Abstract: A process for recovering clay from contaminated clay-containing waste materials e.g. drill-cuttings arising from offshore/onshore oil & gas exploration and production processes, comprises a cleaning step to generate a clay of sufficient purity for reuse, and a particle sizing step to obtain a substantially consistent quality clay product optionally in the form of bulk particles or shaped to provide conveniently transportable product forms including granules, pellets, prills, packing elements, briquettes and the like shaped articles.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for separating solids from a slurry includes a screen, and an extractor screw connected to the screen outlet by means of a flexible conduit, wherein the outlet of the extractor screw is at a higher elevation than the outlet of the screen.

Abstract: An apparatus for de-watering sludge. A main shaft is rotated about a longitudinal axis at a first rate. A screw shaft coupled to the main shaft is rotated about the longitudinal axis at the first rate. Screw flighting coupled to the screw shaft is rotated about the longitudinal axis at the first rate. A first and second stage drum are rotated about the longitudinal axis at a second rate. Sludge is introduced to a first area defined by an outer surface of the screw shaft and an inner surface of the first stage drum. Moisture is removed from the sludge through a first slot coupled to the first stage drum. The sludge is transported with the screw flighting from the first area to a second area defined by an outer surface of the screw shaft and an inner surface of the second stage drum, the second area being larger than the first area. Moisture is removed from the sludge through a second slot coupled to the second stage drum.

Abstract: Methods of improving the efficiency of solid-liquid separation during centrifugal filtration have been developed. They consist of increasing the pressure drop across the filter cake using extraneous means such as increasing the gas pressure inside a filter chamber and/or applying vacuum on the outside. The extraneous means of increasing the pressure drop is designed to increase the rate of removing liquid (water) during the drainage period of the centrifugal filtration process and, hence, lower the amount of the residual liquid (water) left in the filter cake.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a solids cake created in filtering performed by a suction drier provided with a fine porous liquid suction surface, in which method there is created, in order to produce said solids cake, a pressure difference in between the filter surface of the fine porous filter medium and the surface opposite to said filter surface. According to the invention, in connection with the filter cake formation, the pressure difference between the filter surface of the fine porous filter medium and the surface opposite to said filter surface is controlled in order to adjust the cake formation speed, and the slurry surface of the suction drier filtering tank is advantageously maintained on a level that enables the use of at least one filter surface cleaning member, essentially throughout the whole filter cake formation process.

Abstract: A beneficiated sludge solids composition comprising digested municipal sewage sludge, ammonium sulfate, and superphosphoric acid. Alternatively, a beneficiated sludge solids composition comprising digested municipal sewage sludge, ammonium sulfate, mineral acid and phosphate salt. The constituents of the beneficiated sludge solids composition of the invention act synergistically to increase economic value through increased fertilization values of nitrogen and phosphorous, decreased flammability and autocombustibility, decreased ammonia evolution on drying and decreased corrosibility. The beneficiated sludge solids composition is capable of being produced in present sewage treatment facilities.

Abstract: Solid material, e.g., coal, is upgraded, e.g.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are presented for the mechanical removal of moisture from a filter cake. Differential pressure causes the flow of a treatment fluid through the filter cake. The treatment fluid displaces liquid originally present in the filter cake to prevent cracking of the filter cake.

Abstract: In order to produce pellets or agglomerates in an economically feasible manner from clarified sludge which contains disease-causing bacteria and which is dewatered in a solid mantle worm-gear centrifuge (11) and is subsequently thermally dried in the centrifuge housing (14), and which satisfy the conditions of being hygienically unremarkable and also storage-stable, according to the invention it is proposed that the clarified sludge pellets (25), still hot or warm due to thermal clarified sludge drying, are held at their temperature in a sanitizing apparatus (26) for a dwell time of at least 10 min and thus sanitized and additionally dried.

Abstract: A process for treating sludge comprising the addition of sulphuric acid and anhydrous ammonium to the sludge inside a granulator in order to produce an exothermic reaction which generates sufficient heat to evaporate the water contained in the sludge, thus eliminating all the pathogen and non pathogen microorganism, and producing a dry product having a low pH, free of polluting agents and a high commercial value.

