Abstract: A pipeline strainer having a body with a straining element therein. A cleaning tool is disposed in the body to dislodge debris from the straining element. The debris may be removed from the body through a debris drain. The cleaning tool comprises a portion within the body and a portion outside of the body. A handle may comprise the portion outside of the body.

Abstract: Rake systems for cleaning water streams and new and novel components for such rake systems.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for separating mixed organic waste material into liquid and solid components. The apparatus may include an inlet pipe having openings at a bottom portion and top portion thereof; a front plate having an opening, wherein the front plate is connected to the inlet pipe at the inlet pipe opening, such that the front plate opening and inlet pipe opening align; a drum strainer capable of rotational and linear movement; a spindle assembly operatively connected to the drum strainer, wherein the spindle assembly facilitates rotational and linear movement of the drum strainer; a scraper plate fixed to an end portion of a shaft of the spindle assembly; a shroud connected to the spindle assembly, wherein the shroud is spaced apart from and substantially covers the exterior surface of the drum strainer; and wherein the drum strainer is positioned between the front plate and scraper plate.

Abstract: An adjustable nozzle assembly for a sieve box and a sieve box including same, including a support assembly and nozzles. A pair of elongated support members may be received through openings in support collars. Nozzles may be operatively connected to the collars. The support assembly, which may include collars and rods, are configured to provide at least one of lateral movement and rotational movement of the nozzles. At least one of the first elongated support member and the second elongated support member may be configured to move when coupled to the sieve box to adjust a spray angle of the nozzles. Pivoting of the one rod about the other rod adjusts the angle at which the nozzles are disposed. The rods may be externally threaded, and the collars may be internally threaded, such that when the rods are rotated, the collars translate laterally along the rods to move the nozzles.

Abstract: A belt filter apparatus for treating material to separate solid and liquid components comprises an endless belt structure adapted to circulate around a path incorporating guide roller structures around which the belt structure passes. The endless belt structure comprises an elongate belt portion of water permeable material, and has two opposed longitudinal edges. A zipper releasably connects the two longitudinal edges together to form a tubular structure with a flexible sidewall. The circulating path includes an assembly zone where the longitudinal edges are brought together and connected by the zipper to form the tubular structure, and a disassembly zone at which the zipper is released to separate the longitudinal edges and open the tubular structure. Means are provided for compressing a portion of the tubular structure to express liquid from the material contained in the tubular structure. The liquid discharges from the tubular structure through the water permeable belt portion.

Abstract: A device for separating components of a mixture, particularly industrial fluids but also gases including air, allows for targeted components of the mixture to be attached onto a separating bar and removed from the mixture. The separating bars traverse a track formed within the body of the separating device and through respective tank, cleaning, free roll, and compression regions in a controlled cleaning system. The separating bars are detached from one another and allowed to move through the separating device independently of one another. The device removes the use of chains to connect cleaning bars traversing through a cleaning system.

Abstract: Marijuana and other raw plant material such as corn is processed via a water and ice agitation method. Small diameter mixtures of plant pollen and plant debris are filtered from eight various micron filters, the filters used are 220, 190, 160, 120, 90, 73, 45 and 25 micron. The agitator tub agitates screen bags holding raw plant material and ice, to break down various parts of the plant into a process water solution. This solution is pumped back and forth between two process reservoirs, each supports two strainer columns. Each strainer column has a pair of buckets. Each bucket has a different micron filter bag supported in it. An operator can recycle the solution any number of times to achieve a desired harvest of eight (or more or less) varying diameter pollen and debris product, using one agitator drain pump and three reservoir pumps.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus comprises a microporous membrane and an actuator. The membrane is positioned to traverse across the hollow interior of a conduit used for the transport of molecules in bulk. In one example, the pores of the membrane comprise a plurality of open-ended carbon nanotubes. The actuator comprises a transducing material such as a polyvinyledene fluoride film that is operatively positioned in contact with the membrane and is capable of propagating acoustic vibration onto the membrane at a particular frequency so as to hasten the movement of the molecules through the membrane. Similarly, a method of filtering water comprises the steps of: (a) sifting molecules of water through the membrane, the pores of the membrane comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and (b) propagating acoustic vibration onto the microporous membrane at a libration frequency of ice so as to hasten movement of the water molecules within the carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A lift type pore-controllable fiber filter includes a filter tank, a strainer coaxially formed as a porous tub in the filter tank, extending to an outside of the filter tank at a bottom thereof to communicate with a treated water drain pipe, and having a piston guide recessed in an axial direction at an upper portion thereof, a lifting driver including a cylinder and a piston, an upper filter material fixing plate having fixing means, fixed to the piston above the strainer, and working in collaboration with reciprocation of the piston, a lower filter material fixing plate having fixing means and fixed below the strainer, and at least one fiber filter material fixed to the fixing means of the upper and lower filter material fixing plates at upper and lower ends thereof respectively, and forming filtering pore layers on an outer circumference of the strainer.

