Lifescan Corporation

Usf Filtration & Separations Group Inc.

Siemens Industry, Inc.

U.S. Filter Wastewater Group, Inc.

Siemens Water Technologies Pte. Ltd.

Evoqua Water Technologies Pte. Ltd.

Ronald Christopher Chatelier

Memtec Research Pty Limited

Alastair Mcindoe Hodges

Thomas William Beck

Ian Andrew Maxwell

Oddvar Johansen

Garry Chambers

Alastair McIndoe Hodges

Warren Thomas Johnson

Alastair Hodges

Fufang Zha

Clinton V Kopp

Robert James McMahon

Alastair McIndoc Hodges

Humphrey John Drummond

Zhiyi Cao

Gary C Ganzi

Bruce Gregory Biltoft

Roger William Phelps

Ron Chatelier

Huw Alexander Lazaredes

Jessica Stiller

Etienne Ulysse Brois

Matthew Brian Lee

Clint Virgil Kopp

Brett Kensett-Smith

Rebecca Yeo

Johnson Warren Thomas Thomas

Robert James Mcmahon

Clinton Virgil Kopp

Yeo Rebecca

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a filtration system is provided comprising a membrane module comprising an upper header and a lower header, a plurality of hollow fiber membranes having an upper end potted in the upper header and a lower end potted in the lower head, a cage at least partially surrounding the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a screen in contact with and surrounding the cage, the filtration system further comprising an aeration cap coupled to the lower header of the membrane module. The screen may protect the hollow fiber membranes from damage from coarse contaminants contained in the feed liquid, may improve module integrity, and may improve the efficiency of the filtration system.

Membrane module protection

Devices and methods are provided for determining the concentration of a reduced form of a redox species. For example, a device can include a working electrode and a counter electrode spaced by a predetermined distance so that reaction produces from the counter electrode arrive at the working electrode. An electric potential difference can be applied between the electrodes, and the potential of the working electrode can be selected such that the rate of electro-oxidation of the reduced form of the species is diffusion controlled. Current as a function of time can be determined, the magnitude of the steady state current can be estimated, and a value indicative of the diffusion coefficient and/or of the concentration of the reduced form of the species can be obtained from the change in current with time and the magnitude of the steady state current. Other embodiments of apparatuses, devices, and methods are also provided.

Electrochemical cell

A method of operating a membrane filtration module (), the module () including one or more membranes () extending longitudinally between vertically spaced upper and lower headers () into which the ends of the membranes () are potted. The membranes () have a permeable wall which is subjected to a filtration operation wherein feed containing contaminant matter is applied to one side of the membrane wall and filtrate is withdrawn from the other side of the membrane wall. At least one of the upper and/or lower headers () has one or more openings () therein and the method including flowing the feed, at least in part, through the one or more openings () for application to the membrane wall. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for removing solids from a membrane module

A method of cleaning permeable, hollow membranes is disclosed. In one embodiment, the membranes are immersed in a liquid suspension. A pressure differential is applied across the walls of the membranes. During filtration, liquid suspension passes through the walls of the membranes to be drawn off as permeate, and at least some solids are retained on or in the membranes. The steps of cleaning include: applying a cleaning solution to one side of the membrane walls; applying a pressure differential across the membrane walls to cause flow of the cleaning solution through the walls from the one side of the membrane walls to the other side of the membrane walls; and, applying a reverse pressure differential across the membrane walls to cause flow of the cleaning solution through the wall from the other side of the membrane walls back to the one side of the membrane walls.

Cleaning in membrane filtration systems

This invention relates to a biosensor and more particularly to an electrochemical biosensor for determining the concentration of an analyte in a carrier. The invention is particularly useful for determining the concentration of glucose in blood and is described herein with reference to that use but it should be understood that the invention is applicable to other analytic determinations.

A method of controlling fouling in a membrane filtration system () of the type where gas is used to clean or scour the membranes () wherein the method includes supplying the gas to the system with a continuously variable flow rate. A continuously variable valve arrangement () is also disclosed.

Continuously variable aeration

A method of backwashing a membrane filtration module (), said module () including one or more membranes () located in a feed-containing vessel (), the membranes () having a permeable wall which is subjected to a filtration operation wherein feed containing contaminant matter is applied to one side of the membrane wall and filtrate is withdrawn from the other side of the membrane wall, the method including: removing liquid from the feed-containing vessel () until the level of liquid in the feed-containing vessel () falls to a first level (L) below an upper level of the membranes; suspending the filtration operation; performing a liquid backwash of the membrane wall until liquid level within the feed-containing vessel () rises to a second predetermined level (L) above said first level; aerating the membrane surface with gas bubbles to dislodge fouling materials therefrom; performing a sweep or drain down of the feed-containing vessel () to remove the liquid containing the dislodged contaminant matter; and recommencing the filtration operation.

Backwash

A method and apparatus for reducing the effect of integrity loss in a hollow fiber membrane module, said module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes (), at least one end of the fiber membranes () being supported in a pot (), the method including the step of increasing flow resistance of the liquid through the lumen () of the fiber membrane () in the region of the pot ().

Methods of minimising the effect of integrity loss in hollow fibre membrane modules

A hollow electrochemical cell is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a hollow electrochemical cell includes two sets of electrodes and an opening for admitting an analyte to the cell. At least one of the two sets of electrodes can be in fluid communication with the opening. Further, a first set of electrodes can include a working electrode spaced from a counter or counter/reference electrode by less than 500 &#x3bc;m one embodiment the working and counter or counter/reference electrodes are not co-planer. In another embodiment the working and counter or counter/reference electrodes are of substantially corresponding area. In yet another embodiment the working and counter or counter/reference electrodes are spaced from 100 to 200 &#x3bc;m apart. The first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes can be spaced apart by greater than about 500 &#x3bc;m. Other embodiments of a hollow electrochemical cell are also provided, as are several embodiments of a glucose sensor.

A method for determining the concentration of a reduced or oxidized form of a redox species is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, an electrochemical apparatus is provided in which the apparatus includes a hollow electrochemical cell for measuring a concentration of glucose in a blood sample, a current of the cell is measured, and a concentration of a redox mediator is determined, at least in part from, a measured current of the cell. The hollow electrochemical cell can include at least one non-metal working electrode, at least one counter electrode or counter/reference electrode, and a spacer interposed between the working electrode and the counter or counter/reference electrode. In one embodiment the working electrode and the counter or counter/reference electrode are not co-planer and are separated by a distance of from about 20 microns to about 200 microns. In another embodiment the working electrode and the counter or counter/reference electrode are not co-planer and the cell has an effective cell volume of less than 1.5 microliters.

A method and apparatus for removing fouling materials from the surface of a plurality of porous membranes () arranged in a membrane module () by providing, from within the module, by means () other than gas passing through the pores of said membranes, gas bubbles in a uniform distribution relative to the porous membrane array such that the bubbles move past the surfaces of the membranes () to dislodge fouling materials therefrom. The membranes () are arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween. The bubbles also produce vibration and rubbing together of the membranes to further assist removal of fouling materials.

Scouring method

A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.

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New South Wales, Australia

Thomas William Beck