Abstract: A back-flushable filter cartridge includes a cylindrical exterior fluid-permeable filter media cage, a cylindrical interior fluid-permeable core element coaxially disposed within the filter media cage so as to establish therebetween an interior space, and longitudinally pleated filter media surrounding the core element and disposed in the interior space such that individual pleats thereof extend substantially radially outwardly from the core element. An annular space is established between outer longitudinal folds of the pleated filter media and the filter media cage. The pleated filter media is radially expandable into the established annular space to allow individual adjacent pleats of the pleated filter media to circumferentially separate from one another in response to fluid flowing in a radial direction from the core element toward the filter media cage.

Abstract: A backwash sealing shoe is provided for a filtration system including a tank having an undivided filtration bed and a plurality of side-by-side headers within the bed, each header in communication with a respective port in a wall of the tank. The sealing shoe includes a hydraulic section including an opening surrounded by a seal and adapted to sealingly engage the wall in surrounding relationship to at least one of the ports; and at least one blocking section adjacent the hydraulic section on one side thereof and including a plate surrounded by a seal and adapted to sealingly engage the wall in surrounding relationship to at least one adjacent port to thereby block flow from the tank through at least one adjacent port during a backwash operation.

Abstract: A process for removing thiocyanate and other anions from Type II strong base anion exchange resins with an alkali metal hydroxide is disclosed. The process is particularly beneficial to the regeneration and/or reclamation of alkanolamine solutions laden with heat stable salts, especially thiocyanate.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing dissolved hydrogen sulfide from water including an atomizing tank defining an open end. A manifold is positioned adjacent the open end. The manifold defines an inlet channel having a first inlet port and a second inlet port. The first inlet port is in communication with aerated water containing dissolved hydrogen sulfide. An atomizing nozzle is in communication with the second inlet port for atomizing the water to cause the dissolved hydrogen sulfide to react with oxygen in the air to form sulfate in the atomizing tank. At least one filtering tank is in communication with the atomizing tank for filtering the sulfate from the water. The method of the present invention includes the steps of: (a) aerating water containing dissolved hydrogen sulfide with air at a predetermined pressure; and (b) atomizing the water to cause the dissolved hydrogen sulfide to react with oxygen in the air to form sulfate.

Abstract: A system automated for providing at least periodic removal of metal ions and contaminants from a chemical bath, consists of a microprocessor programmed for controlling fluid circuits of pumps and valves, for in one state of operation circulating a first predetermined quantity of the chemical bath from a first tank, through an ion exchange column, and back to the first tank; for in a second state of operation circulating deionized water from a second tank into the IEX column for displacing residual chemical bath therefrom for return to the first tank; for in a third state of operation circulating deionized water through the IEX column, and discharging the rinse water from a waste port; for in a fourth state of operation circulating regenerant acid through the ion exchange column, and discharging the used acid from a waste port; for in a fifth state of operation circulating deionized water through the IEX column for rinsing acid regenerant therefrom and discharging the same out of a waste port; and for in a six

Abstract: Ions (e.g. lithium) can be removed or recovered from brines containing those ions and optionally one or more other ions (e.g. other alkali metal ions) by the use of a temperature-swing, ion-exchange process employing an ion-exchange material. The process depends on a change in the selectivity coefficient of an ion exchange material for the ions desired to be recovered with a change in temperature, resulting in desirable ions being relatively selectively released at one temperature and undesirable ions being relatively selectively released at another temperature. The process of the invention can be used to effect the separation of any ion (or set of ions) from another ion or from a set of ions wherein the selectivity coefficient for one ion (or set of ions) has a substantial temperature dependence, compared to that for the other ion (or set of ions).

Abstract: An ion exchanger of the countercurrent type includes a pressure vessel for supporting a resin bed. The vessel includes a first port through which water to be treated is supplied to the vessel during a production cycle, a second port through which regenerant is supplied to the vessel during a regenerant cycle, and a third port located intermediate of the first and second ports and connected to a lower in-bed distributor located within the vessel. A recycling loop is provided between the third port and the first port for recycling regenerant during at least a portion of the regeneration cycle. An upper in-bed distributor is located within the vessel slightly above the lower in-bed distributor and has an associated fourth port through which waste regenerant is removed from the vessel during the regeneration cycle.

