Abstract: The present invention provides automated peritoneal dialysis systems, methods of operating the systems and devices for performing same. A typical therapy performed by the present invention begins by draining dialysis solution that is already in the patient's peritoneal cavity. The system pumps fresh dialysate from one of a plurality of supply bags, through an in-line heater to the patient's peritoneal cavity. After a dwell period, the spent dialysate in the cavity is pumped out of the patient to a drain or other disposal means. The system then pumps fresh dialysate from the supply bags to the patient and the procedure is repeated as defined in the therapy protocol. The system can pump a last bag of dialysate to the peritoneal cavity for an extended dwell, such as a daytime dwell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for processing, especially for filtering and removing, fluids and fluid remnants in a low-pressure chamber (1). The device comprises a vacuum pump (30) and a separator (16), whereby the low-pressure chamber is connected to the separator via a first line (10), and the low-pressure chamber is connected to the vacuum pump via a second line (20) so that the low-pressure chamber can be evacuated while bypassing the separator. The invention also relates to a low-pressure chamber for processing fluids which is equipped with a heating plate with holes for heating areas of the interior space of the low-pressure chamber.

Abstract: A warm/cold double-circulation water filter system and swimming pool arrangement comprises, a swimming pool, a double-circulation water filter system, a water pipe system, a heater. The present invention concentrated the valves in order to convenient management and control, to reduce valves amount and to offer a multiform elevated temperature manner.

Abstract: A tank system and a method for accommodating aquatic life and particularly fish. The tank system comprises a holding tank for holding fluid to sustain aquatic life disposed therein and a filtering means in the form of a biofilter for receiving extraneous fluid from the top of the holding tank at one side thereof separated from the biofilter by a partition. A tank discharge means comprising a longitudinally extending lip surmounts the partition to permit the discharge and passage of extraneous fluid from the top of the holding tank via a prefilter to a filtering area in which the biofilter is disposed. Recirculating means including a network of pipes is provided for recirculating the extraneous fluid passed through biofilter by gravity, from the bottom of the filtering area back to the holding tank via one or pumps and a pair of water inlet lines.

Abstract: An installation for recovering debris stopped by a filter at the inlet of a heat exchanger: a washing water manifold (36) at the outlet of the filter (11) feeds a separator (37) provided with an outlet pipe (39) for water free of debris to which is connected a hydro-ejector (50) which is connected to the outlet pipe (16) of the exchanger (19).

Abstract: The automotive coolant filter was devised as a result of the inventor servicing an automotive cooling system and witnessing the evidence of contaminants depositing on cooling system surfaces. The inventor reasoned that other vital engine fluids such as motor oil and transmission fluid are filtered, wouldn't the coolant benefit also from filtration? Of course! By the simple filtration of circulating engine coolant through a paper or a fiber corrugated element, the majority of transient contaminants will be trapped. This in turn will extend the life of anti-freeze coolant as well as vital engine cooling system components.

Abstract: This invention pertains generally to anaerobic digesters, and more particularly to a system and process that extends the range of acceptable biomass feedstock concentrations and provides pH process control of all known digestion processes: by the creation of a vacuum or vacuum retort in or before the digester that essentially acts to boil off excess liquid, thickening the liquor of the digester to an optimum value; and to control the pH of the various phases or stages of digestion by separating the component products of digestion and mixing or diffusing a portion of said component products into the mixing system of each phase of the process. A system and process: that produces a potable water effluent, clean commercially useful by-products, zero environmental emissions, a very positive ecological impact; and, that has the capability of being completely self powered plus providing energy back to the community or industry that supports or owns it.

