Disclosed is a separation membrane cartridge-cleaning apparatus for sewage treatment process. The apparatus conveniently cleans the separation membrane cartridges, thereby improving workability, as the separation membrane cartridges mounted within the membrane separation aerobic tank of the sewage treatment process are removed which have been contaminated while performing the solid-liquid separation of the contaminants contained in the sewage, and then the cartridges are separably mounted on the cartridge-cleaning apparatus of water mill type rotatably installed within the cleaning tank containing the cleaning liquid, and thereafter, the contaminated separation membrane cartridges are immersed in the cleaning liquid and the water and air are sprayed from filter-cleaning means above the cartridges to clean the cartridges.

Disclosed are membrane separation cleaning processes and clean in place compositions for such membranes. The cleaning compositions can remove proteins, fats, and other food, beverage, and brewery based soils and offer an environmentally friendly alternative surfactant system to NPE. Branched extended chain PO/EO nonionic surfactants with certain characteristics may be used to provide superior cleaning to membranes. The specific surfactants may be used alone or in combination. In some embodiments, the surfactant package is used as part of a cleaning composition.

Disclosed are membrane separation cleaning processes and clean in place compositions for such membranes. The cleaning compositions can remove proteins, fats, and other food, beverage, and brewery based soils and offer an environmentally friendly alternative surfactant system to NPE. Branched extended chain PO/EO nonionic surfactants with certain characteristics may be used to provide superior cleaning to membranes. The specific surfactants may be used alone or in combination. In some embodiments, the surfactant package is used as part of a cleaning composition.

A water filtration device includes a diffusiophoretic water filter having an inlet and an outlet and for receiving a colloidal suspension at the inlet and flowing the colloidal suspension between the inlet and the outlet in a flow direction; a diffusiophoretic-inducing membrane; a cover, the membrane and the cover defining a plurality of channels extending between the inlet and the outlet; an outlet splitter for the plurality of channels being fixed with respect to the membrane or the cover, the cover and membrane being flexible and configured to permit rolling up of the membrane and the cover. A related method is also provided.

The invention relates to a process for cleaning a polymer membrane comprising the steps of (A) filtering an aqueous liquid through the polymer membrane; (B) drying the polymer membrane; (C) washing the polymer membrane with water or a chemical washing solution; and (D) continuing the filtering of the aqueous liquid through the polymer membrane.

A diffusiophoretic water filtration device has a pressurizable gas chamber for receiving a pressurized gas; an inlet manifold for receiving a colloidal suspension including colloidal particles in water; a flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the flow chamber for receiving the colloidal suspension at the inlet from the inlet manifold, the colloidal suspension flowing between the inlet and at least one outlet in a flow direction; and a gas membrane separating the gas chamber and the flow chamber, the sheet being made of a gas permeable membrane, the pressurized gas capable of permeating the membrane, the membrane being water impermeable, the gas membrane having a first side facing the pressurized gas chamber, and a second side facing the flow chamber, the flow chamber having a plurality of channels, each channel contacting the second side of the membrane; and an outlet splitter separating a first outlet from a second outlet and splitting the plurality of channels, the first outlet for receiving water having a higher concentration of some of the colloidal particles than the second outlet.

A water filtration device comprising: a diffusiophoretic water filter having at least one channel having an inlet and an outlet and for receiving a colloidal suspension at the inlet and flowing the colloidal suspension between the inlet and the outlet in a flow direction, the channel being in contact with a diffusiophoretic-inducing membrane. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.

A method for operating a diffusiophoretic water filter includes removing a membrane in a diffusiophoretic water filter; and replacing the membrane with a new membrane.

A water filtration device includes a diffusiophoretic water filter having an inlet and an outlet and for receiving a colloidal suspension at the inlet and flowing the colloidal suspension between the inlet and the outlet in a flow direction; a diffusiophoretic-inducing membrane; a cover, the membrane and the cover defining a plurality of channels extending between the inlet and the outlet; an outlet splitter for the plurality of channels being fixed with respect to the membrane or the cover, the cover and membrane being flexible and configured to permit rolling up of the membrane and the cover. A related method is also provided.

A water filtration device comprising: a diffusiophoretic water filter having at least one channel having an inlet and an outlet and for receiving a colloidal suspension at the inlet and flowing the colloidal suspension between the inlet and the outlet in a flow direction, the channel being in contact with a diffusiophoretic-inducing membrane. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.