Abstract: In a regenerating ion exchanger installation with a resin container, the water, acid and/or alkaline solution pipe conduits inlets lead into a common pump inlet conduit, whereby each inlet can be individually decoupled from the inlet conduit of the pump by means of a specially controllable cut-off valve. The pump is a compressed air-diaphragm pump and feeds directly into a fluid conduit ending at either the upper or the lower side of the resin container and exhibits a counting device for stroke counting, whereby a control device is provided connected to the counting device for the control of the volume flow of water out of the water inlet and acid or alkaline solution out of the acid or alkaline solution inlet via the controllable cut-off valves based on the corresponding stroke count of the compressed air-diaphragm pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for softening an aqueous sugar juice containing sugars and Ca.sup.2+ and/or Mg.sup.2+ ions, such as a sugar factory molasses by means of a cation exchange resin, in the form of Na.sup.+ and/or K.sup.+, and for regeneration of said resin, comprising:(a) a softening step wherein the said sugar juice is brought into contact with the said cation exchange resin, in the form Na.sup.+ and/or K.sup.+, to give, on the one hand, a softened sugar juice depleted in Ca.sup.2+ and/or Mg.sup.2+ ions and charged with Na.sup.+ and/or K.sup.+ ions and, on the other hand, a cation exchange resin charged with Ca.sup.2+ and/or Mg.sup.2+ ions, and(b) a step for the regeneration of said latter resin,characterised in that the regeneration step (b) comprises bringing the said resin into contact with a liquid effluent produced on separation by chromatography of the sugars from a softened aqueous sugar juice containing sugars and Na.sup.+ and/or K.sup.

Abstract: A method of mixed-bed filtration and demineralization for removing suspended impurities from the primary cooling water in a power plant by means of a demineralizer having a mixed bed formed of a particulate cation and anion exchange resin that have such a surface layer structure that granules are seen to bind with one another under microscopic examination, being able to be operated in a safe and yet economical manner by virtue of established conditions for operating processes, such as regeneration of the demineralizer by backwashing and by passage of chemicals and also, replacement of the demineralizer.

Abstract: In a retardation installation having a container holding the adsorber material capable of accepting acid, in particular adsorber resin, and a feed for a watery acid-salt-solution, for example from an anodizing bath, a further feed for a regenerating solution to regenerate the adsorber material, in particular demineralized Water in opposite flow to the acid-salt-solution, as well as a drain for the treated acid-salt-solution which has passed the adsorber material and with at least one pump for the transport of the acid salt solution and/or the regenerating solution, precisely one pump is provided for which is configured as a compressed air-diaphragm pump and which exhibits a device for stroke counting as well as a device for the control of the volume flow of acid-salt-solution or regenerating solution on the a basis of the stroke count of the compressed air-diaphragm pump.

Abstract: A water treatment tank for use in a water treatment or softening system is disclosed which is operative in a treatment mode to receive untreated water through an inlet port and to pass treated water through an outlet port, and which is operative in a backwash mode to receive wash water through the outlet port and to pass waste water through the inlet port. Treatment tank has a vessel having an interior cavity which is partitioned into a top headspace portion, and a middle treatment bed space portion, and a bottom headspace portion via the placement of a pair of distributor filters mounted within the interior cavity to extend between the side walls thereof. The filters are spaced-apart, respectively, from the top end wall to define therewith the top headspace portion and the bottom headspace portion.

Abstract: A method of regenerating an ion exchanger which is used to treat a solution introduced to the ion exchanger in a downward charging direction. The ion exchanger comprises a non-constrained bed of ion exchange material in the form of ion exchange granules and has a concentration profile through the ion exchange material after the solution has been introduced to the ion exchanger in the charging direction. The method in one embodiment comprises passing a regenerating solution upwardly through the non-constrained bed of ion exchange material in an intermittent pulsed flow comprising a pulse or up flow of regenerating solution, a subsequent non-flow pause time, followed by a down flow pulse in a direction opposite to the up flow.

Abstract: A method of regenerating an ion exchanger which is used to treat a solution introduced to the ion exchanger in a downward changing direction. The ion exchanger contains a non-constrained bed of ion exchange material in the form of ion exchange granules and has a concentration profile through the ion exchange material after solution has been introduced to the ion exchanger in the charging direction. The method of regenerating comprises passing a regenerating solution upwardly through the non-constrained bed of ion exchange material in an intermittent flow manner comprising an alternating up flow of regenerating solution followed by a down flow of liquid in a direction opposite to the up flow. The duration and velocity of the up flow of regenerating solution is sufficient to lift and generate a perceptible mixing of ion exchange materials in approximately the bottom portion of the ion exchange bed, with the down flow being sufficient to seat the bed very rapidly and terminate mixing.

