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Liquid-liquid extraction device
PATENTS
Introducing oxygen into water using a membrane Applicant: Messer Austria GmbH, Austria The invention relates to a device that introduces oxygen into water. It is used in conjunction with another device for separating oxygen from the air. The device that separates oxygen from air comprises at least one oxygen-permeable membrane for the creation of oxygen in molecular form. The oxygen-permeable membrane is arranged such that one side of the membrane comes into direct contact with the water. Patent number,"W O 01/28936 Inventor: P. Grohmann Publication date: 26 April 2001
Removing and recovering phenolic compounds Applicant: Membrane Extraction Technology, UI( A process is provided for removing and recovering one or more un-dissociated phenolic compounds dissolved in aqueous fluid. The process comprises a number of steps. Essentially it involves transferring one or more undissociated phenolic compounds from the aqueous fluid to an alkaline stripping solution, where transfer of one or more un-dissociated phenolic compounds occurs across a membrane. The membrane is a non-porous, selectively permeable membrane. The volume of alkaline stripping solution is regulated relative to the volume of aqueous fluid, and is treated so that the total phenolic compound concentration in the alkaline stripping solution (comprising the sum of the dissociated and un-dissociated phenolic compound concentrations) is above the solubility of the phenolic compounds in the acidified stripping solution. The pH of the alkaline stripping solution in contact with the membrane is regulated to a value at least 0.5 units above the acidic dissociation constant of the phenolic compound. The pH of the phenolic compound containing the alkaline stripping solution is adjusted to a value below the alkaline dissociation constant of the phenolic compound. Finally, the resulting phenolic compound-rich phase and the alkaline stripping solution are separated. Patent number: W O 01/28666 Inventors: S. Zhang, J.-E Arcangeli, G.A. Livingston, A.T. Boam Publication date: 26 April 2001
Fluid-separation assembly Applicant: ATI Properties, USA This patent provides details of a fluid-separation assembly with a fluid-permeable membrane and an adjacent wire-mesh membrane. The wire-mesh membrane supports the fluidpermeable membrane and is coated with an inter-metallic diffusion barrier. The barrier may be a thin film containing at least one ofa nitride, oxide, boride, silicide, carbide or aluminide.
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Several fluid separation assemblies can be used in a module to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture containing hydrogen. Patent number: W O 01/28662 Inventors: C.B. Frost, B.R. Krueger Publication date: 26 April 200 l
Filter for a virucide substance Applicant: Maco Pharma, France The invention concerns a filtering unit for eliminating a virucide substance contained in a biological fluid. It comprises an outer casing provided with inlet and outlet orifices. The casing contains a filtering medium defining inlet and outlet sections of the filtering unit. The filtering medium is produced from a hydrophilic material in the form of a porous non-woven and/or a porous membrane capable of absorbing and/or adsorbing the virucide substance. Patent number: W O 01/28597 Inventors: E Goudaliez, T. Verpoort Publication date: 26 April 2001
Low-temperature fuel cells Applicant."Forschungszentrmn Jiilich, Germany The patent relates to application of a catalytically active material to a polymer membrane for lowtemperature fuel cells. A non-polar solvent, a catalytically active material and a polymer solution are processed into a paste. This paste is applied to the membrane in a layer, by screen printing. The paste is dried and pressed onto the membrane, and heated. The use of non-polar solvents prevents swelling in the membrane. It is possible to produce the desired product with only a few processing steps. Material losses are minimized using the screen-printing technique, so the method is economical and simple. Patent number: W O 01/31725 Inventors:A.K. Gupta, E Tietz, H.P. Buchkremer, I. Kundler Publication date: 3 May 2001
Liquid-liquid extraction device Applicant: Esytech AB, Sweden An extraction device is described for liquidliquid extraction of at least one analyte from a sample and on-line transfer ofanalyte(s) to a gas chromatography apparatus. The extraction device comprises a membrane-based extraction unit, sample inlet and outlet, and an organic liquid inlet. It also comprises a needle which is connected to a gas chromatography apparatus injector for the on-line transfer of the analyte(s) from the membrane-based extraction unit to the gas chromatography apparatus. Patent number: W O 01/31330 Inventors: E. Thordarson, J. Norberg Publication date: 3 May 2001
Coating aluminium alloy substrates Applicant: Alcoa Inc, USA An aluminium alloy substrate is pretreated with an aqueous solution containing an organo-phosphorus compound, preferably a
