2786 results about "Membrane filter" patented technology

A method and apparatus for the transcutaneous monitoring of blood gases generally comprises a blood gas data acquisition device, a vacuum source and a blood gas transducer unit. The blood gas transducer unit is adapted for application to a patient's skin and administration of a local vacuum at the area of patient application. It further comprises an electrochemical blood gas transducer, well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, which is disposed entirely within the local vacuum at the area of patient application. The vacuum source is placed in fluid communication with the blood gas transducer unit, through a hydrophobic membrane filter for safety purposes, in order to induce a condition of hyperperfusion in the locality of the electrochemical blood gas transducer. Under the control of a microcontroller, or equivalent means, the blood gas acquisition device is then utilized to capture a measure of skin surface oxygen or carbon dioxide pressure. The microcontroller can then utilize this measure to arrive at an estimate of arterial partial pressure of oxygen or carbon dioxide, accordingly. Because vacuum induced perfusion produces the requisite condition of hyperperfusion without local heating and, therefore, without acceleration of the local metabolic function, the present invention results in more accurate than previously available estimates of partial pressure blood gas pressures and does so while eliminating a significant risk for injury to the patient.

A process for treating waste water to remove phosphorous and nitrogen in a treatment system including an anaerobic zone (5) containing an anaerobic mixed liquor having organisms which release phosphorous into the anaerobic mixed liquor; an anoxic zone (7) containing an anoxic mixed liquor having organisms which uptake phosphorous and denitrify the anoxic mixed liquor and an aerobic zone (9) containing an aerobic mixed liquor having organisms which uptake phosphorous and nitrify the aerobic mixed liquor; the process including the steps of providing wastewater to be treated into the anaerobic zone (5) and communicating anaerobic mixed liquor from the anaerobic zone (5) to the anoxic zone (7). The anoxic mixed liquor is then communicated from the anoxic zone (7) to the anaerobic zone (5) and the anoxic mixed liquor from the anoxic zone (7) to the amble zone (9). The aerobic mixed liquor is applied to a feed side of a membrane filter (10) to produce a treated effluent from a filtrate side of the membrane filter (10). Oxygen-containing gas bubbles is flowed past the feed side of the membrane filter (10) to remove accumulated solids. At least some of the material rejected by the membrane filter (10) is communicated to a degassing device (20) to remove some or all of any dissolved oxygen contained in the rejected material and the degassed material is communicated to the anoxic zone (7).