Abstract: Alternating drive primarily for bicycles and similar driven vehicles, in which the rotation of driven pedals are converted into reciprocating swinging motion of swinging arms, and the swinging arms have respective driving arms (16, 16?) coupled to a head portion (14, 14?) surrounding the swinging shaft (11) of the pedals from which a traction arm (17, 17?) is extending out that closes an angle with the driving arm and the remote ends of the driving and traction arms (16, 17) are interconnected by a connection arm (20, 20?) A substantially triangular opening is formed between these arms, and the shaft of a driving wheel (15, 15?) is positioned in this opening, the traction arm defines a traction path (19, 19?), and a flexible pulling rope (28) that rotates the driven wheel of the vehicle is led around at least one rope wheel (26) that has a shaft (35) guided and led along the traction path for adjusting the transmission ratio.

Abstract: A mobile station and methods are disclosed for diagnosing and modeling site specific effluent treatment facility requirements to arrive at a treatment regimen and/or proposed commercial plant model idealized for the particular water/site requirements. The station includes a mobile platform having power intake, effluent intake and fluid outflow facilities and first and second suites of selectably actuatable effluent pre-treatment apparatus. An effluent polishing treatment array is housed at the station and includes at least one of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and ion-exchange stages. A suite of selectively actuatable post-treatment apparatus is housed at the station. Controls are connected at the station for process control, monitoring and data accumulation. A plurality of improved water treatment technologies is also disclosed.

Abstract: Electrocoagulation effluent treatment apparatus and methods are disclosed, the apparatus including a primary electrocoagulation reactor chamber having treatment electrodes maintained therein and an effluent inlet and treated effluent outlet. An integrated flotation chamber is located above the reaction chamber, a vacuum device connectable with a vacuum source being received in the flotation chamber and including a foam intake and an output. A sludge chamber is defined below and integrated with the primary reaction chamber and has a settled sludge output.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for enhanced electrocoagulation processing using enhanced membrane aeration are disclosed for effluent treatment. The apparatus has an enrichment means for establishing an ion rich air/gas stream and a membrane aerator for receiving the ionized air/gas stream and effluent to be treated. An ionized air/gas rich effluent feed stream flows out of the membrane aerator and is received at an electrocoagulation processing assembly for diffused ion enhanced electrocoagulation treatment.

Abstract: A compact biological treatment assembly, apparatus and methods are disclosed, the apparatus including a movable belt biological contactor having selected microbial cultures established thereon. The apparatus further includes a tank having a volume for receipt of wastewater to be treated, first and second drums positioned at the tank each connected to an end of the belt contactor, and a motor or motors together with a controller for rotating the drums cooperatively to move the belt contactor between the drums thereby coiling and uncoiling the belt contactor on the drums.

Abstract: Use of a non-sacrificial electrode made of synthetic graphite for applications utilizing conductive immersed treatment of wastewater is disclosed. The synthetic graphite is manufactured from a petroleum based extruded or molded composite material in any of plate, bar or coil forms. The electrodes are especially useful in the primary reaction chamber of an electrocoagulation apparatus.

Abstract: Oscillatory crossflow membrane separation apparatus and methods are disclosed for effluent treatment. The apparatus include a membrane module with a housing containing a membrane element, said module having an input for receiving effluent for treatment and a treated effluent output. A crossflow pump is connected for moving oscillating fluid through the membrane module and a feed pressure pump is connected with the membrane module for applying membrane operating pressure. A fluid oscillator is active with either pump for pulsating fluid received thereat.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for mechanical axial vibration in membrane separation treatment processes. The apparatus includes a separation membrane element having an axial dimension, a membrane support structure having the element therein, and means for vibrating the membrane element (hydrodynamically or using motors) in the axial dimension.

