A process for the preparation of a filtration membrane, which includes providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, the vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; providing a porous support; functionalizing a surface of the porous support to introduce reactive groups on the surface which are capable of reacting with the reactive end groups of the amphiphilic block copolymers of the vesicles; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of the porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between the vesicles and the surface.
B01D 71/82 - Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
A method of preparing a membrane comprising the steps of: a) mixing together a membrane-forming polymer, a water-soluble polyetheramine, and a solvent, said mixture containing no component which will react chemically with the polyetheramine; and b) casting said mixture to form the polymer into a solid membrane.
B01D 69/02 - Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or propertiesManufacturing processes specially adapted therefor characterised by their properties
B29C 41/30 - Shaping by coating a mould, core or other substrate, i.e. by depositing material and stripping-off the shaped articleApparatus therefor for making articles of indefinite length incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. moulding around inserts or for coating articles
A spiral wound membrane element comprising a permeate collector to which are mounted a plurality of membrane envelopes; wherein the membrane envelopes comprise a membrane and a permeate carrier; wherein the permeate carrier is in fluid communication with the permeate collector and wherein the length of the membrane envelope is less than 35 inches. The spiral wound membrane elements of the invention have improved fluid flux.
A process for the generation of power is disclosed. The process comprises receiving a wastewater stream containing organic matter and passing the wastewater stream to an anaerobic digester in which the organic matter contained therein is broken down to produce biogas. The liquid content of said wastewater stream is reduced before said stream enters the anaerobic digester by passing the wastewater stream through an osmotic power unit. The said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of higher salinity than said wastewater stream being passed over the other side of said membrane such that latent osmotic energy present in said aqueous stream of higher salinity is converted into electricity.
B01D 61/00 - Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltrationApparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
C02F 1/44 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
C02F 11/04 - Anaerobic treatmentProduction of methane by such processes
F03G 7/04 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature
The invention provides a filtration membrane which comprises a porous support and, covalently bonded to a surface thereof, a layer comprising a plurality of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer; characterised in that within said layer, vesicles are covalently linked together to form a coherent mass. The membrane may be prepared by a process which comprises providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of a porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between different vesicles and between vesicles and said surface.
B01D 71/82 - Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
C02F 1/44 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
B01D 67/00 - Processes specially adapted for manufacturing semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus
An electricity generation process is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an aqueous feed stream into a salt formation to dissolve the salt contained therein, and then extracting a saline stream containing said dissolved salt from the salt formation. The process also comprises converting latent osmotic energy present in said saline stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit comprising a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts in which said saline stream is passed over one side of the semi-permeable membrane, a low salinity stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The process also comprises using an output stream derived from the low salinity stream as the aqueous feed stream.
B01D 61/00 - Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltrationApparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
C02F 1/44 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
F03G 7/00 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
H02K 7/18 - Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g.with turbines
A method of preparing a membrane comprising the steps of: a) mixing together a membrane-forming polymer, a water-soluble polyetheramine, and a solvent, said mixture containing no component which will react chemically with the polyetheramine; and b) casting said mixture to form the polymer into a solid membrane.
B01D 69/02 - Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or propertiesManufacturing processes specially adapted therefor characterised by their properties
B29C 41/30 - Shaping by coating a mould, core or other substrate, i.e. by depositing material and stripping-off the shaped articleApparatus therefor for making articles of indefinite length incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. moulding around inserts or for coating articles
A process for the generation of electricity comprises the steps of extracting a warm saline stream from a geothermal formation, and converting latent osmotic energy present in said stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit in which said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of lower salinity than said stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The temperature of said warm saline stream is reduced before said stream enters the osmotic power unit by passage through a thermal power unit in which thermal energy present in said stream is converted into electricity.
F03G 7/04 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature
9.
Vesicles formed from block copolymers, and novel block copolymers
1-3alkyl-2-oxazoline block and at least one polybutadiene block, provided that the copolymer is not the diblock copolymer consisting of 40 butadiene units and 190 2-methyl-2-oxazoline units terminated by a hydroxy group, are novel, and also form part of the invention.
C08G 81/02 - Macromolecular compounds obtained by interreacting polymers in the absence of monomers, e.g. block polymers at least one of the polymers being obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
A61K 9/127 - Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
A61K 47/34 - Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyesters, polyamino acids, polysiloxanes, polyphosphazines, copolymers of polyalkylene glycol or poloxamers
A61K 47/42 - ProteinsPolypeptidesDegradation products thereofDerivatives thereof, e.g. albumin, gelatin or zein
B01D 71/82 - Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
C02F 1/44 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
C08L 87/00 - Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds, obtained otherwise than by polymerisation reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
An electricity generation process is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an aqueous feed stream into a salt formation to dissolve the salt contained therein, and then extracting a saline stream containing said dissolved salt from the salt formation. The process also comprises converting latent osmotic energy present in said saline stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit comprising a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts in which said saline stream is passed over one side of the semi-permeable membrane, a low salinity stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The process also comprises using an output stream derived from the low salinity stream as the aqueous feed stream.
