Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for crushing glass bodies, in which the glass body 18 is arranged in a microwave field 4, so that the said glass body 18 is crushed on account of the resulting thermal stresses. In addition, a local plasma 20, which results in further thermal stresses, is produced on the surface of the glass body 18. Since the glass body 18 to be crushed does not come into contact with crushing means, for example rollers or the like, the pieces of broken glass 22 cannot be contaminated by abrasion particles of the crushing means. The plasma 20 permits a rapid and economic crushing of the glass bodies.

Abstract: A separation device includes a casing and a first and a second rotation blade. A pulverization chamber is defined between the casing, the first, and the second rotation blade. Operating an urging device and at least one of the first and the second rotation blades, creates channeling vortices within the pulverization chamber. Fly ash containing unburned carbon is feed into the pulverization chamber, and through at least repeated self-collision, unburned carbon is segregated and reduced in size while remaining particular matter is similarly segregated and reduced in size. A method implements the separation device and provides simple results.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making composite active particles for use in a pharmaceutical composition for pulmonary administration, the method comprising a milling step in which particles of active material are milled in the presence of particles of an additive material which is suitable for the promotion of the dispersal of the composite active particles upon actuation of an inhaler. The invention also relates to compositions for inhalation prepared by the method.

Abstract: A method of obtaining improved reproducibility of dissolution profiles of dosage forms containing pharmaceutically active particles includes steps of screening raw pharmaceutically active particles to obtain or isolate particles having a desired monomodal particle size distribution. The particles having a monomodal particle size distribution may be incorporated into a solid oral dosage form to provide a highly reproducible dissolution profile. Two or more collections or particles having different monomodal particle size distributions may be combined and incorporated into solid oral dosage forms to provide predictable dissolution profiles.

Abstract: The invention relates to recycling wornout tyres and other industrial and domestic wastes. According to a method for shredding wornout tyres a package of wornout tyres is formed as a number of closely compacted layers. The package is subjected to primary destruction in an armored chamber under conditions of free extension until the package outside layers are destroyed. The overall dimensions of the armored chamber in any cross-section thereof square with the chamber axis and passing through the package of the compacted tyres varies within the range of from 2 to 7 package diameters in such section. The compact package of tyres is formed from a few coaxial helical twists having an axial hole. According to the invention, a stress-strain state is established upon free extension of a rubber layer without its contacting with the walls of the armored chamber, whereby efficient destruction and disintegration of the rubber, metallic and textile cord of a tyre is attained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing particle size by the use of a supercritical gas, such as carbon dioxide or a refrigerant. The material is swollen by the supercritical gas at a high pressure. After the material has been allowed to swell under a high pressure, the pressure is rapidly dropped. When the external pressure is rapidly dropped, the material explodes as the supercritical gas absorbed into the material rapidly expands outward.

Abstract: Method of shaping solid, particulate materials, which comprises forming a raw slurry of the starting material, in a liquid which is a partial solvent of said material, and submitting the slurry to treatment by ultrasound generators to produce therein ultrasonic vibrations which shape and grind the starting, particulate material to produce a shaped slurry of ground and shaped particles. The shaped particles may be separated from their slurry by removing the partial solvent by decantation and/or filtration. The partial solvent may be a liquid in which the material to be shaped has a solubility comprised between 1 and 10, wherein the solubility is expressed as grams of material that are dissolved in 100 ml of the liquid at a temperature of 20° C. The partial solvent can be chosen from among acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and mixtures of said solvents with one another or other solvents and/or a minor amount of water, and may also be an organic solvent.

Abstract: An apparatus for disintegrating waste matter preferably comprising a holding area for holding waste matter; and a fluid delivery mechanism for applying high pressure fluid to the holding area, wherein the high pressure fluid disintegrates the waste matter and applies a force sufficient to hydromechanically sever the waste matter. The holding area preferably includes a container bin having a bottom surface and an outer wall. Alternatively, the apparatus is a hand held device. An outlet port coupled to the bottom surface, wherein the disintegrated waste material exits the container bin via the outlet port. A fluid source coupled to the fluid delivery mechanism. The fluid delivery mechanism comprises at least one nozzle for applying a stream of highly pressurized fluid to the waste. The nozzle preferably includes a zero degree nozzle tip The fluid delivery mechanism comprises a column or a disk manifold, wherein the nozzle extends therefrom.

