Abstract: Evaporator system used for the production of maple syrup. The evaporator system includes at least one receptacle, a combustion chamber, an evacuation port and an air supply system. The evaporator system also includes a door assembly being configured for removably mounting onto a corresponding support frame of the evaporator system, and being operable between an opened configuration for allowing access to the combustion chamber and to be able to selectively feed biomass into the combustion chamber via the inlet thereof, and a closed configuration for preventing access to and closing off the inlet of the combustion chamber, the door assembly being provided with at least one aeration passage extending between an outer portion of the door assembly and an inner portion therefor, for providing a supply of secondary air to the combustion chamber via said at least one aeration passage of the door assembly when operated in the closed configuration.

Abstract: Provided is a cable lock including a locking clasp including first and second clasp components having first and second security cable connection arms. The locking clasp includes at least one groove. The at least one groove is configured to receive at least one device cable. The cable lock includes a security cable having a wire rope and a vinyl coating. The wire rope includes a plurality of wire strings arranged in a plurality of clusters. The first and second security cable connection arms of the locking clasp are coupled to a first end of the security cable. First and second stop sleeves are disposed on opposite sides of the first and second security cable connection arms. A device connection means is disposed at a second end of the security cable opposite the first end of the security cable.

Abstract: Mounting clips (10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600) removably engage to vertically disposed mounting surfaces, such as rain gutter downspouts, and support decorative articles for display. The mounting clips include a frame having arms (14, 814, 914, 1014) configured for attachment to a profiled outer surface of the mounting surface. Optional adapters (870) removably engage to the arms when clips are attached to non-standard diameter mounting surfaces. Length-adjusting clip arms (1014, 1084) or straps (970) may join to the frame of the clips. Or, the arms may be replaced by straps (1176, 1182, 1276, 1282, 1376, 1382, 1476, 1482, 1576, 1582). Decorative articles are joined or appended to a blank (44, 1644) that is slidably engageable with the central portion of the mounting clip. The blank (1644) may include frictional or locking engagement structure (1650, 1686, 1696).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and an arrangement for selective solvent evaporation from a liquid feed, the feed comprising one or more components diluted in at least a first solvent or a solvent blend, comprising: a) a first tubular vessel having a distal end or a channel suitable for the formation of a droplet of a first volume, at an inflow rate n, at the tip or in the lumen of the tubular vessel, and b) means for subjecting the droplet to a solvent removal step at an evaporation rate r2 to evaporate at least part of the first solvent or solvent blend, to accumulate the components in the feed in the droplet during the evaporation process at an accumulation rate r3, to obtain a concentrated feed volume in a concentrated droplet, wherein the evaporation and/or inflow rates are continuously adjusted to achieve a desired accumulation rate. The invention further relates to a method for selective solvent removal from an analyte mixture obtained in a chromatographic separation process.

Abstract: A pond for cooling and/or recovering salt from a hot aqueous solution of a salt such as potassium chloride produced by solution mining. The pond comprises a plurality of channels arranged side-by-side, each of the channels being defined by a plurality of sides. An inlet is provided in a side of a channel for receiving the aqueous solution, and an outlet is provided in a side of another one of the channels for discharging the aqueous solution. The pond has at least one dike separating the channels from one another. A gap is formed in each dike to permit the aqueous solution to flow between the channels, the gap having a length which is about 10 to about 40 percent of the length of the sides of the channels. Salt is crystallized and the solution is cooled as it passes through the channels of the pond.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is, in refining a metal or a semiconductor melt, without impairing refining efficiency, to alleviate wear and tear commensurate with unevenness in a crucible caused by instability in melt flow, and to allow safe operation over long periods of time such that leakages from the crucible do not occur. Provided is a metal or semiconductor melt refining method, in which, by using an AC resistance heating heater as a crucible heating method, the melt is heat retained and mixed by a rotating magnetic field which is generated by the resistance heating heater.

Abstract: The vaporizer assembly includes a nail sub-assembly formed of a high rate of heat transfer material and an adapter assembly formed of a lower rate of heat transfer material. The nail sub-assembly includes a bowl at an upper end and a shaft extending down from the bowl. The shaft has a hollow bore passing therethrough. The nail sub-assembly is preferably formed of a titanium alloy which can be heated to high temperatures without damage thereto. The adapter has a hollow core sized to receive the shaft of the nail therein. The nail is preferably threaded along with portions of the adapter to facilitate height adjustability of the nail relative to the adapter. Lower portions of the adapter are configured to mate with a water pipe inlet tube or other downstream vapor handling device.