Abstract: Horizontal solids recycler to treat waste water comprising refuse solids from hog farms which comprises an intake and loading hopper adapted to establish a uniform curtain of the waste water, a mesh to which an over flow of the waste water is directed, a tumbler cylinder to which is mounted the mesh and which is mounted to a frame which rests on guide wheels, blades mounted within te tumbler cylinder to raise moistured solids, wherein said waste water of said moistured solids is passed through a mesh, a collecting bin to collect the solids coming from the tumbler cylinder and raised by the blades which comprises a separator to separate the remaining waste water from the solids, a screw to transport the solids, which is mounted to the collecting bin, a pressing section which comprises a perforated cylinder to which the solids are fed by the screw, a collecting and recycling hopper to which said perforated cylinder is mounted to, and which said collecting and recycling hopper collects and recycles the waste wat

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for treating sewage or similar organic sludge to produce a pasteurized and dried product comprising the steps of: dividing the sludge into at least one first portion and at least one second portion; drying the first portion so that the first portion has a higher dry solids content than that of the second portion; mixing the fist portion and the second portion to produce a mixture having a dry solids content which is intermediate between that of the first and second portions; adding an alkaline admixture to the mixture in order to pasteurize the mixture and thereby produce the product without employing subsequent drying by aeration.

Abstract: The filter cake in a filter press is heated by direct contact with a heating plate opposite the pressing membrane so that a vapor phase is generated which moves uniformly in a planar pressure front through the filter cake to dry residual liquid therefrom. The filter cake is maintained under vacuum during the drying step.

Abstract: A remediation agent and process produces a treated water that meets discharge standards required by local regulations and generates stabilized waste which does not require further treatment prior to disposal. The composition of the treatment chemical is applicable to the treatment of industrial wastewaters and more specifically those from automobile production, metal finishing, metal processing, oil refineries, textiles, wood treatment, tannery, circuit board manufacturing, and other miscellaneous industrial waste streams from operations such as paints, coatings, adhesives, soap and detergents, chemicals, and food processing.

Abstract: The aim of this invention is to resolve problems in sludge treatment methods, and to render sludge containing harmful substances produced in large amounts in chromium plating works harmless with reproducibility by effective use of certain substances. The invention resolves these problems by separating metal ions such as iron, copper, zinc and chromium contained in chromium plating effluent or a mixed solution of chromium plating solution, chromium plating effluent and chromic acid wash water in an impurity recovery electrolysis tank A in the form of a sludge, extracting the sludge, washing the sludge with water, separating the wash water containing chromic acid, drying the sludge which sedimented in the water washing step by natural or assisted drying, adding a natural organic substance to the sludge and reduction calcinating the sludge.

Abstract: A variety of methods to prepare a polymer composition containing at least one polymer and at least one modified pigment are described. The methods, in part, involve introducing a slurry containing at least one modified pigment into an emulsion or solution polymer prior to dewatering. Other polymer systems can be used including aqueous based polymerizations and solvent-based polymerizations, which can include free radical polymerizations. Other methods involve the formation of a modified pigment in the presence of an emulsion or solution polymer and then recovering the polymer composition containing the modified pigment. Compositions containing at least one modified pigment and the emulsion or solution polymer are also described as well as uses for the polymer compositions of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for dewatering organic liquids admixed with water, said process comprising bringing the admixture into contact with a molecular sieve, characterized in that the molecular sieve is pretreated so as to reduce its acid site concentration and attain an ammonia TPD value of 18 mmol/g or less prior to contact with the admixture.

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 method of removing silicone oils from waste water generated by a silicones manufacturing plant including the step of centrifuging the waste water to concentrate silicone oil contaminated solids while removing the silicone oils. The silicone oil contaminated solids are then dried in a continuously mixed sludge dryer to remove more silicone oils from the sludge to form a sludge product which comprises at least 10% water and a low silicone oil concentration.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and method for recycling waste paint, for completely removing a bad smell generated in the course of drying up the waste paint and extracting a bad smell from a filler. The method for recycling waste paint comprises the steps of: shaping the waste paint into a cake of a predetermine thickness while removing water from the waste paint using centrifugal force of a dehydrator; drying up and dehydrating the cake-shaped waste paint at about 80° C.˜300° C. using a twin screw extruding method to remove water; drying up the waste paint dried up at the above step at about 100° C.˜300° C. using a vacuum dry method to remove remaining water; pulverizing the waste paint dried up by the vacuum dry method into minute powder; separating the pulverized waste paint based upon density; and collecting and discharging dust, vapor, and gas generated during the above steps.