Abstract: A water treatment unit having: (a) a cooling tower; (b) a source of cooling water; (c) a main flow pipe for receiving the cooling water; (d) a source of fresh water connected to the source of cooling water; (e) a heat exchanger for heating the cooling water to form heated water; (f) a branched flow pipe for separating the heated water into a main stream of heated water and a partial stream of heated water; (g) a non-backwashable filter capable of separating waste contained in the partial stream of heated water into a compact waste residue and a first filtrate, in the absence of backwashing; and (h) a return pipe for transporting the main filtrate back to the cooling tower, wherein the cooling water is introduced through the main flow pipe into the heat exchanger where it is heated, after which it is split into a main stream of heated water and a partial stream of heated water, the main stream of heated water being transported back to the cooling tower, with the partial stream being transported, by way of the

Abstract: A self-sustaining non-biodegradable waste breakdown system has a preprocessing assembly, a heating assembly, a reaction assembly and a filtering assembly. The reaction assembly has a filtering layer to retain long chain molecules of the melted waste for continuous breakdown so as to change the long chain molecules into short chain molecules. The filtering-adjusting mechanism of the filtering assembly recycles the medium with a special concentration, viscosity and heat resistance in the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A periodic ozone treatment system for a showering tower type water cooling system worked once daily for a period of 10˜30 minutes essentially comprises: an ozone dissolving tank to prepare high density ozone solution therein and periodically fed to the cooling system from a top of the showering tower automatically; a bypass piping connected from a heated water recycling pipe after a heat exchanging in a main functional heat exchanger to a sand filter to shift recycling water for washing the sand in the filter by a reverse osmosis operation during the period while the ozone treatment system is working; and an ozone decomposition reactor disposed at a front of heat exchanger free from corrosion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for selectively removing one or more organic and also preferably one or more inorganic contaminants from plating baths. More particularly, the invented method relates to the use of a source of energy in combination with chemical oxidants, alone or in conjunction with a catalyst to oxidize organic contaminants in the plating bath to a level such that the electroplating bath can be recovered and reused after appropriate chemical adjustment. The oxidative treatment method may be a continuous process or a batch process that is performed in a single pass and the endpoint of the oxidative process detected by a sensor. Residual organics, if desired, and chloride ions in the bath are removed from the solution by a chemisorption or physisorption treatment.

Abstract: A system for cleaning, heating and purifying contaminated aqueous solutions. The system utilizes a separator having a wheel with staggered orifices of different diameters and depths. The wheel is tightly held within a housing and is mounted on a rotating shaft. The shaft is held by sealed bearing assemblies. The shaft is rotated by an external electromotive devise. The aqueous solution is transported to the separator via preheat and circulation tanks by use of a pump, and passes to a storage container where it may be utilized for many purposes, via a pair of heat exchangers, a venturi and a second pump.

Abstract: By treating potable water at a temperature of at least 230° C. (446° C.) and at a pressure at least equal to the pressure of saturated steam at said temperature, can produce pyrogen-free water using treatment times of 0.05 to 5 seconds or less. The addition of an oxidant, in the form of a gas, a liquid, or a solid, further decreases the required treatment time to less than 0.05 second. The reduction in equipment size achieved with this rapid treatment time allows the utilization of treatment units small enough to be easily transported to remote locations or installed in the restricted space environment existing in ships and submarines.

Abstract: Rapid characterization and screening of polymer samples to determine average molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and other properties is disclosed. Rapid flow characterization systems and methods, including liquid chromatography and flow-injection analysis systems and methods are preferably employed. High throughput, automated sampling systems and methods, high-temperature characterization systems and methods, and rapid, indirect calibration compositions and methods are also disclosed, where the polymer sample, solvent, liquid chromatograph column and/or mobile phase eluant is heated to temperatures of at least 75 degrees Celsius during the sample injection or elution process. The described methods, systems, and devices have primary applications in combinatorial polymer research and in industrial process control.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering particulate matter from internal combustion engine coolant where a replaceable filter is connected between the heater core supply and return lines. A portion of the normal engine coolant flow is directed from a heater hose through a paper or media filter in order to remove particulate matter such as rust and scale. A filter assembly comprised of a housing with inlet and outlet ports may installed in a new engine or may be retrofitted to an existing engine by cutting the heater hoses, installing tees, and connecting the filter housing to the tees with short sections of hose. An alternate embodiment includes a housing that clamps directly to the heater hoses so that a portion of the flow is directed through the filter.

