Abstract: A portable machine for regenerative dialysis comprises a dialyzing liquid reservoir in which is immersed a suction duct connected to a heating tube the temperature of which is controlled by a thermal probe pair piloting a temperature adjusting element. The outlet of the heating tube is connected to the suction side of a dialyzing liquid pump having a first and second delivery ducts opening in the dialyzing liquid reservoir wherein are interposed a dialyzer element and a dialyzing liquid regenerating cartridge respectively.

Abstract: A method and device for eliminating the cyanide ion from waste water by anodic oxidation, using an electrodialyzer. Water enters the anode compartment of the dialyzer, which is separated from the cathode compartment by a semi-permeable diaphragm permeable to cations; an alkaline solution travels through the cathode compartment. No reagent is added.

Abstract: In a water screening installation, a traveling water screen removes both refuse and aquatic life from a stream. The aquatic life, such as fish and shrimp, are uplifted in pans that are mounted on an ascending run of the screen. At a location above the stream, the pans are gently flushed by a low pressure spray of water. The fish are then returned to the stream, as soon as practical, to keep the mortality rate at a minimum. Each of the pans has an inner side that is parallel to a screen tray within the traveling water screen. This inner side is also tangential to a curved bottom portion of the pan. Extending tangentially from the opposite side of the curved bottom portion of the pan is an outer side that has a continuing profile at or below an extended tangential line from the point where the outer side is tangential to the curved bottom portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a means for de-silting water. The settling of silt in inland lakes and dams considerably reduce the effective life span of such lakes and dams, and also cause a substantial loss of fertility of the agricultural lands from which the silt originates. The invention provides a method for removing silt particles from water by first agglomerating the silt particles into larger size particles, imparting hydrophobic properties to the larger size particles and floating the same to the surface, and removing the floated matter. The invention also provides an apparatus for removing silt particles from water which includes means for feeding into and mixing with the water chemicals selected for agglomerating the silt particles and converting them into larger size hydrophobic particles, means for bubbling air through the water to float the larger size particles to the surface, and means for removing the floated matter.

Abstract: A filter cloth washing device for a filter press, wherein wash water is sprayed on filter cloths trained about rollers positioned below the filter plates. In the device, wash water supply pipes having a plurality of spraying nozzles run parallel to the rollers, and have coupling means on at least one of their ends. Each coupling means has an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of its respective water supply pipe, first and second communication ports and flexible pressure hoses for connecting neighboring coupling means to each other. The connection between neighboring coupling means is such that the first communication port of one coupling means is connected by a flexible pressure hose to the first communication port in another coupling means upstream and its second communication port is connected by another flexible pressure hose to the second communication port of yet another coupling means downstream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter press construction of the type having a plurality of filter plates suspended from two parallel I beam carriers, the filter plates being provided with a novel supporting arm suspension which prevents undesired swinging. The supporting arms are bent to diverge on both front and back sides of the filter plates, two arms on each side of the vertical center of the plate to provide a novel suspension consisting of two leading bent arms and two lagging bent arms for each filter plate in its operating condition suspended for movement on the I beam carrier. The arms of the filter plates are provided with roller or equivalent sliding elements to facilitate shifting movement on the guiding flange surface of the parallel I beam carriers. This unique leading and lagging supporting arm construction on the I beam carrier eliminates serious swinging problems encountered with conventional filter presses using the parallel I beam carrier suspension for the filter plates.

Abstract: A filter press for filtering a slurry in which there are a plurality of filter frames movable toward and away from each other and in which at least one movable pressure plate is positioned between each pair of filter frames. The pressure plate and filter frames form a filter chamber on each side of the pressure plate. This pressure plate is a combination of a partition plate positioned between the filter frames and frame members on opposite sides of the partition plate adjacent the filter frames. The frame members and filter frames have an open space thereinbetween which defines the filter chamber. The pressure plate also has a plurality of diaphragm members, one member on each side of the partition plate between the frame member and the partition plate. The diaphragm members and the partition plate have interstices thereinbetween.

Abstract: An organic quaternary ammonium salt used as a catalyst in a reaction between a benzylnitrile and a halide in the presence of an alkali to obtain an .alpha.-alkyl- or .alpha.-phenyl-benzylnitrile, is recovered effectively from the reaction solution containing the .alpha.-alkyl- or .alpha.-phenyl-benzylnitrile, the alkali and the catalyst, by adding water to the reaction solution to make the alkali concentration of the water layer 10% by weight or below, and then separating the water layer containing the organic quaternary ammonium salt from the oil layer containing the .alpha.-alkyl- or .alpha.-phenyl-benzylnitrile.

Abstract: Sea water is purified by reverse osmosis in an offshore installation wherein sea water is withdrawn from the sea by a low pressure pump and passed through plural-stage physical filters having decreasing degrees of porosity to remove suspended particles and colloids from the sea water. The thus filtered sea water is then fed by a high pressure pump, at a controlled pressure above the osmotic pressure of the sea water to a reverse osmosis module, wherein a portion of the sea water permeates through a semi-permeable membrane of the module to form purified potable water, and wherein the remaining sea water, having the dissolved salt concentration thereof increased, is discharged back to the sea. The reverse osmosis module is operated such that the conversion level, measured in percent and equal to the volume of purified water divided by the volume of sea water fed to the module, is maintained below a maximum value to prevent the formation on the semi-permeable membrane of the module of sulfates and carbonates.

