Abstract: A method for complex procesing of sea-water comprises the successive steps of mechanical filtration, calcium separation on modified zeolite, magnesium separation on weak-acid cation exchanger and processing of the resulting softened sea-water, regeneration of the modified zeolite and regeneration of the weak-acid cation exchanger. During the step of processing of the softened sea-water, its desalination it carried out so as to produce fresh water and simulatneously produce secondary brine having a concentration of salts at least as high as 100 g/l whereby the modified zeolite is regenerated. A plant for implemention of the method of complex processing of sea-water comprises a filter, two sorption columns for calcium separation connected in parallel with each other, a sorption unit for magnesium separation, a softened sea-water processing unit and a mixed concentrate processing unit.

Abstract: A deionized or high purity water producing method is describing wherein ions and non-ionic substances are removed. The method includes pretreating feed water to remove suspended non-ionic substances, containing the pretreated water with first and second ion exchange resins that include a boron selective ion exchange resin, and stratifying or mixing together the first and second resins within an ion exchange column. The boron selective ion exchange resin is included to remove boron ions contained in the pretreated water.

Abstract: A water filter including a filter unit utilizing bag filters and including a hydraulic jack for displacing the bag filters between a lower operative position and an elevated position where the bags are readily accessible the jack preferably in the form of a pair of relatively extensible tubular telescopic members in a flow path between a pump delivery connection and the inlet to the filter bags with one of the members providing a flow communication from the member to the filter outlet. The filter also includes inlet means to the filter bag directing flow to wash the interior surface of the bags.

Abstract: Ceramic spheres containing crystallites of the popular crystal tourmaline are produced by sintering. Water that has flowed through a vessel containing a large amount of the ceramic spheres has been found to show interface activity, such as emulsification, washing and permeation. This activity endures for a couple of days. An excess of isolated hydroxil ion (H.sub.3 O.sub.2)-occurring in the water likely causes the activity.

Abstract: Water recovered from the polymerization of vinyl monomers can be treated to remove or deactivate chain transfer agents present in the water allowing resuse in polymerization processes. The water recovered from a vinyl polymerization reaction is contacted with a cation exchange resin in the hydrogen form prior to recycle, or may be acidified and then contacted with an anion exchange resin in the hydroxide form.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the biochemical purification of a contaminated liquid medium, in which the liquid medium is passed through granular filter material provided in a holder and in which the granular filter material (12) contained in the holder is set in motion, preferably with the aid of an injected gas such as air. Microorganisms and/or an active water for microorganisms can be added to the holder. The filter material may comprise a mixture of lava and sand, for example 28% to 38% sand and 61% to 71% lava. The granule size of the sand is 0.3 to 1.2 mm and the granule size of the lava is 2 to 10 mm. The main flow of the medium to be purified and the injected gas are oppositely directed. To set the filter material in motion, use is made of an inner tube (33) placed in an outer tube (32), gas being blown through the inner tube under the lower end of the inner tube (31) so that gas and filter material drawn in at the lower end of the tubes and medium are transported upward through the inner tube.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a process for treating, in particular softening water by ion exchange in a regenerable medium, with exhaustion of the medium being measure in a bypass provided parallel to the main flow of the medium to the water sampling point and a suitable system in which the bypass line includes a measuring cell. It is therefore the aim of the invention to secure a flow through the measuring cell irrespective of that of the medium. In order to achieve this aim, control of the main flow and a suitable increase of the pressure gradient in the bypass, irrespective of the flow, is effected by means of a control unit (40), increasing the pressure reduction in the measuring cell irrespective of the flow. The throttling of the main flow results in a relative reduction of the bypass resistance and therefore all increased flow to the measuring cell.

Abstract: A process for treating a photographic processing waste solution which comprises:placing a polymer precipitate in a lower portion of a tank having a U-shaped treating space which comprises (i) a first partition, (ii) a second partition and (iii) an interconnecting partition for interconnecting the first partition and the second partition in the lower portion of a tank;introducing into the first partition a photographic processing waste solution containing a processing solution having fixing ability which has processed a silver halide photographic material;treating the photographic processing waste solution in the U-shaped treating space in the presence of a polymer having S atom which can coordinate with a metal; andremoving the metal in said photographic processing waste solution.

Abstract: A shower device having a water purifying function includes a cartridge type filter formed with a water inlet at one end and a water outlet at the other end and means for showering such as a shower head connected to the water outlet of the cartridge type filter. The cartridge type filter contains a tannin layer consisting of a material comprising tannin, a bakuhanseki layer consisting of granular bakuhanseki formed in a layer, a ceramic layer consisting of granular ceramic formed in a layer, a magnetite layer consisting of broken pieces of magnetite formed in a layer and provided at least on the water inlet side or on the water outlet side of the ceramic layer, and magnetizing means such as magnets for magnetizing the magnetite layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a filter system (10) for use in filtering contaminants and sediments as well as introducing aeration of the liquids flowing into a storm drain (20). The filter system may include a housing (12) that is positioned beneath the storm drain, underneath the outer grating (24) of the storm drain. A rack (14) holds a plurality of filter components (16) in a substantially horizontal orientation within the housing. The filter components house filter materials, including absorbent materials and/or geotextile fabric.