Abstract: A molten plastic material filtration apparatus includes a shell, which has a cavity, and a feed channel, an outfeed channel and a cleaning channel respectively disposed in communication between the cavity and the space outside the shell, a filter mounted in the cavity of the shell and rotatable relative to the shell and having a filter chamber and a plurality of through holes cut through the periphery thereof in communication with the filter chamber, a guide member affixed to the shell and positioned in the filter chamber of the filter, the guide member having a feed-in guide passage, a cleaning guide passage and an outfeed guide passage corresponding to the feed channel, cleaning channel and outfeed channel of the shell, a scraper mounted in the cleaning channel of the shell, and a control valve mounted in the output end of the cleaning channel of the shell.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus comprises a microporous membrane and an actuator. The membrane is positioned to traverse across the hollow interior of a conduit used for the transport of molecules in bulk. In one example, the pores of the membrane comprise a plurality of open-ended carbon nanotubes. The actuator comprises a transducing material such as a polyvinyledene fluoride film that is operatively positioned in contact with the membrane and is capable of propagating acoustic vibration onto the membrane at a particular frequency so as to hasten the movement of the molecules through the membrane. Similarly, a method of filtering water comprises the steps of: (a) sifting molecules of water through the membrane, the pores of the membrane comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and (b) propagating acoustic vibration onto the microporous membrane at a libration frequency of ice so as to hasten movement of the water molecules within the carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus system and methods for treatment of virus-infected or pathogen-loaded human blood components separated from normal components comprising a separation apparatus and treatment apparatus system that inactivate pathogens in an extracorporeal body fluid system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus system and methods for treatment of virus-infected or pathogen-loaded human blood components separated from normal components comprising a separation apparatus and treatment apparatus system that inactivate pathogens in an extracorporeal body fluid system.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for enhanced plasmapheresis comprising a filter membrane under an orbital motion or movement that has optimal local shear forces and maximum plasma flow output. The methods for biological separation and therapies comprise platelet collection, viral particle removal, cell washing and processing for stem cell selection, bone marrow purging, red blood cell collection, auto-transfusion, auto-immune disease treatment, selective macro-molecule removal, toxin removal, LDL removal, extracorporeal plasma delipidation, and the like.

Abstract: An automatic debris removal system for screening an effluent stream. The automatic debris removal system comprises a support frame positioned proximate the effluent stream, a bucket positionably connected to the frame, and a camming system attached to the support frame and the bucket. The bucket includes a screening portion and is positionable within the effluent stream to screen and collect the debris. The bucket is positionable within the support frame, and upon raising the bucket past a selected position, the camming system causes the bucket to rotate and dump the debris held therein.

Abstract: The invention is related to mining industry, namely to devices for dispersion of solid minerals in particular quartz sands and associated minerals.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for enhanced plasmapheresis comprising a filter membrane under an orbital motion or movement that has optimal local shear forces and maximum plasma flow output. The separation apparatus comprises a first plate, a second plate and a hollow interior therebetween, wherein the second plate is detachably coupled to a non-rotational drive structure that controls the second plate in an orbital motion in reference to a center axis of the first plate for enhanced blood separation.

