A guide member for directing gas bubble flow along a member surface, the guide member having first and second side edges defining a channel for gas bubbles to flow along, the channel having an open bottom end through which the gas bubbles can enter the channel and an open top end through which the bubbles can exit the channel, and a diverting means adjacent the channel bottom end arranged to direct at least some of the incident gas bubbles in a first direction towards the channel bottom end. A membrane module assembly and a membrane filter system including the guide member.

A process for preparing a membrane stack comprising the steps of (i) interposing a curable adhesive between alternate anion exchange membranes and cation exchange; and (ii) curing the adhesive; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said membranes are in a swollen state when step (ii) is performed.

Provided is a hydrogen refining pressure-boosting device which is durable even in a high-pressure environment. This hydrogen refining pressure-boosting device produces, from a hydrogen-containing gas, a refined hydrogen gas having higher pressure and higher purity than the hydrogen-containing gas. The hydrogen refining pressure-boosting device is equipped with multiple stacked cell structures, and a pressing structure that applies tightening stress in the direction in which the cell structures are stacked. In this hydrogen refining pressure-boosting device the flow path surface of a cathode-side separator is sized so as to be contained on the inside of the flow path surface of an anode-side separator, in the direction of a plane parallel to a solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

A membrane distillation arrangement (100) comprising: at least two dividers (120), each divider (120) having a top (122) and a base (124) and at least one side (126) which extends between the top (122) and the base (124); at least one transfer element (132) selected from a membrane, heat transfer component or combination thereof, each transfer element (132) having a top (134) and a base (136), each transfer element (132) being supported between two dividers (120); a plurality of perimeter seals (130), at least one perimeter seal (130) extending around the perimeter of the top (134) or the base (136) of each transfer element (132), each perimeter seal (130) forming a substantially fluid tight seal and a fluid flow space (140, 141) between the respective top (134) or base (136) of each transfer element (132) and a respective adjacent face of a divider (120). Each divider (120) includes at least one side inlet (114) and at least one side outlet (116), each side inlet (114) and side outlet (116) extending into the at least one side of each divider (120), and being in fluid communication with the respective fluid flow space (140, 141) formed between the adjacent transfer element (32) and the respective adjacent face of a divider (120).

A filtration system suitable for recovering base stock from used lubricating oil and other applications pass feedstock over nano-filtration membranes assembled as a stack of membranes all experiencing parallel flow. On exiting a first stack of membranes the feedstock passes through an opening in a pressure-sustaining separator plate to flow in the reverse direction past a second stack of membranes and subsequently establish a serpentine flow of feedstock through multiple stacks of membranes. The stacks of membranes all share a common pressure containment vessel. Pressure boosters installed in the flow-through openings of separator plates separating consecutive stacks can serve to restore lost pressure of the feedstock and maintain effective permeation of permeate through the membranes. A pressure control valve at the outlet to the permeate-receiving cavities of a stack can be used to adjust the trans-membrane pressure.

Systems and methods for electrochemical separation are provided. An electrochemical separation device may include at least one cell pair wound around an electrode to from a bundle having a racetrack configuration.

The invention relates to an arrangement for providing sterile water for injection purposes. A device for heating drinking water above the boiling point, a device for maintaining a chamber inner pressure which lies below the atmospheric pressure, and an electronic controller are provided, and the chamber is equipped with at least one membrane which is impermeable for liquids and a film or plate at a distance from the membrane, wherein steam which is permeated through the membrane is condensed on the film of plate. The membrane and the film or plate form a module, and the condensed water can be removed from the chamber via an outlet as sterile water for injection purposes.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame having at least one membrane support structure that spans at least a substantial portion of an open region and that is configured to support at least one foil-microscreen assembly.

A guide member for directing gas bubble flow along a membrane surface, the guide member having first and second side edges defining a channel for gas bubbles to flow along, the channel having an open bottom end through which the gas bubbles can enter the channel and an open top end through which the bubbles can exit the channel, and a diverting means adjacent the channel bottom end arranged to direct at least some of the incident gas bubbles in a first direction towards the channel bottom end. A membrane module assembly and a membrane filter system including the guide member.

A tunable nanofiber filter device can include a filter housing defining an interior space, the housing having defined therein and inlet and an outlet, each in fluid communication with the interior space, and a plurality of filter laminas disposed within the interior space, each filter lamina including an upper surface, a lower surface, and an aperture defined therethrough. The plurality of filter laminas can be arranged in a stack wherein the opposing surfaces of adjacent filter laminas define a portion of an interlaminar flow space extending between the opposing surfaces. The flow space can be in fluid communication with the apertures of corresponding adjacent filter laminas to form a continuous flow passage extending through the lamina stack from the inlet to the outlet. An array nanofibers can extend into the flow passage from a portion of each filter lamina such that a fluid flowed through the flow passage flows across a portion of said array.