Abstract: An enclosed drainage facility to dry municipal waste combustion ash has a plurality of spaced elongated channels to drain by gravity, water from piles of ash into a disposal or reclamation pool. The channels are sloping concrete ditches leading to a common trough or pipe to a covered storage basin. Steel plates pierced with a plurality of spaced slender slits abut each other to cover each channel. The atmosphere in the facility is changed by being pumped into one side of the facility and exhausted adjacent an opposite side. Also, a process for drying municipal waste combustion ash includes dewatering and drying of ash piles in an atmosphere of warm dry air for a period of time necessary to reduce the moisture to about 28%.

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: The invention discloses an improved apparatus for continuous purification of liquids, dewatering and drying of the separated non-filtering solids. The apparatus is intended to be applied for the purification of industrial or household waste liquids, as well water form natural sources, by separating and drying of non-filtering solids. The apparatus can be applied successfully for dewatering and drying of various slurries without the emitting of vapours, dust and other detrimental substances in the atmosphere. The apparatus includes a belt filter (1) with an incorporated filter sector and an elastic thermos-filter press (35). The belt filter ensures a continuous purification of water from different sources by separating the non-filtering solids and detrimental ion components comprised in the water, and ensures their bacterial sterility. The separated non-filtering solids are permanently accumulated in the belt filter, and are mixed with the water fed to be purified forming together a slurry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter assembly for producing a paste-like filter cake and a substantially solids free filtrate or permeate. The filter assembly includes a substantially cylindrical member having an exterior foraminous surface, the cylindrical member being mounted on an elongate shaft for rotating the surface about an axis defined by the shaft. The exterior foraminous surface is covered by a microporous filter media. A stationary housing is positioned adjacent a portion of the exterior surface of the cylindrical member. The stationary housing includes a filter feed inlet and a sealing device and is spaced from the exterior surface a distance sufficient to enable cross flow relative to the filter media. Unique filter seal members promote retention of fluid to be filtered in a filtration area defined by the housing and cylindrical member. As the cylindrical member is rotated about the axis, a cake removal or membrane cleaning device removes filter cake from the filter media.

Abstract: A river is divided into a plurality of river sections via a plurality of partitions which are spaced apart along the direction of the flow of the river. Polluted water at or near the surface of the river from the river sections is pumped to water treating apparatuses without drawing the polluted water near the floor of the river. Suspension pollutants, including nitrogenous nutrients, are removed from the polluted water via filtration in the water treating apparatuses. After treatment, the treated water is sent to the river in such a manner that the water drawn from each river section is sent to another one of the river sections, that is located immediately downstream, at the same rate as the river flow and that the remaining portion of the treated water is sent back to the upstream river section from where the water comes.

Abstract: In a method of decontaminating soils, sediments and mud including at least a sand fraction and a fine particle fraction which contains a particle-like silt component to which particularly contaminants comprising heavy metals and organic compounds adhere, and wherein the contaminated silt component is separated from the mineral silt component, the fine particle fraction including the contaminants is subjected essentially at the same time to a cavitation and an oxidation treatment before the contaminated silt component is separated from the mineral silt component.

Abstract: According to a waste water treatment method and apparatus of the present invention, a permeable sheet 3 is fed into a treatment tank 2 in which a stream is formed. The waste water, which flows downstream, is caused to pass through the permeable sheet 3, while the permeable sheet 3 travels in the treatment tank 2 so as to traverse the surface of the waste water on a downstream side in the flowing direction of the waste water. Therefore, not only the sludge in the waste water but also the oily substances floating in the waste water can be collected and removed because they cling to the permeable sheet 3 and are gathered by it. As a result, a waste water treatment tank 2 and the like can be maintained in a usable state for a long time. In addition, there can be obtained a treated water to which microbial treatment can be applied.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for treating sewage sludge or similar organic sludge in which dewatered sludge cake and an alkaline admixture are mixed and then dried under pasteurization conditions utilizing heat from the exothermic reaction with the alkali, in which drying is effected by extraction of moisture evaporated from the mixture by the exothermic heat.

