Abstract: A treatment system for liquids includes apparatus for dissolving gas in the liquid and a container for providing the necessary reaction time between the gas and liquid or constituents thereof. The device for dissolving the gas in the liquid includes gas injection means for introducing gas into the liquid and a contact chamber for containing a downflowing stream of the liquid to be treated. The pressure within the downflowing stream increases as it descends and at the elevated pressure the capacity of the liquid to take gas into solution is greatly increased. This apparatus for dissolving gas may conveniently be located below ground level. A conduit return means is provided for routing undissolved gas from a region at high pressure to an upstream portion of the liquid stream so that the gas can be reintroduced for dissolution.

Abstract: A motorized lifting mechanism for the rake arms of a sedimentation tank which comprise spaced vertical pairs of pivot link arms interconnecting the rake arm frame to a main center rake arm drive cage and wherein the rake arm frame is in turn interconnected to a motorized jack lifting screw by means of a cable to raise the arm upon the pivoting of the pivot arms.

Abstract: A surface skimmer means for a settling tank comprises curved skimmer blades extending across the diameter of the tank and are interconnected to and movable with the main rake structure of the tank wherein cam actuated means are provided for pivoting the blades about a pivot arm to the periphery of the tank to move floating material to a collector tank for discharge from the tank.

Abstract: A fluidized bed boiler having a water-wall type construction has a steam-water natural circulation system for heat exchange. Vertical in-bed heat exchange tubes are provided and the steam drum of the boiler extends across the full length of the boiler combustion chamber and the convection heat exchange chamber. An air distributor grate is provided for introduction of fluidizing air into the combustion chamber and the air flow therefrom can be controlled to afford a flexible turn-down capability.

Abstract: A nozzle type centrifuge having a bottom feed inlet to a main pumping chamber at the base of the machine for injecting the feed slurry to a rotor bowl having separator discs for effecting a two-fraction separation comprising an overflow at the top and an underflow at the peripheral mid portion of the bowl with a portion of the underflow delivered to a return pumping chamber beneath the main pumping chamber and seal means between said chambers to prevent dilution of the underflow fraction.

Abstract: A strong, relatively inert filter cloth is impregnated with an ion exchange resin to provide, for an electrofiltration process, a reinforced solid polymeric electrolyte having ion transport properties and at the same time constituting a positive barrier to mass transport.

Abstract: A fluid bed reactor includes an integral flow circulator which eliminates the need for recirculation equipment external to the reactor and permits utilization of multiple distributor modules to provide a wide range of reactor capacities.

Abstract: A system for the comminution of coal, slurry formation and feed of the coal slurry to a fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: An ultrafiltration step is used in the production of cream cheese to provide a cheese pre-mix which is cultured to form cream cheese without generating whey. The raw materials for this process include whole milk, cream and whey protein solids. The whey protein solids are substituted for the skim milk powder formerly used. Ultrafiltration yields a retentate having the butterfat and non-fat solids content required for cream cheese manufacture.

Abstract: A fluid bed heater or vaporizer unit has a generally cylindrical configuration with its major axis horizontally disposed. A mixture of coal and limestone is fed into the elongated fluidized bed within the unit for combustion; the limestone being present to minimize sulfur emissions due to the sulfur present in the coal. The wall of the unit in the region of the freeboard is lined with horizontally disposed heat exchange tubing. The delivery of air to the fluidized bed is regulated so as to establish a combustion zone of high turbulence and one or more heat transfer zones of lower turbulence. A plurality of heat exchange tubes are located in the heat transfer zone or zones and within the expanded bed level of the fluidized bed but above the region occupied by the slumped bed. Economizer heat exchange coils may be located in the passageway for exhaust gases.

Abstract: In the alkaline digestion of silica-contaminated paper pulp raw material, an addition of aluminum oxide in the form of bauxite ore is made to the liquor, the aluminum oxide being present in the bauxite as a hydrated oxide such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.H.sub.2 O or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.3H.sub.2 O, to insolubilize silica as a sodalite precipitate, and thereby minimize scaling evaporation, avoid undesirable increase in the viscosity of the liquor, as well as assuring recovery of lime by avoiding formation of calcium silicate during causticizing.

Abstract: A corner sweep mechanism for a square shaped settling tank and which mechanism is pivotally connected to the end of a main rotary rake structure and comprises a lightweight buoyant frame structure which includes a rake or sweep arm adapted to be extended into the corner areas of the tank bottom under the control of a tension spring without the use of counterweights during rotation of the main rake structure.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor is provided with heat exchange coils for controlling the temperature of the fluidized bed, with only vertically oriented sections of the coils exposed to the erosive conditions in the fluidized bed. The vapor-liquid circuit, of which the heat exchanger coils are a part, is arranged to operate on the principle of natural circulation. At least some of the tuyere elements discharge fluidizing gas at a level substantially above the constriction plate and the bed solids below the level of the tuyere gas discharge constitute a static layer during fluidization in which the lower angle bends of the heat exchange coils are embedded and so shielded from erosion by the fluidized solids of the bed proper. The static layer of bed solids also accommodates thermal expansion of the lower angle bend due to elevated temperatures and insulates the constriction plate from the high temperatures in the reactor.

Abstract: In order to increase or maintain the capacity of fluid bed calciners in the calcination of phosphate rock containng large amounts of organic matter ("hot rocks"), the calciner is modified to permit a pyrolysis reaction to occur in the freeboard zone of the calciner. The hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide gas produced by the pyrolysis reaction are removed from the calciner and burned in an afterburner unit. Dust and fines entrained in the exhaust from the calciner are sent to a dust oxidation chamber outside the calciner for oxidation by addition of air.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for use in dewatering a suspension of solids in which an electric field augments an applied vacuum includes a chamber having ion-pervious walls on which a cake of solids is deposited and an electrode element within the chamber immersed in an electrolyte; the surface area of the ion-pervious walls being substantially greater than the surface area of the electrode element.

Abstract: An ultrafiltration membrane assembly comprising an ultrafiltration membrane, a coarse fabric drainage mat and an impervious backing plate are heat sealed at the edges of the assembly.

Abstract: A fluidized bed heat exchanger is provided in which air is passed through a bed of particulate material containing fuel. A steam-water natural circulation system is provided for heat exchange and the housing of the heat exchanger has a water-wall type construction. Vertical in-bed heat exchange tubes are provided and the air distributor is water-cooled. A water-cooled dust hopper is provided in the housing to collect particulates from the combustion gases and separate the combustion zone from a volume within said housing in which convection heat exchange tubes are provided to extract heat from the exiting combustion gases.

Abstract: A drainage deck assembly for a rotary vacuum drum filter having filtrate compartments on the outer surface of the drum comprised of premolded interlocked grid sections formed with integral baffle walls for directing the flow of filtrate outwardly of the filtrate compartments and which grid sections are provided with rows of filtrate receptacle trays in the surface thereof having bottom walls formed with filtrate discharge slots located at a position to prevent return flow of filtrate to the receptacle.

Abstract: A sedimentation tank having a central feedwell comprising upper and lower cylindrical channels or raceways for receiving the influent feed in split counter rotative streams wherein an intermediate raceway is provided between the upper and lower channels for receiving a flocculant for mixing with the influent feed in the shear zone where the split streams remerge.

Abstract: An ultrafiltration membrane assembly comprising an ultrafiltration membrane, a coarse fabric drainage mat and an impervious backing plate are heat sealed at the edges of the assembly.