vinyl-phosphonic acid-acrylic acid co-polymer, before it is coated with a polymer. Passing the substrate through the solution contaminates it with Al and other elements. The pretreatment solution is rejuvenated by removing Al with a cation-exchange resin that contains a styrenedivinyl benzene cop-olymer functionalised with sulfonate groups. Rinsing the substrate contaminates the rinse water with the copolymer. The rinse water is concentrated by RO or membrane ultrafiltration and returned to the pretreatment solution. Patent number: W O 01/32955 Inventors: J.D. Guthrie, A.M. Dennis Publication date: 10 May 2001
Membrane filtration element Applicant: Stork Friesland, The Netherlands This membrane filtration unit comprises a housing that has a feed-stock inlet; permeate and retentate outlets; at least one bundle of tubular membranes which is accommodated in the housing; sealing bodies that hold the end-parts of the membranes which are sealed in a fixed position with respect to the housing (and thus separate the housing into separate spaces); and at least one flexible, permeable sleeve element which encloses the bundle of membranes and holds it together. The flexible, permeable sleeve element encloses a centre-part, which is situated between the securely held end-parts of the bundle of membranes. Socket members are provided, which delimit transitional parts of the bundle of membranes, whose transitional parts are situated at the 'point of transition' from the securely held end-parts to the enclosed centre-part. Patent number: WO 01/32299 Inventors: H. Futselaar, EE. Hoogeveen Publication date." 10 May 2001
Fuel cell stack Applicant: Dornier GmbH, Germany This fuel cell stack comprises at least one membrane-electrode unit with an anode, cathode and electrolyte membrane. It also contains at least one gas-distribution structure on the anode side with anode gas entry and exit zones, in addition to channels for guiding the anode gas from the anode gas-entry zone to the anode gas-exit zone. Also described is the anode gas (containing hydrogen), at least one gas distribution structure on the cathode side with cathode gas entry and exit zones, in addition to channels to guide the cathode gas from the cathode gas-entry zone to the cathode gas-exit zone. Also detailed are the cathode gas (containing oxygen and water vapour), a coolant distribution structure with coolant entry and exit zones, and channels to guide the coolant from the entry to the exit zone. The coolant entry-zone and cathode gas exit-zone overlap, such that the water vapour can condense out of the cathode waste gas in this overlap zone. Patent number: W O 01/35476 Inventors: 0. Schmid, C.Heller, U. Martin Publication date: 17 May 2001
MembraneTechnologyNo.137
Introducing oxygen into water using a membrane Applicant: Messer Austria GmbH, Austria The invention relates to a device that introduces oxygen into water. It is used in conjunction with another device for separating oxygen from the air. The device that separates oxygen from air comprises at least one oxygen-permeable membrane for the creation of oxygen in molecular form. The oxygen-permeable membrane is arranged such that one side of the membrane comes into direct contact with the water. Patent number,"W O 01/28936 Inventor: P. Grohmann Publication date: 26 April 2001
Removing and recovering phenolic compounds Applicant: Membrane Extraction Technology, UI( A process is provided for removing and recovering one or more un-dissociated phenolic compounds dissolved in aqueous fluid. The process comprises a number of steps. Essentially it involves transferring one or more undissociated phenolic compounds from the aqueous fluid to an alkaline stripping solution, where transfer of one or more un-dissociated phenolic compounds occurs across a membrane. The membrane is a non-porous, selectively permeable membrane. The volume of alkaline stripping solution is regulated relative to the volume of aqueous fluid, and is treated so that the total phenolic compound concentration in the alkaline stripping solution (comprising the sum of the dissociated and un-dissociated phenolic compound concentrations) is above the solubility of the phenolic compounds in the acidified stripping solution. The pH of the alkaline stripping solution in contact with the membrane is regulated to a value at least 0.5 units above the acidic dissociation constant of the phenolic compound. The pH of the phenolic compound containing the alkaline stripping solution is adjusted to a value below the alkaline dissociation constant of the phenolic compound. Finally, the resulting phenolic compound-rich phase and the alkaline stripping solution are separated. Patent number: W O 01/28666 Inventors: S. Zhang, J.-E Arcangeli, G.A. Livingston, A.T. Boam Publication date: 26 April 2001
Fluid-separation assembly Applicant: ATI Properties, USA This patent provides details of a fluid-separation assembly with a fluid-permeable membrane and an adjacent wire-mesh membrane. The wire-mesh membrane supports the fluidpermeable membrane and is coated with an inter-metallic diffusion barrier. The barrier may be a thin film containing at least one ofa nitride, oxide, boride, silicide, carbide or aluminide.