Abstract: A system is provided for removing dissolved metals from industrial wastewater by electrocoagulation. The system includes an electrocoagulation reactor with a DC power supply having an insulation support enclosure with positive and negative electrode plates disposed thereon. The electrode plates are insulated for each other but remain in direct contact with the wastewater as it flows between the electrodes. The DC power supply induces opposite charges on alternate electrodes thereby generating an electric field between adjacent electrodes to cause the electrodes to ionize and go into solution for interaction with the contaminants in the wastewater as it flows through the reactor. The reactor is housed in a pressure vessel container so the exterior pressure on the reactor is higher than its internal pressure preventing leakage of fluids and oxygen and hydrogen gases produced in the reactor by decomposition of water.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation and purification of a mixture of gases, liquids or powders. The apparatus can be used for separating portions of the mixture such as desalting a seawater mixture or obtaining hot and cold without Freon. The apparatus includes a compressor or ventilator for moving the mixture through a spiral pipe or cavity, offshoots and heat exchangers or reservoirs. When the apparatus includes heat exchangers the heat exchangers are for heating and cooling the surrounding environment. The heat exchanger for heating the surrounding environment does so by receiving a relatively hotter portion of the mixture. The heat exchanger for cooling the surrounding environment does so by receiving a relatively cooler portion of the mixture. When the apparatus includes reservoirs the reservoirs are for holding separated portions of the mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides treatment of wastewater containing oil, organic and inorganic industrial compounds, urea, and e.t.c. The resulting products will be purified water, dry fertilizer, pure carbomide, uncontaminated gas and liquid fuel, and other products that can be separated from the concentrate after ultrafiltration. In order to accomplish those and other objectives the present invention improves the system for cleaning wastewater by subjecting the wastewater to a magnetic field and heating it before the initial settling process. In addition, before ultrafiltration, the liquid is treated in an electroflotation device. The wastewater cleaning system can also be comprised of a urea separator for separating urea from other products.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for desalination of salt water (and purification of polluted water) are disclosed. Salt (or otherwise polluted) water is pumped to a desalination installation and down to the base of a desalination fractionation column, where it is mixed with hydrate-forming gas to form either positively buoyant or negatively buoyant (assisted buoyancy) hydrate. The hydrate rises or is carried upward and dissociates (melts) into the gas and pure water. In preferred embodiments, residual salt water which is heated by heat given off during formation of the hydrate is removed from the system to create a bias towards overall cooling as the hydrate dissociates endothermically at shallower depths. In preferred embodiments, the input water is passed through regions of dissociation in heat-exchanging relationship therewith so as to be cooled sufficiently for hydrate to form at pressure-depth.

Abstract: The present invention increases the safety of a reactor for generating water vapor from oxygen and hydrogen, provides ultra-pure water vapor in an amount necessary for practical use safely, stably and continuously, provides ultra-pure water vapor concentrations to nearly 100 percent without the need of an inert transporting gas, and provides a catalyst with long term, high catalytic activity within the reactor. Specifically, the system comprises a catalyst vessel and a plurality of sorption vessels. The catalyst vessel is made of a heat-resistant material and includes an inlet and an outlet for water vapor and inert gas mixture, a heat source, and has a platinum or palladium catalyst within the catalyst vessel. The sorption vessels are made of a heat-resistant material and includes an inlet and an outlet for water vapor and inert gas mixture, a heat source, and has a molecular sieve water vapor sorption material within the sorption vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the techniques of treating a liquid material to be treated, which enables efficient fractional removal of toxic materials such as PCB in a liquid mixture. The treatment method of the invention comprises the step of permitting a liquid material containing materials having different solidifying points to be cooled at a temperature at which desired material(s) is solidified while others are not solidified and the step of separating the solidified material from other liquid materials whereby the desired material is separated, and therefore large facilities are not necessary and toxic materials can be reliably separated and removed.