Abstract: An apparatus for de-watering sludge. A main shaft is rotated about a longitudinal axis at a first rate. A screw shaft coupled to the main shaft is rotated about the longitudinal axis at the first rate. Screw flighting coupled to the screw shaft is rotated about the longitudinal axis at the first rate. A first and second stage drum are rotated about the longitudinal axis at a second rate. Sludge is introduced to a first area defined by an outer surface of the screw shaft and an inner surface of the first stage drum. Moisture is removed from the sludge through a first slot coupled to the first stage drum. The sludge is transported with the screw flighting from the first area to a second area defined by an outer surface of the screw shaft and an inner surface of the second stage drum, the second area being larger than the first area. Moisture is removed from the sludge through a second slot coupled to the second stage drum.

Abstract: Methods for the concentration of a dilute material such as a fiber suspension are disclosed including enclosing the dilute material between a first straining belt and a second straining belt both moving through endless paths, and in which the width of the first straining belt is greater than the width of the second straining belt, and the method includes causing the longitudinal edges of the first straining belt to overlap the longitudinal edges of the second straining belt in an initial concentration stage, unfolding the longitudinal edges of the first straining belt and then further compressing the concentrated layer produced against the first straining belt in a further concentration stage. Apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Incorporating a permeable hose within a peristaltic pump results in a unique device that can simultaneously pump, filter and self-clean suspensions, producing a concentrate and clarified liquid stream. This process, termed peristaltic filtration, has wide applicability to a variety of commercial and industrial applications, including dewatering sludge in sand and gravel operations the treatment of water or other streams in industrial plants, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and food processing. The flexing motion that accompanies peristaltic pumping enhances filtration of the suspension by locally increasing the pressure and cleaning the filter by bending the hose to release trapped solids back into the suspension. Peristaltic filtration can be applied to conventional rotary pumps, linear pumps or other configurations. Rotary peristaltic filters are also modular and can be made to be adaptable to a variety of feedstocks.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing sludge is applied to a generally cylindrical filter for use in an electric discharge machine. The filter removes sludge in a process solution used in the electric discharge machine by flowing the process solution from an inner periphery surface to an outer periphery surface and/or the outer periphery surface to the inner periphery surface of the filter. A filter support device holds the filter rotatively with the central axis thereof as the central figure and inclining the central axis by a predetermined angle to the horizontal direction. The filter support device also includes cams for providing rotational driving force and successive impactive force to the filter. A motor provides rotational driving force to the cams. Sludge storage may receive the sludge falling from the filter. The filter support device may further alternate the inclined direction of the filter in a predetermined cycle by rotating with an axis perpendicular to the central axis as the central figure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the treatment of arsenic-containing sludge obtained by adjusting arsenic-containing waste water to a PH of 12 or greater by the addition of a calcium compound and subjecting the waste water to solid-liquid separation, the process comprising the steps of adding a calcium compound to the arsenic-containing sludge slurry obtained by the solid-liquid separation, dewatering the resulting sludge, drying the dewatered sludge, and calcining the dried sludge. According to the present invention, arsenic-containing sludge obtained by treating waste water to precipitate arsenic present therein can be calcined to yield a calcined product which involves no risk of arsenic redissolution when it is dumped. Moreover, there is no possibility that arsenic compounds may be volatilized during calcination.

Abstract: A simple, rapid, efficient and inexpensive process for on-site recycling of wastewater with minimal odor wherein the solid wastes generated by the water treatment process are dewatering on-site by solar energy to water content levels below those required for disposal. All operations, including solar dewatering, are accomplished in a compact unit which may be mobile. The solar dewatering unit includes a drying pan over which a solar collector window arrangement is disposed. In the process, wastewater, a water purifying composition and an oxidizing agent are additively mixed together in a first reactor settling tank and the resulting composition is neutralized to a pH of between 7.5-9.4. The added water purifying composition is then allowed to precipitate wherein it binds to and precipitates heavy metals as well as other impurities. The precipitated purifying composition forms a non-hazardous sludge at the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: A plurality of unit bags 2a, 2b . . . are composed of a permeable strip-shaped nonwoven and arranged in a successive fashion without break so that they can be easily accommodated and stored by being rolled. An annular elastic body 5 disposed around an opening 3a formed to an end of each bag 2a permits the opening 3a to be opened. Since an optically sensing object or a magnetically sensing object is disposed around the opening 3a or at a position spaced apart from the openings 3a, 3b . . . a prescribed distance, the portion of the sensing object can be positioned by a sensing device 15. Further, when, for example, sludge, and the like containing water are accommodated in a waste accommodating bag 1 and squeezed, the sludge, and the like can be easily dehydrated.