Abstract: An arrangement comprising a filter cylinder (1) composed of an approximately horizontally extending alternately superposed array of fixed plates (8) having circular or approximately circular openings, and annular floating plates (9) having geometrically similar openings (13) slightly larger in diameter than the openings in the fixed plates and also having circular outer peripheries, with small filtration clearances defined, the row of openings in the fixed plates defining a cylindrical space having a fixed inner peripheral contour (3), it being arranged that when the row of openings in the floating plates is positioned outside the cylindrical space, at least two equi-level regions in the lower portion of the outer periphery of the floating plate are exposed beyond the outer edge of the fixed plate, a screw (2) extending through the cylindrical space, and eccentric shafts (12) contact-wise supporting the exposed outer peripheral portions of the floating plates and eccentrically rotated, so as to swing the floa

Abstract: A filtering device includes a container having an inlet for introducing liquid to be treated, a screen provided in the container having an outlet for delivering out treated liquid, and flow creating means for creating, in said container, a flow of the liquid to be treated having a direction which is different from direction of a flow of the liquid to be treated into the screen.

Abstract: An endless belt filter for separating liquids and solids from a mixture comprises a liquid-permeable filter belt below the upper run of which is positioned at least one suction tray moveable in the direction of the upper run of the belt, at least one hollow, elongate vacuum rail below the suction trays extending the length of the upper run of the belt, the suction trays seating on the vacuum rail to be guided thereby in their longitudinal movement therealong, and a vacuum source connected to the hollow interior of the vacuum rail, the trays including one or more apertures communicating into the hollow interior of the vacuum rail whereby an under pressure is applied to the trays by the vacuum source to draw liquid from the trays into the vacuum rail. The trays are supported by a pneumatic cushion.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for removing water from sludge the sludge is introduced into an intermediate chamber from which it is fed into at least one sludge chamber having a filter surface. A hydrostatic pressure is built up in the sludge chamber to remove the water. The sludge chamber is then opened and the filter surface moved out of the sludge chamber to remove the filter cake. The hydrostatic pressure is generated by the sludge being transferred out of the intermediate container, after the continuous feed of sludge thereto has been cut off, by positive displacement of the volume of sludge from the intermediate container into the sludge chamber. The feed of sludge into the sludge chamber may occur simultaneously at a plurality of points from a corresponding number of intermediate containers.

Abstract: The sludge dewatering treatment apparatus of the present invention is provided with a cylinder that has a large number of pipe members arranged in the axial direction and secured around its inner surface, that is divided axially into two halves so as to allow opening and closing, and that is vertically installed in a frame. A rotating pipe shaft that is capable of both rotating and moving up and down is provided in an axial direction at the center of this cylinder. The rotating pipe shaft can receive sludge at an opening in its upper end from the outlet of a sludge holding hopper installed on the frame, and discharges the received sludge into a filter from sludge outflow ports. A cylindrical filter is provided that surrounds the rotating pipe shaft, the upper end of the filter being attached to the rotating pipe shaft and the lower end of the filter being attached to an opening in the base plate of the frame. The cylindrical filter takes in the sludge from the outflow ports.

Abstract: A vibratory vectored thrust shaker for separating solid materials from fluids has a base frame and a screen bed support frame carrying a mesh screen supported horizontally above the base frame by resilient supports. An eccentrically weighted vibratory shaft is rotatably mounted transversely between a pair of side rails secured at one end to the screen bed support frame near its discharge end which extend upward therefrom at an acute angle to horizontal. A first resilient round member is mounted at one end of the vibratory shaft. A drive motor mounted on a spring biased hinged mounting bracket connected to the base frame has a second resilient round member mounted on its drive shaft which is engaged in spring biased relation with the first round member.

Abstract: A vibratory deck of an end feed separator transfers material in a linear direction from the feed end to the discharge end of a screen mounted on the separator frame. A pair of rotary eccentric vibrators is independently mounted in mirror relationship on opposite sides of the frame. The eccentric vibrator shafts are centered on axes at an alpha angle to the direction of horizontal motion of the material, canted at an epsilon angle from the alpha angle and tilted about the epsilon angle from the vertical in a plane normal to the epsilon axes at opposite beta angles. The centers of the eccentric vibrator shafts are offset from the center of vibratory mass of the frame by a rho distance. The alpha, epsilon, beta and rho factors are coordinated so that the aspect ratios of the elliptical patterns of motion from the feed to the discharge ends of the screen sequentially increase or decrease.

