Abstract: A horizontal vacuum tray filter having a plurality of U-shaped trays interconnected to a conveyor for movement past a filtration zone in the horizontal plane of movement wherein an endless filter cloth is disposed over the bottom walls of the trays in said horizontal plane with the adjacent open ends of said trays in detachable sealing engagement to provide a continuous filtration surface over the filtration zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for rapidly and efficiently dewatering or separating particles by electrofiltration in which the suspension of solids is first demineralized.The suspension of solids may be demineralized by electrodialysis, dialysis, filtration, diafiltration or washing on a rotating-drum continuous-suction filter.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for dewatering a suspension of solids in a carrier liquid by means of an electrically augmented vacuum filter having an anodic electrode structure comprising an anode and a liquid impervious wall, wherein the wall is a non ion selective membrane which is permeable to both cations and anions. The non ion selective membrane being impervious to the suspension solids, carrier liquid, electrolyte and gaseous electrode reaction products. This non ion selective membrane comprises a substrate and a solid polymeric film, wherein the substrate is a cloth support and the solid polymeric film comprises a cation exchange resin, an anion exchange resin and a binder. The charge transfer numbers of the non ion selective membrane t.sup.30 is in the range of 0.20 to 0.80 and t.sup.- in the range of 0.80 to 0.20, respectively.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the sulfur concentration of wastewater which is to be disposed of through anaerobic treatment. Wastewater high in sulfur content is fed to a reactor having a pH level less than 6, such that the sulfate and/or sulfite compounds in the wastewater are converted by sulfate reducing bacteria into sulfide gas, thereafter exhausting the sulfide gas from the reactor. It is preferred that two anaerobic reactors be connected in series, such that the first reactor contains sulfate reduce bacteria and/or acid-forming bacteria, and the second reactor contains methane-forming bacteria and/or acid-forming bacteria.

Abstract: An electrically augmented crossflow filter device in which a feed stream containing solid particulate matter is flowed between opposed walls while a pressure differential is imposed across a first of said walls comprising a filter medium to produce a flow of filtrate therethrough in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow of the feed stream. At the same time, an electric field is imposed on the feed stream in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the flow of the feed stream, causing the solid particulate matter in the feed stream to tend to move toward the second of said walls which comprises an ion-pervious member. Cake formation on the latter ion-pervious wall is limited or precluded by the velocity of the feed stream while the feed stream thickens in passing between the walls to form the product stream. The electrode which is located behind the second, or ion-pervious, wall is immersed during operation in a protective stream of a selected electrolyte.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the zeta potential of particles in a suspension comprising: a cell containing at least a portion of the suspension of particles; a first electrode and a second electrode disposed in a cell; means for producing an electric field between the first and second electrodes, the electric field causing the particles to accelerate; means for converting a force, the force being generated by the acceleration of the particles, into electrical energy; and means for measuring the electrical energy.

Abstract: A removable baffle insert for positioning in a filtrate compartment of a rotary drum vacuum filter comprising an elongated C-shaped member positioned between a pair of compartment walls and having one arm thereof providing the ceiling of the compartment to prevent filtrate run-back during the filtration cycle.

Abstract: A system and method for dewatering or separating particles from a liquid or a colloidal suspension which comprises the use of an electrofilter with separated, submerged electrodes wherein the electrode used for collecting the solid particles comprises an assembly of an ion-selective membrane shell, coated with or having bonded on its interior, a conductive metal composite catalyst layer, and a conductive structural material core such as graphite within the shell. The electrode assembly does not require the use of an electrolytic solution within the shell, but may be operated with one. A direct current is applied to the electrofilter so that the particles in the suspension will migrate towards the electrode assembly and form a caked deposit or slurry layer on the outside of the membrane. In one embodiment, the electrode assembly can be removed from the electrofilter cell so that the dewatered or separated solids may be removed from the outside surfaces of the membrane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a colloidal potential are described using pulses of ultrasonic energy that are directed along a path within a liquid suspension of colloidal particles. A vibration potential is measured at at least a pair of positions along the path. The positions are known relative to the source of ultrasonic pulses. The vibration potential measurements are then used to derive a colloidal potential which is independent of its attenuation encountered by the ultrasonic energy inside the suspension. In one embodiment several potential measuring probes are used and in another embodiment one probe is moved between predetermined positions.