Abstract: A packed mass transfer tower for establishing intimate gas-liquid contact and efficient mass transfer that is less susceptible to gas or liquid channeling, gas surging and uneven distribution of gas or liquid across the cross-sectional area of the tower. In one embodiment, the packed tower includes a packing arrangement including a loosely packed bed of mobile packing material, and an adjacent, tightly packed bed of mobile packing material. The relatively tightly packed bed of mobile packing material acts as a gas distributor, as well as being a material that causes good gas-liquid contact, to provide an even flow of gas across essentially the entire cross-sectional area of the loosely packed bed of mobile packing material. In another embodiment, mobile packing elements and fixed packing elements are intermixed between the same spaced fluid-pervious grids.

Abstract: A water softening device is provided with a waste storage tank for receiving waste liquid, such as hard water used to draw out brine from a brine storage tank, as well as the used brine itself during a regeneration cycle. The tank outlet communicates with a sprinkler system, and when the sprinkler system is on, an injector valve sucks waste liquid from the waste tank to mix it in with the sprinkler system water and thereby further dilute the liquid. A method of processing the waste water accordingly includes collecting this waste liquid and preferably mixing it in with the sprinkler fluid. The brine waste and brine supply tanks in one embodiment are preferably formed as one unit with two separate compartments. The inlet pipe to the brine waste compartment has an overflow safety valve which senses, through a float mechanism, when the tank is substantially full. The valve has a normally closed port connected to a leach line or the like.

Abstract: Mercury is often removed as an impurity from process fluid streams by adsorption in fixed beds using any of several well-known adsorbents having the ability to selectively adsorb mercury. It is also common to reintroduce this sequestered mercury into the environment by means of the spent gas used to periodically regenerate the fixed beds. A solution to this problem is provided by the present invention in which the mercury is removed from the process stream using a large non-regenerated adsorption bed in combination with a periodically regenerated secondary adsorption bed, the mercury content of the latter being transferred to the former during the regeneration procedure.

Abstract: Provided is a process for the removal of metal ions from water which comprises filtering the water through a bed or layer of granular lightburned or hardburned magnesium oxide. The use of granular hardburned or granular lightburned grades of the magnesium oxide provides one with a most effective process for the removal of metal ions, as well as a process which permits a greater throughput of water before the effectiveness of the magnesium oxide decreases substantially.The process of the present invention also involves an acidic backwash to regenerate the granular magnesium oxide. The acidic backwash is used to strip the captured metal ions from the surface of the granules, and has been found to be quite effective. The acid is generally a dilute acid, e.g., about 1 to 10 percent by weight acid concentration.

Abstract: A method for regenerating the exhausted anion and cation exchange resin in a mixed bed demineralizer which utilizes an interface tank to increase the volume of interface resin that is physically isolated to increase separation efficiencies. An anticipatory interface detection sample flow of cation resin is directed from an intermediate section of the separation vessel through a sample line into the interface tank simultaneously with the transfer of cation resin from the bottom of the separation vessel into a cation regeneration vessel. Upon detection of an interface by the entry of anion resin, or inert material if present, into the sample line, the transfer of cation resin into the cation regeneration tank is terminated. The remaining cation resin from the separation vessel is transferred into the interface tank until an interface is detected by the entry of anion resin, or inert material if present, into the cation transfer line.

Abstract: A new thermal swing adsorption process for the separation of a bulk liquid mixture into its respective components wherein a novel rinse step is employed to achieve high product recovery with a low energy of separation. The invention is particularly useful for separating liquid mixtures containing azeotropes or close-boiling components which are difficult to separate using conventional techniques such as distillation or routine termal swing adsorption. A given example is the separation and recovery of methyl acetate from a bulk liquid mixture containing methyl acetate and water.

Abstract: The invention concerns an ion exchange process and system, particularly for the regeneration step following a softening or desalination of aqueous solutions. The regenerant solution is fed in an upward stream through the ion exchanger in a direction opposite to the charging direction, as a sequence of intermittent pulse intervals consisting of pulse flow followed by a period of no flow. During the pulse flow, there is limited hydrodynamic lifting of the ion exchange resin beds in layers, followed by subsequent sedimentation during the pause period, without mixing of the layers.