Abstract: A horizontal screen separator of the present invention includes a base having a housing mounted thereon which contains an horizontal screen basket for receiving product to be dried. The basket is rotatably and vibrationally driven to dry the product. The separator includes two motors, one to impart rotational motion to the basket and the other to impart vibrational motion to the basket. The basket is rotatably fixed to a shaft driven by the rotating motor. The vibratory motor drives a shaft, operative contact with the rotating shaft, having an eccentric mounted thereon. The vibratory motor drives the vibratoy shaft to induce vibration in the basket. The basket also includes a lip or extension formed from screen as a right cylinder to increase the drying time of the product.

Abstract: A solid-liquid separator comprising a number of stationary rings arranged with spaces left therebetween, a number of floating rings each disposed movably in the spaces between the stationary rings and a screw conveyor provided in the inner space of the stationary and floating rings. The screw conveyor is driven in rotation to convey sludge water introduced into the space, and while being conveyed, only a water portion thereof is discharged to the exterior through the minute gaps between the floating and stationary rings. The motion of the floating ring prevents clogging of the solid portion in the minute gaps.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a liquid comprises a casing and a tubular filter dividing the casing into two compartments. The tubular filter is formed of fibers attached at each end to end supports which are movable axially relative to one another and rotable relative to one another about the longitudinal axis of the filter. A helical spring is disposed within the tubular filter and is so dimensioned that it does not close when the end supports are in their closest operational position. The spring resists inward movement of the fibers when the end supports are moved axially towards each other and rotated to twist the fiber, thereby preventing the compartment defined by the interior of the tubular filter from tending to close.

Abstract: A vibro separator, comprising a separator unit which is comprised of a screen assembly releasably mounted on a hopper at the top, which screen assembly has a screen releasably fastened therein; a vibrator unit which is comprised of a motor directly or indirectly attached to the hopper at the bottom for driving two eccentric weights to rotate via a revolving shaft; and a base which has springs for flexibly supporting the vibrator unit and the separator unit.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating bodies from a liquid in which the liquid is passed through a filter and the bodies to be separated are accumulated on the filter. The filter forms an upper bounding limit of a space therebeneath which is alternately subjected to pressure and vacuum relative to the ambient region above the filter. This is achieved according to one embodiment by producing a reciprocal movement of the filter in the form of an oscillating or pendular movement. The pressurization in the space produces separation of the bodies accumulated on the upper surface of the filter to facilitate their discharge from the filter. The separated bodies can be assisted for discharge by mechanical elements and/or by producing wave motion in the liquid.

Abstract: An endless filter belt is guided and supported by rollers or non-rotatable guide bars so as to have an upper run which extends above a substantially horizontal drainage plate to which a vacuum may be applied to draw liquid downwards therethrough. The upper run of the belt is shaped by movable guide means, e.g. pivotal arms which raise and lower the respective ends of the upper run and elements which depress a central region of the upper run into contact with the drainage plate, so as to form a receptacle into which a batch of material to be filtered can be placed. After filtration, when vacuum is no longer applied to the plate, the belt is progressed and any filter cake is removed at another location, a fresh section of belt then being available to form another receptacle.

Abstract: Filter cake formed from a slurry is dried in a filter press comprising a plurality of filtration units each having a chamber bounded by a pair of opposed flexible walls with at least one of said walls being constituted by a filter medium. The flexible walls are sandwiched between flexible membranes. The filter cake is formed and compressed in the chambers by hydraulic fluid pressure acting on the flexible membranes. By means of pressure oscillations set up in the hydraulic fluid, the filter cake in the chambers is deformed by bowing from side to side of an initial central plane, whereby drying is improved.

