Abstract: This is a method of batch-continuous operation for treatment and separation of liquid-solid mixtures in a reactor with reactive solids comprising steps of continuously feeding the liquid in the reactor, contacting (possibly, mixing) liquid with the solids in at least a portion of the reactor, periodically separating the liquid from the solids in unmixed, or predominantly unmixed, portion of the reactor, discharging at least a portion of the separated liquid from the reactor, and retaining the separated solids in the unmixed portion of the reactor, and periodically resuspending the solids in the unmixed portion of the reactor and transferring the resuspended soilds into the portion of the reactor for contacting liquid with the solids. The contacting and/or mixing of the liquid with the solids in the mixed portion of the reactor can be continuous or periodic mixing. The unmixed zone differs from the quiescent zone in conventional clarifiers.

Abstract: This is a method of water and wastewater treatment for removal of pollutants in at least two-step process comprising (a) treatment of water producing at least partially treated intermediate effluent, (b) treatment of the intermediate effluent with a sacrificial metal and producing ions of said sacrificial metal, and providing very thoroughly treated effluent, (c) recuperating sacrificial metal ions generated in the step (b) and recycling the recuperated ions in the step (a), the recuperated and recycled ions from the step (c) improve treatment efficiency of step (a) by additionally removing pollutants from the intermediate effluent using recuperated ions, resulting in cleaner intermediate effluent, and, therefore, the pollutant loading rate in step (b) is reduced, intermediate effluent is further treated more thoroughly, and the demand for the sacrificial metal in step (b) is reduced. Step (a) can preferably be a biological, biological-abiotic, physical chemical, or combination of these steps.

Abstract: This is a method and apparatus for treatment of liquid media making use of at least one float positioned at the top of the liquid and at least one gas diffuser placed under the float and connected to this float by at least one brace, the diffuser is connected to a gas source by at least one flexible conduit. The gas emitted from the diffuser produces a mixture with liquid having density lower than the liquid and the float partially sinks in the liquid thus increasing the submergence of the diffuser and lowering the gas flow through the diffuser. At increased submergence, the gas flow is reduced, the mixture density increases, and the float rises. A repeatable motion up and down of the float-diffuser is established producing pulsations in the liquid.