System with asymmetric microporous membrane for the circulation or movement of solutions

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for causing the circulation or movement of a solution comprising a conduit for the solution, a solution of conical shaped particles and an asymmetric microporous membrane disposed in the conduit so that the solution can only pass the membrane through its pores. The pores of the membrane are tapered with substantially all of the large openings on one side of the membrane and substantially all of the small openings on the other side. The conical shaped solute particles can diffuse in both directions through the tapered holes of the membrane but have dimensions which preclude them turning around, fore to aft, inside the holes of the membrane. The forward diffusional bias of the particles passing through the holes of the membrane produces a net transport of particles from the solution side of the membrane with the large pore openings to the solution side of the membrane with the small pore openings and the resultant concentration differential induces an osmotic pressure across the membrane causing the solvent to move through the membrane in the same direction as the net particle diffusion. Overall there is a net differential transport of solution from the side of the membrane with the large pore openings through the membrane to the side of the membrane with the small pore openings.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.