Abstract: A recursive fractal system provides low cost, high throughput removal of contaminants, selected compounds, and elements from a flowable medium. This includes low energy desalination of saltwater, and removal contaminants from waste water. A series of concatenated, self-similar, co-axially aligned fractal stages are provided for defining a flow path for receiving the flowable medium, such as salt water. The configuration of self similar fractal stages as a succession of venturis recursively accelerates and separates flow vectors at each stage without the need for pumping. The series of venturis have been found to accelerate the water to such an extent that an electro hydrodynamic field interaction is magnified at each successive stage, such that contaminants, heavy metals, salt, or other selected compounds are aggregated by an electromagnetic field signature, separated and extracted from the flowable medium.

Abstract: An offshore water-hydrocarbon separator system is capable of entrapping spilled oil offshore, and recovering the oil to a usable state for subsequent refining. The kinetic energy of a towing vessel provides the energy for establishing a flow path of oil and seawater through the hydrocarbon separator. Annular venturi provided at each successive stage in the separator accelerate a core flow of sea water substantially down the center of the flow path, while drag associated with aggregated oil particles forces oil outward, away from the core, to flow along the walls of each stage. The energy that establishes the core flow of water is provided by the kinetic energy of the surface vessel and the acceleration of core flow at each successive venturi. No other source of energy is needed to induce the water hydrocarbon separation.

Abstract: An offshore water-hydrocarbon separator system is capable of entrapping spilled oil offshore, and recovering the oil to a usable state for subsequent refining. The kinetic energy of a towing vessel provides the energy for establishing a flow path of oil and seawater through the hydrocarbon separator. Annular venturi provided at each successive stage in the separator accelerate a core flow of sea water substantially down the center of the flow path, while drag associated with aggregated oil particles forces oil outward, away from the core, to flow along the walls of each stage. The energy that establishes the core flow of water is provided by the kinetic energy of the surface vessel and the acceleration of core flow at each successive venturi. No other source of energy is needed to induce the water hydrocarbon separation.

Abstract: An apparatus provides the removal of particular matter from an aqueous carrier such as water, water-based slurry, mine slurry, or the like. Particles below 40 mesh in size can be separated from the aqueous carrier and concentrated with like particles according to their specific gravity and flow characteristics. A plurality of guides are provided for directing the aqueous carrier into different flow paths which are configured to take advantage of the force of gravity for diverting the aqueous carrier into a plurality of drop channels. The drop channels contain additional flow diversion guides for diverting a portion of the primary flow through a respective drop channel. As the aqueous carrier flows through the guides and into the drop channels by gravity, the diversionary flow paths tend to pull matter below a desired density out of a primary drop channel. This enables particulate matter to be separated from the aqueous carrier and to be concentrated at a selected density.