F03G 7/00 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
B01D 61/00 - Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltrationApparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
An electricity generation process is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an aqueous feed stream into a salt formation to dissolve the salt contained therein, and then extracting a saline stream containing said dissolved salt from the salt formation. The process also comprises converting latent osmotic energy present in said saline stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit comprising a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts in which said saline stream is passed over one side of the semi-permeable membrane, a low salinity stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The process also comprises using an output stream derived from the low salinity stream as the aqueous feed stream.
F03G 7/00 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
B01D 61/00 - Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltrationApparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
F24J 3/08 - using geothermal heat (devices for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy F03G 4/00)
12.
POWER GENERATION PROCESS USING OSMOSIS AND ANAEROBIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT
A process for the generation of power is disclosed. The process comprises receiving a wastewater stream containing organic matter and passing the wastewater stream to an anaerobic digester in which the organic matter contained therein is broken down to produce biogas. The liquid content of said wastewater stream is reduced before said stream enters the anaerobic digester by passing the wastewater stream through an osmotic power unit. The said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of higher salinity than said wastewater stream being passed over the other side of said membrane such that latent osmotic energy present in said aqueous stream of higher salinity is converted into electricity.
A process for the generation of power is disclosed. The process comprises receiving a wastewater stream containing organic matter and passing the wastewater stream to an anaerobic digester in which the organic matter contained therein is broken down to produce biogas. The liquid content of said wastewater stream is reduced before said stream enters the anaerobic digester by passing the wastewater stream through an osmotic power unit. The said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of higher salinity than said wastewater stream being passed over the other side of said membrane such that latent osmotic energy present in said aqueous stream of higher salinity is converted into electricity.
B01D 71/82 - Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
B01D 71/70 - Polymers having silicon in the main chain, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only
A method of preparing a membrane comprising the steps of: a) mixing together a membrane-forming polymer, a water-soluble polyetheramine, and a solvent, said mixture containing no component which will react chemically with the polyetheramine; and b) casting said mixture to form the polymer into a solid membrane. The membranes prepared by this process have advantageous properties and are believed to be novel.
A method of preparing a membrane comprising the steps of: a) mixing together a membrane-forming polymer, a water-soluble polyetheramine, and a solvent, said mixture containing no component which will react chemically with the polyetheramine; and b) casting said mixture to form the polymer into a solid membrane. The membranes prepared by this process have advantageous properties and are believed to be novel.
The invention provides a filtration membrane which comprises a porous support and, covalently bonded to a surface thereof, a layer comprising a plurality of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer; characterised in that within said layer, vesicles are covalently linked together to form a coherent mass. The membrane may be prepared by a process which comprises providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of a porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between different vesicles and between vesicles and said surface.
B01D 71/82 - Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
C02F 1/44 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
B01D 67/00 - Processes specially adapted for manufacturing semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
11 - Environmental control apparatus
35 - Advertising and business services
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
Turbines for power generation; generators of electricity; membrane filters for use as part of machines; Apparatus, instruments and installations for osmotic generation of power from geothermal wells, namely, high pressure pneumatic pumps, high pressure circulating pumps, and pressure exchangers Apparatus and instruments for accumulating and storing energy, namely, electric accumulators; Apparatus, instruments and installations for osmotic generation of power from geothermal wells, namely, power amplifiers, power cables, power inverters; inverters; controls for use in connection with generation of power, namely, power controllers, electronic controllers for use with power converters, electronic controllers used to reduce power consumption; surveillance equipment in connection with generation of power, namely, pressure sensors, proximity sensors, electric sensors, electric meters, flow meters, gas meters, electric and electronic video surveillance installations and software for the controlling of same; software for data collecting and processing and for remote controlling in the field of energy production Water filtration apparatus; membranes for the filtration of water; reverse osmosis water filtration equipment, namely, reverse osmosis filtration units Commercial advisory services, namely, providing business advice and commercial information, commercial information and advice for consumers, advice and information concerning commercial business management relating to exploitation of osmotic power generation Energy production; rental of energy production equipment; generation of power; production of electrical power from renewable sources Scientific and technological services, namely, scientific research and development, conducting scientific feasibility studies, product research and development; product, scientific and computer software research and development in connection with energy production and generation of power; computer technology, product development, engineering consultancy relating to membrane technology; computer technology, product development and engineering consultancy relating to osmosis technology; consultancy relating to CO2 reduction and renewable energy; design and development of production equipment for renewable energy production
19.