Abstract: A pocket centrifuge has a plurality of sieve pockets having sieve surfaces and orbitable about an axis with the sieve surfaces forming sieve angles with perpendiculars to planes including this axis. A filtrant is fed radially to these pockets so that solids collect on the surfaces thereof and a filtrate passes through the surfaces. These solids have a friction angle measured to a perpendicular to the centrifugal force acting on them which is dependent on the magnitude of this force and their coefficient of friction. The angular orbiting speed of the pocket is periodically varied between one speed at which the respective friction angle of the solids is smaller than the sieve angle and the solids slide on the sieve surface and another angle at which the respective friction angle of the solids is greater than the sieve angle and the solids sit on the sieve surface.

Abstract: A high volume low pressure drop filter is provided which comprises a housing containing a plurality of filter panels hinged in accordian form. The filter panels in filtering position have an upwardly facing V-configuration. The panels are readily replaced by moving the active panels into an inactive position and drawing a fresh pair of panels into the position occupied by the panels which were removed.

Abstract: A vibrating centrifuge provided with a rotary support body has mounted thereon a basket receiving the granular material to be dehydrated and is operatively connected with a vibrating mechanism and also with a rotary drive, as well as thrust spring elements which yieldably connect the rotary drive with the support body. These thrust spring elements are arranged in an annular space between the outer circumference of said support body and the inner circumference of a drive sleeve forming a part of the rotary drive, and variable adjusting member engaging said thrust spring elements are employed for carrying the radial height of said thrust spring elements.

Abstract: A liquid separating screen member is continuously oscillated, with an amplitude larger than the apertures in the screen member face, from a middle position with substantially the same speed in first and second opposite directions. The screen member separates liquid from the suspension of finely comminuted fiber material and the liquid, which suspension is flowing in the first direction. The oscillation prevents fiber mat build-up on the screen face during movement of the screen face either in the first or the second direction. The amplitude of oscillation may be about one-tenth of an inch, and the frequency of oscillations may be about 6 cycles/sec. with the average speed of oscillation of the screen member in both the first and second directions about 2.4 inches per second, and the maximum speed in both directions about 3.8 inches per second. The frequency of oscillation, which is below the natural frequency of the screen member and associated structures, is about at least two cycles per second.

Abstract: My invention permits very small pore filtration of blood by means of a high capacity "two-dimensional" filter of round pores of twelve to fifteen microns in diameter. The viscous blood and its cells and platelets are forced through these minute orifices by means of a pressure applied to the flexible bag of donor blood, a rigid connecting passageway, and to a flexible pleated solid sheath which covers the filter but which is sealed to the outer portion of the connecting passageway and to the periphery of the filter. These flexible portions are first emptied of air by means of a vacuum applied from below through the filter and then the blood is evenly maintained above this large filter by means of producing a slowly rotating swirling wave of blood. The blood is collected by gravity funnel drainage into a receiving bottle. Any frothed blood which enters this receiving bottle is removed from its top by vacuum aspiration.

Abstract: A self cleaning screen assembly according to the present invention is adapted for utilization in conjunction with an oscillating mechanical separator incorporating a screen framework having a screen and a perforated support plate connected thereto and disposed in spaced relation. The screen is defined by a wire mesh and accomplishes the primary screening function while the support plate is defined by a perforated metal plate which serves a supporting function for a plurality of screen cleaning devices that are disposed in the space between the screen and plate. The height of each of the screen cleaning devices is slightly less than the spacing of the screen and plate while the width thereof exceeds the spacing of the screen and plate, allowing the screen cleaning devices to be movable relative to the screen and while preventing them from becoming misoriented due to oscillation of the mechanical separator. A scraper blade means is carried by each of the screen cleaning devices.

Abstract: A process for screening materials as a function of particle size differences by feeding the materials onto one side of a substantially planar screen and vibrating the screen by producing a translational screen oscillation in directions normal to the screen plane and a torsional screen oscillation about an axis normal to the screen plane so that each point of the screen moves in a helical path. Screened material is collected at the other side of the screen and screened retentate is transported by the torsional screen oscillation to an exit port at a location spaced from the axis of torsional oscillation.The process is particularly applicable to shipboard or other mobile use, since the spring stiffness provides good structural support under tilt or side acceleration conditions.