Abstract: In carrying out an organic chemical reaction, such as the synthesis of a polypetide, it is known to attach a substance to particles of pervious support material and to immerse the particles in a sequence of liquids which serve as reagents, solvents etc. The invention provides a method in which, during at least one stage in a reaction of that kind, a liquid is introduced into a vessel containing particles of support material in such a manner that the immediately preceding liquid is progressively displaced by the incoming liquid. Apparatus for carrying out that method comprises a vessel (1) with upper and lower sintered restraining plates (5 and 6) between which the support material is located. Valves (8 and 11) can be set at will to enable a pump (13) to pump liquid into the vessel from above or below and to recirculate or discharge the liquid.

Abstract: In its broadest aspects, a method for the cyclic regeneration of a water softening system is disclosed. The water softening system comprises an exchange medium in a tank which is in fluid communication with a brine storage tank. This method comprises the steps of filling the brine storage tank with a second refill of softened water in a quantity sufficient to create sufficient brine for said exchange medium, said brine storage tank already containing a second refill of softened water from a later step of the method. The exchange medium is subjected to first backwashing with water flowing counter the direction of water flowing therethrough during water softening operations. Next, brine from the brine storage tank is passed through the exchange medium. Water then is passed through the brine exchange tank. The exchange medium thereafter is subjected to second backwashing with water flowing counter to the direction of water flowing therethrough during the water softening operation.

Abstract: In a method for removing mercury from a wastestream to produce an environmentally acceptable discharge, the wastestream is contacted with an effective amount of an adsorbent composition which includes a metal compound capable of forming an amalgam and/or a sulfide with mercury and a support. After contact, the treated wastewater is discharged amd the adsorbent composition is regenerated. A method for making the adsorbents is also provided.

Abstract: A process using a regenerable inorganic media capable of removing contaminants by catalytic oxidation or reduction, as well as heavy metal adsorption, from well and surface water sources. The specific material is specially-treated gamma-type electrolytic manganese dioxide, the treatment involving comminuting to a 20-60 mesh size, complete neutralization and washing to remove fines, residual acidity and neutralization products. Certain taste, odor and staining water contaminants such as hydrogen sulfide, iron and manganese can be oxidized and filtered by the media with subsequent removal from the system by simply backwashing with water or water in combination with simple chemicals. Heavy metals are removed by a different adsorption mechanism on the same media followed by regeneration with a dilute acid. Pretreatment of the media with sodium hydrosulfite further allows the removal of residual chlorine.

Abstract: A unitized system for the processing of well water that is contaminated with volatile substances, such as organic substances, at a site where the contaminated water exists. This system has the primary components thereof mounted on a skid/frame that can be transported to the site. In the preferred form, the contaminated water is first processed in a spray tower where it is countercurrently contacted with air to remove the volatile contaminants. This air-treated water then is passed through an activated carbon bed for further purification before being used. While the treated water is not considered safe for human consumption, it can be used for most other uses. The system is controlled to normally operate only upon water demand by the system being supplied. Since activated carbon can cause the gradual growth of bacteria, the system is provided with a system for the periodic back flushing of the carbon bed, with the wash water being discarded in a separate holding tank or to a local sewer.

Abstract: An improved unit for removal of tannin and lignin from water is disclosed, which features a cylindrical tank containing a tannin/lignin-adsorbing resin bed and a distributor tube/water distributor assembly. The assembly comprises a distributor tube extending from an orifice in the upper portion of the tank to a lower distributor assembly, and a riser tube having an open end disposed near the lower distributor assembly and communicating with an upper distributor located beneath the surface of the resin. A water flow restrictor is provided in the lower distributor assembly, such that when water is passed downwardly through the distributor tube in a backwash mode, some of the water is injected into the riser tube. This causes the backwash water to flow into the resin bed at its lower portion and to carry resin up through the riser tube to the upper portion of the resin bed.

