Abstract: The system (10) comprises a casing (12) internally defining a cavity (14) and comprising, in turn, an inlet (16) configured to receive a fluid that contains microplastics and leading into the cavity (14), and an outlet (18) configured to deliver the fluid contained in the cavity (14), from which the microplastics have been substantially removed. A filtering assembly (100) contained in the cavity (14) is configured to be crossed by the fluid entering the casing (12) through the inlet (16) and exiting through the outlet (18), thus internally trapping the microplastics. A compacting assembly (200) is situated in the cavity (14) and configured for collecting and compacting the microplastics trapped by the filtering assembly (100). A driving assembly (300) is configured to drive the compacting assembly (200).

Abstract: A system includes a casing internally defining a filtering cavity and having an inlet leading into the filtering cavity and configured to be hydraulically connected downstream of a discharge pump and to receive a fluid containing microplastics. The casing also has an outlet configured to deliver the fluid contained in the filtering cavity, from which the microplastics have been substantially removed. A filtering assembly contained in the filtering cavity is crossed by the fluid entering the casing through the inlet and exiting through the outlet, thus internally trapping the microplastics. A compacting assembly is situated in the filtering cavity and configured for collecting and compacting the solid particles trapped by the filtering assembly. A pre-filtering assembly is configured to be fluidically connected upstream of a discharge pump to trap any foreign bodies that may be present in the microplastic-containing fluid.

Abstract: A washing machine includes a cabinet in which a washing tub is defined. A discharge piping fluidically connects to the washing tub on one side, and connectable to a waste system on the other side. A discharge pump is situated in the discharge piping and is configured to push a washing liquid, containing microplastics and coming from the washing tub, towards the waste system. A discharge pump filter is situated in the discharge piping fluidically upstream of the discharge pump and is configured to trap any foreign bodies that may be present in the microplastic-containing washing liquid. A microplastic filtering system is situated in the discharge piping fluidically downstream of the discharge pump. A drawer internally houses the system.

Abstract: A method of managing a computer network switch is disclosed. The method has the steps of: setting a port of the switch to root guard protected status (RG status); selecting by a spanning tree protocol (STP) the port as a designated port; and setting said port into blocked status, in response to said port being both in root guard protected status and selected by STP as a root port. By setting a port to root guard protected, the port is prevented from becoming a designated port, and so then forcing the root port to remain in a desired core network.

Abstract: A multiple instance spanning tree protocol (MI-STP) creates a plurality of active topologies (i.e., loop-free paths) within a computer network. These active topologies may be established through the exchange and processing of multiple instance spanning tree bridge protocol data unit messages (MI-STP BPDUs) by the intermediate network devices within the network. The active topologies are preferably created independently of any virtual local area network (VLAN) designations defined within the network. Once the active topologies are defined, each VLAN designation is then mapped to a single active topology, although multiple VLAN designations are preferably mapped to the same active topology to provide load balancing.