Abstract: Input water is preheated in a heat exchanger (2), pumped (4) through another heat exchanger (5) into a heating unit (6). The heating unit heats the water to a temperature of above 100° C., preferably 140-150° C., while maintaining the water in a liquid state without vaporization. A pump (8) feeds the heated water under sufficient pressure to prevent vaporization to at least one crossflow filtration unit (9). A portion of the heated water passes through a thermally stable filtration material having a pore size of 1-20 nanometers for filtering endotoxins and pyrogens, 4-10 nanometers for filtering viruses, or 100 nanometers−30 &mgr;m for filtering bacteria. Heated water which has passed through the filtration material is fed through a pure water product outlet of the filtration unit to a pure water outlet (16). A retenate portion of the heated water flows past the filtration material to carry filtered impurities through a retenate output line (10).

Abstract: A water purification apparatus and methods for the purification of water are provided. The invention features an atmospherically-isolated, but ventable, reservoir electrolysis cell with control features for selecting an electrolysis duration depending on temperature, time since last electrolysis, or time since last gas venting. The device and associated method can easily take a wide range of input water qualities into account for the production of an effective amount of sterilizing water.

Abstract: A warm/cold double-circulation water filter system and swimming pool arrangement includes a swimming pool separated into two pools, each pool having a water outlet and a plurality of water inlets, a double-circulation water filter system adapted to treat water circulated through the pools of the swimming pool, the double-circulation water filter system including a first filter unit, a second filter unit, and a heater, and a water pipe system adapted to deliver water from the water outlet of each of the pools of the swimming pool to the water inlets of each of the pools of the swimming pool through the double-circulation water filter system, the water pipe system having valve means selectively controlled to let water pass from the first filter unit and second filter unit of the double-circulation water filter system to the water inlets of the pools of the swimming pool via the heater.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for sanitizing and cleaning filtration systems is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber fluidly connected to a source of fluid for backwashing the system, and a heat exchanger for increasing the temperature of the fluid. A filter media is positioned within the chamber. The method of sanitization involves backwashing the apparatus to remove debris, then continuing to circulate the backwash fluid through the system while increasing the temperature of the fluid, until the temperature of the water and apparatus is sufficient to deactivate microorganisms. The method may also involve increasing the disinfecting power of the fluid by adjusting the pH of the fluid. The apparatus may be provided with a scavenger to assist in the substantially complete removal of fluid from the chamber during and after a steaming or cleaning process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for selectively removing organic and inorganic contaminants from plating baths. More particularly, the invented method relates to the use of a source of energy in combination with chemical oxidants, alone or in conjunction with a catalyst to oxidize organic contaminants in the plating bath to a level such that the electroplating bath can be recovered and reused after appropriate chemical adjustment. The oxidative treatment method may be a continuous process or a batch process that is performed in a single pass and the endpoint of the oxidative process detected by a sensor. Residual organics, and chloride ions in the bath are removed from the solution by a chemisorption or physisorption treatment. Inorganic contaminants are removed from the electroplating bath by selective ion exchange resins or electrodialysis, while particulate and suspended colloidal particles are removed by filtration before the treated plating bath is recycled.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system for supplying thermally conditioned or purified water for human or animal consumption, industrial processes, environmental containment, or removal of foreign species. The water purifier includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between outgoing thermally conditioned or purified water and incoming makeup water; a water heater is connected to the heat exchanger so as to receive pre-heated incoming makeup water, where the water heater subsequently heats the incoming preheated makeup water to a set-point temperature in the case of thermally conditioned water and for purified water also holds the water for a period of time sufficient to inactivate selected organisms to a predetermined level. The heat exchanger has one or more treated water outlets for supplying thermally conditioned or purified water at selected temperatures.

Abstract: A contaminant flushing machine for removing contaminants from a container, such as an engine transmission or transmission cooler which includes hoses for coupling to the transmission cooler and a pump for circulating fluid through the hoses and the transmission cooler and a fluid filter having a reduced tendency towards causing vaporization of the fluid. Also included in the contaminant flushing machine is an automatic aeration system for injecting air into the circulating fluid at predetermined intervals. Additionally, a reverse flow piping circuit is included to permit automatic and electric manipulation of the flow direction of fluid through said transmission cooler while at the same time not altering the direction of flow of fluid through the filter and the pump.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for effecting the recovery of grease and oils from an aqueous waste stream is disclosed. This is accomplished by a combination of steps which include removing coarse food solids from the waste stream, allowing the oils to separate from the water in a separation zone, removing the oil layer to a storage zone, removing the water layer to a heat recovery zone and transferring heat values from the recovery zone to the separation zone with vapor compression refrigeration. The invention saves energy by recycling the heat of the kitchen waste stream to the separation zone. The recovered oil is useful as a marketable product that can be converted into many useful products. When a fines filter is used in the process, the discharged water can be used for non-agricultural uses such as lawn watering or can be used in water closets and urinals.