Abstract: Phosphate is recovered from waste. Trialkali metal orthophosphate used to reduce, remove or retard bacterial contamination during raw meat slaughter including poultry, fish and shellfish and red meat evisceration is recovered from an aqueous waste and recycled as a food additive for animal feed. The waste water containing the phosphate can be collected and mixed with offal during processing of the offal or may be concentrated and blended with the offal as feed for animals or may be reacted with an alkaline earth metal salt and concentrated and used as a calcium and phosphate supplement for animal feed. Trisodium orthophosphate is reacted with calcium chloride and the resulting precipitate removed from the aqueous stream by filtration or centrifugation or other means for separation. The precipitate is then added to offal during processing for animal feed or dried sterilized and sold as an animal feed mineral supplement.

Abstract: The sludge filtration device comprises: a filter (1) placed over an approximately horizontal box (4), this filter (1) constituting, in its filtration position, the bottom of a filter chamber (8) of essentially vertical axis; a piston (10) suitable for closing the filter chamber in the top part; means (3, 11) for causing relative movement between the box (4) provided with the filter (1) and the piston (10) so that a liquid filtrate flows downwards through the filter (1) and so that a cake of solid matter remains on the filter (1) at the end of the operation; and a scraper device (31) provided for removing this cake. The piston is made in the form of a filter piston (10) so that a liquid effluent passes through the filter piston (10) as the volume of the filter chamber (8) is being decreased, and a suction pumping means (P) is provided for removing the effluent above the filter piston (10).

Abstract: A process and system are provided for the separation of a fermentation process byproduct into its constituent components and for the subsequent recovery of those constituent components. The process is remarkably simple--requiring only 1) heating of a mixture containing the byproduct so as to separate the oil from a base component of the byproduct to which the oil is bound, followed by 2) recovering the base product, oil, and possibly other substances such as molasses from the mixture. The process can be performed on a large scale and in a continuous fashion using a mechanical separator to recover fibers from a heated mixture to produce a solids stream and a liquor stream and by then removing oil and insoluble substances from the liquor stream in an evaporator assembly.

Abstract: A process for the separation of a mixture of waste. In order to improve such a process, the mixture is treated biologically, namely composted and/or stabilized under forced ventilation. The components of the mixture are subsequently separated into a combustible fraction and a non-combustible fraction, whereby the non-combustible fraction contains less than 5% organic substances.

Abstract: A medium is separated into a solids-containing component and a liquid component. The latter flows through a filter. Clogging of the filter is avoided in that the latter is moved relative to the medium perpendicularly to the flow direction of the liquid through the filter element. At the same time, the medium is agitated.

Abstract: A process for dry fractionation of fats and oils, by providing a fat-and-oil feedstock having an SFI at 20.degree. C. of at least 15; pre-cooling the fat-and-oil feedstock to a temperature of, at the highest, 3.degree. C. higher than that of a cooling medium to be used for crystallization; allowing the pre-cooled fat-and-oil feedstock to stand while further cooling the feedstock with the cooling medium to form fat crystals and to obtain cakes containing fat crystals; and subjecting the cakes to separation of solids from a liquid phase.

