Abstract: A used water reuse system includes a gray water holding tank to which gray water is supplied up to a maximum level through a filter and gray water drain line. Gray water sources such as kitchen and bathroom sinks, clothes and dishwashers, tubs and showers, and the like have drains connected through valves to the gray water drain line and to a conventional sewer line. Gray water is transferred, upon demand, from the gray water holding tank to noncritical water use devices, such as a toilet tank, for reuse and subsequent discarding. A sensor detects achievement of a maximum level in the gray water holding tank and causes the valves at the gray water sources to disconnect the latter from the gray water drain line, so as to discard any further gray water from the sources to the sewer line, and also closes a fail-safe valve to preclude flow from the gray water line to the gray water holding tank. Upon reduction of tank water level the sensor reopens the valves.

Abstract: A process for treating waste water containing radioactive substances comprising treating the waste water by reverse osmosis in the presence of at least one organic surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and nonionic surfactants.

Abstract: Method and apparatus utilizing successive reverse osmosis stages to produce highly purified water from potable water in a manner particularly suitable for use in a coin operated vending machine. The flow rates in the reverse osmosis stages are matched so that no storage tank is required between them. Operation of the purification stages is controlled by the level of purified water in a reservoir from which it is dispensed, and the level is automatically maintained within a predetermined range. A sump pan is mounted under the remainder of the machine to catch spillage, accidental overflow from the reservoir and the reject (brine) flow from the reverse osmosis stages, a sump pump is automatically actuated when the water reaches a predetermined level in the sump pan, and a valve at the feed water inlet is closed automatically in the event that the water level gets too high in either the reservoir or the sump pan.

Abstract: A filter system includes a tank with a removable cover at one end and a filter basket and liner therefor insertable into the tank to divide it into unfiltered liquid and filtered liquid zones. Inlet and outlet openings are disposed at the open and remaining end, respectively, of the tank with the inlet opening being in the side wall of the tank, near such open end, so as not to interfere with opening and closing of the cover. Inner and outer annuli are fixed to the tank side wall and face radially into the tank, with the inlet opening interposed axially therebetween. A spacer insertable into the tank comprises an annular inner disk pressable toward the inner annulus for gripping therebetween an inner resilient seal which in turn engages the adjacent edges of the filter basket and filter liner to prevent leakage therearound between the unfiltered and filtered liquid zones.

Abstract: A medical instrument, specifically shown as a dialysis machine, incorporates an electrically isolated and hermetically sealed high thermal flux heater in conjunction with means for vectorially cancelling alternating current signal components generated in the operation of the machine. Because of electrical coupling between the medical instrument and a human patient blood stream, large ground leakage currents can result in electrical shock for a patient if the ground wire of the machine becomes open circuited. However, the combination of a specially modified dialysate fluid heater with an extremely large and dependable isolation resistance and operating mode dependent vectorial compensation for resistive and capacitive leakage current permits total leakage current from chassis to ground to be brought below a hitherto unattainable 1 microamp level.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis cell is provided which includes a pressure vessel having pressurized fluid inlet means, concentrate fluid outlet means, and permeate fluid outlet means. A hollow, open-ended, rigid, porous, tubular member is disposed within the pressure vessel in spaced relationship to the inner surface thereof, with the spaced relationship defining an outer conduit which is in communication with the concentrate outlet. The tubular member comprises a wall delimited by inner and outer surfaces and oppositely disposed first and second wall ends, with each of the inner and outer surfaces being coated with a semi-permeable membrane, and with the inner surface defining an inner conduit. The tubular wall is provided with axially disposed wall conduit means terminating in first and second port means in the first and second wall ends, respectively.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a membrane such as an ultrafilter which has been used in the treatment of a cataphoretic paint is disclosed. The method involves treating the membrane with an aqueous solution of an acid, a fatty amine and a water-soluble organic solvent.

Abstract: A diffusion system for blood including a membrane diffusion device comprising a plurality of blood flow paths positioned in interleaving diffusion exchange relation, with second fluid flow paths positioned on opposite sides of semi-permeable membrane means. The first and second flow paths each communicate with an inlet and an outlet. Heat exchange means having an inlet and an outlet is connected at the inlet thereof to the outlet of the first flow paths. A rigid reservoir, also having an inlet and an outlet is connected at its inlet to the outlet of the heat exchange means. A blood flow circuit is defined through the membrane diffusion device, heat exchange means, and reservoir. The flow circuit defines an essentially constant width, perpendicular to the directions of blood flow, from its beginning to end, to provide a system having good flow distribution in combination with a low pressure drop.

Abstract: A two-stage process for the separation of tar, from the condensates which result from the cooling of coke oven or generator gas, is disclosed along with the apparatus for carrying out the process. The condensates are first separated in a preliminary stage into a water phase, a tar phase and a thick tar phase. The tar phase is then further dehydrated in a pressure separator.

Abstract: The discharge end portion of a sewage delivery tube is surrounded by the input end portion of a conveyor pipe. A long, flat strip of consumable filter material is inserted through the annular space between them and into the conveyor pipe. Prior to this insertion, however, the filter strip is shaped and fastened into the form of a closed tube. The conveyor pipe discharges into an incinerator equipped with means for breaking the sewage sludge into burnable droplets. The conveyor pipe is supported over a liquid-collecting funnel and is perforated in the portion thereof that is over the funnel. A vibrator attached to the conveyor pipe oscillates it longitudinally; and ratchet teeth inside the conveyor pipe are oriented to cooperate with the vibrator to urge the filter-encased sludge toward the incinerator.

