Abstract: A mud slurry cleaning method including steps of distributing a mud slurry across an inclined primary separation screen, vibrating the primary screen through selected movement, cycle and frequency to screen out the liquid and selected particles, concurrently changing the geometric shape of the openings of the primary screen through each vibration cycle to free particles as might tend to lodge while concurrently impacting the primary screen at many spaced apart impact points to loosen particles tending to lodge, cyclonically separating the screened mud into a finally cleaned slurry and a thickened slurry including particles originally included in the original slurry, mixing the thickened slurry with a portion of the screened slurry to form a liquified slurry, distributing the liquified slurry across an inclined gleaning screen, and vibrating the gleaning screen as above described to screen out liquid and desired particles while concurrently changing the geometric shape of the openings of the screen and concurre

Abstract: A cylindrical insert for a pre-existing pressure vessel has an integral accumulator chamber defining a head for the vessel. Inner end surfaces of the accumulator chamber, along with the walls of the pressure vessel, define a filter element chamber, the inner end of the accumulator chamber also supporting an array of permanent filter elements. The accumulator chamber is of annular form, around a central pipe which serves, alternately, as the outlet for filtered fluid passing from the filter chamber or as the inlet for filtered clean fluid to be forcefully pulsed back through the filter elements by the release of compressed air from the accumulator to flush them of an accumulation of filtered waste material. The insert system includes piping associated with the accumulator chamber for charging the chamber with highly compressed air and for selectively releasing the charge for backflushing, and control valves for placing the insert system in filtering and backflushing modes.

Abstract: A filter system for fluids having an elongate filter basket mounted in tension in a filter housing, the filter element being retained therein by a boltless flange engaging the top thereof and an elongate tube engaging the element bottom and urging it downwardly in response to a single nut engaging a rod through the tube and element and fixed to the housing. A novel filter element for the system is disclosed having longitudinal support rods for containing and supporting a fragile filter medium, such as sintered metal, in any size filter element. In another embodiment, a novel filter element for indepth filtering is disclosed.

Abstract: A regenerative fuel heating device is disclosed for heating fuel prior to the fuel being introduced into a fuel filter, fuel-water separator or both. The device includes a housing and a heater in the housing for heating the fuel. A space defining heat conductive barrier is provided for defining an upstream space in the housing into which fuel can flow to be heated prior to the fuel being introduced into the separator or filter and a downstream space in the housing through which the fuel can flow after the fuel has left the separator or filter. The heater and downstream space are placed in a heat transfer relation with the upstream space to enable the fuel in the upstream space to be heated by the heater and to extract heat from the fuel in the downstream space.

Abstract: The molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of diverse ultra-high molecular weight water soluble polymers is rapidly determined based on apparent size by passage of extremely dilute samples of the polymer (1-250 ppm) through a column of nonporous packing whereby separation into molecular weight (apparent size) fractions is obtained predominantly based on flow (i.e., hydrodynamic chromatography). Detection of the extremely dilute sample polymer is accomplished, e.g., by tagging the polymer with a fluorescent agent and using a flow-through fluorometer detector. The molecular weight characterization of the polymers is determined independent or less dependent of the composition of the polymer by analyzing the sample in its nonionized form.

Abstract: Alpha-1-antiprotease is highly purified from an impure solution thereof by a series of chromtographic procedures.

Abstract: A racemic mixture can be optically resolved by liquid chromatography, using a packing of the compound: ##STR1## wherein at least one group selected from among Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3 represents silica gel and/or a siloxane bond moiety therewith and others represent each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having one to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having six to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having seven to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group having one to 20 carbon atoms or a combination thereof; X represents a spacer having one to 20 carbon atoms; and R represents a metallic slat of optically active t-leucine or tryptophane.

Abstract: A device for automatic control of pressure filters comprises a control assembly connected by a filtrate pipe (2) to at least one pressure filter (1 ), which is essentially a vertically arranged pipe (4) communicated with the filtrate pipe (2) and limited, at the lower end thereof, by a baffle (7) having a calibrated opening (7') and provided with a sensor (3) which is an electro-capacitive element connected via a converter (14) and a switch (15) to a timer unit (8) coupled to a frequency coincidence unit (17) which is connected to a frequency generator (19), and to control units (9) and to the pressure filter control consoles (11). The control unit (9) and the control console (11) of each pressure filter (1) are joined together, while the control output of each control console (11) is connected to an actuating device of a respective pressure filter (1).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing chromatographic separations utilizing horizontal flow through the separating medium bed are disclosed. The chromatographic separations may be carried out by using an apparatus involving a cylindrical column construction wherein the horizontal flow is in a radial direction as it passes through the separating medium bed or an apparatus involving a cubical column construction wherein the flow traverses from one end of the separating medium bed to the other end horizontally. The apparatus includes means for distributing the flow, achieving horizontal streamlines and collecting separated components. In one embodiment, the separating medium bed in adjustable in height.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis water purification system for purification of water received from a supply tank having a limited and exhaustible supply of water. Water is extracted from the supply tank by a pump which directs the extracted water under pressure to a reverse osmosis unit which in turn directs the purified water to a hydro-pneumatic storage tank with the waste water produced by the reverse osmosis unit being returned to the supply tank for water conservation purposes. The system further includes a pressure sensing switch associated with the hydro-pneumatic storage tank and the pump to maintain the differential pressure across the reverse osmosis unit in a predetermined pressure range.

