Disclosed herein is a forward osmosis module for concentration and/or crystallization salts from an aqueous feed solution, the feed solution including seeds that surround an open semi-permeable membrane having free membrane portions forming an enclosure with a distribution pipe that introduces draw solution inside said enclosure. The feed solution penetrates into the enclosure as permeate from the feed side of the membrane to the draw solution side according to a Forward Osmosis process based on net driving pressure. The draw solution with permeate is evacuated from the enclosure via an outlet. A generator applies, at least periodically, a plurality of directional gauge pressure strokes PGs, directed from at least one of the draw solution inlet and outlet thereby effecting mechanical shaking of the free membrane portions for detachment of foulant.

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.

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

An electrochemical separation device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a cell stack including a plurality of sub-blocks each having alternating depleting compartments and concentrating compartments and each including frame and channel portions disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. An internal seal formed of a first material is disposed between and in contact with the channel portions between adjacent sub-blocks in the cell stack and configured to prevent leakage between depleting compartments and concentrating compartments in the adjacent sub-blocks. An external seal formed of a second material having at least one material parameter different from the first material is disposed between and in contact with the frames of the adjacent sub-blocks in the cell stack and configured to prevent leakage from an internal volume of the electrochemical separation device to outside of the electrochemical separation device.

Hemofilters for in vivo filtration of blood are disclosed. The hemofilters disclosed herein provide an optimal flow of blood through the filtration channels while maintaining a pressure gradient across the filtration channel walls to enhance filtration and minimize turbulence and stagnation of blood in the hemofilter.

A humidification device is provided with at least one stacked unit with water vapor-permeable membranes arranged parallel and spaced apart relative to each other. The membranes each have an edge area framed by frames. The frames are formed by a film composite of a lower film and an upper film, wherein the lower and upper films of the film composite clamp the edge area of one or more of the membranes therebetween. The lower and upper films of the film composite are fixedly connected to each other. Alternatively, the frames are formed by a thermoplastic yarn that is sewn into the edge area of one or more of the membranes, respectively, wherein the thermoplastic yarn is reshaped by heat and pressure.

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.

A humidifier for transferring water vapour from a first gas stream to a second gas stream in a fuel cell system comprises a stack of thin plates having planar sealing surfaces at their edges, along which they are sealed together. A water permeable membranes is provided between each pair of plates in the stack. Each plate defines a gas flow passage along its top and bottom surfaces, with an inlet and outlet defined along edges of the plate, and a flow field extending between the inlet and outlet openings. Inlet and outlet passages connect the inlet and outlet openings to the flow field, and the planar sealing surfaces on both sides of the plate include bridging portions which extend across the inlet and outlet passages. Support structures such as ribs are provided throughout the flow field and the inlet and outlet passages to support the membrane and diffusion medium layer(s). The support structures may optionally be connected together by webs, and the webs are provided with holes to permit flow distribution between the top and bottom of each plate.

A diafiltration system comprises a fluid treatment assembly comprising two or more fluid treatment modules, the fluid treatment assembly comprising a feed inlet, a permeate outlet, and a retentate outlet; each module comprising a cross flow treatment assembly including an ultrafiltration membrane and having a feed side and a permeate side, and a diafiltration fluid distribution plate comprising a diafiltration fluid feed inlet and a common feed permeate/diafiltration fluid permeate outlet port; two or more diafiltration fluid conduits, each conduit in fluid communication with a respective single diafiltration fluid feed inlet; and, a diafiltration fluid pump comprising at least a first multiple channel pump head having at least two channels including separate channels for separate conduits in fluid communication with respective single diafiltration fluid feed inlets, wherein the pump provides simultaneously controlled diafiltration fluid flow rates through each of the conduits to the respective diafiltration fluid feed inlets.

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 and/or in series to ultimately design many unrelated medical devices such as dialysis, bioreactors and organ support devices.