Abstract: An asymmetrical permselective cellulose triacetate membrane has outstanding properties for desalination of seawater by reverse osmosis. It is made by casting a solvent solution of the cellulose triacetate in a solvent mixture of at least 40% acetone, a solvent for the triacetate and a swelling agent for the triacetate. The swelling agent, preferably formamide, must be added as the last component of the solution. After exposing the cast solution to evaporation for 2-90 seconds, it is precipitated in cold water, and then optionally tempered at 50.degree.-100.degree. C. in water which may contain a modifying agent, and dried.

Abstract: A plurality of filtering plates stacked up one on top of another to form a filter in conjunction with clamping bolts passed through the filtering plates and scrapers interposed between said filtering plates, which stacked filtering plates are characterized in that they are given an increased wall thickness around the perforations bored therein for passage of the clamping bolts, engaging projections are formed on one surface of the portions of increased wall thickness and corresponding engaging recesses are formed on the other surface of the portions so that the engaging projections of the filtering plates will snugly fit into the engaging recesses of the adjacent filtering plates while, at the same time, the portions of the two adjacent filtering plates having normal thickness give rise to filtering spaces therebetween.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improvement in a filter of the type having a plurality of filtering plates vertically spaced at fixed intervals to interpose filtering spaces therebetween and as many scrapers laid outwardly from the axis of the stack of filtering plates and inserted one each into the filtering spaces, i.e. between the adjacent filtering plates, the improvement which includes giving each filtering plate a perfectly circular periphery so as to avoid formation of any protuberance from the circumferences and, at the same time, disposing the scrapers so as to keep sliding contact with the adjacent filtering plates.

Abstract: A continuous waste water treatment system comprising a reservoir providing a single, closed, continuous, substantially horizontal path through at least two adjacent substantially concentric loops, each of said loops having a beginning and an end, said reservoir being provided with waste water inlet means, treated liquid outlet means, and aeration and circulation means, and wherein said treated liquid outlet means is connected to clarifying means which removes at least some of the sludge carried by the treated liquid and sludge return means is provided to return at least some of the removed sludge to said reservoir.

Abstract: A dialyzer and a dialysis system particularly adapted to fast dialysis and avoidance of contamination or spillage. Adjustable upper and lower clamp units are provided on a central shaft. Means are provided to securely mount a plurality of dialysis bags around the entire periphery of the clamping units and to provide adequate bath circulation through the relatively confined core volume. The individual dialysis bag may be accurately filled or emptied while in a fully installed position on the dialyzer. The circulating pump is a pair of openings in the bottom clamp unit. The top of each bag is always open to receive a syringe needle. The rotating motor is isolated from the bath.

Abstract: A chute is formed by a bottom wall and side walls, and the bottom wall is provided with cross grooves for catching ore particles. The bottom and front walls of the grooves are formed on about the same radius of curvature with the curvature of the front wall forming an undercut under the feed edge of the grooves. The rear wall of the grooves leads from the bottom wall in a straight line inclined upwardly in a discharge end direction. Ore containing material which is fed down the chute is separated out in the grooves by a back eddy developed by the particular shape of the grooves.

Abstract: Water is separated from aqueous mixtures of organic and inorganic compounds by contacting the aqueous mixture against a first surface of a polymeric membrane selectively permeable to water, contacting the second surface of the membrane with a sweep liquid having a thermally dependent water miscibility, withdrawing a water enriched miscible sweep liquid from the second surface, and forming a water rich phase and a sweep liquid phase through the thermal adjustment of the withdrawn water-enriched miscible sweep liquid. The water miscible sweep liquid is selected from those liquids having normal or inverted thermal miscibility for water and which allow for the thermal separation of a water-rich liquid phase.

Abstract: Liquid to be treated flows into a combined sedimentation and thickening tank. The upper part of this tank is a sedimentation zone in which the liquid passes through parallel flow paths between downwardly inclined separator plates below which the solids fall to the bottom of the tank into the thickening zone whereat the solids are stirred and removed by a suitable stirring and scraping device. The liquids flowing with the solids through the parallel paths are removed at the end of said paths and delivered directly to the top of the sedimentation zone thus leaving the thickening zone essentially flow-free. Flocculants may be added to the water to be treated in a separate flocculation compartment arranged upstream from the sedimentation compartment. A separate destabilization compartment may be provided upstream from the flocculation compartment. A square sedimentation zone may merge smoothly into a circular thickening zone. The thickening zone may extend beneath the flocculation compartment for compactness.

Abstract: Use of quaternized Mannich bases of low molecular weight polyacrylamides is highly effective in clarifying coal wash waters.

Abstract: The present mass transfer apparatus between two media is especially adapted to blood dialysis. To assure an undisturbed flow of the blood through the dialyser and to avoid coagulation all flow channels are shaped to avoid dead corners and choking zones so that the blood is prevented from forming wakes or so-called "dead waters" in its flow path. For this purpose a hollow space is formed adjacent to the open ends of the hollow fibers. The inlet and/or outlet to this hollow space may extend radially axially or tangentially.