Abstract: Mercury is selectively removed to very low levels of concentration from fluid streams such as natural gas, cracked gas, hydrogen or naphtha by passage of the stream through an adsorbent bed containing particles of a zeolitic molecular sieve having pore diameters of at least 3.0 Angstroms and in which the zeolite crystallites forming the outer shell of the adsorbent particle to a depth of not greater than about 0.1 millimeter into the adsorbent particle, contain ionic or elemental silver. These adsorbent particles are utilized to particular advantage in a compound adsorbent bed containing a desiccant substantially free of silver through which a fluid stream containing both mercury vapor and water vapor is both dried and purified with respect to mercury by passage therethrough, coupled with periodic regeneration of both media using conventional purge desorption methods.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a regenerating dynamic adsorber system which removes a contaminant from fluid. The system includes at least one adsorption bed having a contaminant removal capacity that is based substantially on the flow of the contaminated fluid through the bed. The system alternately cleanses the contaminated fluid by feeding the contaminated fluid from a first volume to the bed and issuing cleansed fluid to a second volume, and regenerates the bed by providing clean fluid from a third volume and issuing the fluid back to the third volume.

Abstract: An improved unit for removal of nitrates from water is disclosed, which features a cylindrical tank containing a nitrate-adsorbing resin bed and a dip tube/water distributor assembly. The assembly comprises a dip tube extending from an orifice in the upper portion of the tank to a lower distributor assembly, and an additional backflush tube having an open end disposed near the lower distributor assembly and communicating with an upper distributor located beneath the surface of the resin. A water flow restrictor is provided in the lower distributor assembly, such that when water is passed downwardly through the dip tube in a backflush mode, some of the water is squirted into the additional backflush tube, so that the backflush water flows into the resin bed at both its lower and upper portions. In this way, the resin bed is more effectively regenerated by subsequent supply of a brine solution than if the rinse water were only injected at the lower portion of the resin bed.

Abstract: A process is described involving the detoxification of waste water containing heavy metals which includes recovering the metals in salable form. The metals are removed from the waste water by contacting the water with an ion exchange resin bed contained in a portable canister until it is determined that the resin is saturated with metal. This determination is made by measuring the appearance of heavy metal salts in the effluent from the canister. Regeneration of the resin and recovery of the metal is accomplished in a location diverse to that where the metal is removed from the waste water by (a) back washing the resin with water into a backwashing receiver (b) forward washing the resin with water (c) forward washing the resin with a regenerating solution (d) collecting the regenerating solution in a plurality of fractions wherein the first fractions contain the majority of the metal recovered and (e) forward washing the resin with water to remove excess regenerating agent.

Abstract: Process for operating and regenerating a fixed bed ion exchanger on a continuous basis without the need for moving the bed or closing down the operation during the regeneration step which comprises forming a fluid wall of the feed solution containing the ions to be removed and continuously flowing the feed solution as a fluid wall through a fixed ion exchange bed at a high rate until the ion exchange bed becomes exhausted and in need of regeneration, then terminating the flow of feed solution and forming a fluid wall of a stripping solution which will remove the ions from the ion exchange resin and flowing the stripping solution as a fluid wall through the fixed ion exchange bed at a high rate until the activity of the bed has been restored, then terminating the flow of stripping solution and again forming a fluid wall of the feed solution and continuously flowing the feed solution as a fluid wall through the fixed ion exchange bed at a high rate.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of liquids containing particles in suspension, by percolation of the liquid from top to bottom through a bed of granular material, notably of a ion exchanger resin, includes treatment cycles of the liquid and regeneration cycles of the resin, preceded by decompaction and washing operations, carried out in the same enclosure the inner space of which is divided into two superimposed compartments in mutual communication. The lower compartment is totally filled with granular material and the upper compartment is partly filled with granular material. The decompaction and washing operations of the granular material contained in the enclosure upper compartment are carried out periodically prior to each regeneration cycle by expanding the granular material by means of a current of liquid flowing from bottom to top.

Abstract: A water demineralizer system and method is provided in which at least three beds of resin particles are connected in series flow arrangement preferably within a single vessel for substantially removing metal ions such as calcium and magnesium from water feed by exchange with hydrogen ions. The raw feed water flows first through an upper cation resin bed, then through an intermediate anion resin bed, and then through a lower bed of mixed cation and anion resins, and preferably flows downwardly through the beds. After the resin beds become saturated with metal ions from the feed water, mainly by calcium and magnesium ions, the beds are regenerated by first backwashing with water, then chemically treating with acid and caustic solution, followed by bed rinsing, air mixing and backflushing with water prior to further use for demineralizing the feed water.