Abstract: A reservoir evaporation system for evaporating fluid from an open reservoir of effluent containing a contaminant includes a fluid evaporator, an air pump, and an air supply conduit functionally connecting the fluid evaporator with the air pump. The fluid evaporator includes a vessel adapted to be positioned in an operative position partially submerged on the top surface of the effluent in the reservoir with a lower chamber submerged in the effluent and an upper chamber extending above the top surface of the effluent. In operation, air from the air pump mixes with the effluent inside the fluid evaporator and subsequently is discharged through exhaust openings. A fluid discharge pipe can also simultaneously discharge aerated effluent back down into the reservoir. Fluid is thereby separated from the effluent in the lower chamber by evaporation in a controlled manner that minimizes spread of contaminants to surrounding environments by wind.

Abstract: A method for increasing the evaporation rate of an evaporative pond comprising a pond liquor comprising water and at least 1% by weight of sodium carbonate, said evaporative pond being in contact with an ambient air at an ambient air temperature of more than 0° C., the method comprising the following steps: feeding part of the pond liquor to a heat exchanger; heating the pond liquor in the heat exchanger with heat and producing a heated pond liquor; feeding the heated pond liquor into a spraying device at a temperature called hereafter ‘operating temperature’ of at least 10° C. above the ambient air temperature; and spraying the heated pond liquor into an open area of the evaporative pond with the spraying device, so as to evaporate at least part of the water of the pond liquor when sprayed.

Abstract: A liquid evaporation system for evaporating clean water from a reservoir of wastewater includes a liquid evaporator to evaporate and separate water vapor from the wastewater in a confined space, an air blower to supply air to the liquid evaporator, and a wastewater heating system arranged to collect heat to heat the wastewater in the reservoir.

Abstract: Concentrator and locator device (1) of a solute comprising a substrate (2) and a plurality of prismatic lithographic micro-structures (4) orthogonally emerging from the substrate (2). The microstructures (4) are spaced from one another in a periodical manner so as to make such a substrate (2) super-hydrophobic.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to distillation systems and methods. The still may have an impermeable nonporous membrane that may be extruded, molded, vacuum formed or sprayed-on. The membrane may be installed in a lightweight basin as a liner. The distillation system may also include a unique sealing system that may include a gasket with a cross-section shaped like the lowercase letter “e” and may include a trim piece that hold a basin casing and casing cover together. The distillation system may be designed in such a manner so as to make shipping and assembly easy and cost effective. For example, the distillation system may be constructed as a kit that all needed components and all the components are placed inside of a standard dimension box for shipping. In various embodiments, the distillation system may be a solar distillation system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an evaporation apparatus for depositing material on a vertically oriented substrate (10). The apparatus comprises at least one evaporation crucible (100) with the evaporation crucible (100) having an evaporation surface (120) for evaporating the material (300) wherein the evaporation surface is inclined at an inclination angle (?) in relation to the horizontal. The invention further provides a method for evaporating a substrate with the steps of providing a vertically oriented substrate (10); providing a crucible having an evaporation surface (120) for evaporating a material; evaporating the material on the evaporation surface (120) that is inclined at an inclination angle (?) in relation to the horizontal.

Abstract: This invention has a series of multiple parallel plates that form desalination chambers between them that have seawater or other saline water flowing down the inside of one plate of each chamber. Steam which is generated by solar heat or other heat source condenses on the outside of first chamber of the series on the plate, which has seawater running down it. This releases heat that evaporates the seawater. The vapor flows to the other wall (plate) of the desalination chamber and condenses, and this releases heat that flows through the plate to the next stage of parallel plates and evaporates seawater flowing down the other side of the plate. Each succeeding stage operates at a lower temperature than the previous stage. The final stage is cooled by the evaporation of seawater into the air. One embodiment of the invention has the parallel plates sloped at an angle to the horizontal so that the seawater flows down on the lower plate and evaporates with heat supplied from below.

Abstract: A process for extracting salt from brine contained in at least one open evaporation basin. At least part of the brine is heated in a heating unit located outside the evaporation basis and returned to the evaporation basin. The heating unit is driven by waste heat from a recooling industrial plant. According to this process, climatic values and the degree of recooling are measured and evaluated in a control unit. At least part of the heated brine and some non-heated brine are sprayed by a spraying device of the evaporation basin. The amount of sprayed brine is regulated by the control unit depending on the measured data.

