Abstract: A humidifier meters water into a chamber in which it is subjected to ultraviolet light for a predetermined period of time sufficient to destroy microorganisms whereupon the static quantity of water is transferred to a water dispersing unit which discharges the decontaminated water in a finely divided form into the environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for a flotation machine in which a drive shaft for mixing slurry and transporting air is driven by a drive arrangement and the drive shaft is provided with a bearing assembly and the drive shaft is at least partly hollow in the interior for transferring air to a rotor. According to the invention the drive shaft is provided with at least one bearing in a housing separated from at least one element forming an air transfer chamber around the drive shaft. Further, the drive shaft has at least one opening in order to create an essentially continuous connection between the air transfer chamber and the interior of the drive shaft.

Abstract: The efficiency of multiple down comer fractional distillation trays is improved by distributing the liquid egressing from the bottom of the downcomers in a manner which provides a uniform length liquid flow path on the next lower tray. This is accomplished by liquid distribution devices suspended below the downcomers of the upper tray, with the devices running parallel to the downcomers of the next lower tray and being adapted to collect the falling liquid and then disperse it onto the decking below along the length of the lower downcomers through openings in the distribution device.

Abstract: A desiccant composition containing a deliquescent salt and a modified starch containing from about 5 to about 95 percent of the deliquescent salt and from about 5 to about 95 percent of the modified starch.

Abstract: An aerator has a housing which contains a fluid inlet nozzle and a fluid discharge nozzle positioned on either side of an air inlet formed in a T-pipe. The fluid inlet nozzle has a bore with a flared inlet, and a cylindrical outlet, in which a spiral groove or rifling is formed which extends to the end of the inlet nozzle, allowing the infed contaminated water to pass through, being swirled by the spiral groove, and then exit into an expansion chamber in communication with the air inlet, where air is entrained within the swirling water. Banks of the aerators are used in a wastewater treatment system, having a rectangular tank with a serpentine flow path. Dissolved oxygen meters provide data to a Programmable Logic Controller to control the pumps recirculating liquid within the tank. Pumps are turned on and off to achieve target minimum levels of dissolved oxygen.

Abstract: A dry out mechanism for controlling a humidifier is disclosed. The mechanism includes a float and a switch. The float contacts the switch when the float is within an operating range. The movement of the float can be manually changed between settings to achieve normal operation or dry out operation of the humidifier. In the normal operation, the float activates the switch based on the fluid level within the humidifer's reservoir. In the dry out setting, the float activates the switch independent from the level of fluid within the reservoir so that the humidifier depletes the reservoir and components of fluid.

Abstract: A liquid coater generating mists from liquid in a container and discharging the mists to the outside of the container. The liquid coater includes a lower nozzle having a gas injection port in the liquid, an upper nozzle having a gas injection port in the upper part of the container, and a mist conveying passage provided in the upper part of the container. The mist conveying passage conveys mists in the container to the outside of the container, and the mists are generated by injecting gas from the gas injection port of the lower nozzle. In addition, the gas injection port of the upper nozzle and the gas injection port of the lower nozzle are arranged so that gas is injected toward an inner-wall side face of the container from both the gas injection ports.

Abstract: This column includes at least one exchange section (5, 9, 10, 11) defined between an associated upper liquid distributor (4, 6, 7, 8) and a lower fluid inlet/outlet (21, 23) or an associated lower liquid distributor (7, 8), the exchange section including an upper portion (5A, 9A) and, under it, another portion (5B, 9B, 10B, 11B) preferably of the conventional type. The upper packing portion of at least one packing section includes a packing module having less transfer units than a packing module of the conventional packing portion of the same section. Application to double columns for air distillation.

Abstract: A humidifying module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes grouped together to form a hollow fiber membrane bundle. A moisture exchange is performed through a thickness of each hollow fiber membrane between fluid streaming within an interior of each hollow fiber membrane and along an exterior of each hollow fiber membrane. An inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle and along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein a total longitudinal length which the inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle is shorter than a longitudinal length of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The inner flow passage includes an inlet and an outlet through which the fluid passes. An end wall is located proximate the outlet. A protrusion is disposed at the end wall and opposite a flow direction of the fluid streaming within the inner flow passage.

Abstract: An improved random-dumped packed bed for effecting inter-phase heat and mass transfer. The packed bed is a plurality of a first packing size substantially uniformly mixed and co-mingled with a plurality of the suitable second larger packing size. The mixed bed so formed provides the additional surface area and mass transfer capacity of the plurality of the added first smaller packing size while maintaining the gas and liquid limiting flow capacity of a bed of the second larger packing size absent the smaller first packing size.

