Abstract: Bio-filter unit (1) intended for a fish farming system, said bio-filter unit (1) comprising a container (2) with a filter media (3) and an inner architecture, said inner architecture comprising at least one vertical tube (5) having an open input end (6) and an open output end (7), wherein the bio-filter unit (1) is connected to a pump (8) enabling pumping liquid and filter media (3) from a bottom (9) of the container (2) against a top (10) of the container (2) through said at least one vertical tube (5), wherein an upper plate (15) is arranged inclined downwards from and around the open output end (7) of the at least one vertical tube (5) and ends at a distance from a wall (13) of the container, wherein the upper plate (15) Is perforated and wherein a regeneration water outflow (16) is arranged under the upper plate (15).

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting when an automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) has contacted a main drain cover or other object protruding from a surface of a swimming pool are described. An APC may include equipment for detecting a change in its pitch or yaw (or both its pitch and yaw). Changes in pitch and yaw may be determined as a function of time, identifying encounters of the APC with certain protruding objects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enhancing deep degradation of proteins in sludge.

Abstract: A self-circulating high-efficiency biological denitrification device includes a tank body, where an aerobic zone, an anoxic zone, a settling tank water distribution zone, a sludge zone, a sludge-water separation zone, and an effluent flow stabilization zone are arranged from bottom to top in the tank body; the settling tank water distribution zone includes a settling tank influent guide cylinder, and a circular butterfly jet water distributor is arranged between the settling tank influent guide cylinder and the aerobic zone; the settling tank influent guide cylinder is connected to a guide plate arranged in the aerobic zone, the anaerobic zone, and the sludge zone; the guide plate includes three sections; a nitrification liquid return gap and a sludge return gap are formed; a bottom of the aerobic zone is provided with an aerator; the aerator is connected to an air inlet pipe located outside the tank body.

Abstract: A swimming pool cleaning apparatus (10) may include a body (11), a hydraulic circuit for liquid circulation between a liquid inlet (13) and a liquid outlet (14) and through a filtration chamber (17), driving and guiding members (12) of the body on a submerged surface, and defining a guide plane (XY), and an adjustment mechanism (30) for the orientation of a liquid flow, disposed at the outlet of the liquid outlet. The adjustment mechanism is adapted to direct the flow of liquid that escapes from the liquid outlet in (at least) two predefined directions, one of which (33) corresponds to a first direction inclined with respect to the guide plane and the other of which (32) corresponds to a direction substantially perpendicular to the guide plane.

Abstract: A broom vacuum cleaner for cleaning swimming pools including a main body, pumping means, a suction head and an upstream filter, placed inside the main body and upstream of the pumping means, the suction brush includes a downstream filter placed outside the main body and downstream of the pumping means, and the upstream and downstream filters are coaxial.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of treating wastewater using a membrane bioreactor and achieving a target phosphorus concentration for the membrane permeate stream. These methods include the steps of dosing a wastewater stream with a rare earth clarifying agent and passing the dosed wastewater stream through the membrane to obtain a membrane permeate stream with a permeate concentration that is less than the phosphorus concentration of the influent stream. This permeate concentration also can be equal to or less than a target phosphorus concentration. In the methods as disclosed herein, the rare earth clarifying agent can be chloride salts of one or more rare earth elements and in certain embodiments, the rare earth clarifying agent can be CeCl3 and LaCl3.

Abstract: An apparatus that is utilized with a pool skimming system to remove a deck lid from a skimmer reservoir and a skimmer basket from inside the skimmer reservoir while the user remains in a standing position. The apparatus has an elongated handle and an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism, which is at a lower end of the handle, has an inverted U-shaped engaging member with a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending engaging projections that engage slots in the deck lid to remove the deck lid from the skimmer reservoir and then engage a basket handle of the basket to remove the basket from the skimmer reservoir. The apparatus can include an adjusting mechanism to adjust the distance between the engaging projections of the engaging mechanism and/or a sampling mechanism having an integral correct depth indicating mechanism to obtain a water sample from a body of water.

Abstract: A pool skimmer device includes a mounting plate configured to attached to a pool skimmer basket, an extension body extending from the mounting plate to a distal end, and a funnel positioned at the distal end of the extension body, the funnel comprising a wide opening positioned at the distal end of the extension body and a narrow opening, and a funnel profile extending between the wide opening and the narrow opening.

Abstract: A non-dissolvable immersible dispensing puck in the shape of a dissolvable halogen puck when the dissolvable halogen puck is in an undissolved state with the non-dissolvable immersible dispensing puck physically interchangeable with a dissolvable halogen puck when placed in a dispenser for normally holding only a set of halogen pucks to enable a single dispersant dispenser to be converted to a dual dispersant dispenser without changing the structure of the single dispersant dispenser by placing a dispenser within a dispenser wherein only one of the dispensers may be provided with adjustable water ports.

