Abstract: Power is produced by a power plant using a salt-water solar pond comprising an upper wind-mixed layer, a halocline and a lower convective heat storage layer. The power plant includes a heat engine for utilizing heat present in the heat storage layer of the solar pond and a condenser, which preferably is cooled by liquid droplets. In accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention the power plant is positioned within the solar pond and a flash evaporator is used in the heat engine to produce steam which is supplied to a turbine connected to a generator, the heat depleted steam exiting from the turbine and being cooled by liquid droplets in a direct-contact condenser. The size of the droplets is selected such that the heat extracted in the condenser penetrates the majority of the liquid content of most of the droplets.

Abstract: J-1 which is a strain of cyanobacteria is used to form and excrete a material useful as an emulsifying agent for forming emulsions of hydrocarbons and oils in liquids such as water.Method of separating and culturing the cyanobacteria under conditions necessary to achieve a maximum formation and excretion of the emulsifying agent into solution.Method of purifying and separating excreted as well as intracellular material from cyanobacteria.Method of removing stains with a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Method of effecting the secondary recovery of petroleum through the use of a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Extracellular polymeric material which is greater than 200,000 Daltons in molecular weight, and contains sugar, fatty acid, and protein moieties, and amide, carboxylic and amino groups.

Abstract: Fluid leakage through soil in a region thereof is controlled by sequentially passing over the region to dig a plurality of parallel, laterally displaced grooves in the surface. Soil dug from each groove is temporarily stored, and a strip of sheet material is laid over a groove as it is created during each pass, the width of the strip being greater than the width of the groove. Thereafter, the temporarily stored soil is deposited on the strip such that it is covered with soil except along one edge, the other edge of the strip overlying the uncovered edge of an adjacent strip laid down during a previous pass over the region. As a consequence, a first layer of overlapping strips of sheet material covered with soil is installed over the region.

Abstract: Power is produced by a power plant using a salt-water solar pond comprising an upper wind-mixed layer, a halocline and a lower convective heat storage layer. The power plant includes a heat engine for utilizing heat present in the heat storage layer of the solar pond and a condenser, which preferably is cooled by liquid droplets. In accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention the power plant is positioned within the solar pond and a flash evaporator is used in the heat engine to produce steam which is supplied to a turbine connected to a generator, the heat depleted steam exiting from the turbine and being cooled by liquid droplets in a direct-contact condenser. The size of the droplets is selected such that the heat extracted in the condenser penetrates the majority of the liquid content of most of the droplets.

Abstract: J-1 which is a strain of cyanobacteria is used to form and excrete a material useful as a floculating agent and as an additive useful in soil conditioning. Method of separating and culturing the cyanobacteria under conditions necessary to achieve maximum formation and excretion of the material into solution. Method of purifying and separating excreted as well as intracellular material from cyanobacterial. Method of clarifying a particulate-laden liquid with a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly species J-1. Extracellular polymeric material which is water-soluble, non-dialyzable, having a molecular weight greater than 100,000, based on Sephadex column elution G 150, containing sugar, peptide, and fatty acid moieties, giving a positive Anthrone test, having an absorption peak of 205 nm. using a Perkin-Elmer spectrophotometer Model 402.

Abstract: J-1 which is a strain of cyanobacteria is used to form and excrete a material useful as an emulsifying agent for forming emulsions of hydrocarbons and oils in liquids such as water.Method of separating and culturing the cyanobacteria under conditions necessary to achieve a maximum formation and excretion of the emulsifying agent into solution.Method of purifying and separating excreted as well as intracellular material from cyanobacteria.Method of removing stains with a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Method of effecting the secondary recovery of petroleum through the use of a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Extracellular polymeric material which is greater than 200,000 Daltons in molecular weight, and contains sugar, fatty acid, and protein moieties, and amide, carboxylic and amino groups.