Abstract: A liquid filter includes a housing in the form of a elongated, substantially rectangular body. The body has two end walls, top and bottom walls and two side walls. The body has length, height and thickness dimensions. At least one vertical partition is located in the housing, diving the housing into at least two chambers having bottoms. Filtration particulate is located in the chambers. An inlet and outlet are provided as well as a port in the partition for causing liquid flowing through the chambers to pass between adjacent chambers.

Abstract: A pellet formed from a mix of two polymer materials which are non-homogenous is extruded through a die to form a highly roughened surface creating an enhanced melt fracture appearance. The extrusion is chopped into pellet form to provide a large surface area pellet to be used as a harbour for biomass in water treatment processes. Large quantities of such pellets in a filter provide a very effective filtration effect, largely because the highly roughened surface provides an enormous number of cavities within which the biomass can be retained.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for removing oxidized contaminant(s) from water. More specifically, the invention has the steps of contacting water containing the oxidized contaminant(s) with a layered aluminosilicate having Fe(II). The aluminosilicate may contain naturally occurring Fe(II), or the Fe(II) may be produced by reducing Fe(III) that is initially present. Reduction may be either by exposure to a chemical or biological reductant. Contacting the water containing oxidized contaminant(s) may be by (1) injection of Fe(II)-containing layered aluminosilicate, via a well, into a saturated zone where it is likely to intercept the contaminated water; (2) injection of contaminated water into a vessel containing the Fe(II)-bearing layered aluminosilicate; and (3) first reducing Fe(III) in the layered aluminosilicate to Fe(II) by injection of a biological or chemical reductant, into an aquifer or vessel having sufficient Fe(III)-bearing aluminosilicate to produce the necessary Fe(II).

Abstract: Novel ceramic compositions are used for removing metal ions by chelation from solutions such as aqueous waste streams. The compositions are formed by covalently bonding to terminal hydroxy groups of a ceramic inorganic carrier or support a substituted silane linking group attached to a chelating agent or ligand which is pyrogallol or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for reducing the content of organic solvent in an aqueous dispersion of a cellulose-reactive hydrophobing agent, prepared by emulsifying a molten cellulose-reactive hydrophobing agent containing organic solvent in an aqueous solution containing one or more emulsifying agents. The method comprises contacting the aqueous dispersion under agitation with a sorbent, said sorbent having the capacity of absorbing or adsorbing organic molecules, or a gas, whereby the solvent is transferred to the sorbent or the gas.

Abstract: A reforming reactor includes a reforming chamber for reforming a reaction gas containing hydrocarbon or alcohol to a combustion gas containing hydrogen by a reforming reaction, a plurality of gas flow passages disposed in the reforming chamber for guiding the reaction gas from an inlet side toward an outlet side thereof, and reforming blocks provided in a plurality of predetermined sections of each of the gas flow passages and containing reforming catalysts with which the reaction gas flowing through the gas flow passages is brought into contact.

Abstract: A method for minimizing wastewater discharge generated in an ion exchange regeneration system having a cation exchange bed and an anion exchange bed, which method is characterized in that all of the segments of regenerant and displacement rinse are recirculated in a common loop, and shifted forward by one position, whereby the first segment is discarded in the subsequent cycle, and the last segment in the subsequent cycle is provide by fresh rinse, while chemicals are added as necessary, and in final rinse cycle, rinse flows through the cation exchange bed and the anion exchange bed in series, and recirculates in a loop, thereby eliminating over 90% of waste.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning and dispensing golf balls from a magazine. The balls are advanced and brushed clean by a brush roll which rotates in the direction of movement of the balls over tracks or paths defined by parallel devices having curved upper ends which surround the underside of the roll. The apparatus also includes a grid which delimits the lower part of the tracks in an upward direction and which extends from the roll to a ball dispensing arrangement. The formation of bridges or ball-clusters in the magazine is counteracted with the aid of an eccentrically mounted roll, and washing liquid is delivered from spray nozzles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using fine tourmaline crystals is provided which is capable of creating an interfacial purifying activity in water. The inventor is the first to discover that tourmaline crystals, when ground preferably to about 3 microns in size, possess permanent polarity unless heated to their Curie point of between 950.degree.-1000.degree. C. for 2-3 hours. The apparatus and method utilize a plurality of free bodies contained in a housing for passing water to be treated therethrough. The free bodies comprises a mixture of these fine tourmaline crystals which together with an electrically insulating material which electrically insulates the fine tourmaline crystals from one another. The free bodies are preferably spherical pellets about 3-5 millimeters in diameter. The water interfacial purifying activity does not only treat water by reducing or removing cholorine and ion components, but it also helps remove contaminants incrusted on the inner surfaces of water conduits and supply lines.

Abstract: A wastewater filter having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a first body portion connected to the fluid inlet, a second body portion connected to the first body portion, a filter support disposed in the second body portion between the first body portion and the fluid outlet, and a particulate filter material filling an area between the second body portion and the filter support and extending into the first body portion. The filter support has a plurality of openings formed therein. The total area of the plurality of openings is greater than a horizontal cross-sectional area of the particulate filter material in the first body portion. The particulate filter material filters wastewater passing therethrough.