Abstract: A method for determining the alcohol consumption of an individual by means of quantifying isotransferrin combinations in the individual's body fluids, these combinations being (A) isotransferrins having a pI higher than 5.6 or (B) isotransferrins having a pI higher than 5.8 or (C) isotransferrins having a pI higher than 6.0. The total concentration of any of said combinations (A), (B), (C) is a measure of the said individual's alcohol consumption during the last few weeks.

Abstract: An oil filter restriction sensor device for warning the operator of an internal combustion engine when the engine oil filter has become restricted and requires replacement comprising a sensor body and a threaded adapter for mounting the sensor body between the engine mounting bracket and an oil filter having a filter element. The sensor body has passageways which allow a normal flow pattern for the oil input and filtered oil output through the filter element. A spring biased slidable piston is mounted within the sensor body with incoming oil and filtered output oil pressure applied to opposite ends of the piston. When the oil filter differential pressure exceeds a predetermined amount the piston moves to a position grounding an electrical connector causing an alarm signal to be initiated warning the operator of the restricted filter condition.

Abstract: A filter including a plurality of filter discs each formed with a central opening and disposed in a stack within a filter housing with the side faces of adjacent discs contacting each other for filtering the fluid flowing through the housing from its inlet to its outlet, the filter discs being maintained in a stack by a plurality of axially-extending rods arranged in a circular array around the outer faces of the discs and circumferentially spaced from each other to permit the filter disc stack to be cleaned by passing a cleaning nozzle through the central openings of the filter discs in the stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for backwashing the filter media of a liquid filtering machine while at the same time enabling the machine to filter liquid. The machine is of the type having a tank and a continuous bed of granular filter media in the tank through which liquid having suspended solids therein for removing the solids. The apparatus comprises a partitioning chamber and a carriage for selectively supporting and conveying the chamber above the media bed, with the chamber being insertable into the bed to isolate a portion thereof from the remainder of the bed. The apparatus further comprises a mechanism to selectively allow insertion of the chamber into the bed and to remove it, and a pump to draw liquid through the isolated portion of the bed to backwash it, while filtration may proceed in the remainder of the bed. Apparatus for removing the media from the chamber and replacing it with new, cleaned or regenerated media is also disclosed.

Abstract: A lifting mechanism for a raking structure in a solids-liquid separation tank comprising a fixed column adapted to extend vertically within the tank, a movable column being adapted to support a raking structure for the tank, and a lift device for raising and lowering said movable column telescopically with respect to said fixed column. The lift device includes an elongate flexible tension member; a first series of load points on the fixed column at spaced intervals on the fixed column; and a second series of lift points on the movable column below said first series of points and at spaced intervals on the movable column, the tension member being alternately threaded between load and lift points of said first and second series of points, with the tension member thus being led over one of said load points, down and below one of said lift points and back up and over the next load point.

Abstract: A plastic faucet having built in LEDs and a pair of electrodes is mounted above a sink for dispensing water from a reverse osmosis purification apparatus installed below the sink or in another remote location. A circuit connected to the electrodes senses the purity of the water dispensed through the faucet each time the valve in the faucet is turned on and illuminates one of the LEDs to automatically indicate on-sight the level of purity to the user. Each time the user dispenses water from the third faucet a visual signal is received which either confirms to the user that the water has an acceptable level of purity or notifies the user that servicing of the purification apparatus is required. An alternate embodiment adapted for use with filtration type purification apparatus has a flow limiter in the faucet and a circuit which adds the time that the valve in the faucet is turned on.

Abstract: Process for separating fine particles (fines) from a slurry of such fine particles in a liquid by a combination of centrifugal or other separative force and axial or longitudinal flow imparted to the slurry producing secondary flows of the slurry, and apparatus for utilization of the process, including a conduit (11) having a helical or curved portion (12) through which the slurry passes, rotating means (14) for spinning the helical portion, pumping means (15) for imparting an axial flow to the slurry, and control means (16) for controlling to obtain alternate direction of the axial flow towards the opposite ends of the helical portion.

Abstract: The mass transfer column through which a continuous phase and at least one dispersed phase flow in countercurrent has two embodiments of packing elements disposed in the mass transfer section of the column. The first embodiment takes the form of corrugated layers which are disposed parallel to the column axis and engage one another, the corrugations of adjacent layers crossing one another. In the second embodiment plane intermediate layers are introduced between adjacent corrugated layers. The elements with intermediate layers provide cross-conveyance of the dispersed phase while the corrugated elements are responsible for mass transfer and for maintaining the dispersion distribution.

Abstract: A double-ended permeator. Permeate is extracted from both ends of a fiber bundle and discharged at one end only of a permeator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering a product fluid from a filter, wherein a wash fluid is passed through the filter so as to yield a mixture of product fluid and wash fluid. The mixture is then phase separated in a phase separator into a first phase substantially comprising product fluid, and a second phase substantially comprising wash fluid.