Abstract: Fluid leakage through soil in a region thereof is controlled by sequentially passing over the region to dig a plurality of parallel, laterally displaced grooves in the surface. Soil dug from each groove is temporarily stored, and a strip of sheet material is laid over a groove as it is created during each pass, the width of the strip being greater than the width of the groove. Thereafter, the temporarily stored soil is deposited on the strip such that it is covered with soil except along one edge, the other edge of the strip overlying the uncovered edge of an adjacent strip laid down during a previous pass over the region. As a consequence, a first layer of overlapping strips of sheet material covered with soil is installed over the region.

Abstract: The turbidity of a fluid is reduced by adding a treatment solution containing a flocculation agent to said fluid. The treatment solution has a density different from that of the fluid. It is added at selected locations in the fluid such that the difference in densities will cause the treatment solution to be uniformly distributed throughout the fluid to be treated thereby causing flocs to be uniformly distributed throughout the fluid. In this way, a fluid can be treated in situ, rather than transported to a separate location, and mechanically mixed with a flocculation agent. This technique has particular application in the preparation and maintenance of solar ponds.

Abstract: Waste salts and brines are disposed of by constructing salt water solar pond power plants, concentrating the waste salts and brines, and then introducing them into the heat storage layers of the solar ponds of the power plants. The basins in which such solar ponds are constructed are made deeper than needed to sustain operation of the power plant at its designed output; and after a deep basin is filled, the concentrated brine from the heat storage layer is available to construct another solar pond which is then available for storing additional waste salts. In concentrating the waste salts, sodium chloride will precipitate; and this material can be deposited at the bottom of the solar ponds to seal the same against leakage.

Abstract: J-1 which is a strain of cyanobacteria is used to form and excrete a material useful as an emulsifying agent for forming emulsions of hydrocarbons and oils in liquids such as water.Method of separating and culturing the cyanobacteria under conditions necessary to achieve a maximum formation and excretion of the emulsifying agent into solution.Method of purifying and separating excreted as well as intracellular material from cyanobacteria.Method of removing stains with a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Method of effecting the secondary recovery of petroleum through the use of a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly strain J-1.Extracellular polymeric material which is greater than 200,000 Daltons in molecular weight, and contains sugar, fatty acid, and protein moieties, and amide, carboxylic and amino groups.

Abstract: A halocline in a salt-water solar pond is protected against the effect of wind by dividing the upper portion of the pond into essentially separate cells or units that are segregated, but without hydraulically altering the operation of the pond. Specifically, a floating grid of expandable partitions is placed in the pond, so that an upper surface of each partition protrudes from the water, and the lower surface of each partition extends into the halocline, the liquid in the upper portion of each cell formed by the grid being essentially segregated. Provision is made for periodically expanding the partitions in order to flake off salt that precipitates on the partitions.

Abstract: The turbidity of a fluid is reduced by adding a treatment solution containing a flocculation agent to said fluid. The treatment solution has a density different from that of the fluid. It is added at selected locations in the fluid such that the difference in densities will cause the treatment solution to be uniformly distributed throughout the fluid to be treated thereby causing flocs to be uniformly distributed throughout the fluid. In this way, a fluid can be treated in situ, rather than transported to a separate location, and mechanically mixed with a flocculation agent. This technique has particular application in the preparation and maintenance of solar ponds.

Abstract: J-1 which is a strain of cyanobacteria is used to form and excrete a material useful as a floculating agent and as an additive useful in soil conditioning.Method of separating and culturing the cyanobacteria under conditions necessary to achieve maximum formation and excretion of the material into solution.Method of purifying and separating excreted as well as intracellular material from cyanobacteria.Method of clarifying a particulate-laden liquid with a material excreted by cyanobacteria, and particularly species J-1.Extracellular polymeric material which is water-soluble, non-dialyzable, having a molecular weight greater than 100,000 based on Sephadex column elution G 150, containing sugar, peptide, and fatty acid moieties, giving a positive Anthrone test, having an absorption peak of 205 nm. using a Perkin-Elmer spectrophotometer Model 402.

