The present invention relates to a external-perfusion hollow-fiber membrane module containing a hollow-fiber membrane bundle including a plurality of hollow-fiber membranes; and a casing that houses the hollow-fiber membrane bundle, wherein the hollow-fiber membrane bundle has one end that is fixed to an inside of the casing by a potting portion in an open state, and the external-perfusion hollow-fiber membrane module is configured to perform degassing on a gas contained in a liquid inside the casing, the gas being introduced into an inside from an outer surface of the hollow-fiber membrane.

A module includes a bonded portion in which the hollow-fiber-membranes are bonded and fixed together by potting material at least in an end portion of each of the hollow-fiber-membranes. Each of the hollow-fiber-membranes has a resin impregnation portion in which resin is impregnated into an outer surface side of each of the hollow-fiber-membranes at least in the end portion where each of the hollow-fiber-membranes is bonded and fixed together. In the end portion of the hollow-fiber-membranes, a leading edge of the resin impregnation portion toward the other end of each of the hollow-fiber-membranes is located closer to the other end than a leading edge of the bonded portion toward the other end. The thickness of the resin impregnation portion in the direction of the wall thickness of the hollow-fiber-membranes is 10 to 70% with respect to the thickness of the hollow-fiber-membranes.

The present invention relates to a water treatment method including: a filtration step of feeding water to be treated to a membrane filtration device having loaded therein a porous separation membrane and performing filtration treatment to obtain filtrate; a discharging step of discharging the water to be treated in the membrane filtration device, which has been separated and concentrated by the porous separation membrane; and a cleaning step of cleaning the porous separation membrane by at least one treatment of physical cleaning and chemical cleaning, in which a cycle including a combination of the filtration step, the discharging step and the cleaning step is repeated multiple times, thereby obtaining filtrate. In each cycle, the filtration step and the discharging step are repeated multiple times, and the cleaning step is then carried out.

The present invention relates to a method of operating a membrane filtration unit including plural hollow fiber membrane modules connected to each other in parallel, the method including: a filtration step; a collection step; and a recovery step, in which a relation of n.sub.1≥n.sub.2>n.sub.3 is satisfied, where n.sub.1 is the number of the hollow fiber membrane modules simultaneously used in executing the filtration step, n.sub.2 is the number of the hollow fiber membrane modules simultaneously used in executing the collection step, and n.sub.3 is the number of the hollow fiber membrane modules simultaneously used in executing the recovery step.

A fluid storage and dispensing assembly includes a fluid chamber having at least one side wall extending between an upper end and a closed lower end thereby defining a reservoir. A lid connectable proximate the chamber upper end has a first surface and an opposite second surface and defines a fluid inlet connecting the first and second surfaces. The fluid inlet defines an axis and includes a first fluid sealing member. A fluid filtration unit having a first end configured for removable fluid tight attachment to the lid at the second surface and a second end is provided with a filtration channel defined therebetween. The second end defines a filter outlet, and a unit of filter media is positioned between the first and second ends. The filtration outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet when the first end is attached to the lid unit, wherein the first sealing member is configured for releasable attachment in a fluid tight seal with a head of a pressurized fluid source when engaged such that the pressure from the fluid source forces fluid from the source through the filter media and from the filtration outlet into the reservoir.

A potting system comprising a potting unit having an integrated compressible seal formed from the same material that the potting unit is composed of.

The present invention relates to a complex filter and to a water purifier including a complex filter. By providing a complex filter for a water purifier including an antibacterial hollow fiber membrane, activated carbon fibers, ion-exchange fibers, and one or more activated carbon layers arranged in an optimized combination, the size of a water purifier can be reduced, and excellent water-purifying performance and an improved service life can be provided.

Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of an apparatus for securing hollow fiber filtration membranes in a filtration module. In one example, the apparatus comprises a restraining structure engaging elongate portions of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers and an anchor formation engaging the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers and positioned closer to eye portions of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers than at least a portion of the restraining structure. Neither the anchor formation nor the restraining structure sealingly engage open ends of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers.

The present invention provides an intrinsically anti-microbial hollow fiber membrane for filtration of liquids. The membrane comprises a plurality of porous hollow bilayer membrane fibers wherein the liquid enters from outside of the fiber, passing through the porous membrane into the lumen of the fiber and coming out from the hollow ending of the fiber, wherein this configuration provides a liquid outside-in arrangement and retains the filtrate outside. It means that membrane of the invention has built in characteristics to act against microbes in order to provide the use with a safe liquid free from microbes. The outer side or outer wall of the hollow fibers may be configured to become hydrophobic whereas inner side or inner wall of the hollow fiber membrane may be configured to become hydrophilic to enhance the water permeability to a great extent. The hollow fiber membrane may be configured to give it an intrinsic anti-microbial capability. A device containing above said membrane has also been disclosed.

A cell culture bioreactor has perfusion membranes and gas transfer membranes or a gas phase in an extra-membrane space in contact with a film on the perfusion membranes. Gas transfer membranes may travel through the perfusion membranes or through the extra-membrane space. Examples with hollow fiber and flat sheet membranes are shown. One or more of the membranes optionally has a responsive surface, for example a thermo-responsive surface. In some examples, membranes are located in X-Y planes while the length of the reactor extends in a Z-direction.