Abstract: An assembly for connection to the drain of a cooking appliance which diverts low volume flow effluent from the drain is disclosed. The assembly includes a pipe defining a main flow channel. An auxiliary exit port is connected to the pipe in such a way that the low volume flow will be diverted from the pipe into the auxiliary exit port. A hot water entry pipe port is also connected to the pipe and is in connection with a hot water source which provides a flow of hot water into the pipe. Additionally, a solenoid valve regulates the flow of hot water into the pipe.

Abstract: Silicon is employed as a reducing agent in an acid bath to adsorb noble metals present as contaminants in the acid. In the manufacture of silicon devices for electronic memory and other devices, polonium-210 is adsorbed by silicon getters to reduce soft error rate attributable to alpha particle emissions from the radioactive polonium. The noble metals in addition to polonium which can be plated onto silicon using the disclosed method are gold, silver, platinum, copper, palladium, mercury, selenium and bismuth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the techniques of treating a liquid material to be treated, which enables efficient fractional removal of toxic materials such as PCB in a liquid mixture. The treatment method of the invention comprises the step of permitting a liquid material containing materials having different solidifying points to be cooled at a temperature at which desired material(s) is solidified while others are not solidified and the step of separating the solidified material from other liquid materials whereby the desired material is separated, and therefore large facilities are not necessary and toxic materials can be reliably separated and removed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an oil treatment apparatus and method for treatment of oil which transports oil to be treated from a source through a first conduit to a treatment station. The treatment station includes a filter system capable of extracting particulate material from the oil and removing the particulate material from the filter system as it is removed from the oil. The treated oil may then be transported for reuse, preferably in a continuous cycle with the source of the oil. A prefiltering system may be used to further enhance maintaining the quality of the oil and/or in efficiently treating the oil while accommodating throughput requirements. The prefiltering system may include a comminuter to reduce the size of larger particles in the oil, a coarse filtering system to remove larger particle, a system to introduce a treatment material to the oil or other systems to facilitate processing.

Abstract: A residence (13) discharges its waste water into a septic tank (10). A pump (18) draws waste from the tank's liquid layer and feeds it to a distiller (22) as distiller feed. The distiller (22) divides the distiller feed into distillate and distiller residue. The distiller residue is returned to the septic tank (10), whereas the distillate is reused or discharged into a leach field. In either case, the adverse environmental effects of leach-field use are largely eliminated.

Abstract: A waste water treating device can be simply installed in a small area and destroy combustible wastes and sludge to reduce fuel consumption cost of a burner. Moreover, the waste water treating device can increase a treating amount of the waste water per unit time to thereby reduce an activation time thereof and decrease installation and maintenance cost, to thereby obtain an economic advantage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for treating sewage or similar organic sludge to produce a pasteurized and dried product comprising the steps of:

Abstract: A water treatment method uses a removable, disposable cartridge having an internal mesh structure. A disposable heater heats water fed to the cartridge. Precipitated solids collect on the mesh surface provided temperature and residence time are appropriately maintained. The heat breaks down the bicarbonate hardness of the water thereby depositing carbonates on the mesh surface and heavy metals will be codeposited due to the resultant change in pH. The cartridge has a head-space for collecting entrained gases such as volatile organic compounds, chlorine and air. Water sterility is achieved by heating the water over an appropriate period of time. Turbidity is removed within the cartridge due to settling induced by the low fluid velocity controlled by a controller and by a filter provided at the outlet of the cartridge. The filter will become blocked when bicarbonate hardness is carried over forcing a user to replace a spent cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus suitable for filtering oil used in connection with a mechanical transmission. The apparatus includes a transmission having an oil circulator, typically an oil pump, at least one transmission inlet and at least one transmission outlet to facilitate the flow of oil through the transmission; an oil filter in communication with the transmission inlet and transmission outlet; and an adapter connected to the filter and the transmission. The oil filter, which may be of the conventional spin-on type, is positioned for ease of access and may be inspected and/or replaced without having to remove an oil pan or to drain a significant amount of oil from the system. Moreover, the system is readily adapted to conventional equipment and can further include an oil cooler.