Abstract: Fluid leakage through soil in a region thereof is controlled by sequentially passing over the region to dig a plurality of parallel, laterally displaced grooves in the surface. Soil dug from each groove is temporarily stored, and a strip of sheet material is laid over a groove as it is created during each pass, the width of the strip being greater than the width of the groove. Thereafter, the temporarily stored soil is deposited on the strip such that it is covered with soil except along one edge, the other edge of the strip overlying the uncovered edge of an adjacent strip laid down during a previous pass over the region. As a consequence, a first layer of overlapping strips of sheet material covered with soil is installed over the region.

Abstract: A floating solar pond includes a reservoir of an aqueous solution having a predetermined density, and structure for enclosing a body of solution and segregating it from the reservoir. The enclosed solution has an average density less than the density of the solution in the reservoir thereby causing the surface of the enclosed solution to be higher than the surface of the reservoir whereby a normal pressure is exerted on the hull in a direction outwardly therefrom and the hull is under tensile stress. Preferably, the hull is asixymmetrical and a co-axial pile, anchored to the bottom of the reservoir, constrains the hull by means of radially extending members connecting the pile to the hull. The pile is hollow and contains conduits through which heated brine passes to a power plant built on the pile.

Abstract: A process for the reduction of undesirable levels of algal growth in salt water bodies in which an effective amount of treatment water is added at the surface of the salt water body. The treatment water has a salinity and density either greater or less than that of the water at the surface of the salt water body. As a result, algae which have become accustomed to the existing conditions of salinity and density undergo rupture of cells and settle to the bottom of the salt water body, if the water density has been decreased, or suffer lower reproduction rates, and eventually flocculate and settle to the bottom of the salt water body, if the water density has been increased.

Abstract: Dusting of a solar pond having an upper wind-mixed layer is controlled by providing a vertically oriented drain on a downwind side of the pond. The drain has an upper, open, free-end spaced above the level of the surface of the pond in the absence of wind. When wind blows across the pond, surface water piles-up at the downwind side of the pond creating a hydraulic head relative to the open free end of the drain with the result that surface water and debris floating thereon are drawn toward and into the drain.

Abstract: The wind-mixed layer of a salt-water solar pond is dynamically stabilized against wind by creating a two-layer flow regime in the wind-mixed layer. Lighter less dense water flows in one direction adjacent the surface of the pond and heavier, more dense water flows in the opposite direction beneath the lighter water. The two-layer flow regime can be created by selectively connecting the wind-mixed layer to a source of brine whose density exceeds the average density of water in the wind-mixed layer. Alternatively, the two-layer flow regime is created by selectively adding fresher water to the surface of the solar pond at the surface thereof to replace evaporation losses.

Abstract: Water in a solar pond power plant is chlorinated in order to help maintain the transparency of the wind-mixed layer, to suppress microbial activity at all levels of the pond, and to reduce fouling of the boiler which receives hot brine from the heat storage layer of the pond. In one aspect of the invention, chlorine is injected into the water in the wind-mixed layer, in the halocline, and/or in the heat storage layer. Injection into the wind-mixed layer and into the heat storage layer is possible by reason of the flow of this water outside the pond to supply the boiler and condenser of the power plant, thus providing accessibility to liquid chlorine treatment. The halocline is chlorinated by using vertically adjustable intake and discharge diffusers positioned in the halocline and exchanging the water in a stratum. In a second aspect of the invention, in-situ electrolysis is utilized for selectively chlorinating the pond at various levels or locations.

Abstract: The wind-mixed layer of a salt-water solar pond is dynamically stabilized against wind by creating a two-layer flow regime in the wind-mixed layer. Lighter less dense water flows in one direction adjacent the surface of the pond and heavier, more dense water flows in the opposite direction beneath the lighter water. The two-layer flow regime can be created by selectively connecting the wind-mixed layer to a source of brine whose density exceeds the average density of water in the wind-mixed layer. Alternatively, the two-layer flow regime is created by selectively adding fresher water to the surface of the solar pond at the surface thereof to replace evaporation losses.