A bubble generation device is provided which is capable of discharging bubbles of about the same size from each of a plurality of bubble discharge ports. The device is provided with a bubble discharge chamber communicating with each of a plurality of bubble discharge ports, a turnaround path including a first communication port communicating with a gas storage chamber and a second communication port communicating with the bubble discharge chamber on a downstream side in a gas traveling direction of a turn-around point of the turnaround path, opening areas of the plurality of bubble discharge ports being the same as each other, and a total of the opening areas of the plurality of bubble discharge ports being smaller than an opening area of the second communication port.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a filtration membrane module with which is possible to improve the centrifugal separation effect of the primary-side flowpath during filtration, and the centrifugal separation effect of the area following the outer peripheral surface of the flowpath membrane element of the outer ring-shaped flowpath during backwash, and improve filtration efficiency and cleaning efficiency while curbing the accumulation of deposits on the membrane surface during filtration and during backwash. This filtration membrane module comprises: a membrane element equipped with a primary-side flowpath on the outside of a hollow cylindrical filtration surface; and a cylindrical housing positioned on the outside thereof. A flow adjuster is positioned inside the primary-side flowpath. A flow adjuster for backwash is positioned inside the secondary-side flowpath, which is an outer ring-shaped flowpath between the membrane element and the housing. The flow adjuster and the flow adjuster for backwash comprise spiral-shaped fins or the like in order to exhibit a centrifugal separation function in an area that follows the outer peripheral surface of the membrane element or the filtration surface.

A selectively permeable membrane device for separating a first fluid from a second fluid in a flow can include a membrane conduit configured to receive the flow and to allow permeation of the first fluid therethrough, and configured to not allow permeation of the second fluid. The device can include a residence time enhancing structure disposed within the membrane conduit and configured to increase residence time of the flow within the membrane conduit.

The present invention relates to a tangential flow separator element for separating a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, said separator element having a monolithic rigid porous support (2) of rectilinear structure and having a single channel (3) arranged therein for passing the flow of the fluid medium for treatment, the outside surface (5) of the support presenting a profile that is constant. According to the invention, the monolithic rigid porous support (2) defines obstacles (9) to the flow of the fluid for filtering, which obstacles extend from the inside wall (3.sub.1) of said channel (3), are identical in material and porous texture to the support, and present continuity of material and of porous texture with the support, said obstacles (9) generating variations in the flow section of the channel.

The invention provides a cross-flow separation element comprising a single-piece rigid porous support (2) having within its volume at least one channel (4.sub.1) for passing a flow of the fluid medium for treatment, which channel presents a flexuous flow volume (V1) defined by sweeping a generator section along a curvilinear path around a reference axis, and in that the reference axis does not intersect said generator section and is contained within the volume of the porous support.

A high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration system disc membrane assembly includes a frame having first and second end members and a plurality of rails extending between the first and second end members. At least two parallel support shafts are coupled to the frame, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs. The plurality of membrane discs associated with one of the at least two parallel support shafts is interspersed between the plurality of membrane discs associated with another of the at least two parallel support shafts. Each rail of the plurality of rails is configured to be received by a mounting rail within a vessel defining a treatment chamber. A permeate tube is coupled to each support shaft and in fluid communication with the membrane discs associated with that support shaft.

The invention relates to a monolithic tangential flow separator element for separating a fluid medium for treatment, the element comprising a rectilinear rigid porous support (2) of three-dimensional structure having formed therein at least one channel (3) for passing a flow of the fluid medium for treatment in order to recover a filtrate at the peripheral surface of the support. The monolithic rigid porous support (2) includes obstacles (9) to the flow of the fluid for filtering on or in the inside wall(s)) of the channel(s), the obstacles presenting identity of material and of porous texture with the support, and also presenting continuity of material and of porous texture with the support.

An oxygenator module for gas exchange between blood and a gas in an extracorporeal lung support system, with several layers of semipermeable, gas-perfusable hollow fibers, wherein the hollow fibers of one of the layers are oriented at an angle of rotation about a central longitudinal axis of the oxygenator module with respect to the hollow fibers of another one of the layers, and with a potting which extends along the central longitudinal axis and in which the hollow fibers are fixed, wherein the potting defines a cavity that extends along the central longitudinal axis and in which the hollow fibers are arranged and which is blood-perfusable in the direction of the central longitudinal axis, wherein the potting has an essentially circular inner sheath surface that limits the cavity radially outward; as well as a method for producing the oxygenator module.

Disclosed herein are spacers having baffle designs and perforations for efficiently and effectively separating one or more membrane layers a membrane filtration system. The spacer includes a body formed at least in part by baffles that are interconnected, and the baffles define boundaries of openings or apertures through a thickness direction of the body of the spacer. Alternatively or additionally, passages or perforations may be present in the spacer layer or baffles for fluid flow there through, with the passages and baffles having a numerous different shapes and sizes.

A method of operating a high velocity cross flow dynamic membrane filtration includes feeding a fluid stream into a pressure vessel, in which the vessel defines a treatment chamber containing a disc membrane assembly having a first support shaft and a second support shaft, each support shaft defining a longitudinal axis about which is positioned a plurality of axially spaced membrane discs. The method further includes distributing the fluid stream over at least a portion of the disc membrane assembly. The method also includes discharging a first portion of the fluid stream from the vessel and discharging a second portion of the fluid stream from the vessel. The method additionally includes rotating the first support shaft and the second support shaft in a first direction. The rotating includes modulating a rotation rate in response to the flow rate of the second portion of the fluid stream.