A membrane element having a filtration main body, a header (a water collection portion) that collects treated water from an end portion of the filtration main body and a treated water lead-out portion that leads out the treated water is used. The treated water lead-out portion is connected to a tubular peripheral wall of a water collection pipe that collects treated water solid-liquid-separated by the membrane element, and communicates with an inside of the tubular peripheral wall. The tubular peripheral wall has a thick portion that is thicker in a horizontal direction at an upper-side peripheral wall portion located at an upper side (or at a lower-side peripheral wall portion located at a lower side) in the radial direction of the tubular peripheral wall, and a connecting hole that penetrates the thick portion.

A humidifier for humidifying a dry cathode supply air via a humid cathode exhaust air in a fuel cell system, may include a housing, a membrane stack, and/or a sealing arrangement. The membrane stack may include a plurality of membranes, two first side surfaces, two second side surfaces, and/or two third side surfaces. The plurality of membranes may be stacked on one another transversely to a longitudinal direction of the membrane stack. The first side surfaces may be arranged opposite one another. The second side surfaces may be arranged opposite one another. The third side surfaces may be arranged opposite one another. The sealing arrangement may include two sealing frames, each of the sealing frames is assigned to one of the respective first side surfaces. Each of the sealing frames may have a frame-shaped contact area and a retaining edge protruding from the contact area.

A tangential flow filtration manifold takes a modular form for interconnection in a manifolded arrangement for aggregating a total filtration area of the aggregate filter (membrane) surface. A plurality of modular TFF cassette filters may be or stacked on the TFF manifold such that it allows the number of interconnected filters, as well as the membrane surface area within each cassette, to be readily reconfigured. A single output, or filtrate connection on the TFF manifold simplifies fluidic plumbing connections for directing and gathering the filtrate (permeate) produced as output.

A membrane element having a filtration main body, a header (a water collection portion) that collects treated water from an end portion of the filtration main body and a treated water lead-out portion that leads out the treated water is used. The treated water lead-out portion is connected to a tubular peripheral wall of a water collection pipe that collects treated water solid-liquid-separated by the membrane element, and communicates with an inside of the tubular peripheral wall. The tubular peripheral wall has a thick portion that is thicker in a horizontal direction at an upper-side peripheral wall portion located at an upper side (or at a lower-side peripheral wall portion located at a lower side) in the radial direction of the tubular peripheral wall, and a connecting hole that penetrates the thick portion.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods that can treat feeds with elevated organic levels, e.g., feeds with ≥300 Pascals (Pa) organic osmotic pressure, with one or more enhanced filter membrane modules, which may be referred to herein as membrane modules or simply modules. Preferably, a filter membrane module consistent with the present disclosure include one or more plate and frame modules, one or more spiral format modules, or a combination of plate a frame and spiral format modules. The systems and methods provided herein can provide reliable performance when used to treat feeds with elevated organic levels.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure.

Membrane-based hydrogen purifiers having graphite frame members. The purifiers include a hydrogen-separation membrane module with at least one membrane cell containing at least one hydrogen-selective membrane, which includes a permeate face and an opposed mixed gas face, and a fluid-permeable support structure that physically contacts and supports at least a central region of the permeate face. The membrane cell further includes a permeate-side frame member and a mixed gas-side frame member. The permeate-side frame member is interposed between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the fluid-permeable support structure to physically contact a peripheral region of the permeate face and a peripheral region of the fluid-permeable support structure. The mixed gas-side frame member physically contacts a peripheral region of the mixed gas face. At least one of the permeate-side frame member and the mixed gas-side frame member is a graphite frame member.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure.

A self-contained filtration assembly with a self-contained filtration cassette therein. The cassette may be formed from one or more layers membranes and spacers (spacers, screens, or combinations thereof) all having the same general shape. The cassette may have a feed inlet path and a retentate outlet path extending through the layers of the cassette within the perimeter of the cassette, and a permeate outlet path between the cassette exterior and the interior of the cassette housing. The housing may have a generally circular or elliptical cross-section. A clamping assembly may hold together the components of the housing, and may be elongated in a direction along the flow path of the feedstream through the cassette. Various port-defining zones defined in the layers of the cassette may be sealed in a manner facilitating assembly of the cassette as well as isolation of the flow paths therein.