Abstract: A method of removing nitrogen-bound nitrate from at least one of groundwater, surface water, or waste water is disclosed. The method includes providing contaminant-containing water from groundwater, surface water, and/or waste water sources. The method further includes adding the contaminant-containing water to an algal photobioreactor system. The method further includes adding an alga culture to the alga photobioreactor system. The method further includes adjusting temperature, CO2 concentration, pH, light wavelength, and/or light intensity in the algal photobioreactor system to optimize the growth of the algae. The method further includes separating the algae from the water and harvesting algal biomass.

Abstract: The description describes the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The one or more effluents which can be recycled include a stream comprising microbial biomass, a product stream comprising at least a portion of the at least one fermentation product, a by-product stream comprising fusel oil, and a waste water stream comprising microbial biomass. The stream comprising biomass can be dried before it is passed to the gasification zone. At least a portion of the waste water stream can be passed to the gasification process where one use is to replace at least a portion of the process water. The waste water stream can be further processed to produce a clarified water stream and a biogas stream comprising methane either or both of which can be passed to the gasification process.

Abstract: Water treatment structures may have at least a first geotextile fabric layer; a second geotextile fabric layer; a third geotextile fabric layer; a first filler layer with plastic particles, arranged between the first and second geotextile fabric layers; and a second filler layer with plastic particles, arranged between the second and third geotextile fabric layers, wherein the geotextile fabric layers and the filler layers are within a housing, and wherein the structure is configured such that contaminated water proceeds sequentially through the first geotextile fabric layer, the first filler layer, the second geotextile fabric layer, the second filler layer, and the third geotextile fabric layer. Methods of treating wastewater may involve passing wastewater, after optional oxygenating and pre-filtering, through such alternating layers of geotextile, preferably nonwoven, and polymer particles.

Abstract: A vacuum airlift system for treating an aqueous effluent includes an upflow liquid portion, where the upflow liquid portion is configured to retain a fluid, and a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet being fluidly coupled with the upflow liquid portion, where the fluid inlet is positioned at about a bottom of the upflow liquid portion. The vacuum airlift system can also include a downflow liquid portion, where the downflow liquid portion is fluidly coupled with the upflow liquid portion, and a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being fluidly coupled with the downflow liquid portion, where the fluid outlet is positioned at about a bottom of the downflow liquid portion. The vacuum airlift system can also include a plurality of aerators fed by one or more fluidic oscillators, the plurality of aerators being coupled to the upflow liquid column.

Abstract: A system for the removal of volatile products resulting from the disinfection of water in a swimming pool, including a main channel arranged at an edge of a swimming pool and to collect overflowing water from the pool, air suction holes distributed along the main channel, the suction holes facing the internal volume of the main channel and being arranged at a height above the free water surface in the main channel, ventilation device configured to generate a suction flow of air from the suction holes. The system includes an air insufflation device arranged in the main channel at a height below the free surface of the water in the main channel, the air insufflation device generating a flow of air to strip the gases dissolved in the water in the main channel, from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase.

Abstract: A method for controlling the growth of blue algae in a basin relates to the field of the restoration and protection of the natural ecology on the earth's surface. An ecological water treatment system was constructed for the basin with microorganisms, plants, animals, fillers and the like as main elements by building a novel ecological slope protection at the land-lake ecozone along the banks of the basin and planting eucalyptus in the basin water and/or on the bank of the basin, thereby effectively realizing the efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal from the basin, controlling the spread of blue algae and improving the environmental water quality.

Abstract: A quick release pool skimmer basket apparatus includes a tapered attachment apparatus, a basket having a sidewall, a filter element coupled to the sidewall to move between an open position and a closed position, and a handle extending upwardly from the basket. A trigger in the handle is operatively coupled to the filter element to hold the filter element in the closed position. Activation of the trigger releases the bottom from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: A mechanism for detecting obstacles and mechanically reversing (a direction of) a pool cleaner includes a drive part in non-rotatable connection with a cleaner housing, an arresting assembly connected to the cleaner housing, and a rotary direction-changing assembly rotatably connected to the cleaner housing or the drive part. The arresting assembly cooperates with the rotary direction-changing assembly. The mechanism for detecting obstacles and mechanically reversing (a direction of) a pool cleaner is compact in structure, low in manufacturing cost, and can perform obstacle detection and change a direction of the pool cleaner. With the structure of the rotary direction-changing assembly capable of rotating relative to the cleaner housing, the cleaner, when meeting an obstacle, is allowed to change the traveling direction, thereby resulting in a high working efficiency.

Abstract: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an energy efficient and compact biological wastewater treatment process. There is only one commercially available AGS technology which utilizes sequencing batch reactors (SBR). Many existing wastewater treatment facilities consist of long, continuous flow reactors that would not be readily suitable for retrofit to SBR. Therefore, a continuous flow process is preferred for municipalities that cannot economically invest in the only commercially available SBR technology (i.e., Nere-da®). Lab- and pilot-scale experimentation has demonstrated that stable granulation can be achieved in a continuous flow configuration GT suitable for retrofit into existing infrastructure. An anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic configuration can be designed and stably operated for conversion of flocculent biomass to AGS Preliminary pilot-scale results on primary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment facility indicated that granules of 0.2-0.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for starting a single-stage system for nitrogen removal coupling partial denitrification and anammox. The two nitrogen removal processes are coupled by gradually enriching denitrifying bacteria in anammox granular sludge and then activating the partial denitrification process of the functional bacteria (denitrifying bacteria). Particularly, the method comprises: inoculating anammox granular sludge in a single-stage reactor, adding an organic carbon source in gradients to enrich denitrifying bacteria and to adapt anammox bacteria, and replacing nitrites in feed with nitrates gradually to activate the partial denitrification process.