Abstract: A naturally acidic, edible fruit or vegetable juice containing a significant concentration of suspended matter, such as pulp, is effectively subjected to ion exchange without substantial loss in pulp content by passing the juice through a supported laterally confined particulate bed of a weak base anionic resin in an upwardly flowing direction through the bed at a liquid velocity which is sufficient to cause the bed to undergo a vertical expansion of at least about 20-25% by volume and preferably 50% but not so great as to cause significant entrainment of resin particles in the treated juice. The volume of the resin relative to the throughput of juice is large enough to extract a substantial amount of the natural acidity of the juice. Preferably, the juice is passed through the bed at a rate sufficient to impart to the expanded bed a slowing rolling motion at least in the region adjacent its upper surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for internal regeneration of mixed bed filters in which, after the exhausted ion exchanger mass has been separated into the two components and these have been regenerated and washed out, the exchanger layer in the region of the cation exchanger/anion exchanger interface is selectively removed from the mixed bed filter, the cation exchanger remaining in the filter is mixed with the anion exchanger remaining in the filter for the new loading stage, the ion exchanger mass removed from the filter is added again, when the work cycle has ended, to the exhausted ion exchanger mass before or during the separation into cation exchanger and anion exchanger, and, after the separation, the loading stage is started again with the regeneration of the cation exchanger and anion exchanger; and also to a mixed bed filter for carrying out the process.

Abstract: The invention concerns a counter-current adsorption filter for the treatment of liquids, with different adsorbents which require different regenerating agents, in which loading of the different adsorbents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing upwards and regeneration of the different loaded adsorbents with the different regenerating agents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing downwards, the inside of which filter is subdivided, by horizontal devices which are permeable to liquid, into a number of chambers corresponding to the number of different adsorbents to be used; in which the adsorbents which are regenerated with different regenerating agents are present in adjacent chambers; the chambers - with the exception of the topmost chamber of the filter - are equipped with a liquid drainage system which is located below the device which is permeable to liquid and forms the upper boundary of the chamber, and which is embedded in a layer of inert material; and in which the individual chambers are filled w

Abstract: The direction of circulating fluid flow in a closed loop simulated moving bed process is periodically reversed within a selected portion of the bed while maintaining normal flow throughout the remainder of the loop. Each selected portion is contained within a discrete vessel, and at preselected times, flow is reversed in each vessel in turn so that during a complete cycle of the process the entire bed is backwashed for an interval sufficient to avoid compaction.

Abstract: An apparatus for ion exchange which comprises (1) a very small diameter helix shaped inner tube of a suitable ion exchanging material having a filament therein and having its terminal ends inserted into entry and exit tubes, and (2) a diametrically slightly larger and longer length hollow outer tube having (a) the helix enclosed therein; (b) inlet and outlet apertures; and (c) sealed ends around the entry and exit tubes leading to the helix, and the method of making and using the same.

Abstract: A deionization method and apparatus comprising separate cation and anion removing sections 10a, 10b, the cation section having separate tanks 14, 16 and the anion section having separate tanks 24, 26. Respective cation and anion control valve assemblies 18, 28 control the fluid communication between various components of respective sections and control the regeneration cycle of exhausted cation and anion tanks, respectively. Each valve assembly includes independent water usage monitoring devices 118 which, upon sensing a predetermined quantity of water discharge by its respective valve assembly, effects regeneration of an associated tank. An exhausted cation tank is regenerated by feeding cation regeneration fluid by way of the cation control valve assembly into the exhausted cation tank in a counterflow direction for a predetermined time. Decationized water from the on-line cation tank is then passed through the exhausted cation tank in a counterflow direction to effect a counterflow rinse.

Abstract: The invention concerns a counter-current adsorption filter for the treatment of liquids, with different adsorbents which require different regenerating agents, in which loading of the different adsorbents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing upwards and regeneration of the different loaded adsorbents with the different regenerating agents is effected in a stream of liquid flowing downwards, the inside of which filter is subdivided, by horizontal devices which are permeable to liquid, into a number of chambers corresponding to the number of different adsorbents to be used; in which the adsorbents which are regenerated with different regenerating agents are present in adjacent chambers; the chambers--with the exception of the topmost chamber of the filter--are equipped with a liquid drainage system which is located below the device which is permeable to liquid and forms the upper boundary of the chamber, and which is embedded in a layer of inert material; and in which the individual chambers are filled wit

Abstract: A water softener control includes a cell of sampling resin which received periodic samples of water which has passed through a major portion of the softening bed. The sampling resin changes volume when it becomes exhausted and the change in volume is employed to initiate regeneration of the softening bed. At the start of the regeneration cycle, regenerative fluid is delivered directly to the sampling resin as well as to the softening bed. The delivery to the sampling resin is through a control valve which is piloted by pressures at a venturi injector which is used to withdraw regenerative fluid from a brine tank. A vacuum operated control valve which is responsive to the closing of an air check valve in the connection between the injector and the brine tank may be employed to positively close the connection from the sampling cell to the injector when the supply of regenerative fluid is exhausted.

