A cord for supporting a biofilm has a plurality of yarns. At least one of the yarns comprises a plurality of hollow fiber gas transfer membranes. At least one of the yarns extends along the length of the cord generally in the shape of a spiral. Optionally, one or more of the yarns may comprise one or more reinforcing filaments. In some examples, a reinforcing yarn is wrapped around a core. A module may be made by potting a plurality of the cords in at least one header. A reactor may be made and operated by placing the module in a tank fed with water to be treated and supplying a gas to the module. In use, a biofilm covers the cords to form a membrane biofilm assembly.

A method for joining braids that are used for a braid-reinforced hollow fiber membrane, produced by the method inserting a core material into the hollow parts of ends of two braids to be joined to connect the two braids, covering the joint part with a heat-shrinkable tube, and shrinking the heat-shrinkable tube by heating at 120 to 160 C., thereby joining the braid ends together, and that can exhibit sufficient joint strength when load is applied during spinning, or when a porous hollow fiber membrane is used as a treatment membrane for water purification treatment, sewage and waste water treatment, etc. A braid-reinforced porous hollow fiber membrane is produced by allowing braids whose ends are joined by the above method to pass through the inner nozzle of a double annular spinning nozzle, applying a membrane-forming dope discharged from the outer nozzle of the double annular spinning nozzle to the outer surfaces of the joined braids passing through the inner nozzle of the double annular spinning nozzle for impregnation, then coagulating the braids in a coagulating liquid, and winding the braids on a bobbin.

An ultra-filtration membrane assembly having an exterior housing having a housing; an ultra-filtration membrane provided within the housing, the ultra-filtration membrane being having a plurality of elongated filtration fibers arranged in a spiraled coil; and one or more filaments woven around the plurality of elongated filtration fibers thus binding each of the one or more adjacent elongated filtration fibers at a predetermined axial spacing from one another.

A separator element for obtaining molecular and/or particulate separation by tangential flow of a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, the element comprising a structure (2) of at least two porous rigid columns (3) made of the same material, positioned side by side to define outside their outside walls a volume (4) for recovering the filtrate, each column (3) presenting internally at least one open structure (5) for passing a flow of the fluid medium, opening out in one of the ends of the porous column for inlet of the fluid medium for treatment and in the other end for outlet of the retentate. The element is a single-piece rigid structure (2) made as a single piece that is uniform and continuous throughout, without any bonds or exogenous additions.

A filter module of an extracorporeal blood treatment machine with a filter casing in which a hollow fiber bundle is attached whose hollow fibers comprise a hollow fibre wall made of a semi-permeable membrane, and whereby in their longitudinal extension the hollow fibers comprise a number of changes in their diameter. An amplitude of 0.1 to 1 mm is achieved for the exterior diameter of the respective hollow fiber starting from the hollow fiber's axis, whereby the periodicity provided in the axial direction of the hollow fiber is within a range of 1 to 10 cm and on the inside of the filter casing at least one radial constriction is configured or provided by which the fiber bundle is locally constricted.

A method for removing acidic gases from a post combustion process stream, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the post combustion process stream into hollow fibers of at least one MBC cell, each hollow fiber gas permeable, liquid impermeable; passing a lean solvent in contact with an external surface of said hollow fibers; exchanging said acidic gas into the solvent through the hollow fiber; venting an acidic gas lean stream; exiting an acidic gas rich solvent.

A method for preparing a homogeneous braid-reinforced (HMR) PPTA hollow fiber membrane combines PPTA hollow tubular braids with PPTA surface separation layer. The method includes following steps of: (1) preparing the PPTA hollow tubular braids, wherein the PPTA hollow tubular braids which are made from PPTA filament yarns are woven by a two-dimensional braided method, the outer diameter of the PPTA tubular braids is 1-2 mm; (2) preparing the PPTA casting solution as the surface separation layer, wherein the 1-3 wt % PPTA resin, 0-2 wt % inorganic particles and 10-20 wt % pore-forming agents are mixed into 75-89% inorganic acid solvent, stirred for 1-3 hours at 70 C.-90 C. to form homogeneous and transparent casting solution; and (3) preparing reinforced PPTA hollow fiber membrane, wherein the casting solution as the surface separation layer is evenly coated on the surfaces of the PPTA hollow tubular braids through spinneret, and they are immersed in a coagulation bath for solidified formation.

A method of manufacturing a separator element for obtaining molecular and/or particulate separation by tangential flow of a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, the element having a structure (2) of at least two porous rigid columns (3) made of the same material, positioned side by side to define, outside their outside walls, a volume (4) for recovering the filtrate, each column (3) presenting, internally, at least one open structure (5) for passing a flow of the fluid medium, opening out in one of the ends of the porous column for inlet of the fluid medium for treatment, and in the other end for outlet of the retentate. The element is a single-piece rigid structure (2) made as a single piece that is uniform and continuous throughout, without any bonds or exogenous additions.

A cord for supporting a biofilm has a plurality of yarns. At least one of the yarns comprises a plurality of hollow fiber gas transfer membranes. At least one of the yarns extends along the length of the cord generally in the shape of a spiral. Optionally, one or more of the yarns may comprise one or more reinforcing filaments. In some examples, a reinforcing yarn is wrapped around a core. A module may be made by potting a plurality of the cords in at least one header. A reactor may be made and operated by placing the module in a tank fed with water to be treated and supplying a gas to the module. In use, a biofilm covers the cords to form a membrane biofilm assembly.

A cord for supporting a biofilm has a plurality of yarns. At least one of the yarns comprises a plurality of hollow fiber gas transfer membranes. At least one of the yarns extends along the length of the cord generally in the shape of a spiral. Optionally, one or more of the yarns may comprise one or more reinforcing filaments. In some examples, a reinforcing yarn is wrapped around a core. A module may be made by potting a plurality of the cords in at least one header. A reactor may be made and operated by placing the module in a tank fed with water to be treated and supplying a gas to the module. In use, a biofilm covers the cords to form a membrane biofilm assembly.