Abstract: The disclosure belongs to the field of sewage treatment technology, in particular to a low-carbon nitrogen and phosphorus removal system and process for sewage treatment. The system of the disclosure includes a primary sedimentation fermentation tank, a mainstream modified A2O unit and a bypass anammox unit. The disclosure sets a denitrification phosphorus removal functional zone in the anoxic tank of the A2O system, and sets a deoxygenation zone in the aerobic tank. Combined with the primary sedimentation fermentation tank, the efficient utilization of the carbon source of the A2O process is strengthened. The system has good effluent quality and does not require the addition of a carbon source, and the aeration energy consumption is low, which achieves efficient and low-carbon nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

Abstract: A sewage treatment apparatus is provided for reducing nitrogen content in sewage fluid (e.g., after primary treatment). The apparatus uses vegetation to process the sewage fluid and reduce ammonia and organic nitrogen in the processed sewage fluid by uptake of the ammonia and organic nitrogen into the vegetation and by converting the residual ammonia and organic nitrogen into nitrites and nitrates. The apparatus also uses a feedback loop to combine the processed sewage fluid and the raw sewage fluid, such that nitrites and nitrates in the processed sewage fluid are reduced by interacting with carbonaceous waste in the raw sewage fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 and an application thereof in removal of phosphorus from wastewater, belonging to the technical field of environmental microorganisms. One aspect of the invention provides a Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 with an access number of CGMCC (China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center) No. 21177. Another aspect of the invention provides an application of the Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 in removal of phosphorus from wastewater. The efficient phosphorus-accumulating strain Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 provided by the invention has a high removal rate of more than 97% when the concentration of phosphorus in the wastewater is 10-30 mg/L under an appropriate condition.

Abstract: A pool skimmer device includes float harness that is attached to a cylindrical shaped device, which includes a self-adjusting funnel positioned at the distal end of the extension body, the funnel having a wide opening positioned at the distal end of the extension body and a narrow opening, and a funnel profile extending between the wide opening and the narrow opening, a coarse skimmer basket, a ballast collar and an outlet to the pool's filtration system, in which the outlet can be replaced with a submersible water pump and filter.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for neutralizing discharge waters from ballast and/or cooling water biocidal treatment and disinfection systems are provided. The systems utilize oxidation reduction potential control to regulate the dechlorination of a biocidal agent to allowable discharge levels in ship buoyancy systems and ship cooling water systems.

Abstract: Disclosed are a baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing device with anaerobic bio-nests and a baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing process with anaerobic bio-nests thereof. The wastewater with low carbon-nitrogen ratio first enters anaerobic chamber I, then enters anaerobic chamber II and chamber III to complete anaerobic decarbonization and denitrification. The chambers are provided with modified basalt fiber carrier media to enrich a large number of functional microorganisms, and improve the device in terms of anaerobic treatment efficiency. Fermentation liquid in chamber III then flows back to aerobic chamber IV to complete the nitrification process. Nitrified liquid enters chamber I and mixes with influent for further treatment, and effluent is finally discharged from chamber III. The clapboard and basalt fiber felt in chamber IV can retain and enrich autotrophic/heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria.

Abstract: A system (20, 70) for water treatment includes a plurality of containers (22, 24, 26, 80) which are configured to be stacked one on another for shipment and to deployed in a row at different, respective heights at a water treatment site. Each container includes an inlet (37, 86) at a first side of the container and an outlet (88) at a second side of the container, opposite the first side. The containers are filled with substrates (36, 38, 40) configured for planting of aquatic plants (60) therein and including at least different first and second substrates for filling the first and second containers, respectively. Piping includes at least an inlet pipe (34) for connection to the inlet of a first container, a transfer pipe (64, 66) for connection between the outlet of the first container and the inlet of a second container, and an outlet pipe (41) for connection to the outlet of the second container.

Abstract: A pool strainer basket insert system and method are contemplated in which a high porosity, coarse fibrous mass is inserted in a pool skimmer basket. Via optimization of the material properties of the fibrous mass and configuration such that approximately 50% of the fibrous mass is located above the waterline and 50% below the water line the problems of the prior art may be solved via the retaining properties of the fibrous mass, enabling insects and small organic matter to be retained and preventing their migration back to the main body of the pool.

Abstract: A durable and collapsible strainer basket for pool equipment includes a rigid annular top portion having a radially extending rim; and a flexible basket extending downward from the rigid annular top portion, the rim of the rigid annular top portion including a downward facing surface that extends radially outward beyond the flexible basket and that is positioned to rest on a ledge of a pool equipment cavity, wherein the flexible basket includes a tapered outer shape formed by two or more flexible silicone annular sections having a plurality of holes passing therethrough, wherein the two or more flexible silicone annular sections are configured to be collapsible such that the flexible basket includes a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.

Abstract: An interface module of a skimmer for a swimming pool or spa includes an adjustable face assembly that rotatably adjusts within an angular range, inward and/or outward with respect to vertical, that includes the expected possible angles of the pool wall, to provide a substantially planar mounting surface that is parallel to the wall of the swimming pool or spa. A waterproof shroud interconnects mounting brackets of the assembly, expanding and contracting as the mounting brackets are rotated relative to each other. The assembly can be integrated with the skimmer during manufacture of the skimmer, or poolside during skimmer installation. The installer positions the assembly approximate a skimmer aperture in the pool wall, actuates the adjustment mechanism of the interface module to select and lock the desired angle, and secures the interface module flush against the angled pool wall, with the throat module and vessel of the skimmer remaining upright.