Abstract: Disclosed is a filter aid or medium and a method of filtering liquid wastes having good filtration, good flow rates through the filter area, and heat value of the resulting filter cake containing the filtered solids of at least 5000 Btu per pound of filter aid. The filter aid comprises rubber particle sizes effective to filter solids of different sizes from the liquid, generally in a size range of from about 5 mesh to 325 mesh, alone or with up to about 70% silicious particles. Preferably a wetting agent is used for the filtration especially for water-based liquids.

Abstract: A liquid emulsion membrane process for removing sulfate anions from waste water is disclosed. The liquid emulsion membrane process includes the steps of: (a) providing a liquid emulsion formed from an aqueous strip solution and an organic phase that contains an extractant capable of removing sulfate anions from waste water; (b) dispersing the liquid emulsion in globule form into a quantity of waste water containing sulfate anions to allow the organic phase in each globule of the emulsion to extract and absorb sulfate anions from the waste water and (c) separating the emulsion including its organic phase and absorbed sulfate anions from the waste water to provide waste water containing substantially no sulfate anions.

Abstract: The invention provides a membrane for separating molecules from mixtures, which membrane consists virtually exclusively of molecular sieve crystals, has a thickness of 0.01-10 mm and has a separating top layer with a thickness of 0.01-10 .mu.m and an effective pore size of less than 1.5 nm, which pore size can be adjusted depending on the molecules to be separated off. The separating membrane can be produced by a method in which: a) pulverulent molecular sieve material and oxides constituting the molecular sieve material, especially zeolite and kaolin and/or silicon dioxide, are mixed, preferably in the presence of water; b) the mixture is shaped; c) the moulding is calcined; d) the calcined moulding is treated with an aqueous solution which promotes crystallization; and e) the moulding is treated with a solution of the oxides constituting the molecular sieve material, and then rinsed and dried. The separating membrane can consist of one component or be combined with, for example, an alumina support.

Abstract: A process for extraction of a carotenoid compound from bacterial cells containing the carotenoid compound comprising the step of bringing the bacterial cells into contact with supercritical fluid so as to extract the carotenoid compound from the cells. The process provides carotenoid compounds which can be safely used as feed additives and food additives.

Abstract: A desiccant comprising crystalline, anhydrated nystose, which contains 70% or more of nystose and 2% or less of moisture and is in the form of a crystalline powder, is capable of maintaining water activity of a food at an extremely low level without heat drying the food or drying the food with silica gel or the like and can safely prevent deteriorations of foods and maintain the qualities at a low cost. The desiccant can be produced by anhydrating crystalline nystose hydrate under reduced pressure or in the presence of a dehydrating agent. The desiccant is used for lowering water activity of a food and maintaining the same, by directly contacting the desiccant with the food or mixing the same with the food.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cocurrent cyclone separator extractor for both the separation of a gas/solid mixture into at least one light phase, and for the extraction of gases sorbed by the solid, comprising a first elongated external enclosure, which has a substantially circular cross-section, having at a first end, external inlet means for the introduction of the mixture, said means making it possible to give at least to the light phase a helical movement in the flow direction of the mixture in said enclosure; an elongated second enclosure, which has a substantially circular cross-section of smaller diameter than the first enclosure, whose end close to the inlet means; and a second external enclosure having a substantially vertical axis of symmetry, connected to said first enclosure, said second enclosure collecting the separated dense phase and having means for the injection of a light extraction phase, injection taking place in countercurrent manner with respect to the flow of the separated dense phase and, at least i

Abstract: A method for making a chlorine-resistant composite polyamide membrane having high organic rejection, the essential step of which comprises treating a conventional composite membrane with an acyl halide. The novel membrane is especially suitable for the treatment of water containing chlorine or lower molecular weight organic compounds.

Abstract: A method of proofing packaged dough comprising providing a case have aligned orifices in the top and bottom walls and placing plural packages containing substantially unproofed, unbaked dough in the case in abutting fashion. The case is placed in a heating chamber to uniformly heat all the packages and then it is cooled to refrigeration temperature.

Abstract: A filtration structure comprising a thermally bonded, wet laid, fibrous web and support is provided. The web is formed from bicomponent fiber comprising a structure-forming component and a heat-bondable component. Also provided is a filtration method using the filtration structure. Beneficially, the filtration structure may include microfiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the separation of .beta.-amino alcohol compounds, particularly compounds known as .beta.-blockers, by employing what is known as a chiral selector compound which can achieve separation of enantiomers without requiring derivatization of the enantiomers before effecting separation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating wastewater containing particulate matter and free oil, which method comprises removing free oil from the wastewater, passing the wastewater through a first filtration medium having an effective pore rating of about 200 .mu.m or less, subjecting the wastewater to dynamic filtration utilizing a second filtration medium having an effective pore rating of about 5 .mu.m or less, and contacting the wastewater with an adsorbent bed to form a purified water stream. The present invention also provides an apparatus which can be used to carry out the present inventive method.

