Abstract: A method for increasing the cross-flow microfiltration fluxes of waste waters containing suspended solids and/or emulsified oil through microporous thermoplastic tubes by including therein a calcium compound selected from Ca(OH).sub.2 or CaSO.sub.4. The calcium compound is present in the waste waters in an amount ranging from above the solubility limit of the compound to about forty (40) percent by weight of the waste waters. The Ca(OH).sub.2 can be added directly to the waste water. The CaSO.sub.4 can be included by reacting H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and Ca(OH).sub.2 in the waste waters to form CaSO.sub.4 in situ. Alternatively, wet CaSO.sub.4 can be formed by reacting H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 with Ca(OH).sub.2 outside the water and then added to to the waste waters in the required amount.

Abstract: Aqueous slurries of fine coal are dewatered by a process which comprises mixing a mixture of a water-soluble organopolysiloxane and a water-emulsifiable organopolysiloxane with the slurry, separating the slurry to recover the fine coal and further drying the fine coal, if desired. The use of a mixture of a water-soluble organopolysiloxane and a water-emulsifiable organopolysiloxane unexpectedly provides improved separating and/or improved drying of fine coal compared to a dewatering process that uses only one of the organopolysiloxanes.

Abstract: Aqueous slurries of fine coal are dewatered by a process which comprises mixing an organopolysiloxane with the slurry, separating the slurry to recover the fine coal and further drying the fine coal, if desired. The use of water-soluble organopolysiloxanes or water-emulsifiable organopolysiloxanes provides improved separating and/or improved drying of fine coal in the dewatering process that is disclosed.

Abstract: The addition of an excess of asbestos tailings in the course of the extraction of magnesium from asbestos tailings by digestion with an acid greatly facilitates the elimination of silica and other impurities by filtration of the resulting reaction mixture. The improvement reduces the filtration time and the filtration leaves a cake which is much easier to dispose.

Abstract: A process for removing colloidal and soluble contaminants from impure water moving through a hollow, cylindrical microscreen under a positive head pressure, comprising dispersing insoluble, finely divided particulate matter into the impure water and rotating the microscreen at a rate that will form, during each rotation thereof, an intermixed layer of contaminants and particulate matter over substantially the entire inner surface of the microscreen through which the impure water is passing. The intermixed layer forms a filter substantially impermeable to contaminants and particulate matter of a size that could pass through the microscreen pores, but it is not impermeable to water. Preferably, the finely divided particulate matter can be a sorbent material, e.g. powdered activated carbon, so that contaminants are both filtered and sorbed from the water.

Abstract: In a filtration process for filtering or clarifying aqueous suspensions of finely divided solid materials, a filter aid comprising polyolefin fibrids, e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene fibrids, is added to the suspension to be filtered. The filter aid comprising polyolefin fibrids which have been rendered hydrophilic may also be used to precoat a filter medium.

Abstract: Oily sludge is treated by filtering it through a precoated surface filter, treating the filtration residue with a hydrocarbon solvent and/or steam stripping the extracted residue.The residual oil content of the treated sludge is very low and it can be used for land fill operations.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding an alkylmethacrylate copolymer and an alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms to the slurry prior to filtration or by adding the alcohol to the slurry and washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of an alkylmethacrylate copolymer prior to filtration. Although the alkylmethacrylate copolymer and the alcohol each provide a filter rate improving effect when used alone, a synergistic improvement in filtration rate is achieved by their combined use.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and an alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms to the slurry prior to filtration or by adding the alcohol to the slurry and washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer prior to filtration. Although the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and the alcohol each provides a filter rate improving effect when used alone, a synergistic improvement in filtration rate is achieved by their combined use.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding an alkylmethacrylate copolymer to the slurry prior to filtration or by washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of the alkylmethacrylate copolymer prior to filtration.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer to the slurry prior to filtration or by washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer prior to filtration.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for removing fatty acids from shortening ingredients such as is used in the preparation of foods by the deep-frying method. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved filtration powder used in the extraction of fatty acids from shortening used in a variety of cooking processes such as deep frying, and which requires a singular pass of shortening, containing the powder through a filter cloth in order to extract the fatty acid from the shortening. The filtration material constitutes a powder-like glassy rhyolite, specifically pumicite, contained in a cellulose filter paper or the like and through which the cooking shortening circulates or through which the cooking shortening may be circulated for purposes of removing the saturated fatty acids.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for filtering frying oil in a cooker apparatus includes the steps of adding diatomaceous earth to oil in the cooking vessel; draining the oil into a drain pan; drawing the oil through a filter positioned in said drain pan, such that said earth is deposited on the surface of said filter; and returning said oil to the cooking vessel. Thereafter, the oil is filtered by the steps of draining the oil into said drain pan such that the earth is not disturbed to any substantial extent off of the surface of said filter; drawing the oil through said filter; and automatically returning said oil to the cooking vessel.The improved method includes attaching said drain pan and filter to said cooker apparatus and positioning a metallic plate between the drain opening of said vessel and said filter such that the oil drained into said drain pan is initially deflected to prevent disturbing the diatomaceous earth deposited on the surface of said filter.