Abstract: Radwaste contaminated effluent generated by an underwater source is filtered by a submersible filter system employing cannister shielded filter cartridges. The system has a submersible frame that fixedly mounts a coupling for each filter cannister. Each cannister is internally fitted with a filter cartridge and mounting means configured to divide the cannister to an inlet chamber and a filtrate chamber, the latter having outlet ports for exhausting the filtrate to the pool in which the system is submerged. The inlet chamber is in check valved fluid communication with an external nipple of the cannister detachably connected to a coupling of the frame through which the radwaste effluent is received. One end of an elongate tool and an upper end of the cannister have interconnectable cooperating means for remotely removing and replacing cannisters on the frame. The check valved inlet chamber prevents escape of radwaste from the filter inlet chamber during and after removal of a cannister from the frame.

Abstract: Devices enabling to collect substances dispersed in a liquid or floating on the surface of a liquid. The device may be configured as a floating barrier, for example a boat or a buoy. It comprises at least a housing (1) communicating with the liquid through orifices (3), (5) fitted with shutters (4), (6), and with the atmosphere through orifices (2). A certain alternating variation of the level of the surface (S) of the liquid with a respect to the housing is determined, and maintains a circulation of streams between the liquid medium and the housing. Substances of various natures and densities, brought by the streams (a) entering the housing are collected by the latter, they may be conveyed up to the discharge ports. The invention may be applied for example to combat chronical and accidental sea pollutions, and to collect various samples of said marine medium.

Abstract: An improved wastewater aeration and mixed liquor pumping arrangement for an orbital-type actuated sludge purification method includes the addition of a radial flow impeller on a shaft extension below the normal surface aerator. Both the combined radial flow impeller and surface aerator are positioned with respect to an end of a partition wall forming the flow channels of the orbital system such that both the impeller and the aerator pump the mixed liquor in the same direction, so that the mixed liquor is moved at a sufficient velocity through and around the various channels and returned. The radial flow impeller is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the orbital channel and enhances the propulsion of the mixed liquor along the bottom of the channel thus permitting deeper channels with attendant concrete and land area savings in constructing the system.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor for occluded water is provided to detect the surface water level as in a spray booth tank. The water level sensor may control the water level in the tank or it may be used to maintain a relatively constant outflow of water from the tank through a vertically movable weir. The weir is moved in response to changes in the liquid level detected by the sensor which includes an electronic signal sensor capable of detecting a level of a liquid relative thereto. The sensor is mounted in an elongated housing that has its lower end disposed in the liquid in the reservoir. The upper end of the housing is vented to the atmosphere to equalize the pressure between the interior thereof and the atmosphere ambient the housing. A flexible diaphragm is secured to the housing so as to seal the open lower end, and a substantially pure test liquid is held within the housing isolated from the liquid in the reservoir.

Abstract: In brief, a grid plate, especially a flat grid plate, horizontally disposed in a fluidized solids contacting vessel, is supported by a conical skirt that extends downwardly and inwardly from substantially the outer periphery of the grid plate for a predetermined portion of the length of the skirt and then downwardly to the bottom of the vessel. Preferably, the conical skirt extends inwardly at an angle, .alpha., measured from the vertical in the range of about 20 degrees to about 45 degrees, and preferably about 30 degrees, for a distance equal to about one third to one half of the length of the skirt, and generally for a distance of about half the length of the skirt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for treating waste water containing high levels of organic waste products which employs a series of chambers through which the water flows with the upstream chambers promoting anaerobic digestion of the waste products and the downstream chambers promoting aerobic digestion of the waste products. The upstream chambers are charged with a sludge preferably which, because of the conditions maintained within the chamber, has an ash-like characteristic upon being dried and does not contain high levels of water included within it. It is sometimes desirable to recharge the chamber with sludge since this sludge acts as a buffer that can digest shock loads of waste products having a high chemical oxygen demand. The chambers include water circulators which stir the water within the chambers and the downstream chambers having floating on the water surface high surface area media which carries bacteria. Preferably the water flows through the downstream aerobic chamber in a carousel-like fashion.