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Several fluid separation assemblies can be used in a module to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture containing hydrogen. Patent number: W O 01/28662 Inventors: C.B. Frost, B.R. Krueger Publication date: 26 April 200 l
Filter for a virucide substance Applicant: Maco Pharma, France The invention concerns a filtering unit for eliminating a virucide substance contained in a biological fluid. It comprises an outer casing provided with inlet and outlet orifices. The casing contains a filtering medium defining inlet and outlet sections of the filtering unit. The filtering medium is produced from a hydrophilic material in the form of a porous non-woven and/or a porous membrane capable of absorbing and/or adsorbing the virucide substance. Patent number: W O 01/28597 Inventors: E Goudaliez, T. Verpoort Publication date: 26 April 2001
Low-temperature fuel cells Applicant."Forschungszentrmn Jiilich, Germany The patent relates to application of a catalytically active material to a polymer membrane for lowtemperature fuel cells. A non-polar solvent, a catalytically active material and a polymer solution are processed into a paste. This paste is applied to the membrane in a layer, by screen printing. The paste is dried and pressed onto the membrane, and heated. The use of non-polar solvents prevents swelling in the membrane. It is possible to produce the desired product with only a few processing steps. Material losses are minimized using the screen-printing technique, so the method is economical and simple. Patent number: W O 01/31725 Inventors:A.K. Gupta, E Tietz, H.P. Buchkremer, I. Kundler Publication date: 3 May 2001
Liquid-liquid extraction device Applicant: Esytech AB, Sweden An extraction device is described for liquidliquid extraction of at least one analyte from a sample and on-line transfer ofanalyte(s) to a gas chromatography apparatus. The extraction device comprises a membrane-based extraction unit, sample inlet and outlet, and an organic liquid inlet. It also comprises a needle which is connected to a gas chromatography apparatus injector for the on-line transfer of the analyte(s) from the membrane-based extraction unit to the gas chromatography apparatus. Patent number: W O 01/31330 Inventors: E. Thordarson, J. Norberg Publication date: 3 May 2001
Coating aluminium alloy substrates Applicant: Alcoa Inc, USA An aluminium alloy substrate is pretreated with an aqueous solution containing an organo-phosphorus compound, preferably a
vinyl-phosphonic acid-acrylic acid co-polymer, before it is coated with a polymer. Passing the substrate through the solution contaminates it with Al and other elements. The pretreatment solution is rejuvenated by removing Al with a cation-exchange resin that contains a styrenedivinyl benzene cop-olymer functionalised with sulfonate groups. Rinsing the substrate contaminates the rinse water with the copolymer. The rinse water is concentrated by RO or membrane ultrafiltration and returned to the pretreatment solution. Patent number: W O 01/32955 Inventors: J.D. Guthrie, A.M. Dennis Publication date: 10 May 2001
Membrane filtration element Applicant: Stork Friesland, The Netherlands This membrane filtration unit comprises a housing that has a feed-stock inlet; permeate and retentate outlets; at least one bundle of tubular membranes which is accommodated in the housing; sealing bodies that hold the end-parts of the membranes which are sealed in a fixed position with respect to the housing (and thus separate the housing into separate spaces); and at least one flexible, permeable sleeve element which encloses the bundle of membranes and holds it together. The flexible, permeable sleeve element encloses a centre-part, which is situated between the securely held end-parts of the bundle of membranes. Socket members are provided, which delimit transitional parts of the bundle of membranes, whose transitional parts are situated at the 'point of transition' from the securely held end-parts to the enclosed centre-part. Patent number: WO 01/32299 Inventors: H. Futselaar, EE. Hoogeveen Publication date." 10 May 2001
Fuel cell stack Applicant: Dornier GmbH, Germany This fuel cell stack comprises at least one membrane-electrode unit with an anode, cathode and electrolyte membrane. It also contains at least one gas-distribution structure on the anode side with anode gas entry and exit zones, in addition to channels for guiding the anode gas from the anode gas-entry zone to the anode gas-exit zone. Also described is the anode gas (containing hydrogen), at least one gas distribution structure on the cathode side with cathode gas entry and exit zones, in addition to channels to guide the cathode gas from the cathode gas-entry zone to the cathode gas-exit zone. Also detailed are the cathode gas (containing oxygen and water vapour), a coolant distribution structure with coolant entry and exit zones, and channels to guide the coolant from the entry to the exit zone. The coolant entry-zone and cathode gas exit-zone overlap, such that the water vapour can condense out of the cathode waste gas in this overlap zone. Patent number: W O 01/35476 Inventors: 0. Schmid, C.Heller, U. Martin Publication date: 17 May 2001
MembraneTechnologyNo.137