Abstract: A reactor system for decontamination of water by photolytic oxidation utilizing near blackbody radiation, the system comprising (1) a reaction chamber defining an internal space with an inlet and an outlet; and (2) a broadband radiator for generating radiant energy with wavelengths between about 150 nm and about 3 &mgr;m, the broadband radiator disposed within the reaction chamber, such that a sufficient dosage of broadband radiation irradiates the contaminants and/or the oxidant within the internal space of the reaction chamber thereby causing photolytic oxidation of the contaminants by direct action of the radiation on the contaminants to break chemical bonds by sustaining a free radical chain reaction of oxidizing components, thus breaking down the contaminants by way of atomic abstraction of the components of the contaminants. In preferred embodiments, at least a portion of the radiant energy is generated in a pulsed mode, such as between about 1 and about 500 pulses per second.

Abstract: A quenchant management system having a quenchant separation module for separating a heavy phase polymer such as polyalkylene glycol (PAG) from water. The quenchant separation module includes a heating section for elevating the temperature of the fluid to be separated to provide initial thermal separation. The quenchant separation module also includes a coalescer for further separating the heavy phase from the light phase of the input fluid. In order to obtain a predetermined polymer concentration and the heavy phase, the output flow rate of the coalescer is varied in accordance with the concentration and flow rate of the input fluid.

Abstract: A longitudinally horizontal pressure vessel desalts a fluid mixture of oil, an emulsion of oil globules encapsulated in salt water casings, gas and/or free water. A vertical wall splits the vessel into a double length flow path extending from an inlet to separate outlets for discharging the gas, the free water and the oil. A plurality of vertical baffles at intervals between the inlet and the outlets are divided along horizontal lines into a lowermost perforated zone for passing free water, a lower central zone for blocking passage of the emulsion, an upper central perforated zone for stripping the salt water casing from the oil globules and for passing oil and an uppermost open zone for passing gas. The line dividing the lower and upper central zones of each baffle are higher than the corresponding line of each preceding baffle along the flow path extending from the inlet to the outlets.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient and highly effective method of removing dissolved selenium from a variety of refinery process water and wastewater streams. The present invention also provides a new and effective method of oxidizing selenium and organo-selenium compounds to the selenite [+IV] oxidation state in order to be adsorbed by a metal oxide or metal hydroxide precipitate. The invention includes two continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR) operated in series. The stream to be treated and one of several iron salts (ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, etc.) are introduced into the first CSTR, forming ferric hydroxide and ferric oxyhydroxide precipitates. The pH of the first CSTR is automatically controlled by adjusting the injection rate of the ferric salt. The effluent stream from the first CSTR is directed into a second CSTR into which potassium permanganate is introduced.