Abstract: A pipette canister formed from a thermoplastic material. The canister withstands dry heat above 160.degree. C. reduces breakage of glass pipettes stored within, and the material is free from metal oxide residues.

Abstract: An installation for facilitating the recovery of energy from waste and residues is disclosed. According to the invention, the residues, after sieving, are subjected to bacterial digestion in a methanization reactor and the solid phase of the digestate is then subjected to incineration in a furnace which in turn supplies a heat recuperator. The furnace is supplied with methane by the digester. The heated fumes from the recuperator may be used for heating at least one secondary circuit, e.g., for heating the residues during their treatment in the digester and/or for heating the liquid phase of the digestate, before the heated fumes are recycled through the digester.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for treating an exhaust gas containing dust composed of a glassy material and a sticky material consisting principally of CaO in a gas parallel flow type solid-gas contact reactor, the aforesaid method being characterized by including the step of forcing the dust to collide with a solid surface on the upstream side of the reactor in order to separate the dust into the glassy material and the sticky material consisting principally of CaO; and the present invention is also directed to an apparatus for the above method, the apparatus being characterized by including a collision device for colliding with the dust which is disposed in an exhaust gas flow path on an upstream side of the reactor.

Abstract: Cells are cultivated in a chamber having a high nutrient humidity. Gas drives liquid nutrient through devices which produce a fine mist within the chamber. Screens or convoluted mesh supports the cells, and provides for drainage of cell products and media away from the cells for processing. The chamber is sealable to provide for axenic conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus for aerosol direct fluorination is disclosed in which a material to be fluorinated is formed into an aerosol prior to fluorination by introducing a vapor stream of the material to be fluorinated centrally into converging flows of carrier particles suspended in a gas and condensing the vapor onto the particles. Fluorine is contacted with the aerosol in an elongated fluorination reactor having microporous walls providing a substantially continuous influx of fluorine-containing gas which creates an increasing fluorine concentration gradient as the aerosol moves through the reactor and provides a barrier to prevent contact of the aerosol with the microporous walls. A photochemical stage includes an elliptical reflector with a light source of one focus and a flow of aerosol and fluorine at the others.

Abstract: A drain assembly for diesel engine fuel filters and the like consists of separate drain and vent valves mounted closely adjacent one another in the bottom wall of the collection bowl of the filter and intercoupled so that actuation of the drain valve also actuates the vent valve after the drain valve has been opened. The vent valve is a spring biased valve located higher than the drain valve and preferably is a tire core type valve. The drain valve may be a spring biased push type valve or a valve threadedly mounted in the bottom wall of the collection bowl for vertical movement to open a valve seat in the collection bowl and in either embodiment includes a shoulder interengageable with the vent valve for actuation of the latter. Both drain valves include a hose connector which rotates relative to the collection bowl or cartridge assembly to facilitate replacement of the latter, the threaded type drain valve including a snap-in type swivel for the hose connector.

Abstract: A chamber filter press including frameless chamber plates covered on both sides with filter clothes stretched thereover, wherein two adjacent chamber plates contact each other with an outer, continuous clamping rim and define a filter chamber, consisting of a central filter cake compartment lying between the filter cloths and two outer filtrate compartments lying between the plate and the filter cloth. Repressing devices for the filter cake are arranged in the zone of at least one of the two filtrate compartments of each filter chamber. The repressing devices are fashioned as distensible cushions suspended within at least one filtrate compartment of each filter chamber at the adjoining chamber plate by marginal suspension strips which keep open, at least at the lower edge of the distensible cushion. A liquid passage is provided between the half of the filtrate compartment on the filter cloth side and the half on the plate side.

