Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for dehalogenating and further biodegrading organic compounds, including halogenated organic compounds, present in an aqueous mixture, the mixture comprising the waste effluent produced in a continuous high flow rate by an industrial plant such as a bleach pulp or paper mill using chlorine and chlorine compounds. The aqueous mixture is passed through at least one combination of a first oxygen-enriched liquid zone and a second zone containing a mixed population of methylotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms supported on a substrate bed. A first gas including oxygen is flowed through the first zone and second gas consisting substantially of a low-molecular-weight alkane is flowed through the second zone as the aqueous mixture passes through the first and second zones.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating waste material mass in a reactor comprising gas distribution members (2, 22), heating members (4, 23) and mixing members (6, 25) for the waste material mass, as well as a waste mass feed member (9, 31) and discharge opening (11, 34). According to the invention, the decomposition of the waste mass is intensified by heating the mass by means of the heating members (4, 23) connected to the gas distribution members (2, 22), by conducting gas onto the surfaces of the heating members (4, 23).

Abstract: The brine purifying system employs a multistage filtering apparatus comprising a plurality of the same filter units piled up one over another to form a plurality of cascaded filtering stages. When the filter layers of the filter units are clogged with unsoluble matters, the operation of the multistage filtering apparatus is interrupted, then a solvent for the unsoluble matters is circulated through the multistage filtering apparatus to remove the unsoluble matters arrested by the filter layers by dissolving the same therein. Then, a washing liquid is circulated through the multistage filtering apparatus to wash the multistage filtering apparatus completely. The solvent and the washing liquid used for regenerating and washing the multistage filtering apparatus are recovered and are used for dissolving salt to prepare saturated brine. The unsoluble matters thus removed from the filter layers are removed by being precipitated in a precipitating tank.

Abstract: A filtration system for filtering out bacteria, Giardia cysts, turbidity and other impurities in raw water supplied to a home or the like including a sealed container divided into an upper and a lower chamber by a support plate, the support plate supporting a quantity of filter material sufficient for filtering out undesired bacteria, turbidity and other impurities from the raw water; the sealed container having a raw water inlet pipe communicating with an inlet area above the filter material for supplying the raw water, and a filtered water outlet pipe communicating with the lower chamber for exhausting filtered water from the container; and further including a geofilter cloth provided on top of the filter material for supporting a biological "schmutzdecke" growth thereon which, along with the filter material, filters out bacteria, turbidity, Giardia cysts and other impurities.

Abstract: A method for removing color from the caustic effluent produced during kraft pulping and bleaching is characterized by heating the caustic effluent to a temperature and under a pressure sufficient to cause an alteration in the chemical structure of the lignin chromophores in the effluent. The cooked effluent is cooled and has its pressure reduce to near atmospheric pressure. An acid material, such as chlorine extract from the bleaching process, is added to the effluent to lower the pH of the effluent to between 2.6 and 3.8 to initiate flocculation of the altered chromophores of the effluent. During flocculation, the chromophores are continuously separated from the effluent in order to produce a relatively clean and color-free liquid which may be deposited in the sewer system of the pulp mill.

Abstract: In order to improve the efficiency of biological reactors for water cleaning with fluid filtration, the activated sludge descending from the space of the fluid filter is simultaneously forcibly sucked-off into the activating space due to a stream of the activating mixture in the close neighborhood of the stream of the returning activated sludge at the place of its entrance into the activating space. Pumping can be applied for the sucking-off function.

Abstract: A method for rapid and efficient cleaning of an internal combustion engine cooling system includes forcing the coolant liquid from the cooling system to the exterior of that system, driving the coolant liquid from the cooling system to the exterior of that system, treating the coolant liquid in a zone or zones outside the cooling system, such treating including effecting preciptation of anions and cations, in the coolant liquid to product contaminant particulate and removing contaminant particulate from the coolant liquid, and returning the treated coolant liquid to the cooling system.

Abstract: Aerobic purification of waste water with intermittent batchwise supply of waste water to the activated sludge tank from which the treated waste water drains continuously is disclosed, in which the nitrate content in the waste water is simultaneously reduced by throttling the aeration of the activated sludge tank, starting with the admission of the waste water to the tank, to values equivalent to less than or equal to 0.5 mg/l dissolved oxygen. In particular, aeration may be off until such time as the nitrate content in the tank has dropped below 5 mg/l, in particular below 1 mg/l. In the case of urban waste waters a cycle time of about 1 hour is expediently employed under these circumstances and the aeration is shut off for about 5 minutes, starting from the rapid admission of the waste water charge. Preferably, inlet charges are less than or equal to 30%, in particular between about 5% and 20%, of the tank capacity.

Abstract: The invention relates to the conditioning of liquid organic substances and biomass, particularly of municipal sewage sludge, with the help of chelating agents and enzymes, by breaking the organic substance down in an aerobic-conditioning reactor by addition of chelating agents and enzymes, this is discontinued prior to the complete dissolution of the organic matter after a time period of 0.5 to 20 hours. The mixture of substances is then subjected to an open-top non-aerated postreaction phase of 5 to 15 hours during which biogenous flocculation takes place. A solid-liquid separation follows.

