| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080203019 | MEMBRANE BATCH FILTRATION PROCESS - A membrane batch filtration process has a step of reducing the water level in the tank by permeation prior to emptying the tank to reduce the volume of water drained after each batch. Permeation may continue even after a portion of the membranes is exposed to air to further lower the water level. The membranes may be backwashed after the water level has been lowered. The water level may be lowered again after the backwash. The tank drain may begin with a portion of the membranes exposed to air. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080251455 | Cyclic Aeration System for Submerged Membrane Modules - An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080257820 | Apparatus and Method for Treating Fgd Blowdown or Similar Liquids - A process has steps of one or more of aerobic treatment to remove COD and nitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to denitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to remove selenium and anaerobic treatment to remove heavy metals and sulphur. The process may be used to treat, for example, FGD blow down water. The process may further include one or more of (a) membrane separation of the waste stream upstream of the anoxic digestion to remove selenium, (b) dilution upstream of the biological treatment step, (c) physical/chemical pretreatment upstream of the biological processes or dilution step to remove TSS and soften the waste stream, or (d) ammonia stripping upstream of the biological treatment steps or dilutions step. These processes may be provided in a variety of suspended growth or fixed film reactors, for example a membrane bioreactor or a fixed film reactor having a GAC bed. Processes for biological treatment of inorganic compounds in a fixed medium reactor is described including steps of one or more of maintaining desired ORP levels, optionally by controlling nutrient addition, and removing solids or gas bubbles from the medium bed. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080314826 | Membrane Supported Biofilm Process for Autotrophic Reduction - A hollow gas transfer fibre is arranged in tows and potted into a module. The module may be used to treat wastewater by supplying hydrogen containing gas via the interior of the fibers to a biofilm present on an exterior surface of the fibers. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090117631 | ALCOHOL EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION - This document describes a fermentation product producing or processing apparatus or process involving membrane pervaporation (PV) and either vapor permeation or distillation or both. The fermentation product may be produced semi-continuously wherein product concentration is maintained below a selected value by removal through pervaporation membranes. After a period of operation, the broth may be distilled. Distillation and/or pervaporation products may be further dewatered using vapor permeation. The PV membranes may be used in the form of immersed modules, for example with a flat sheet configuration. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090134092 | MEMBRANE FILTRATION DEVICE AND PROCESS - An element for use in ultrafiltration or microfiltration of potable water has a large number of small diameter hollow fibre membranes attached between two headers. Side plates attached to the sides of the headers define vertical flow channels containing the membranes. The elements may be placed side by side and stacked on top of each other to form cassettes having continuous vertical flow channels through the entire cassette. The membrane modules or cassettes may be arranged to cover a substantial part of the cross sectional area of an open tank. Tank water may flow upwards or downwards through the flow channels. A tank may be deconcentrated by at least partially emptying and refilling the tank with fresh water while permeation continues. Excess tank water created during deconcentration may flow generally upwards through the modules and out through a retentate outlet or overflow at the top of the tank. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090218299 | INVERTED AERATED IMMERSED SCREEN, SCREEN ASSEMBLY AND OPERATING PROCESS - A static screen used upstream of a membrane assembly within a water treatment system has a screening surface with a number of openings distributed over its area. Liquid flows through the screening surface to reach the membrane assembly. Various shapes of screening surfaces are described including three-dimensional bodies with openings at or near their lower ends. Methods for cleaning the screen are described including aeration, backwashing and lowering down the water level in an upstream section by partially or completely draining a tank. Various treatment systems or process designs incorporating the screen are described. Screen elements may be made in two or more parts comprising a supporting structure and a separation layer and may be mounted on a conduit or pan. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090277826 | HOLLOW FIBRE MEMBRANE MODULE - A module has a housing and a tube-sheet. Hollow fiber membranes are potted in the tube-sheet with their ends open. Mechanical interference prevents excessive movement of the tube-sheet along the length of the housing. A gasket is placed in a groove between the tube-sheet and the housing, opening towards the outer face of the tube-sheet. A cap is secured and sealed to the end of the housing. To construct the module, membranes are placed inside of the housing with their ends protruding. A potting fixture is attached to the end of the housing over the ends of the membranes and protruding into the end of the housing so as to form the groove. Liquid potting material is injected into the potting fixture and solidified into a tube-sheet. The potting fixture is removed and the ends of the fibers are cut open. The module may be used, for example, to dehydrate a fermentation product vapour mixture fed through the lumens of the fibres by extracting water vapour permeated into the housing under partial vacuum. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20100237014 | MEMBRANE MODULE WITH MULTIPLE BOTTOM HEADERS AND FILTRATION PROCESS - A membrane module ( | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100300963 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING FGD BLOWDOWN OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS - A process has steps of one or more of aerobic treatment to remove COD and nitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to denitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to remove selenium and anaerobic treatment to remove heavy metals and sulphur. The process may be used to treat, for example, FGD blow down water. The process may further include one or more of (a) membrane separation of the waste stream upstream of the anoxic digestion to remove selenium, (b) dilution upstream of the biological treatment step, (c) physical/chemical pretreatment upstream of the biological processes or dilution step to remove TSS and soften the waste stream, or (d) ammonia stripping upstream of the biological treatment steps or dilutions step. These processes may be provided in a variety of suspended growth or fixed film reactors, for example a membrane bioreactor or a fixed film reactor having a GAC bed. Processes for biological treatment of inorganic compounds in a fixed medium reactor is described including steps of one or more of maintaining desired ORP levels, optionally by controlling nutrient addition, and removing solids or gas bubbles from the medium bed. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110006003 | CYCLIC AERATION SYSTEM FOR SUBMERGED MEMBRANE MODULES - An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110042312 | PROCESS CONTROL FOR AN IMMERSED MEMBRANE SYSTEM - An immersed membrane system or process may use measured or calculated process information to optimize one or more process operating parameters to improve performance or reduce operating costs. An on-line process control system or method may use the resistance in series method in operating an immersed membrane water treatment system. A process control system or process may consider resistance values and adjust operational parameters such as membrane aeration frequency factor, membrane aeration flow, permeate flux, permeation duration, backwash flow and duration, relaxation duration or maintenance or recovery chemical cleaning frequencies in order to reduce the operational costs related to membrane fouling removal. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110126707 | EMISSION TREATMENT PROCESS FROM NATURAL GAS DEHYDRATORS - The off-gas from the still and flash tank of an existing glycol-based dehydration unit (containing water vapor, methane, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), VOCs (volatile organic compounds)) is sent directly to a gas separation membrane system for dehydration. The gas separation membrane has a high selectivity for water over organic compounds (for example, the membrane described in WO2005/007277A1). The driving force for water permeation is established by applying a vacuum on the permeate side of the membrane unit or by flowing a sweep gas, for example warm, dry air through the permeate side of the unit. | 06-02-2011 |