VESICLES FORMED FROM BLOCK COPOLYMERS, AND NOVEL BLOCK COPOLYMERS
Vesicles formed from a block copolymer comprising at least one (poly)2-C1-3alkyl-2-oxazoline block and at least one polybutadiene block; and membranes comprising such vesicles. Block copolymers comprising at least one (poly)2-C1-3alkyl-2-oxazoline block and at least one polybutadiene block, provided that the copolymer is not the diblock copolymer consisting of 40 butadiene units and 190 2-methyl-2-oxazoline units terminated by a hydroxy group, are novel, and also form part of the invention.
C08G 81/02 - Macromolecular compounds obtained by interreacting polymers in the absence of monomers, e.g. block polymers at least one of the polymers being obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
Vesicles formed from a block copolymer comprising at least one (poly)2- Cl_3alky1-2- oxazoline block and at least one polybutadiene block; and membranes comprising such vesicles are disclosed. Block copolymers comprising at least one (poly)2-cl_3alky1-2- oxazoline block and at least one polybutadiene block, provided that the copolymer is not the diblock copolymer consisting of 40 butadiene units and 190 2-methy1-2-oxazoline units terminated by a hydroxy group also form part of the invention. The block copolymers, particularly copolymers having specific end groups, are advantageous for vesicle formation and in membranes as they form vesicles very readily; it is easy to stabilise and tailor the size of the vesicles; and the polymers can be readily functionalised to perform a range of reactions. Further, the permeability of the block copolymers is inherently low which makes the polymers valuable for many applications, including use in vesicles for delivery of drugs and cosmetics, and for use in membranes.
C08G 81/02 - Macromolecular compounds obtained by interreacting polymers in the absence of monomers, e.g. block polymers at least one of the polymers being obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
A process for the generation of electricity comprises the steps of extracting a warm saline stream from a geothermal formation, and converting latent osmotic energy present in said stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit in which said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of lower salinity than said stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The temperature of said warm saline stream is reduced before said stream enters the osmotic power unit by passage through a thermal power unit in which thermal energy present in said stream is converted into electricity.
F03G 7/00 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
F03G 7/04 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature
A process for the generation of electricity comprises the steps of extracting a warm saline stream from a geothermal formation, and converting latent osmotic energy present in said stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit in which said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of lower salinity than said stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The temperature of said warm saline stream is reduced before said stream enters the osmotic power unit by passage through a thermal power unit in which thermal energy present in said stream is converted into electricity.
F03G 7/00 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
F03G 7/04 - Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature
Novel block copolymers comprising at least one (poly)2-C1-3alkyl-2-oxazoline block and at least one (poly)dimethyl siloxane block, having at least one end group X which includes both an -NH2 group and an -NH- group, have been found to be particularly suitable for forming vesicles. The vesicles may be used to form filtration membranes.
The invention provides a filtration membrane which comprises a porous support and, covalently bonded to a surface thereof, a layer comprising a plurality of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer; characterised in that within said layer, vesicles are covalently linked together to form a coherent mass. The membrane may be prepared by a process which comprises providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of a porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between different vesicles and between vesicles and said surface.
Novel block copolymers comprising at least one (poly)2-C1-3alkyl-2-oxazoline block and at least one (poly)dimethyl siloxane block, having at least one end group X which includes both an -NH2 group and an -NH- group, have been found to be particularly suitable for forming vesicles. The vesicles may be used to form filtration membranes.
The present invention generally related to a nanofabricated membrane including polymerized proteoliposomes. The nanofabricated membrane is a bio-nano fused selective membrane using protein-incorporated uv-crosslinkable liposomes with a chemical reactive biocompatible interstitial matrix. In the present invention, internally UV-crosslinked protein-incorporated proteolipsomes are used because the proteoliposomes made by natural lipids have a short life time and a weak resistance to the circumstantial stresses such as a high and low temperature, pressure, ionic strength etc. Furthermore, the proteo-vesicles made by amphiphilic block copolymers provide less consistency in accomplishing proper functionality batch to batch because of the inevitable polydiversity of the polymer.
The present invention relates to a method for producing man-made devices which have the properties and functions of biological membranes and membrane proteins, and to the structure of such devices.
Briefly, in one aspect of the invention, natural or genetically engineered proteins are incorporated into a polymeric vesicle that is conjugated to a thread to form a vesicle-thread conjugate. The engineered protein is preferably a transmembrane protein embedded in the wall of the polymeric vesicle. The vesicle-thread conjugate is then formed into a membrane or thin fabric having a wide variety of inherent functionality, including the ability to selectively transport and/or filter compounds between fluids. By selecting proteins with specific properties, membranes can be fabricated with a defined functionality including molecular scale addressability via directed electrostatic, electromagnetic, and chemical forces.
B01D 69/02 - Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or propertiesManufacturing processes specially adapted therefor characterised by their properties
H01L 51/00 - Solid state devices using organic materials as the active part, or using a combination of organic materials with other materials as the active part; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of such devices, or of parts thereof
H01L 51/05 - Solid state devices using organic materials as the active part, or using a combination of organic materials with other materials as the active part; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of such devices, or of parts thereof specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; Capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
