Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.v.

Vinodnarain Bhikhi

Willem Johannes Van Baak

Bastiaan Van Berchum

Johannes Van Engelen

Peter Jessen

Jacko Hessing

Willem Van Baak

A membrane stack comprising the following components: (a) a first ion diluting compartment (D); (b) a second ion diluting compartment (D); (c) a first ion concentrating compartment (C); (d) a second ion concentrating compartment (C); and (e) a membrane wall (CEM, mAEM, mCEM, AEM, CEM) between each compartment and on the outside of the first and last compartment of the stack; wherein: (i) each membrane wall comprises a cation exchange membrane (CEM, mCEM, CEM) or an anion exchange membrane (mAEM, AEM) and the order of the cation and anion exchange membranes alternates from each wall to the next; (ii) the membrane walls (mAEM, mCEM) on each side of compartment (a) both have a higher monovalent ion selectivity than the corresponding membrane walls (AEM, CEM) on each side of compartment (b); and (iii) the stack further comprises a means for communicating fluid between compartments (a) and (b).

Desalination

A process for preparing a membrane stack comprising the steps of: (i) interposing a curable adhesive between alternate anion exchange membranes and cation exchange; and (ii) curing the adhesive; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said adhesive, when cured, has a Shore A hardness of less than 70 and an elongation at break of at least 50%.

Membrane stacks

A disposable, crossflow membrane stack suitable for use in an ion exchange unit, the stack comprising alternate dilution compartments and concentration compartments, each compartment being defined by a flat cation-permeable membrane () and a flat anion-permeable membrane () and at least two edges along which the cation-permeable and an anion-permeable membranes are permanently secured together wherein the cation-permeable membranes and/or the anion-permeable membranes have a textured surface profile which keep said membranes apart and/or from touching each other and wherein the edges secured together define the direction in which liquid may flow through the compartments. Also claimed are ion exchange units comprising the stack, optionally comprising a quick-release securement means to allow facile attachment and release of modular units comprising the stacks.

Disposable membrane stacks

A process for preparing a membrane stack comprising the steps of (i) interposing a curable adhesive between alternate anion exchange membranes and cation exchange; and (ii) curing the adhesive; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said membranes are in a swollen state when step (ii) is performed.

An electrodialysis unit comprising at least two electrodialysis stacks (EDand ED) connected in series, wherein: (a) stacks EDand EDcomprise anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes; and (b) the anion exchange membranes in stack EDhave a lower electrical resistance than the anion exchange membranes in stack EDand the cation exchange membranes in stack EDhave a lower electrical resistance than the cation exchange membranes in stack ED. Also claimed is a process for purifying liquids, e.g. for desalinating sea water or brackish water.

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Tilburg, Netherlands

Vinodnarain Bhikhi