Other

Design Technology and Innovation Limited

E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Design Technology and Irrigation

Mark Andrew Young

Mark Christopher Tonkin

Olaf Norbert Kirchner

Mark Elden Schuchardt

Charles William Cahill

George Joseph Ostapchenko

Yannick Albertone

Jacques Gilbert

Neil David Eckert

Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream () of an engine (), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (). A water reservoir (), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane () into the inlet air stream (), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (-) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane () therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir () to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood () that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area. Alternatively, water vapor is introduced into one or more of the gas streams of a fuel cell by separating the gas stream from the wet exhaust gas stream by a hydrophilic membrane such that moisture passes across the membrane to moisten the gas stream and thereby prevent drying out of the proton exchange membrane.

Humidifying gas induction or supply system

A mechanical water still () includes an impervious dome-like upper surface () and a membrane base () that is coupled () to the impervious dome-like structure () to form, when inflated, a chamber (). The membrane base () supports a water pervaporation process therethrough. A water collection well () has an opening into which water droplets condensed from the water pervaporation process collect. The water collection well () is sited within the membrane base () and generally extends outwardly and downwardly from the membrane base (), as shown in FIG.In use, a contaminated water source () is brought into, ideally, complete contact with the membrane base (), with the water collection well () arranged both to act as a heat sink into the water source () and to provide stability to the water still () when floating and immersed in the water source ().

Water still and method of operation thereof

A substantially liquid impermeable moisture vapor permeable laminate structure comprising: The moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) in the direction away from the copolyetherester-containing layer and tie layer and towards the substrate is preferably greater than the MVTR in the direction away from the substrate layer and towards the tie layer and copolyetherester-containing layer.

Laminate structure

The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.

Water purification apparatus

A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane such that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane whilst materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.

Method of collecting materials exuded from plant roots

Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream ( ) of an engine ( ), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane ( ). A water reservoir ( ), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane ( ) into the inlet air stream ( ), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder ( ) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane ( ) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir ( ) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream ( ). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood ( ) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area. Alternatively, water vapor is introduced into one or more of the gas streams of a fuel cell by separating the gas stream from the wet exhaust gas stream by a hydrophilic membrane such that moisture passes across the membrane to moisten the gas stream and thereby prevent drying out of the proton exchange membrane.

An irrigation device is provided, the device comprising a container for water consisting of a plurality of surfaces, each surface substantially being either a hydrophilic membrane or impervious to water in all forms, and wherein at least one of the surfaces is substantially a hydrophilic membrane and at least one of the surfaces is substantially impervious to water in all forms.

Irrigation device

A method of modifying the growth of plant roots is provided in which the roots are grown in proximity to a membrane from which water is released during the growth of the roots, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane. The method may also be used to collect materials exuded from plant roots by growing the plant roots in a growing medium that is surrounded by a membrane so that moisture is released into the growing medium from the membrane while materials exuded from the plant roots are retained within the growing medium by the membrane, wherein the membrane is a hydrophobic porous membrane or a hydrophilic non-porous membrane.

Growing community of inventors

Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom

Mark Andrew Young