Abstract: A process is provided for the biological digestion of animal carcasses. First, the carcass is cut into smaller pieces with equipment that masticates, grinds or comminutes in the presence of water to create a solid-liquid mixture. The next steps include treating the solid-liquid mixture with a special blend or combination of bacteria that have been specifically cultured to digest the carcass; the mixture is subsequently aerated to form a stabilized biomass. The stabilized biomass is aerated in an open basin to further digest and liquefy the carcass, water, bacteria mixture. From the open basin, the primarily liquid waste stream is passed to a clarifying tank where the suspended solids are precipitated as sludge, thus clarifying the liquid. Sludge is removed from the clarifying chamber and the clarified liquid is either discharged or recirculated for further use in this novel process.

Abstract: A method for the removal of a spent catalyst from a fixed-bed reactor is disclosed, wherein a suction hose, in which a high pressure hose comprising a high-pressure nozzle is integrated, is introduced into the reactor, the catalyst is then size-reduced by water under high pressure passed through the nozzle, the catalyst/water mixture is removed under suction and is optionally collected in a separator.

Abstract: A method of fracturing or breaking rock includes the step of directing high intensity white light at the rock to induce thermal stress sufficient to fracture the rock. An approach for generating high intensity white light includes an elongate arc chamber and an elongate concave reflector. The arc chamber and reflector may be shielded from airborne particulate matter by an air shield or a rotating or reciprocating translucent shield.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the comminution of bulk materials comprising synthetic polymers which do not have an elastomeric behavior by mechanical, thermal or electromagnetic loading of the bulk materials, which comprises treating the bulk materials, before and/or during the loading, with oxidants which have a redox potential of greater than 1.5 V or subjecting them to corona, UV or plasma treatment without complete oxidation of the synthetic polymer taking place.

Abstract: A method of regulating sorting systems, in particular multi-stage sorting systems, in paper production and a sorting system working in accordance with the method are described, in which the fiber suspension supplied in each case to a sorting stage is separated into at least one fine fraction and one coarse fraction and at least one portion of a coarse fraction is sorted again and at least the fine fraction thereby obtained is returned to the sorting process, with the mass flows at the input side and the output side being detected at each sorting stage of the sorting system by online measurement and/or by calculation and the values obtained being supplied to a processor associated with the sorting system for mathematical modeling and state regulation of the sorting system and with the mass flows at the output side and/or selectable machine parameters of the sorting system being influenced in dependence on pre-settable target parameters such as production, efficiency, fiber loss and the like.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for assisting recovery of desired materials from ore are disclosed. Desired material liberation is assisted by applying high power microwave energy to the ore. Application of high power microwave energy causes materials within the ore to react with gaseous compounds in the air to form a plasma. The plasma is retained proximate the ore to facilitate heating of the ore to induce stress formation within the ore and/or mineral oxidation of ore materials. The additional heat, stresses, and fractures caused via application of the high power microwaves facilitate desired material liberation from the ore during subsequent material extraction processes.

Abstract: Hard, dense particles of a pharmaceutical agent, suitable for administration to a subject via a needleless syringe are described. The particles are prepared by a multi step process that entails forming particles of a first size where the particles are an admixture of a pharmaceutical agent and a macromolecular carrier and the admixture has a first glass transition temperature; admixing a plasticizer that lowers the first glass transition temperature of the admixture to a second glass transition temperature which is below the first glass transition temperature; maintaining the articles at a temperature above the second glass transition temperature for a time period adequate to cause the particles to shrink and/or collapse; removing the plasticizer from the particles to yield modified particles having an increased glass transition temperature; recovering the modified particles; and then storing the recovered particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and installation for processing heterogeneous value bearing material by pressure comminution. The material is compressed in a bed of particles, at low pressures and at low bulk material densities, and preferably no more than is necessary to liberate the desired values, thereby to minimise the formation of fines. The compressive bed pressure applied to the material does not exceed 300 MPa, and the process is preferably operated in an open circuit mode. Surprisingly, these measures lead to enhanced liberation of values compared with conventional comminution techniques.

Abstract: A method and device for performing lysing on a cell-containing fluid, in which the fluid flows through a vibrating micromachined tube to physically rupture the cell walls (mechanical lysis), and/or to mix, agitate or homogenize the fluid during chemical lysis, and/or to mix, agitate or homogenize the lysate for analysis or other processing after lysing. The tube includes a freestanding portion spaced apart from a surface of a substrate on which the tube is formed. The device further includes means for vibrating the freestanding portion of the tube at a level sufficient to rupture the walls of cells in a fluid flowing through the freestanding portion (for mechanical lysing) or to mix the fluid and a chemical lysing additive within the freestanding portion (for chemical lysing).