Abstract: Product for activating the operation of a system for anaerobic digestion of organic residues and especially of a septic tank or similar while being placed in this system and especially the septic tank. Its distinguishing feature is that, owing to the qualitative modification of the hydrolysis process taking place in the system and especially the septic tank, its function is to fractionate the cellulose fibers and to densify the lightest flocs which it contains, the effect of this being to decrease the volume of the sludge present in the system and especially the septic tank, at an equal solids content.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for anaerobic purification of waste water, including a reactor space, a supply of influent at the lower side, gas separators and a discharge of gas and a discharge of effluent, respectively, at the upper side of the apparatus. Said apparatus is characterized in that it is in height subdivided into a reactor space, thereabove a sludge-water separator separated from the reactor space and a gas-sludgewater separator above the sludge-water separator separated therefrom, and the apparatus further includes a central tube for recirculating the anaerobic sludgewater material in the reactor space, with the supply for influent at the bottom. Futhermore the present invention also relates to a method for anaerobic purification of waste water with the aid of a suitable anaerobic sludge material, by the use of the apparatus of the invention as mentioned before. Said apparatus and method are particularly suitable for the quick and efficient anaerobic purification of waste water.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing sludge such as the sludge produced by municipal waste water treatment plants includes thickening of the sludge to a dry solid content in the range of 3% to 8% before feeding it to at least one comparatively small reactor tank that extends horizontally and has an inlet and outlet adjacent opposite end walls. The system preferably utilizes multiple tanks stacked one above the other and connected in series. The tanks have an in-built mixer that sweeps through the interior of the tank. The mixer is eccentrically mounted so that its mixing members carry the sludge through the uppermost portion of the tank interior and are spaced from the bottom surface of the tank. A sparger is located either in the inlet or in the bottom clearance of the tank to introduce microscopic bubbles of oxygen and ozone into the sludge. A pressure regulating valve controls the flow of the stabilize sludge from the uppermost reactor tank.

Abstract: A method and device for dispensing an aqueous fluid which is desired to be maintained in a sterile condition. The method includes storing a quantity of aqueous fluid such as ophthalmic saline solution in a reservoir within a portable container having an outlet. A porous filter medium is arranged within the container adjacent the outlet, and the aqueous ophthalmic fluid is caused to pass from the reservoir through the porous medium and to the outlet. The porous medium has covalently bonded thereto an antimicrobially effective amount of an organosilicon quaternary ammonium compound which is an organosilane. The organosilane can also be bonded to the inner and outer surfaces of the portable container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing selenate from waste water through the use of selenate respiring microorganisms under substantially anoxic conditions is described. The method includes a first zone for removing nitrate by assimilation into biomass. The first zone is maintained under aerobic conditions and is separated from a second zone where selenate is respired to elemental selenium by selenate respiring microorganisms under anoxic conditions. Biomass produced in the first zone may be processed to provide nutrients and electron acceptors for the maintenance of selenate respiring microorganisms when selenate becomes growth limiting. An optional sulfate reduction zone is provided in the method and apparatus where hydrogen sulfide is produced. The hydrogen sulfide so produced is circulated to the second zone and may be used to reduce residual selenite to elemental selenium.

Abstract: A bactericidal composition and method for inhibiting and controlling the growth of the capsulated, facultative bacterium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, are disclosed. The composition comprises an amount, effective for the intended purpose of glutaraldehyde and 2-(decylthio) ethanamine (DTEA). The method comprises administering between about 0.1 to about 200 parts of this combined treatment (based on one million parts of the desired aqueous system) to the particular water containing system for which treatment is desired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for purifying an underground water supply containing halogenated aliphatic compounds by in-situ biodegradation of said compounds, comprising injecting water into an aquifer zone, the injected water containing an electron donor capable of being utilized by an indigenous population of microorganisms contained in the groundwater supply as a primary growth substrate, and an electron acceptor for oxidation of the primary substrate, by separate addition of electron donor and electron acceptor temporally or spatially to stimulate growth of the microorganisms and to distribute them throughout the aquifer zone to cause in-situ degradation of the halogenated aliphatic compounds by metabolic activity of the microorganisms.

Abstract: Apparatus for purifying rinse water used to remove excess resin from articles which have been impregnated with a sealant material. The impregnating resin is customarily a curable composition comprising acrylate monomer and anaerobic or heat cure initiator and results in the formation of an emulsion in the rinse water. A photoinitiator is added to the foregoing composition enabling the emulsion to polymerize when exposed to UV radiation. After the rinse water containing the emulsion has been so exposed, the resulting rinse water and polymer composition is filtered in one or more stages to remove the polymer, leaving substantially pure water as a result. The water, thus purified, can either be returned to the process for re-use or discharged to the environment.

Abstract: A process for treating organic waste water in which a first step provided the stage precedent to a second step using an aerobic filter bed employs an upward flow type solid-liquid separator packed with a filter medium, with the SS (suspended solids) removal at the preceding stage being performed at a high SS removal rate and in a short time.

Abstract: A novel apparatus removes hydrophobic oil from solid particulates in oily sludge waste such as waste material from oil refineries, drilling fluids or muds brines, and other chemical wastes which have solid particulates contaminated with oil. The process involves separation of different components of the sludge on the basis of their size, density and physio-chemical differences. Coarse particulates are removed with the use of screening systems such as sieve bends or vibro-sieves. Oil is removed from these coarse particulates with water rinsing. Oil is removed from fine particles by gravity separation, which separates the sludge into high and low density fractions. Froth flotation is used to remove hydrophilic materials from the high density fraction.

Abstract: Arrangement for cleaning of waste water by application of rotating biocontactors utilizing tubular biocontactors open at both ends wound on a rotating cylindrical frame adapted to be alternatively submerged below and raised above the level of the waste water, combining thereby the effect of cleaning by biocontact and of efficient aeration of the waste water.