Abstract: Ion exchange medium in a water softening system is regenerated cyclically, in response to both a preset timer and a metering device responsive to the degree of hardness of the untreated water and the degree of exhaustion of the ion exchange medium, by slowly feeding regenerating medium, prepared during the softening phase by the metering device, counter current to flow during softening at a rate so as not to disturb the exchange medium and to prevent substantial mixing of the regenerating medium with the water being displaced.

Abstract: In the removal of chromium and zinc, the combination of an anion exchange resin and cation exchange resin in a single vessel, the anion exchange resin being selective of chromium in its chromate and dichromate ionic forms, and the cation exchange resin being an intermediate acid cation exchange resin with a phosphonic acid functional group on a cross-linked polystyrene matrix, having the repeating structural formula: ##STR1## selective of zinc in its ionic form, said single vessel, having distributors selected from the group of inlet distributors, regenerant distributors, subsurface washers, collectors, disposed therein, and inlets and outlets for the addition or removal of effluent, water and regenerant.

Abstract: Adsorbate is removed from a liquid mixture using a vessel containing a side effluent exit port above a zone of adsorbent material and below a second zone of adsorbent material used to remove adsorbate from a reverse flow regenerating fluid.

Abstract: Countercurrent process for the treatment of liquids with adsorbents in a adsorption-filter the space of which is divided by trays which are permeable to liquids into at least 2 chambers, in which process before and/or during the charging of the adsorbent in the upward flow, the regeneration of the charged adsorbent in the downward flow and the backwasting in the upward flow particular levels to which the industrial chambers are filled are established by transferring adsorbent from one chamber to the adjacent chamber.

Abstract: A mixed bed deionizer unit which provides in situ regeneration through the use of two compact multi-valve assemblies and an intermediate manifold which are automatically controlled to supply backwash water, chemical draw for cleansing both cation and anion resins simultaneously and rinsing water in a sequentially controlled manner. An internal water and chemical distribution system in the mixed bed tank is provided which has both input distribution and output drainage capabilities.

Abstract: Ion exchange techniques are utilized to treat waste water flows, especially those from plating baths, by passing the waste water through a multi-level ion exchange resin bed, the bed thereafter being regenerated by a series of steps, including backwashing, passage of an acidic regeneration fluid through the bed, multi-stage rinsing of the bed, and passage of a caustic regeneration fluid through at least a portion of the bed. Acidic waste flows developed during regeneration steps are, when desired, further treated to recover cyanide values therefrom by heating same within a generally closed tank to drive off a hydrocyanic gas, which is then reacted with caustic within a circulation reactor having an inclined passageway in order to form and recover a cyanide salt liquor suitable for re-use in the plating bath.

Abstract: A treatment column includes a treatment zone which is completely filled with a bed of granular treatment material. A normal treatment operation includes passing a fluid to be treated in a downward direction through the bed of treatment material, thereby treating the fluid. Solid particles suspended in the fluid are removed by the upper portion of the bed of treatment material and are retained therein. Regeneration of the bed is achieved in a countercurrent direction within the treatment column. Retained solid particles are removed from the upper portion of the bed by periodically removing the upper portion only of the bed from the treatment column and transferring such upper portion to a separate washing column whereat the portion of the bed is cleaned and washed. The thus cleaned and washed treatment material is then returned to the upper portion of the treatment zone within the treatment column to replenish the bed.

Abstract: An apparatus and its method of use are described for the preparation of samples for organic material analysis, especially for gas chromatographic analysis. The samples in question are samples of organic materials (usually in trace quantities) which have originally been dissolved in water. In the process and apparatus of the present invention each sample is initially transferred to an adsorbent material from which it is in turn transferred to an organic solvent (which may be subsequently dried) and collected and from which the chromatographic analysis sample can later be withdrawn.