Abstract: In order to inexpensive construction materials effectively utilizing timber resources and realizing any desired properties by using so-called low-quality materials including slim timbers, old timbers, wood cuttings produced by lumbering, bamboo, and so forth, wood, bamboo and other wooden source materials are split into fragments along their fibers by water vapor explosion, and such explosive-split fragments are shaped and hardened by adding an adhesive, mortar or expandable resin into a new wooden material such as multi-layered board, cement board or foamed resin board of explosive-split fragments. The explosive-split fragments are also usable in various fields other than fabrication of the new material.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of disintegrating or reducing the particle size of elemental materials, such as various forms of carbon, and organic crystals that contain minerals and that do not contain minerals. The method include the steps of entraining the material in a gas flow through an inlet of a housing, subjecting the flowing material to a plurality of alternating pressure increases and decreases within the housing, disintegrating the flowing material with the pressure increases and decreases, thereby reducing the mean particle size of the material, and discharging the disintegrated material though an outlet of the housing.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tire comminution apparatus that is of simple construction and that can be operated without excessive maintenance. According to the present invention, a vehicle tire of any size or composition can be comminuted with essentially the same comminution apparatus. The comminution apparatus includes a freely moving lance with a nozzle for transforming a liquid into a high velocity liquid jet. The lance is positioned and controlled such that the liquid jet impacts the tire thereby separating it into its component parts. The comminution apparatus may be computer controlled.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for disrupting cells or viruses to release the nucleic acid therefrom. The apparatus includes a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The apparatus also includes an ultrasonic transducer for contacting a wall of the chamber and for transmitting ultrasonic energy into the chamber through the wall. A support structure holds the container and the transducer against each other such that the transducer contacts the wall of the chamber. The support structure includes an elastic body, such as a spring, for applying to the container or to the transducer a substantially constant force to press together the transducer and the wall. The chamber also preferably contains beads for enhancing the disruption of the cells or viruses. The apparatus performs rapid and consistent lysis of cells or viruses, often in as little time as 5 to 10 seconds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing particle size by the use of a supercritical fluid, generally carbon dioxide. The material is swollen by the supercritical carbon dioxide at a high pressure. After the material has been allowed to swell under a high pressure, the pressure is rapidly dropped. When the external pressure is rapidly dropped, the material explodes as the supercritical gas absorbed into the material rapidly expands outward.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for devulcanizing cured or cross-linked elastomers. The method includes subdividing elastomeric raw material into small particle form, confining the particles of elastomer under high force, as in a screw extruder or the like and, as the particles remain confined, imparting ultrasonic energy to the mass to effect devulcanization. Energy is fed to the confined particles transversely of the axis along which they are advancing, and energy from a source is reflected off a portion of the apparatus and back into the treatment zone so as to achieve maximum energy utilization. In particular instances, reflection of energy is achieved by providing opposed, powered ultrasonic horns that resonate in phase with each other. In another embodiment, oppositely directed, resonantly tuned horns are used, with less than all such horns being powered and the remainder being passive or unpowered reflecting horns who resonant frequency is tuned to that of the powered horn.

Abstract: A method of liberating intracellular matter from biological material having cells with cell walls includes subjecting the biological material to rapid pressure increases and decreases, and exceeding the elastic limit of the cell walls with the pressure increases and decreases, thereby opening the cell walls and liberating the intracellular material from the cells. This produces a heterogenous mixture of cell wall fragments and the intracellular material. Where the biological material includes pieces of plant animal or fungal material, the method can further include separating the cells of the pieces from each other with the pressure increases and decreases when the elastic limit of intercellular bonds are exceeded. Water and volatiles in the biological material is liberated and vaporized, producing a substantially dry mixture having a lower water content than the original material.

Abstract: For reuse of waste wood obtained in the production of windows, furnitures and chip board it is suggested to diminute the waste wood to particles, the diameter of which is in the region of some 10 mm. The thus obtained wood particles are coloured to form a granulate material, which can be used for decorative purposes.

Abstract: Method of shaping solid, particulate materials, which comprises forming a raw slurry of the starting material, in a liquid which is a partial solvent of said material, and submitting the slurry to treatment by ultrasound generators to produce therein ultrasonic vibrations which shape and grind the starting, particulate material to produce a shaped slurry of ground and shaped particles. The shaped particles may be separated from their slurry by removing the partial solvent by decantation and/or filtration. The partial solvent may be a liquid in which the material to be shaped has a solubility comprised between 1 and 10, wherein the solubility is expressed as grams of material that are dissolved in 100 ml of the liquid at a temperature of 20° C. The partial solvent can be chosen from among acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and mixtures of said solvents with one another or other solvents and/or a minor amount of water, and may also be an organic solvent.

