The present invention relates to modification to permeate channels and permeate materials in a cross-flow filtration system to improve performance in counter current filtration having both retentate channels and permeate channels wherein a solution is pumped through one of the channels and drawn through a membrane to one of the other channels to assist in positive pressure driven filtration by using the osmotic pressure, concentration, or preferential solubility difference between the retentate and permeate flow streams thereby increasing or altering the flux through the membrane separating the flow streams.

A liquid infused membrane includes a porous fluorine-containing polymer membrane and a perfluoropolyether oil coating on at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the pore wall. Advantageously, the liquid infused membrane does not exhibit gating. Methods for the manufacture thereof and uses of the liquid infused membrane are also disclosed.

A water desalination system includes a first set of ultrafiltration membranes, a second set of ultrafiltration membranes, a first backwashing system configured to treat at least one of the first set of ultrafiltration membranes or the second set of ultrafiltration membranes with brine generated by a reverse osmosis process, and a second backwashing system configured to treat at least one of the first set of ultrafiltration membranes or the second set of ultrafiltration membranes with one or more chemicals and reverse osmosis permeate water.

An anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to filter membranes for use in actively depressing microbial viability in filtration applications. The anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to substrates that are considered to be sensitive to damage by conventional metal coating techniques or resistant to metal bonding. The coating may be applied from a salt absorbed to the substrate in solution, converted to a reducible form with a conversion agent, and reduced to active metal format through a low temperature plasma treatment.

An anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to filter membranes for use in actively depressing microbial viability in filtration applications. The anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to substrates that are considered to be sensitive to damage by conventional metal coating techniques or resistant to metal bonding. The coating may be applied from a salt absorbed to the substrate in solution, converted to a reducible form with a conversion agent, and reduced to active metal format through a low temperature plasma treatment.

An osmotic food production system designed to produce fruits, vegetables, and freshwater from urine or saltwater. In some embodiments the osmotic food production system also produces oxygen. In some embodiments, the osmotic food production system is portable and capable of transporting on a vehicle capable of space travel. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to address the existing problems of food production, waste disposal/utilization, oxygen generation, and water conservation in an efficient way to allow for prolonged space travel or colonization of distant planets and moons.

A hollow fiber membrane module includes a pressure vessel, a plurality of hollow fiber membrane elements arranged in series inside the pressure vessel, and a connector that connects the hollow fiber membrane elements to each other. Each of the hollow fiber membrane elements includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a double-core tube extending in a longitudinal direction of the plurality of hollow fiber membrane elements. The connector includes a first channel and a second channel that do not communicate with each other. Between the hollow fiber membrane elements, the outer channels of the hollow fiber membrane elements are connected to each other through the first channel, the inner channels of the hollow fiber membrane elements are connected to each other through the second channel, and hollow portions of the hollow fiber membranes communicate with the inner channels through the second channel.

A hollow fiber membrane module includes a pressure vessel, a plurality of hollow fiber membrane elements arranged in series inside the pressure vessel, and a connector that connects the hollow fiber membrane elements to each other. Each of the hollow fiber membrane elements includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a double-core tube extending in a longitudinal direction of the plurality of hollow fiber membrane elements. The connector includes a first channel and a second channel that do not communicate with each other. Between the hollow fiber membrane elements, the outer channels of the hollow fiber membrane elements are connected to each other through the first channel, the inner channels of the hollow fiber membrane elements are connected to each other through the second channel, and hollow portions of the hollow fiber membranes communicate with the inner channels through the second channel.

The present invention discloses a beverage dispenser, having a supply opening adapted for supplying an aqueous liquid from a source of aqueous liquid, wherein the supply opening is couplable to the source of aqueous liquid; a recooling heat exchanger having a heat receiving portion, a recooling inlet and a recooling outlet, wherein the supply opening is coupled with the recooling inlet; a reverse osmosis filter having an inlet for aqueous liquid, a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet, wherein the recooling outlet of the recooling heat exchanger is connected to the inlet of the reverse osmosis filter; and a cooling device having a cooling portion extracting heat energy from the permeate and a heat dissipation portion dissipating energy to the heat receiving portion of the recooling heat exchanger; wherein the heat dissipation portion of the cooling device is thermally coupled with the heat receiving portion of the recooling heat exchanger; and wherein the cooling portion of the cooling device is thermally coupled with the permeate exiting the permeate outlet of the reverse osmosis filter, wherein the permeate enters the cooling portion by a cooling portion permeate inlet and exits the cooling portion by a cooling portion permeate outlet.

A membrane for water collection may include a sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of conical structures disposed on the top surface of the sheet, the conical structures comprising a hydrogel material. Each conical structure of the plurality of conical structures may have a height of 1 mm to 50 mm, wherein height is measured from the top surface of the sheet to an apex of a conical structure. Each conical structure of the plurality of conical structures may have an apex angle of 10 to 60 degrees.