Abstract: A sludge condensation and dewatering apparatus is described which comprises a condensation unit and a dewatering unit. The condensation unit comprises a flocculating reaction tank (1) for forming a sludge flock, a first holding tank (2) slantingly arranged and upwardly inclined along the moving direction of the sludge, a conveyor for conveying the sludge flock from the flocculation tank to the holding tank for retaining the sludge flock produced by the flocculation reaction tank and an endless running screen belt (3) located just below and adjacent to the first holding tank, a dewatering unit, a solidification device (13) in communication with the first holding tank located between the condensation unit and the dewatering unit. The dewatering unit comprises an upper running piled filter cloth (4) and a lower running piled filter cloth (5), a plurality of rolls (R.sub.1 -R.sub.

Abstract: An improved combination of an open-ended casing section and a removable closure inset therein is disclosed. The casing section is of composite structure and comprises an annular bulge of bowed fiber sections which, together with underlying annular resin bodies, defines a groove in the inner surface of the casing section. The latter section is improved by incorporation of circumferentially wound fibers in the latter resin bodies and by a hoop of resin-coated fibers wound around the casing section between the apex of the bulge and the casing end. The closure assembly is improved by use of a head having an annular concavity in which is seated a retaining ring adapted to fit into the groove in the inner surface of the casing section when the head is urged toward the casing end.

Abstract: A device for the magnetic treatment of fluids including water, and liquid and gaseous fuels such as gasoline, diesel, gasahol, fuel, propane, natural gas, oil and the like. The device comprises an elongated, tubular, intermediate casing of a magnetic material, such as a ferromagnetic material, having an elongated magnet received therein. An inner casing of non-magnetic material, such as copper, encases the magnet and includes open tubular end portions extending beyond opposite ends of the magnet and having inner and outer surfaces extending longitudinally with respect thereto. A pair of non-magnetic end fittings are connected to opposite ends of the intermediate casing and include recesses in which are received the respective opposite tubular end portions of the inner casing so as to space the inner casing from the intermediate casing thereby forming an annular treatment chamber therebetween.

Abstract: For separating an emulsion comprising substantially a heavier and a lighter liquid there is used a plurality of superimposed, liquid-filled, shallow separation chambers which have a lower outlet for separated heavier liquid, an upper outlet for separated lighter liquid, and an emulsion-inlet remote from the outlets. The separation chambers are maintained under an overpressure by causing the heavier and the lighter liquid, separated in the chambers by self-separation under the action of gravity, to pass from the chambers via a respective one of two pressure-holding vessels containing a respective heavier or lighter liquid. The emulsion is fed batchwise into at least one separation chamber at a time, at a temperature greater than the temperature of the liquid already present in the chamber, and in a volumetric amount which is less than the volume of the chamber.

Abstract: A device for the automatic addition of a corrosion inhibitor to a cooling system, such as in an automobile engine, utilizing osmotic pressure. The device includes a container for a concentrated corrosion inhibitor solution with a semi-permeable osmotic membrane in contact with and separating the inhibitor solution from the coolant in the overflow reservoir. With properly inhibited coolant, the osmotic pressures balance, but if the level of inhibitor in the coolant drops, water passes through the membrane to force inhibitor solution through an overflow tube or opening to mix with the coolant and raise the inhibitor level therein to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method of desalinating solutions by reverse osmosis into a salt-poor permeate and a salt-rich concentrate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of supplying solution to a reverse osmosis unit, supplying concentrate leaving the reverse osmosis unit to a treatment container or containers while simultaneously withdrawing a predetermined amount of solution. Some of the solution is also supplied to another space of one of the containers so that practically pressure-less concentrate is conveyed to the environment. The sequence of steps can be reversed in which the containers are supplied so that concentrate collected in the space of the container not being supplied with solution is available for being conveyed to the environment.

Abstract: A light display in which the individual lights are positioned in relation to an x and y axis, and in which further any one selected light is operated in tandem, either automatically or manually by an instructor resulting in the illumination thereof, and then by the patient, usually a child, resulting in the turning off of the light. The operational control over the selected light, as just generally noted, is achieved using correspondingly x and y axis-positioned buttons, thus requiring the patient to determine the corresponding position of the position-related light and button involved, with the result that the patient receives spacial orientation instruction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a viscose membrane suitable for hemodialysis, comprising a viscose membrane substantially equally oriented in the longitudinal and in the transverse directions, having in the dry state a birefringence in each direction of not more than about 6.times.10.sup.-3 and a phase difference of not more than about 150 nm, and wherein during transition from a dry into a wet state, the membrane undergoes a shrinkage of between about 0.5 and 10 percent both in the longitudinal and in the transverse directions. The membrane is produced by a process which is characterized in that the membrane is transversely stretched by 40 to 120% prior to drying.

Abstract: A hollow fiber assembly having a selective permeability including cylindrical arrangements of hollow fibers having selective permeability comprising mainly a cylindrical layer of hollow fibers formed by a crisscross arrangement of hollow fibers, a hollow portion which exists inside the above cylindrical layer of hollow fibers, a plurality of engaging members which are respectively separated from one another in said hollow portion, a resin wall (A) which is disposed at an open end of said hollow fibers and arranged to be open to the exterior without leaving any space between said fibers and with separation from said engaging means, a resin wall (B) which is disposed at the other end of said assembly for fixing the end of said assembly, an elastic supporting member for controlling the distance between the two resin walls (A) and (B), and a fluid supply conduit.

