Provided are spacers, ion-exchange devices comprising spacers, and methods of preparing spacers for improved fluid distribution and sealing throughout an ion-exchange device. These spacers can include an internal cavity surrounded by a perimeter of the spacer. The perimeter can have a first opening and a second opening within the perimeter, and the first opening and the second opening can be located on opposite sides of the internal cavity. The spacers can also have a first and second plurality of channels located within the perimeter, wherein each channel of the first and second plurality of channels extends from the internal cavity towards the first opening or the second opening.

A membrane device is presented that can used for a wide range of applications from once-through filtration, crossflow filtration, molecular separation, gas/liquid absorption or reaction, gas dispersion into liquid, and degassing of liquid. The device comprises a thin flat sheet membrane that allows certain fluid or molecules go through while blocking others. The membrane sheet is fixed on a supporting structure with mini channel on two sides of the membrane for respective feed and sweep flows. The membrane sheet is sealed with gaskets with two cover plates that the membrane sheet can be replaced or cleaned. The cover plate provides connection ports to connect the feed fluid to the feed channels on one membrane surface and to connect the sweep fluid to the sweep channels on the other surface of the membrane.

A humidifier module is provided having a water vapor-permeable membrane having spacers defining a flow field arranged on either side of the membrane and having a yarn stitched into the membrane. The spacers defining the flow field are formed by the yarn stitched into the membrane. A humidifier, a method for making a humidifier module and a method for making a humidifier are also provided.

A humidifier is provided having a humidifier module which is arranged between end plates and has a steam-permeable membrane, wherein on each of the two sides of the membrane, a flow field frame having a plurality of bridges defining a flow field is arranged, and between each flow field frame and the membrane a seal is arranged. A motor vehicle with a fuel cell device having a humidifier is also provided.

Disclosed are various turbulent, corrosion-resistant heat exchangers used in desiccant air conditioning systems.

An example separation system includes a stack of membrane plate assemblies. An example membrane plate assembly may include membranes bonded to opposite sides of a spacer plate. The spacer plate may include a first opening in fluid communication with a region between the membranes, and a second opening in fluid communication with a region between membrane plate assemblies. Adjacent membrane plate assemblies in the stack may have alternating orientations such that bonding areas for adjacent membranes in the stack may be staggered. Accordingly, two isolated flows may be provided which may be orthogonal from one another.

A technology that provides various modular biomimetic microfluidic modules emulating varieties of microvasculature in body. These microfluidic-base capillaries and lymphatic Technology modules are constructed as multilayered-microfluidic microchannels of various shapes, and aspect ratios using diverse biocompatible microfluidic polymers. Then, various semipermeable membranes are sandwiched in between these multilayered microfluidic microchannels. These membranes have different chemical, physical characteristics and MWCO values. Consequently, this design will produce much smaller dimension channels similar to human vasculature to achieve biomimetic properties like of human organs and tissues. By interchanging microfluidic-layers or the membranes various diverse modules are designed that act as building blocks for constructing various medical devices, various forms of dialysis devices including albumin and lipid dialysis, water purification, bioreactors bio-artificial organ support systems. Connecting various modules in diverse combinations, permutations, in parallel ad/or in series to ultimately design many unrelated medical devices such as dialysis, bioreactors and organ support devices.

The present disclosure relates to a membrane extraction apparatus for extracting a component from a first liquid. The apparatus may incorporate a housing comprised of first and second mating housing halves, with each housing half having an open faced channel formed therein such that the channels at least partially overlay one another when the two housing halves are secured together. A membrane filter is disposed between the two housing halves to overlay the open faced channels. The membrane filter extracts the component from the first liquid and transfers the component into the second liquid as the first and second liquids flow through the first and second housing halves.

An implantable or wearable kidney enclosure that is cylindrical, ovoid, or otherwise non-angular e.g., not rectangular or cuboid), having a circular or oval hemofilter that provides a blood flow pattern from an internal, central artery source radially outwards. Due to the efficient flow of the circular filter design, the enclosure can be made in a cylindrical low profile shape, resulting in a compact enclosure highly suitable for implantable and wearable dialysis applications.

A humidifier comprises hollow shell and humidifier core. The humidifier core includes a transfer sheet, a plurality of first channels, and a plurality of second channels. The transfer sheet comprises a permeable material having a plurality of sections and a plurality of layers of spacing materials. The plurality of first channels are configured to allow air flow in a first direction and to prevent airflow in a second direction that is different from the first direction. The plurality of second channels are configured to allow air flow in the second direction and to prevent airflow in the first direction. The humidifier comprises a stack of alternating first channels and second channels, and the first channels are configured to transfer liquid from air flowing in at least one of the first channels to air flowing in at least one of the second channels. The humidifier is suitable for use in fuel cell stack.