Abstract: A mobile station and methods are disclosed for diagnosing and modeling site specific effluent treatment facility requirements to arrive at a treatment regimen and/or proposed commercial plant model idealized for the particular water/site requirements. The station includes a mobile platform having power intake, effluent intake and fluid outflow facilities and first and second suites of selectably actuatable effluent pre-treatment apparatus. An effluent polishing treatment array is housed at the station and includes at least one of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and ion-exchange stages. A suite of selectively actuatable post-treatment apparatus are housed at the station. Controls are connected at the station for process control, monitoring and data accumulation. A plurality of improved water treatment technologies are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a membrane separator for separating out low-colloidal and low-molecular contaminants as well as polyvalent ions (heavy metals) from aqueous media by means of a wound membrane element in which a corrugated distance piece (spacer) is positioned between the layers of the membrane windings. In cross-section the spacer (20, 30) has U-shaped crests (21) and troughs (22) with the legs (26) of the U-forms approximately perpendicular to the membrane surfaces (28), or triangular crests (31) and triangular troughs (32). The spacer (50) can consist of a plastic foil having a corrugated structure on both sides offset by one half-corrugation with respect to each other and where the crests (54, 54′) on both sides make contact with the layers of the membrane windings (4, 6). To increase the turbulence in the flow, the crests (56, 72) can have turbulence elements (60, 76).

Abstract: A membrane separation device is disclosed having a cylindrical membrane support (4), which is sealed off between a top plate (26) and a bottom plate (28), whereon the cylindrical outer surface of the membranes support a membrane (6) is located, and which is surrounded by cylindrical components (14, 8) which are sealed off in the top plate and bottom plate thereby forming a cylindrical ring area (16). Permeate collection bores (20) communicate with the membrane through the membrane support and are connected with a permeate draw off connection (60). The suction side of a circulation pump (44) is connected with an enclosed inner chamber (47) formed by the cylindrical membrane support. The outer ring area is connected to the pressure side of the circulation pump and communicates with the inner chamber through a circulation channel (54). The inner chamber is connected to a infeed connection (58). The circulation pump communicates with a draw off (64) on the pressure side for the extraction of concentrate.

Abstract: An alternating drive for wheeled vehicles comprises two opposite pedals which can move on a circular path about a pedal shaft secured on the cycle frame. The alternating drive is characterized in that it is equipped with two cranks (26, 27; 26a, 27a; 26b, 27b) which can be moved within a predetermined oscillating angle range about an auxiliary shaft (25) secured to the frame (10). Between the cranks (26, 27; 26a, 27a; 26b, 27b) and the pedals (21) is a driver connection which transforms the circular motion into an alternating oscillating motion with phases mutually offset by a half oscillation period. Disposed on each side of the axle (50) of the driven wheel (12) is a free-wheel mechanism (56, 57). The free-wheel mechanism (56, 57) lock in opposite direction and are connected to the individual cranks (26, 27; 26a, 27a; 26b, 27b) by mutually independent traction elements (29; 82, 83).

Abstract: An apparatus for diaphragm filtration is provided with at least one disc-shaped supporting plate having a channel arranged at least on one side thereof. The channel is connected to an inlet port and an outlet port which preferably are arranged diametrically opposite each other at the periphery of the supporting plate, while over the channel a diaphragm is applied which is supported by a permeable layer onto a further supporting plate and which closes off the space taken in by the permeable layer and which space is connected to a filtrate discharge.

Abstract: A separator cell for pressure filtration and reverse osmosis includes a housing; a filtering membrane supported in the housing and having a feed side and an opposite filtrate side; a flow guide plate supported in the housing and being in a face-to-face engagement with the membrane on the feed side thereof; and a channel in the flow guide plate for guiding fluid. The channel is covered by the membrane. A feed pipe supported in the housing has an outlet and a concentrate discharge pipe supported in the housing has an inlet, both communicating with the channel. A filtrate discharge pipe is supported in the housing and has an inlet at the filtrate side of the membrane. The outlet of the feed pipe and the inlet of the concentrate discharge pipe are situated at generally diametrically opposite locations of the flow guide plate. The channel is constituted by a channel having a shape of a continuous spiral formed of a first and a second turn.

Abstract: A coiled membrane filter cartridge includes a central pipe having at least one axial row of openings through which fluid may radially pass into or out of the pipe and two superposed membranes wound in a plurality of turns about the pipe to form a membrane coil having opposite axial ends. The membranes are radially spaced from one another for defining, between themselves, a spiral flow channel being sealed at the axial ends. A fluidtight partition extends between the membranes and is connected thereto. The partition divides longitudinally the spiral flow channel into axially adjoining partial channels.

Abstract: A rotary filter separator for continuous filtration comprises a cylindrical filter element including a membrane housed within a cylindrical drum. A solution such as a colloidal solution is passed upwardly between the interior surface of the drum and the exterior surface of the membrane. The filtrate or permeate is continuously drawn off from the interior of the cylindrical filter element while the concentrate is continuously drawn off from the space between the drum and membrane.