Abstract: A process for the immobilization of a linear polymer, in particular a polyionenes, which is soluble in an aqueous solvent, on a chemically inert carrier material and a matrix having an antimicrobial effect are provided, which are suitable for, in particularly intracorporeally applied, medical appliances and in the form of microporous membranes as filters for water purification or, in the form of beads, as a surface disinfectant. The process is characterized in that the two terminal reactive groups of the linear polymer are reacted with an excess of an alpha, omega-bifunctional compound, the reaction product obtained is dissolved in a hydrophilic solvent and applied at least once to the carrier material and then cross-linked with a cross-linking agent dissolved in a hydrophobic solvent which is chemically inert to the cross-linking agent and the carrier material.

Abstract: Articles having a complex geometric configuration have hydrophilicity imparted to at least a portion of surfaces of the articles while substantially retaining the complex geometric configuration. The hydrophilicity is imparted by an extremely thin, self-interlocking shell of tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) enveloping the surfaces. A tactic poly(vinyl alcohol) precursor applied to surfaces of the supporting structure is reacted in situ on the surfaces with a hydrolysis reagent to prepare the tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell. The article having the hydrophilic shell is highly resistant to solvent washout. Hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be reversibly provided on regio-specific surfaces of the article. Articles in the form of membranes useful as drug delivery device components are also described.

Abstract: A process for preparing porous polymer structures by a joining of the techniques of thermally induced phase separation and solvent induced phase separation. The process may be used to form both single and multilayer porous articles.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering the overspray of aqueous coating agents during spray application in spray booths in which aqueous circulating liquid is circulated for the purpose of collecting the overspray. The overspray material is continuously or discontinuously extracted from the circulating liquid in an electrocoagulation bath, a higher concentration of overspray being maintained in the electrocoagulation bath than in the circulating liquid of the spray booth as a result of ultrafiltration.

Abstract: A pump comprises two discrete series of pumping stages, the first having a lower liquid output than the second. The liquid is recirculated from a processing enclosure in particular using reverse osmosis, nanofiltration or the like, to the second series of processing stages where it is mixed with liquid from the first series of stages, whereafter the resulting mixture is conveyed to the processing enclosure. With this high-output system, no second pump is required.

Abstract: The novel process for working up solutions or suspensions of organic synthesis products having a pH value of <3, preferably <1, is carried out with the aid of an asymmetrical, semipermeable membrane composed of cyclic polyureas with repeating structural units of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, X and Y and the index n are each as defined in the description.

Abstract: A method for the separation of gibberellins from mixtures thereof by selective silylation or desilylation, as well as substantially pure gibberellins prepared thereby.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of composite plasma membranes with the production of a pore-free impermeable polymer layer on a porous substrate through the plasma polymerization of a gaseous mixture, said gaseous mixture containing a hydrocarbon as the matrix-forming component and a nitrogen-, silicon-, sulphur- or phosphorus-containing inorganic compound as the non-matrix-forming component and an oxygen-containing compound, by means of glow discharge in an electrical alternating field. The pore-free impermeable polymer layer is produced directly on a porous substrate without the use of an impermeable intermediate layer, said porous substrate having a pore diameter of less than 100 nm on the side facing the pore-free polymer layer. The composite plasma membranes are used for separating C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkanols from mixtures thereof with other organic liquids using the method of pervaporation.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for enzymatically degumming vegetable oil where the vegetable oil to be degummed is adjusted to a pH from 3 to 6 and is mixed with an aqueous enzyme solution, which contains one of the enzymes phospholipase A1, A2 or B. In a degumming reactor the enzymes are permitted to act on the oil at temperatures from 20.degree. to 90.degree. C. with stirring. Before or after a separation of the degummed oil a separation promoter or a solubilizer is added at temperatures from 20.degree. to 90.degree. C. to the liquid which has been withdrawn from the degumming reactor. A substantially sludgefree solution, which contains used enymes, is thus recovered and is recycled at least in part to a location preceding the degumming rector. The content of recycled used enzymes in the total amount of the enzymes dispersed in the oil is at least 10%.