Abstract: A materials treatment system which initially separates liquid and solid components with a separator. The system can be advantageously utilized for household sewage handling, however various components have other applications. Once the separator separates the solids and liquids, a fire tube combusts the solids with microwaves. The liquids exiting the separator are treated in a liquid treatment system which includes additional particle filtration/separation, treatment of the liquids with an oxidant liquid, and an ultraviolet treatment. An advantageous microwave cavity assembly is also provided for dehydration/combustion of solids exiting the separator and/or for solids filtered from liquids in the liquid treatment system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for oxidizing substances contained in sewage, a nozzle system, and a plant for carrying out this method. The method is characterized in that three radical chain circuits are superimposed, thus producing a continuous reaction chain which is maintained by incorporating a radical starter, a catalyst and oxygen into the sewage flow. The reaction is characterized in that the reaction partners are brought together via a nozzle system which creates unsteady flowing conditions. To reduce operational costs, the sewage is fed by the nozzle system to the autothermic reactor via a heat exchanger which is heated by the treated sewage flow. The method is characterized by its flexibility in treating different kinds of sewage flow of different concentrations. The advantages are, above all, the following: reduced sludge production, high biocompatibility of the residues to be transported, and low consumption of chemical substances.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a production stream containing a substantial amount of sand for continuously separating and disposing of the sand by re-injecting the sand into a subterranean formation. The production stream is flowed through a separator (e.g. hydrocyclone) which separates the sand from the stream. The sand is continuously discharged from the separator into an accumulator which, in turn, feeds the sand into an eductor in which, to form a slurry. The slurry is then re-injected into a subterranean formation, thereby continuously disposing of the sand.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating both soil and mixed waste water polluted by hydrocarbons in a single integrated process is disclosed. Contaminated mixed waste fluid is separated into water and hydrocarbons which are then used in the thermal decontamination of polluted soil through the volatilization of hydrocarbon contaminants. Flue gases containing the volatilized hydrocarbons from the thermal soil decontamination undergo oxidation. Thermal energy from the soil decontamination process and the thermal oxidization of the flue gases can be recovered and used to facilitate the separation of hydrocarbons and water. In this integrated system, every by-product of each step is either decontaminated or consumed in another operation of the system. Energy conservation within this system is also realized by the use of heat exchangers to transfer energy from where it is created by the process to where it is used elsewhere to enhance efficiency within the process.

Abstract: A tank (1) for an apparatus for receiving and conditioning organic waste by anaerobic bioconversion, in particular, waste produced by restaurant kitchens and other facilities, includes a main enclosure wherein bioconversion takes place, and a secondary enclosure (18) for receiving and storing ground organic waste before it is transferred to the main enclosure for completion of its bioconversion. A hopper (4) or other device for receiving the organic waste is associated with a grinder (2) and is connected to the secondary enclosure (18) of the tank for feeding the ground organic waste. A recirculation system (12, 15) for recycling the contents of the tank includes a pump (13), means for distributing (17a, 17b) the contents of the main enclosure between the different levels thereof, and separate means (9, 22) for removing solid residues and liquid waste.

Abstract: A waste treatment device for treating waste having both liquids and solids therein includes a primary waste reservoir, a solids processor operably connected to the primary waste reservoir to receive waste therefrom in a manner to permit combustion of a substantial part the solids and generate a resultant waste, ash and gas, a secondary waste reservoir operably connected to the solids processor to receive the resultant waste, and a liquid processor operably connected to the secondary waste reservoir to receive the resultant waste in a manner to separate at least a part of the resultant waste into an environmentally safe water and resultant waste concentrate.

Abstract: A process and system for waste water treatment including a concentration means positioned at the front of the treatment system in order to concentrate the starches and sugars contained in a waste stream. In a mixing vessel, the concentrate stream is treated with a variety of additives in order to increase consumption of the biological components and to produce a stream having a predictable and predetermined level of soluble starches. The waste stream is solubilized by subjecting the stream to heat and enzyme treatment such that the starches and complex sugars are converted to simple sugars. In a fermentation vessel, a carefully selected yeast strain is introduced into the waste stream and permitted to feed on the sugars. The operating conditions in the vessel (e.g. pH, temperature, oxygen supply, and mineral supply) are carefully controlled to enhance consumption of the biological components in the waste stream.

Abstract: An activated sludge treatment apparatus having an aeration tank 14 for subjecting an organic waste water to an aerobic biological treatment, a first precipitation device 16 for separating a waste water treated in aeration tank 14 into treated water and a sludge, a recycle route 18 for returning a portion of the sludge separated by precipitation device 16 to aeration tank 14, a solubilizing treatment device 24 for solubilizing, at a high temperature, excess sludge separated by precipitation device 16, and a return route 30 for returning a treated solution solubilized by solubilizing treatment device 24 to aeration tank 14, is disclosed.