Abstract: The residual level of monomer in a polymer may be reduced by passing a melt of the polymer through a devolatilizer column which contains an array of two or more trays having voids comprising from 15 to 50% of the surface of the tray which are offset so the voids in the upper tray are spaced over the solid areas of the tray below.

Abstract: An environmental evaporation chamber for preparing analytical samples is constructed of a plurality of separable, preferably glass, components especially designed for ease of use and low-cost manufacture. The chamber comprises an open-ended cylindrical body portion with a plurality of legs on one end thereof, a bottom tray on which the body portion is placed with the legs resting thereon to provide a gap for the exhaust of a purge gas, and a top cover which fits snugly on the upper edge of the body portion. A purge gas is introduced via a gas inlet adjacent the upper edge of the body portion and flows therethrough and exits through the gap at the lower edge of the body portion. A sample support may be provided in the body portion to raise the height of the sample into closer proximity to a heating element disposed above the top cover. A method of using the evaporation chamber involves removal and replacement of only the top cover component without the need to move the other components.

Abstract: An evaporimeter has first and second stacked containers for holding water and a scale for measuring the amount of water in the containers. The containers are covered by a screen and are balanced on and supported by a ground spike. An outlet is located at the same elevation as a zero level on the scale so that water can be quickly drained to that level. Readings taken from the scale can be used to regulate irrigation of the surrounding plants.

Abstract: A device for solvent recovery in an ultrasonic cleaning machine is based on utilization of the negative pressure originating from the liquification of the solvent vapor itself in a heat exchanger and the negative pressure from an ejector. Thus, the solvent vapor in a vapor zone is led out of a distillation vessel, cooled outside of the vessel, liquidfied, once again returned to a solvent vessel and, at the same time, the liquification of the solvent vapor which is incompletely liquified from this cooling and liquification process is accelerated even more in the negative pressure section of the ejector. Accordingly, the amount of water mixed into the recovered solvent is extremely reduced so that satisfactory cleaning in the ultrasonic cleaner can be ensured.

Abstract: A volatile solvent conservation modular unit and method for effecting solvent conservation is provided. The cooling coil modular unit is arranged to be disposed in the freeboard zone of a cleaning or degreasing apparatus that uses a volatile solvent. The freeboard zone chiller positioned above the vapor zone and the primary condenser to recover solvent from the relatively less dense solvent/air mixture escaping above the primary condenser and is formed so as to be disposed along one side of the degreaser vessel rather than on all four sides to minimize the obstruction of access into the vapor zone. This one-sided single freeboard chiller positioned on but one side produces a vapor suppression blanket that is effective and is readily retrofitted on existing apparatus without the need for dismantling of the existing unit.

Abstract: The device for reducing the volume of an aqueous waste effluent includes a holding tank, a heating tank for receiving waste effluent from the holding tank and including a heater for heating the waste effluent to a predetermined temperature which is below the boiling point of water and high enough to cause a portion of the water to evaporate and be discharged as water vapors, an agitation pump for continuously recirculating the liquids contents of the heating tank and filter units mounted on top of the heating tank for separating solids and particulate matter from the resulting slurry and returning the filtrate to the heating tank.

Abstract: A hollow shell recirculation arch underlies and supports at least one maple sap vaporizing pan. The arch is formed of inner and outer sheet metal shells. The inner shell is upwardly open and is sized smaller than the outer shell so as to form a space therebetween defining a first head exchange chamber. A transverse bridge wall is interposed within the inner shell, intermediate of the inner shell front wall and a rear wall, and separating the inner shell into a fire box and a second heat exchange chamber. Fire brick lines the interior surfaces of the fire box. Preferably the transverse sidewalls of the inner shell are V-shaped to concentrate and reflect the heat upwardly through the open top of the inner shell against the vaporizing pan.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for disposing of waste rinse water used in photographic processes in which the waste rinse water is heated in a dissolution tank to be reduced to a slurry which is accumulated and stored in drums for later processing. The apparatus is compact consisting of separate tanks for the different rinse water, a holding tank to collect the contaminated rinse water and a separate dissolution tank. There is no discharge of any liquid waste products into the environment.

Abstract: Industrial liquid wastes containing low concentrations of heavy metals are applied to a soil bed where evaporation of the liquid occurs. The soil bed is lined with a liquid-impermeable liner of polymeric sheet material, bentonite clay or a laminate of the two to prevent escape of the liquid waste to the surrounding environment. After repeated applications of wastes to the bed, the concentration of metals in the bed reaches a level where the metals may be recovered by standard mining operations.