Abstract: A drum structure for a rotary drum vacuum filter wherein the drum comprises a pair of conical shaped support members having concentrically arranged interconnected peripheral base portions with the apexes of the support members carried by spaced cylindrical end plates which form the end walls of the drum. Filtrate compartments are formed beneath the outer filtration surface of the drum by adjacent pairs of a plurality of spaced panels having edge portions fixed to both the support members and the end plates.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump comprising a cylindrical outer housing having a fluid feed conduit concentrically arranged therein with the outer wall portions thereof spaced from the inner walls of this outer housing to provide a fluid discharge outlet therebetween and a stator secured to one end of said housing having fluid discharge channels open to said fluid discharge outlet and a rotor casing encompassing said stator rotatable relative thereto wherein air bubbles in the fluid feed are sheared in a deaerating chamber adjacent said stator and vent means provided for discharging air from the rotor casing.

Abstract: A method for treating the fine-grained spend absorbent (primarily calcium sulfite and calcium sulfate) from a dry flue gas desulfurization process. The absorbent, having a small amount of binder therein, is oxidized in a fluidized bed reactor at a temperature in the range from about 700.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. to produce a dry essentially fully oxidized pelletized calcium sulfate product.Calcium sulfate pellets having an average diameter of from about 0.5 mm to 5 mm and containing from about 1% to about 3%, by weight, of binder constituents, are composed of agglomerated calcium sulfate particles having an average diameter of from about 50.mu. to about 100.mu. bound to each other by the binder constituents.

Abstract: A pressure filter for separating a liquor from mud liquor slurry and for concentrating a filter cake as a heavy slurry discharge comprising a tank having a ring of filter elements supported by a plate which separates the filter tank from a filtrate chamber. The feed enters the tank under pressure through an enlarged feed cylinder tube located in the center of the ring of filter elements. In the backwashing mode of operation the feed rate is maintained or increased to assist in displacing filter cake from the filter elements.

Abstract: A low pressure filtration and thickening device comprising a tank having a plurality of suspended filter elements therein and a plurality of filtrate receiving compartments in the upper portion of the tank for receiving filtrate from the filter elements wherein a filtrate discharge system is provided for providing separate and uninterrupted flow paths for the filtrate from the filter tank to a storage tank.

Abstract: A treatment system for liquids includes apparatus for dissolving gas in the liquid and a container for providing the necessary reaction time between the gas and the liquid or constituents thereof. The device for dissolving the gas in the liquid includes gas injection means for introducing gas into the liquid and a contact chamber for containing a downflowing stream of the liquid to be treated. The pressure within the downflowing stream increases as it descends and at the elevated pressure the capacity of the liquid to take gas into solution is greatly increased. This apparatus for dissolving gas may conveniently be located below ground level. A conduit return means is provided for routing undissolved gas from a region at high pressure to an upstream portion of the liquid stream so that the gas can be reintroduced for dissolution.

Abstract: An electrically augmented vacuum filtration apparatus and process wherein a suspension of solids is dewatered in a bath located between electrodes of opposite polarity with intermediate biodes (a biode being in a sense a combined anode and cathode structure) positioned in the bath between the electrodes.

Abstract: A treatment system for liquids includes apparatus for dissolving gas in the liquid and a container for providing the necessary reaction time between the gas and liquid or constituents thereof. The device for dissolving the gas in the liquid includes gas injection means for introducing gas into the liquid and a contact chamber for containing a downflowing stream of the liquid to be treated. The pressure within the downflowing stream increases as it descends and at the elevated pressure the capacity of the liquid to take gas into solution is greatly increased. This apparatus for dissolving gas may conveniently be located below ground level. A conduit return means is provided for routing undissolved gas from a region at high pressure to an upstream portion of the liquid stream so that the gas can be reintroduced for dissolution.

Abstract: A motorized lifting mechanism for the rake arms of a sedimentation tank which comprise spaced vertical pairs of pivot link arms interconnecting the rake arm frame to a main center rake arm drive cage and wherein the rake arm frame is in turn interconnected to a motorized jack lifting screw by means of a cable to raise the arm upon the pivoting of the pivot arms.

Abstract: A surface skimmer means for a settling tank comprises curved skimmer blades extending across the diameter of the tank and are interconnected to and movable with the main rake structure of the tank wherein cam actuated means are provided for pivoting the blades about a pivot arm to the periphery of the tank to move floating material to a collector tank for discharge from the tank.

Abstract: A fluidized bed boiler having a water-wall type construction has a steam-water natural circulation system for heat exchange. Vertical in-bed heat exchange tubes are provided and the steam drum of the boiler extends across the full length of the boiler combustion chamber and the convection heat exchange chamber. An air distributor grate is provided for introduction of fluidizing air into the combustion chamber and the air flow therefrom can be controlled to afford a flexible turn-down capability.