Abstract: Water containing difficult-to-remove volatile hydrocarbon contaminants which may include MTBE, TBA and/or BTEX is treated under pressure by electrolysis and oxidative reduction in a contact area, then is depressurized and subjected to high shear in a multi-stage turbine column to precipitate and/or outgas nearly all of the contaminants. In the turbine column, redirect diverters are included below each turbine in order to redirect the water/gas stream to center and to further atomize the stream at each stage. Liquid discharge is received in a bottom reservoir of the casing or tank. Vacuum is applied to the casing, at about 30 inches of water, to constantly remove air and gases from the casing, and causing air to be drawn at high flow rate down through the turbine column, helping volatilize the hydrocarbon components. A submersed pump in the liquid reservoir removes the treated water.

Abstract: A bonded multi-component filter medium preferably contains at least two active components, namely, activated carbon adsorbent and a blend of at least two organic polymer absorbents. The medium is prepared by adding a selected quantity of carbon of a preselected size to a mixer, then wetting the activated carbon with a water-based aliphatic resin binder adhesive, preferably also with a surfactant, thus eliminating the static charge on the carbon, then adding hydrophobic absorption bonding polymers to the mixer, then thoroughly mixing the hydrophobic absorption bonding polymer with the carbon in preselected proportions, until both the carbon particles and the polymer particles are effectively coated with the binder adhesive. After thoroughly mixing, the medium mixture is preferably poured into filter cartridge forms, and then air-dried at room temperature and low humidity, to cure the aliphatic resin adhesive binder.

Abstract: Liquid is clarified by passing it between spaced plates of a stack including two interleaved sets of plates, one set being connected to one direct current lead and the other set being connected to the other direct current lead. The liquid may flow through the spaces between the plates in a single direction in parallel paths or may flow in a serpentine path. Impurities removed from the liquid adhere to the plates and may be purged from the plates periodically by reversing the direction of flow of current between the plates. Impurities sloughed off the plates are trapped in a filter in the cell outlet.