Abstract: A method for improved anaerobic digestion is presented. The method includes mixing a volume of waste material with water to form a feedstock mixture. The volume of waste material includes an initial amount of biomass and the feedstock mixture includes methanogenic bacteria either naturally present in the waste material or introduced artificially. The method also includes introducing one or more promoter substances to the feedstock mixture. The one or more promoter substances are capable of modifying the methanogenic bacteria. Modifying includes stimulating novel enzyme production in the methanogenic bacteria.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the concentration of nitrogen-bound nitrate from at least one of groundwater, surface water, or waste water is disclosed. The system includes an algal photobioreactor system. The photobioreactor includes a transparent tubular structure, a medium disposed inside the transparent tubular structure, and alga configured to adhere to the medium. The photobioreactor further includes a pump, and a light source. The method includes providing contaminant-containing water, adding the water to the algal photobioreactor system, adjusting at least one of temperature, ion concentration, CO2 concentration, pH, light wavelength, ion concentration or light intensity in the algal photobioreactor system to enhance growth of algae, removing water from the algal photobioreactor system, and harvesting the algal biomass. A system and method are also disclosed for reducing the concentration of organophosphates from water via an organophosphate-removing alga.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated wastewater treatment apparatus and method, the apparatus comprises a first reactor module, a second reactor module, a sedimentation module and a gas-liquid separation module, the first reactor module comprises a first reactor and an anoxic reaction zone, an aerobic reaction zone, a first gas-gathering pressurized layer, a first water inlet pipe and an aeration device; the second reactor module comprises a second reactor, a second water inlet pipe, an anaerobic reaction zone and a second gas-gathering pressurized layer; the sedimentation module comprises a third reactor and a water outlet pipe; the gas-liquid separation module comprises a gas-liquid separator, an exhaust pipe, a first riser pipe, a second riser pipe and a return pipe. The apparatus can give full play to the advantages of the autotrophic biological denitrification process, meet the biochemical treatment requirements of wastewater with low C/N ratio.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering metals using an adsorbent, which comprises preparing a leachate comprising metal ions and cyanides, wherein the metal ions comprise gold ions and copper ions; and in a state where the leachate has a cyanide (CN) concentration of 0.1 ppm or greater, adding to the leachate an adsorbent, which has an open circuit potential value between the open circuit potential value of the gold ions and that of the copper ions; and selectively adsorbing the copper ions to the adsorbent.

Abstract: Swimming pool cleaning apparatus may include a cleaning unit intended to be immersed in a swimming pool and at least one liquid filter circuit between at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet via a filter chamber removable from the body of the cleaning unit. The filter chamber may include a cover and a filter basket. The cover may include components for fastening the filter basket and locking the filter chamber to the body of the cleaning unit. The locking component may be releasable and, when released, may cause an extraction handle to be deployed from the filter chamber and urged toward a predetermined position.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling microbiological growth in a water system and premise plumbing system which uses stabilized hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant and maintains water energy matrix control. Maintenance of stable hydrogen peroxide residual in the system in combination with active temperature monitoring enables better control of the water energy matrix and reduction of hot water temperature while maintaining microbiological control.

Abstract: Methods for generating methane from animal waste by anaerobic digestion using bacteria. A screen separator removes suspended solids greater in size than a predetermined size ranging from about 50? to about 150?. An electrocoagulation unit electrochemically hydrolyses the waste, causing particles to settle out. A dissolved carbon air flotation has a CO2 bubbler for separating large particles from small particles by flotation. An anaerobic digester produces biogas. The digester has a biocurtain for growing the bacteria and a heat exchanger for heating the bacteria. The biocurtain surface is convoluted to retain the bacteria. A membrane module removes CO2. A knock out pot for removes droplets of water. A scrubber removes water vapor, particulates, and contaminant gas. A compressor boosts pressure. A gas chromatograph monitors the biogas composition. A flare skid lowers excess pressure for safety. Biogas is injected into a local pipeline system.

Abstract: Anaerobic digestion apparatus comprises a first chamber for retaining organic matter before and/or during anaerobic digestion and a second chamber for retaining organic matter during anaerobic digestion. The anaerobic digestion apparatus is configured to refrigerate or heat the first chamber to suppress methanogenesis in the first chamber. The anaerobic digestion apparatus comprises a controller programmed to regulate the anaerobic digestion process and to thereby reduce system perturbations. The flow of organic matter to the second chamber where methanogenesis is regulated. There is disclosed an inoculum for anaerobic digestion comprising Acetobacterium woodii and Methanosaeta concilii.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a tower-shape integrated ecological purification device for domestic sewage in a small town. The device includes a water storage and filter pond, a medium reverse osmosis pond, an amphibious biological reaction system, and an aquatic biological reaction system. The amphibious biological reaction system and the aquatic biological reaction system are alternately connected from the top down. The amphibious biological reaction system and the aquatic biological reaction system form an alternating dry and wet, oxidation-reduction compound environment. Plant absorption, biological substrate transformation, aeration, and strengthening medium adsorption are combined to form a multi-stage plant-microbe-animal integrated ecological purification treatment process/device. The present invention achieves the efficient purification and acceptable discharge of domestic sewage in small towns.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for maintaining a stable microbial community in a combined anaerobic-aerobic waste processing system. The system comprises cycling of waste activated sludge between reactors, thereby ensuring a healthy microbial community and an efficient waste decomposition.