Abstract: A plate-type filter press has sidebars carried on fixed frames, and the filter press plates, the queen end and the king end are all supported on the sidebars by means of pins projecting laterally from the plates and the king and queen ends and resting on the bars. The plates and the queen end are able to slide along the bars on their pins, and even the king end is allowed a limited amount of float between stops on the bars. The press is opened and closed by means of double-acting hydraulic piston-and-cylinder units which are mounted on the king end and are coupled to the queen end by longitudinally extending tie rods so as to close the press by pulling the queen end towards the king end.

Abstract: Filter apparatus having a traveling belt for extraction of a filtrate from a slurry which includes an elongated trough having a bottom and side walls for receiving the slurry to be filtered, an endless transversely ridged belt with the upper portion thereof disposed on the base of the trough and movable relative thereto, the edges of the belt being spaced from the side walls, a filter cloth overlying the belt and a portion of the side walls and movable with the belt and vacuum ports extending lengthwise of the trough and opening into the bottom of the trough between the edges of the belt and the side walls.

Abstract: The invention provides a blood treatment apparatus realizing double-step-membrane filtration, namely separation of blood into plasma and a corpuscular fraction and separation of high-molecular-weight substances (e.g. gamma-globulin) in the plasma from low-molecular-weight substances (e.g. albumin). A method of treating blood is also provided.The apparatus and method are effective e.g. in the treatment of blood of patients with peripheral circulatory insufficiency due to arteriosclerosis and of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease.

Abstract: A slurry separator utilizes the power inherent in the pressurized slurry from the slurry pump through a reaction nozzle to drive a rotor, with the slurry distributed through the nozzle being distributed over the surface of a conical grid. The rotor structure also drives squeegee-like blades which scrape the solids downward inside the cone readying screen for the next discharge, and then sweeping them down into a cylindrical auger chamber where they are compacted downwardly against an inverted conical floor to further squeeze moisture through the sides of a housing cylinder. The conical floor of the compacting cylinder presses up against the particulates to be compacted with a resistance that is proportional to the speed of the rotor, achieved through the use of a centrifugal governor. This action makes it tolerant to variations in nozzle flow volume (pressure) and converts energy output into optimum separation.

Abstract: Serum albumin and a serum .gamma.-globulin are separated by filtration from each other in a solution of a mixture thereof by using an ultrafiltration membrane. The ultrafiltration membrane has a fractionation molecular weight of about 100,000. The total protein concentration and salt concentration in the mixture solution to be forced through the membrane are adjusted to not more than 4 g/dl and not more than 0.6 mole/l, respectively. Also, the pH of the solution is adjusted to a value of from about 3.8 to about 4.7.

Abstract: A water treatment and storage system includes a reverse osmosis treatment unit having an untreated water input line, a treated water output line and a bleed water output line. An expandable container, compressed by a spring arrangement, is provided for storing treated water. A container valve, connecting the reverse osmosis treatment unit and the expandable container, terminates the flow of treated water to the container when a predetermined quantity of water has been accumulated therein. The container valve further includes a bleed valve arrangement connecting the bleed water output line and a drain line. The bleed valve arrangement terminates the flow of bleed water to the drain line after the container has accumulated the predetermined quantity of treated water.

Abstract: An artificial fingernail is formed to have thickness variations, and curvature, that aid in securely bonding the artificial fingernail to the natural nail, and also strengthen the artificial nail.

Abstract: A device is provided for the leaktight securing of semi-permeable membranes to opposite faces and around each orifice of a membrane support plate of a separatory apparatus which separates by selective permeability. Said device comprises two stamped metal rings which maintain sealing pressure on the membranes against the support plate and are attached to one another in a leaktight fashion by means of a sealing means situated between them. A separatory apparatus comprising support plates fitted with the above device is also provided.

Abstract: A diffusion membrane unit comprising: in a first embodiment, a planar arrangement of parallel separate capillary membrane tubes and junction lines of adhesive material extending continuously across said parallel membrane tubes and continuously along the entire length of said arrangement; and in a second embodiment a plurality of planar single-layered arrays of parallel capillaries defining out of phase sinuous paths.

Abstract: A fractionation system for providing a clarified fraction or a fraction for analysis of biological fluids and the like includes a disposable filtration vessel with a first reservoir chamber adapted to receive the fluid to be fractionated, a second reservoir chamber and a flow channel that extends between the reservoir chambers. The lower surface of the flow channel is defined by a microporous sheet membrane, and collection structure is disposed on the side of the membrane opposite the flow channel. Low gas pressure (less than ten psi) applied alternately to liquid surfaces in the reservoir chambers produced reciprocating flow of the fluid between the reservoir chambers in a wide thin stream through the flow channel with resulting collection of a fraction of the liquid material that passes through the membrane. A one-half milliliter volume of plasma from a two milliliter volume sample of blood is obtained with the system in less than one minute without any discernible hemolysis.

Abstract: An apparatus arrangement and method of operation for treatment of the residue from a coal liquifaction and hydrogenation reactor, which residue contains 5% to 10% solids and is at elevated temperature (f.i. above 700.degree. F.) and pressure of 150-200 psi. Said apparatus comprising a continuous pressure precoat filter sealed against pressure loss, a sealed repulper associated with said pressure filter for repulping filter cake in relatively cooler solvent while maintaining the pressure thereon at about 150-200 lbs/in..sup.2 to yield a slurry, then utilizing the pressure to force the slurry into and through a second pressure filter wherein to effect liquid solids separation; and separately discharging the filtrate and cake from the second filter.