Abstract: The water and oil that is normally collected in the bilge of small boats is pumped overboard by a bilge pump with the oil being removed from the bilge water by a filter having layers of different size expanded resin particles that are hydrophobic and oleophilic. When operation of the bilge pump ceases, a valve will release the back pressure that would otherwise be caused by the filter, to facilitate start-up of the pump. At the discharge and visible on the exterior of the boat, there is an indicator that will change color when it is in contact with oil, to provide a visual indication when the filter needs changing.

Abstract: Useful olive-processing liquor is recovered from olive-processing waste solution by a process wherein lime, charcoal, and calcium carbonate are successively added to the olive-processing waste solution to form a mixture and the mixture is allowed to settle. The treated liquor is separated from the settled contaminants and is then immediately recyclable to process fresh olives.

Abstract: This invention relates to water pollution control and concerns a system for removing dispersed oil from water by contacting the oily water with sulfur to cause the oil to coalesce or agglomerate. In a preferred embodiment, the water containing the dispersed oil is passed through a bed of granular media presenting a surface area of solid phase sulfur to coalesce the dispersed oil. The coalesced oil is then separated from the water.

Abstract: A system for treating waste waters including a pair of concentric tanks forming a space therebetween which serves as an aeration chamber. Untreated but screened waste water is discharged into the (annular) space and withdrawn therefrom by a pump which passes the liquid through an oxygenating device which induces air into the liquid. The liquid is then circulated through long tubing wound around the outside peripheral surface of the tank to obtain intimate contact between the gas, liquid and solids therein and to convert dissolved material into insoluble material by a conventional biochemical process. The liquid thus processed in the tubing is introduced into the central or inner tank where the treated solids rise to the surface for recycling in the system while the liquid effluent is filtered and discharged to a river or stream.

Abstract: The disclosed method and apparatus relate to the rejuvenation of a bed of granular filter medium which has accumulated particulate and lint contaminants during filtration flow of dirty liquid. The method first includes the step of agitating the filter bed to break-up contaminants which have become agglomerated. The agitating step includes flowing the filter granules and the contaminants in a liquid mixture slurry from the filter bed housing through a closed flow path and then back to the filter housing. The bed is then at least partially reformed, with the finer particulates and lint being in the upper portion of the bed and the larger particulates being in the lower portion of the bed. Then, the upper portion of the bed is expanded and backwashed to remove the finer particulate contaminants and lint. At the same time, the lower portion of the bed and the heavier contaminants flow in a liquid mixture through a cleaning element to remove those heavier contaminants.