Embodiments of the present invention provide for flow control devices on a spiral wound membrane, on a device proximal the inlet edge of a spiral wound membrane, or both. The flow directing devices can alter fluid flow characteristics to discourage fouling of the inlet fluid paths.

An osmosis element comprising a central permeate tube and a membrane element, the membrane having a first part and a second part, the first part having a top edge for location adjacent the central tube, the second part being disposed at the opposite edge, the first part comprising a material to allow water to flow therethrough, the second part comprising at least two adjacent permeate spacers extending from the first part to allow water to flow therethrough, the permeate spacers having a semi-permeable membrane attached to opposed faces of the two adjacent permeate spacers, the first part comprising a barrier extending from the vicinity of the top edge, the central tube comprising an external wall and a longitudinally extending internal separator defining a first channel and a second channel each extending longitudinally of the central permeate tube, at least one first aperture extending from the first channel though the external wall and at least one second aperture extending from the second channel through the external wall.

The present invention provides a spiral membrane element suitable for suppressing a decrease in a permeation rate (or a permeation flux) of a permeated fluid from a separation membrane. A spiral membrane element of the present invention includes: a central tube; a membrane leaf that has a separation membrane and a permeation spacer and is wound around the central tube; and a flow passage spacer that is connected to the permeation spacer and is wound around the central tube on a side closer to the central tube than the membrane leaf is. A pressure loss of the flow passage spacer measured by a predetermined test is smaller than a pressure loss of the permeation spacer.

The gas separation membrane element contains a gas separation membrane, and a sealing portion for preventing mixture of a source gas and a specific gas permeated through a gas separation membrane. The gas separation membrane has a first porous layer including a porous membrane, and a hydrophilic resin composition layer disposed on the first porous layer. The sealing portion is a region in which a cured material of a sealant penetrates in at least the first porous layer in the gas separation membrane, and a thermal expansion coefficient A of the sealing portion and a thermal expansion coefficient B of a material forming the first porous layer satisfy a relation (I):

0.35A/B1.0 (I).

A spiral wound membrane element and a method for cleaning a spiral wound membrane sheet are provided. The spiral wound membrane element comprising a perforated central tube; one or more membrane sleeves, each sleeve comprising two membrane sheets enclosed at two edges around a feed spacer sheet and wrapped around the central tube; a permeate carrier sheet attached to the central tube at a first edge opposite a second edge; and a seal on third and fourth edges of the permeate carrier sheet. The method comprises introducing two solution with different solute concentration to two sides of the spiral wound membrane sheet; establishing a concentration gradient between the first and second sides; communicating a first solvent from the first side to the second side to remove a foulant located on the second side of the membrane sheet; and collecting a waste stream that contains the foulant.

Pleated, tapered, and spiral-wound cross-flow filter elements are described. The filter elements have pleated and tapered membrane leaves. The pleated and tapered membrane leaves maintain retentate fluid velocity in high permeate flux applications.

The present invention relates to a separation membrane element for use in separation of ingredients contained in fluids such as liquid and gas. An object of the present invention is to provide a separation membrane element which, even when used in a high-recovery ratio operation, has high fresh-water production performance and high removal performance and is less apt to suffer scaling.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a separation membrane suitable for transferring a separation functional layer and an intermediate layer from a release liner to a porous support member. The manufacturing method of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a separation membrane 10 including a separation functional layer 1, a porous support member 3, and an intermediate layer 2. The manufacturing method includes: forming the intermediate layer 2 on a first laminate 15 having a release liner 5 and the separation functional layer 1; bonding the intermediate layer 2 of a second laminate 16 having the release liner 5, the separation functional layer 1, and the intermediate layer 2 in this order to the porous support member 3 and thereby forming a third laminate 17; and removing the release liner 5 from the third laminate 17. In the manufacturing method, the intermediate layer 2 is formed in such a manner that a ratio R of an adhesive strength A2 (N/50 mm) between the intermediate layer 2 and the porous support member 3 with respect to an adhesive strength A1 (N/50 mm) between the release liner 5 and the separation functional layer 1 is 3.1 or more.

The present invention provides a filter element (500) having a radial permeate discharge path (550). The filter element generally includes a closed membrane structure (510) wrapped about a core (530) in reciprocating clockwise and counterclockwise directions, forming semicircular folds of membrane about the core. The semicircular folds of membrane have opposingly situated apical ends (560) separated by a gap. The interior of the closed membrane structure (510) defines a feed channel and the exterior of the closed membrane structure defines at least one permeate channel (522). A radial permeate discharge path (550) extends through the gap between the apical ends of the semicircular folds of membrane. Systems containing, and methods of using, filter elements including radial permeate discharge paths are also provided.

Provided is a membrane module which has a simple and easy structure to restrain its vessel from being increased in costs, and which allows to fabricate the vessel by a simple and easy work, and further to locate an inlet for a fluid, and others at respective predetermined positions of the membrane module.