Abstract: A machine for preparing beverages with a hydraulic circuit includes a tank for the water: a boiler to heat the water; a pump to feed the water; a brewing unit that receives water from the boiler and into which a product for preparing the coffee or other food is inserted. The machine also has a magnetic field generator for treatment of the water to reduce the formation of calcareous deposits in said hydraulic circuit.

Abstract: There is described a machine (1) for preparing beverages, in particular coffee, and other foods using hot water, with a hydraulic circuit comprising: a tank for the water; a boiler to heat the water; a pump to feed the water; a brewing unit that receives water from said boiler and into which a product for preparing the coffee or other food is inserted. The machine has a magnetic field generator for treatment of the water to reduce the formation of calcareous deposits in said hydraulic circuit.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a small-size temperature sensor, which exploits a random or oriented network of un-functionalized, single or multi-walled, carbon nanotubes to monitor a wide range of temperatures. Such network is manufactured in the form of freestanding thin film with an electric conductance proven to be a monotonic function of the temperature, above 4.2 K. Said carbon nanotube film is wire-connected to a high precision source-measurement unit, which measures its electric conductance by a standard two or four-probe technique. Said temperature sensor has a low power consumption, an excellent stability and durability, a high sensitivity and a fast response; its manufacturing method is simple and robust and yields low-cost devices. Said temperature sensor, freely scalable in dimension, is suitable for local accurate measurements of rapidly and widely changing temperatures, while introducing a negligible disturb to the measurement environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to the realization of synthesis of organic compounds or abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in gas-solid fluidised bed photocatalytic reactor with improved illumination efficiency. The photoreactor consists of a two-dimensional fluidized bed catalytic reactor with two walls transparent to ultraviolet radiation, by an illumination system bases on a matrix of LEDs positioned near its external walls, and heated for Joule effect inside the catalytic bed to monitor the reaction temperature. Surprisingly, through the choice of a suitable catalyst and fluidized bed photoreactor operating conditions both total and partial oxidation reactions can be achieved with high activity and selectivity. Even more surprisingly, the value of the illuminated catalyst surface area per unit irradiated volume reaches values in the order of 106 m?1, significantly higher than those of microreactors, amounting to 250,000 m?1 and slurry reactors with values in 8500-170000 m?1.

Abstract: This invention presents the set-up of a heterogeneous photo-Fenton system for the abatement of organic pollutants in liquid wastewater by means of heterogeneous perovskite-based catalysts, both in powder and in structured form. The proposed method employs, preferably, structured honeycomb monoliths consisting of a perovskite-based material (unsupported catalyst), or structured honeycomb monoliths made of a refractory carrier or a foam impregnated with a solution of salts corresponding to the desired perovskite (supported catalyst). The removal of organic substances is carried out at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, through an oxidation to gaseous CO2. The perovskite-based catalyst, in structured form, is more efficient in the degradation of organic pollutants than a homogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst. It allows to enlarge the operative range of pH in comparison to the limited operative range of pH of the homogeneous system, without the formation of sludge.