Abstract: A method of removing organic phosphorus-based poisonous substances from water contaminated therewith and of subsequently destroying the toxicity of the substance is disclosed. Initially, a water-immiscible organic is immobilized on a supported liquid membrane. Thereafter, the contaminated water is contacted with one side of the supported liquid membrane to selectively dissolve the phosphorus-based substance in the organic extractant. At the same time, the other side of the supported liquid membrane is contacted with a hydroxy-affording strong base to react the phosphorus-based substance dissolved by the organic extractant with a hydroxy ion. This forms a non-toxic reaction product in the base. The organic extractant can be a water-insoluble trialkyl amine, such as trilauryl amine. The phosphorus-based substance can be phosphoryl or a thiophosphoryl.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous reduction of sulphur-dioxide containing gases essentially free of molecular oxygen using coal or carbon. The apparatus comprises: a reactor filled with a reducing agent of coal or carbon having an upper portion, at least one middle portion and a lower portion, an outer reactor mantle and inner heat exchange regions; a pipe in the upper reactor portion for introducing pre-heated sulphur dioxide containing gases; spaced apart pipes for introducing hot gases into the outer reactor mantle and into the inner heat exchange regions; device(s) for controlling the hot gas flow in the reactor mantle and in the heat exchange regions so that the temperature in the reactor increases in each portion from the upper portion to the lower portion; and an outlet pipe arranged within the reactor for the reduced sulphur-containing gases.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for aerobically biodegrading an organic compound such as a petroleum product which is contaminating a particulate solid such as soil and a process for employing the apparatus. A preferred embodiment comprises a pit lined with an impermeable liner in which gas distributing means and contaminated soils are distributed as alternate layers and air is urged into the gas distributing means.

Abstract: A process for purifying waste water resulting from the manufacture of chemo- and/or thermomechanical pulp, which comprises subjecting the waste water to at least the following sequence of steps:sedimentation of coarser constituents (4);cooling (6);detoxification (7);anaerobic hydrolysis and preacidification (10) with addition of nutrient salts and readjustment of the redox potential;production of methane in a methane reactor (11);aerobic purification and separation of biologic sludge (12; 13), which is at least partly recycled to the detoxification step (7), in which process aerobic sludge is separated prior to the anaerobic hydrolysis step (10).

Abstract: A device and method for automating immunohistochemical staining of biological material on glass slides is presented. The slides are placed on a base with the tissue section facing upwards. A "chamber" consisting of a rectangular plastic box with a hinged overhead door is clamped directly over the tissue section. A rubber gasket seals the chamber--slide interface. Reagents are dropped on to the tissue section by opening the hinged overhead plastic door. When the door is closed, the chamber is sufficiently sealed so as to prevent evaporation. Washing of the tissue section is accomplished by the addition and aspiration of buffer through ports in the chamber. The ports are connected via flexible tubing to a manifold. Because the wash steps are peformed in tandem and do not require manual manipulation of slides, a significant time savings is realized.

Abstract: A process for treating waste material is disclosed wherein the initial steps are performed in the dry stage including the removal of dirt, metallic and glass materials, and separation of the dry materials and thereafter passing the materials through a horizontal rotary pulp separating mechanism which delivers to a pulper and to an anaerobic process chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for controllably treating a liquid with a liquid treatment substance includes a body having a first portion providing a container-receiving zone and an opening leading into this zone, as well as a second portion having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet defining a liquid flow path between them, with the zone being in communication with the liquid flow path. The apparatus also includes a container for a liquid treatment substance. The container comprises a cylindrical sleeve, an end piece closing off a first end of the cylinder sleeve, apertures in the sleeve in proximity to the first end, and seal means between the first end of the sleeve and the aperture. The container is movable from an inoperative position in which the seal means seals fluid tightly against the first portion to prevent liquid passing from the flow path into the aperture, to an operative position in which the first end of the sleeve protrudes at least partially into the flow path.