Abstract: A filter-plate assembly for a filter press has a substantially rigid support plate against which bears a filter plate. This filter plate is integrally formed of elastically deformable material and has an annular outer frame which lies against the support plate and defines a frame plane. A generally planar and elastically deformable central panel lies in a panel plane and is displaceable relative to the frame between a normal position to one side of the frame plane and lying against the support plate and a pressing position to the other side of the frame plane. This panel is formed with an array of bosses projecting away from the support plate. An annular web has an outer periphery connected to the frame at the frame plate and an inner periphery connected to the panel at the panel plane. This web is relatively thin and elastically deformable like the central panel and has a surface area which is greater than the surface area of the projection of the web on the frame plane.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of semipermeable membrane which comprises exposing porous shaped articles of polysulfone to a plasma.The resulting semipermeable membrane is very useful for separating substances by reverse osmosis or ultrafiltration.

Abstract: Waste water containing pollutants such as suspended solids and emulsified oil is pumped continuously through a self-contained separating or polishing system utilizing a simplified plug-in module to remove the pollutants. The suspended solids are removed by mechanical filtration and the emulsified oil is separated by coalescing oil into floatable droplets which can be skimmed from a water surface and withdrawn for external accumulation. The treated waste water may be returned for further use or pumped to other facilities for further treatment.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for maintaining continuous operation of a coal deashing process during periods of normal operation wherein a dry, powdery ash concentrate composition is produced and during process upsets wherein undesired semi-solids or fluid compositions are produced.

Abstract: A system of waste treatment and disposal which receives and completely destroys waste solids biochemically and disposes of the effluent by total evaporation within a sealed dispersion reservoir surrounding a two stage tank assembly. Raw sewage is reduced in first and second stages of anaerobic digestion in upper and lower tank units of a double tank assembly. Liquid effluent is forced outwardly through discharge openings in the lower tank unit and upwardly through a rock bed in the dispersion reservoir under the pressure of a liquid column in the upper tank unit. The liquid effluent evaporates in the rock bed as a third stage of disposal, with the resulting vapors being filtered through a sand bed over the rock bed and dispersed to the atmosphere in a fourth and final stage.

Abstract: The self-cleaning filter for purifying a liquid from suspended particles has a housing with pipes for the inlet of the liquid to be purified and for the outlet of the clarified liquid, accomodating at least one filtering partition dividing the internal space of the housing into chambers for the liquid to be purified and for the clarified liquid, and means for flushing this partition with a countercurrent of the clarified liquid. The inlet pipe for the liquid to be purified is arranged on the housing within the chamber for the clarified liquid so that its geometric axis is substantially parallel with the plane of the filtering partition and communicates with another pipe received in the chamber for the clarified liquid so that its geometric axis extends centrally of this chamber, substantially perpendicular to the plane of the filtering partition, the latter having made therein an opening the edges whereof are connected to said another pipe.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process in which a liquid A is displaced by a liquid B in a suspension. This is effected by superimposing a liquid column on an exchange chamber through which the liquids flow in countercurrent, with stirring. The process may be used for washing or acidifying suspensions, particularly cotton linters.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an engine installation using marine water as a coolant and having an intake conduit system for drawing marine water to the engine including a strainer at the inlet and a filter between the strainer and the water pump. To clean the filter and strainer which periodically becomes clogged with foreign matter while the engine is operating, a valve mechanism is provided between the filter and the water pump which is operative to close the conduit to the pump and to admit compressed air to the filter side of the valve mechanism for a short time to blow back the clogging material from the filter and strainer to the sea. In a semi-automatic embodiment the valve mechanism is a solenoid operated 3-way valve which is preferably operated from the pilot house for a short interval of about 10 seconds when the boat operator observes an above normal engine temperature.

Abstract: Waste water from coke ovens is purified by passing the waste water and a stripping fluid through a stripping column in counterflow. Non-volatile ammonium compounds are removed in one region of the column, phenolic compounds are removed in another region, and volatile ammonium compounds are removed in yet another region. The region in which phenolic compounds are removed is disposed at such a location that no ammoniacal vapor can traverse it. An acid and a strong base are fed laterally into the column at two different levels.

Abstract: A dialysis device of the type including a stack of parallel membrane support plates and membranes. A casing encloses the top, bottom and two opposing sides of the stack with the casing formed of two plastic molded interchangeable parts. Each casing part comprises a base member and a pair of integrally formed arms extending from opposite sides of the base member. The two parts are connected so that the pair of arms extending from one base member is sonic welded to the other base member, enabling a pressure fit that is suited to the stack that is being enclosed by the casing.Each base member includes hollowed-out portions defined by ribs with an overlying plate scan-welded thereto to form a sealed, rigid unit that is efficient to manufacture.

Abstract: Membranes which are useful in ultrafiltration processes are prepared by casting films from solutions of heteroaromatic polymers and subsequently quenching these films into solvents which cause gelation of the polymers. Examples of polymers employed in the preparation of microporous membranes are: poly-as-triazines, polyquinoxalines, poly (pyrazinoquinoxalines), polyquinolines and poly (anthrazolines). Membrane properties such as solvent flux, specific water content and pore size are readily controlled by proper choice of polymer concentration, solvents, and the addition of nonsolvents, salts and/or surfactants to the casting solutions.