Abstract: Process and device for draining a fibrous pulp suspension. The process may include positioning two surfaces to converge in a downstream direction, feeding the fibrous pulp suspension between the two converging surfaces, driving at least one of the two converging surfaces to move the suspension with a relative translational velocity, and draining the fibrous pulp suspension through each of the two surfaces. The device may include two arcuate surfaces positioned to form converging surfaces. One of the two arcuate surfaces may include a drivable, pivotable, and rotatable cylinder having an outer sleeve with openings, the other of the two arcuate surfaces may include a screen positioned to be guided around at least a portion of the outer sleeve. The screen and the openings may form drains for draining the fluid pulp suspension.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for dewatering and containing radioactive, aqueous waste (44), the latter is introduced into a filtration container (12) and is ultimately disposed of in a disposable container structure (12, 48, 50), which comprises the filtration container (12) holding the dewatered waste (44), as well as an outer container (50) enclosing the filtration container (12). The filtration container is an inner sack (12) having a bottom (13) which is provided with a straining cloth and through which essentially all the dewatering is carried out. After the dewatering operation has been completed, the inner sack (12) is sealed and placed in the outer container (50) in order to be ultimately disposed of. For purposes of cleaning, the filtration water (17) may be recirculated through the waste during the dewatering operation.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of liquid hog manure which comprises adding a cellulosic material to the liquid hog manure, mixing the cellulosic material and liquid hog manure, separating said mixture to leave a solids portion and a liquid portion, drying said solids portion, and further treating said liquid portion. The methodremoves solids from the liquid hog manure and the solids may then be used for a fuel value while the liquid portion may be used as a manure or for other purposes.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a solid-liquid material comprises a housing formed with a series of interconnected chambers defined by chamber walls with at least two drums mounted in series within the chambers. Each chamber receives one of the at least two drums for rotatable movement therein. Each chamber and the associated drum are dimensioned to define a region therebetween to retain the solid-liquid material. The regions of adjacent chambers communicate with each other to define a continuous passage from drum to drum through the apparatus. An inlet in the housing admits the solid-liquid material to the passage, and an outlet permits extraction of a processed solid-liquid material from the passage. Each drum rotates in a direction opposite to the adjacent drum to advance the solid-liquid material through the passage from drum to adjacent drum in a sinuous path such that the curvature of the solid-liquid material changes when passing from drum to adjacent drum.

Abstract: A waste containing organic solids is fed into a boiler after it has been subjected to a hydrothermal reaction treatment in the presence of water. A slurry containing the waste is held under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions to cause a hydrothermal reaction such that an acidic slurry is formed during part of or throughout the process of the hydrothermal reaction. Thereby the content of oxygen in the waste relative to carbon atoms in building molecules of the waste is reduced. This concurrently causes removal of halogens in said building molecule and transferring the halogens into the slurry. The slurry then is cooled and dewatered and fed into a combustion section of the boiler. The waste slurry to be subjected to the hydrothermal reaction can be sorted into two portions for separate storage. One portion is a waste slurry the pH of which will increase as a result of the hydrothermal reaction. The other portion is a waste slurry the pH of which will decrease during the hydrothermal reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for isolating aliphatic isocyanate monomer(s) from a liquid or viscous paste composition comprising polymeric isocyanate residues and the aliphatic isocyanate monomer(s), and for isolating solid polymeric isocyanate residue from said composition. Also disclosed is the aliphatic isocyanate monomer(s) and the solid polymeric isocyanate byproduct produced by this process.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process and an apparatus for treating sludge having both liquid and solid constituents. The sludge is first heated to a minimum optimum draining temperature. During heating, mechanical dewatering of the sludge occurs. In a preferred embodiment, a process is disclosed for treating waste paint sludge generated from a paint spraybooth, and heating is performed using microwave radiation. Liquid released from the paint sludge during dewatering can be recycled back to the spraybooth water, and vaporized exhaust generated during heating can either be condensed into liquid form and recycled, or incinerated and, preferably, sparged through untreated sludge to pre-heat it.

Abstract: A process and system are disclosed for recovering mixed carotenoids from the alga Dunaliella salina. The harvested cells are ruptured, typically by circulating the algal suspension at high pressure through a pump loop. The cells can then be dewatered by absorptive bubble separation techniques, including a froth floatation circuit that has a roughing zone and a concentrating zone. If further concentration is desired, the algal concentrate can be mechanically filtered in a cross flow microfiltration unit in the absence of flocculating agents with substantially no loss of carotenoids in the permeate. Various methods for extracting mixed carotenoids and other components from the algae are disclosed, including dense gas extraction, and extractions with natural and synthetic flavorants, and edible oils.

Abstract: A method of separating particulate material suspended in a liquid from that liquid is described. The method includes the steps of: providing at least one upright tubular filter unit having a top end and a lower end; introducing a flow of the suspension into the tubular filter unit at one end thereof; and allowing the suspension to pass through the tubular filter unit trapping particulate material on an inside surface thereof. Apparatus in which the method of the invention is performed is also described.