In some embodiments, the system is an osmotic system comprising a plurality of osmotic modules. For example, the osmotic system can comprise a feed osmotic module configured to produce an osmotic module retentate outlet stream having a higher concentration of solute than the retentate inlet stream transported to the feed osmotic module. The osmotic system can also comprise an isolation osmotic module fluidically connected to the feed osmotic module. The osmotic system can also optionally comprise a purification osmotic module fluidically connected to the feed osmotic module and/or the isolation osmotic module. Certain embodiments are related to altering the degree to which the feed osmotic module retentate outlet stream is recycled back to the retentate-side inlet of the feed osmotic module during operation. Additional embodiments are related to the manner in which the retentate-side effluent from the isolation osmotic module is distributed among the system modules during operation.

The high water recovery hybrid membrane system for desalination and brine concentration combines nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and forward osmosis to produce pure water from seawater. The reject side of a nanofiltration unit receives a stream of seawater and outputs a brine stream. A permeate side of the nanofiltration unit outputs a permeate stream. A feed side of a reverse osmosis desalination unit receives a first portion of the permeate stream and outputs a reject stream. A permeate side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs pure water. A draw side of at least one forward osmosis desalination unit receives the reject stream and outputs concentrated saline solution. A feed side of the at least one forward osmosis desalination unit receives a second portion of the permeate stream and outputs a dilute saline stream, which mixes with the first portion of the permeate stream fed to the reverse osmosis desalination unit.

An apparatus and process for separating a gas mixture is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of membrane separation stages comprising a first membrane stage, a second membrane stage, and a third membrane stage. Each of the first, second, and third membrane stages are designed to separate a gas stream provided to them into a permeate stream and a retentate stream. The retentate stream provided from the third membrane stage is configured to be withdrawn as a product, further processed, or discarded. The apparatus further includes a gas transport device with an inlet in communication with the gas mixture and an outlet in communication with the first membrane stage. The controller is in communication with at least one measuring device, and the controller adapts a behavior of the gas transport device in response to a measurement of the at least one measuring device.

A biogas upgrading system can include a multiple stage membrane system that is configured to remove oxygen so that the biogas is upgraded to have a higher concentration of methane, a pre-selected oxygen (O.sub.2) concentration (e.g. less than or equal to 0.2 mol %, etc.), and a pre-selected carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) concentration (e.g. less than or equal to 5 mol %, etc.). The membrane system can be configured to reject O.sub.2 by utilizing a low CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 selectivity that is within a pre-determined range (e.g. less than 5 or less than 4.5). In some embodiments, the upgraded biogas that is output from the system can be entirely made up of methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. In other embodiments, the biogas can be almost entirely composed of these components along with a small amount of nitrogen and a trace amount (e.g. less than or equal to 0.2%-0.1%, etc.) of other components.

Disclosures herein are directed to first compositions comprising exosomes and extracellular matrix components and their use thereof. Also described are methods and kits wherein these first compositions are packaged and used with second compositions comprising mesenchymal stem cells. The first and second compositions are derived from the same tissue source using tangential flow filtration.

Systems and processes for purifying and concentrating a liquid feed stream are disclosed. In the systems, the concentrated liquid output from the high pressure side of a reverse osmosis stage is used as the draw solution in the low pressure side of the reverse osmosis stage in a configuration called osmotically assisted reverse osmosis. This reduces the osmotic pressure differential across the membrane, permitting high solute concentrations to be obtained, hastening the purification of the liquid. Reduced system pressures are also obtained by arranging multiple osmotically assisted reverse osmosis stages in a cross-current arrangement. Overall system energy consumption is reduced compared to conventional thermal processes for high concentration streams.

A separation system includes first and second separation parts each having a separation membrane and provided with a fluid supply port, a permeate fluid exhaust port, and a non-permeate fluid exhaust port, an intermediate connecting part for connecting the permeate fluid exhaust port of the first separation part and the fluid supply port of the second separation part, a supply pipe connected to the fluid supply port of the first separation part, in which a mixed fluid flows at a pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure, and a pressure reducing part connected to the permeate fluid exhaust port of the second separation part, for reducing a pressure inside the permeate fluid exhaust port to a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. A pressure inside the intermediate connecting part is lower than a pressure inside the supply pipe and not lower than the atmospheric pressure.

A method exosome purification and characterization is contemplated, comprising the steps of secondary two-stage tangential ultrafiltration to produce an extracted solution, pretreatment of the extracted solution for characterization, characterization of the extracted solution to detect particle size and concentration, and freeze-drying of the extracted solution. An exosome purification integrated device is also contemplated. Through the disclosed methods and devices, exosomes may be better purified and characterized in a manner that results in high practical value to overcome the problems associated with conventional exosome purification processes on the market today, including tedious purification processes, long durations, and high costs.

In one aspect, a modular filter assembly for filtering fluid that flows in a flow direction therethrough is disclosed. The assembly includes a first housing section having a first filter element; a second housing section having a second filter element; and a connector disposed between the first and second housing sections. A housing includes the first housing section, the connector, and the second housing section. The flow direction is through the first and second filter elements in series.

A dual-purpose household water purifier includes a main unit and an expansion unit which can be detachably connected. When the main unit is connected with the expansion unit, a booster pump can pressurize tap water entering a filter assembly. In the dual-purpose household water purifier, the main unit can be used as a non-electric drive water purifier. After the tap water enters the filter assembly and is filtered. The purified water flows into the purified water chamber of the pressure bucket, and the user takes the purified water. It is further provided an expansion unit. When the main unit is connected to the expansion unit, the booster pump can pressurize the pipeline, reducing application environmental restrictions on the water purifier. Through arrangement of the expansion unit, the water purifier can be operated in two operation modes of non-electric drive mode and electric drive mode.