Abstract: A collapsible sparger for insertion into a vessel through a flanged opening is disclosed having a central tubular conduit having a plurality of rotatable members along its length. The rotatable members may be rotated and secured into position after insertion.

Abstract: A small and simple humidifier includes at least one hollow fiber membrane module formed by inserting into a cylindrical housing, both ends of which are opened, a bunch of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes along the axis of the housing, fixing both ends of the bunch at the outer circumference sides onto both ends of the housing at the inner circumference sides using a resin to thereby block the ends of the housing so as to form a plurality of peripheral apertures which are communicated within the housing at several intervals in the circumferential direction. The humidifier also includes a first passage which allows gas for flowing from one end of the peripheral apertures to the other end thereof serving as an inlet and an outlet, and a second passage which allows gas for flowing from one end to the other end of the bunch of the hollow fiber membrane. The first passage and the second passage are sectioned by a plurality of overlapped plates in an indentation state.

Abstract: A bubble generator is constructed to include a cylindrical casing, a tapered tube suspended in a front open side of the casing and adapted for guiding water into the casing, the tapered tube having recessed holes on the inside adapted for causing a negative pressure when water passing through the tapered tube into the inside of the casing toward the water outlet, a rod member axially slidably inserted through a rear closed side of the casing into the inside of the tapered tube, and a stopper fixedly fastened to the rod member and moved with the rod member to adjust the gap between the stopper and the tapered tube.

Abstract: A high efficiency impeller-type aerator designed for aeration of the water supply of aquatic organisms has a first impeller, a second impeller, and a pump casing having at least one water inlet, one air inlet, and one water outlet. The first and second impellers are disposed between the pump water inlet and outlet, and the pump casing includes constricted portions in association with the first and second impeller to define axial flow direction boundaries. The air inlet is located at the constricted portion, and the axial flow direction boundaries define a channel through which the second impeller urge water to facilitate low pressure that creates a venturi which causes air suction at the pump air inlet.

Abstract: Evaporative cooling apparatus monitors light and heavy temperature averages to minimize cycling of the apparatus on-and-off when the apparatus is being turned on in the morning when the ambient temperature is rising and is being turned off in the afternoon when the ambient temperature is falling. The apparatus is suspended above the ground and includes a hollow housing with a top portion and a bottom portion, a fan mounted in the top portion of the housing to direct air flow through the housing downwardly toward the ground, and nozzles mounted inside the housing to direct water droplets into air flowing from the fan through the housing. The apparatus also includes a hollow, tapered member which captures a portion of the air flow from the fan and directs the airflow into a central area of the housing to insure that air flowing through the central area moves downwardly toward the ground.

Abstract: A diffuser for use in a pressurized feed system. The diffuser introduces a carbonic acid solution into water to be treated. The carbonic acid solution within the diffuser is maintained at an elevated pressure. As the carbonic acid solution passes to the exterior of the diffuser, the pressure drop causes an effective mixing of the carbonic acid solution and the water. The carbonic acid solution mixes with the water and the pH of the water is reduced.

Abstract: A device for multifoaming expandable plastics, such as, for instance, EPS, EPE, EPP or polymer mixtures, includes at least one storage or supply assembly and a foaming vessel for the discontinuous or batchwise afterfoaming of the prefoamed expandable plastics, whereby precisely adjustable bulk densities are attainable in an afterfoaming procedure while observing tight environmental conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device that sets liquid or solid substances in motion and to a method for the implementation of said device. The invention more specifically relates to a device that sets liquid or solid substances in motion by means of gas bubbles, comprising a receptacle for said substances, at least one moveable gas emitting nozzle arranged in the lower part of said receptacle, and a system for conveying the gas to said nozzle.

Abstract: The invention is a paddlewheel aerator having a support structure, a drive mechanism contained within the support structure, a rotatable shaft extending horizontally from the drive mechanism; and a plurality of paddlewheels surrounding the shaft. A plurality of support legs are formed integrally with the support structure. In a preferred embodiment, a watertight drive box is positioned within the support structure. The drive box has a removable cover and a substantially water tight seal for preventing ingress of water. The drive box contains a motor drivably connected to the shaft. The motor is contained within an upper portion of the drive box so that the motor is positioned at a vertically elevated level compared to the shaft.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid contactor includes a plurality of vertically stacked trays (151) within a containment column, the central downcomer (152) provides a liquid supply and removal area at the same location on each tray (151), so that the horizontal liquid flow pattern is the same on each tray (151). The contactor also includes vertical partitions (154) positioned transverse to the liquid flow within the vapor space of each tray (151) to minimize vapor mixing. The trays (151) may also include an indirect heat exchanger in the form of tubing arrays (208).