Abstract: A method is for processing semiconductor material, in which one or more shock waves generated using a transducer are transmitted through a liquid medium to semiconductor material in rod form. The transducer is at a distance of from 1 cm to 100 cm from the semiconductor material, and the shock waves have a pulse energy of from 1 to 20 kJ and a pulse rise time to the energy maximum of from 1 to 5 &mgr;s.

Abstract: A paper machine includes a traveling belt for carrying a fiber web, and a cutting device disposed below the belt for cutting the fiber web into smaller pieces. The cutting device has an inlet and an outlet. A guiding device guides the fiber web from the belt to the inlet of the cutting device. A pulper is connected with the outlet of the cutting device for receiving the smaller pieces of fiber web from the cutting device. The traveling belt may be in the form of, e.g., a wire, felt or water impervious belt. The cutting device may be in the form of, e.g., a shredder, fluffer, water jet cutter, laser cutter and/or roll cutter.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and method for the treatment of recyclable materials from solid waste. The material is introduced into a pressure vessel where it is heated and shredded. Fluid jets within the vessel produce a cutting/agitating action on the waste material as it flows through the vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for crushing glass bodies, in which the glass body 18 is arranged in a microwave field 4, so that the said glass body 18 is crushed on account of the resulting thermal stresses. In addition, a local plasma 20, which results in further thermal stresses, is produced on the surface of the glass body 18. Since the glass body 18 to be crushed does not come into contact with crushing means, for example rollers or the like, the pieces of broken glass 22 cannot be contaminated by abrasion particles of the crushing means. The plasma 20 permits a rapid and economic crushing of the glass bodies.

Abstract: A method of accelerated remediation or bioremediation of contaminated material using an apparatus comprising means for generating a treated contaminated material entraining air stream at a velocity sufficient for entraining the contaminated material therein. The contaminated material is entrained in the air stream and is then microenfractionated using the apparatus to form a microenfractionated contaminated material. Finally, the microenfractionated contaminated material is treated with at least one chemical amendment and/or one biological amendment by discharging the chemical amendment and/or one biological amendment from the apparatus thereby facilitating the accelerated remediation or bioremediation. The chemical amendment can comprise either a chemical oxidizing agent, a chelating agent, or a metallic reducing agent. The preferred metallic reducing agents are zero valent iron, zero valent zinc, zero valent tin, zero valent manganese and zero valent aluminum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the comminution of bulk materials comprising synthetic polymers which do not have an elastomeric behavior by mechanical, thermal or electromagnetic loading of the bulk materials, which comprises treating the bulk materials, before and/or during the loading, with oxidants which have a redox potential of greater than 1.5 V or subjecting them to corona, UV or plasma treatment without complete oxidation of the synthetic polymer taking place.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of particle treatment providing a stream of particles in liquid applying said stream to an ultrasonic probe wherein said stream has an orifice surrounded by a plate that is generally parallel to the emitting surface of said probe and wherein said plate is adjustable to vary its distance from said emitting surface.

Abstract: An apparatus pulverizes material composed of wet or dry discrete objects into relatively smaller particles with shock waves created by flowing the material through a housing having alternating rotors and orifice plates. The housing includes a first end having a feed chute for introducing the material into the housing, a second end having an opening for removing the smaller particles, and internal sides meeting in corners, which extend longitudinally between the first and second ends. A rotatable shaft extends substantially along a longitudinal central axis of the housing. Rotors each include a hub coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith, a substantially polygonal-shaped rotor plate centrally fixed to the hub and having apices, and a plurality of vanes each vanes extending approximately radially inward on a side of the rotor plate from an apex. Each orifice plate extends inwardly from the internal sides of the housing to a central aperture which provides an orifice around the shaft.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for obtaining wood in which the tracheids have less ability to bind to each other. The end surface of the wood is irradiated with pulsed laser light of such strength, and with such a number of pulses, that lignin-related cellulose and hemicellulose bonds break up along the light-conducting middle lamella to a depth which is sufficient to ensure that reduction of the wood (to paper pulp) via mechanical processes can be done more quickly, more gently and with greater efficiency.

Abstract: In a method for granulating and comminuting liquid slags, especially metal-oxide-containing slags, coal, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or coal/water mixtures or coal slurries are driven into the slag or the slag jet. The liquid slag is transferred into an expansion and granulation chamber and subsequently into a mill, especially a jet or impact mill. In the device for carrying out the method provided with a slag tundish and a lance arranged coaxially to the axis of the tundish tube the tundish tube is designed as a hole-type nozzle. Devices for applying carbon carriers and/or water nozzles are arranged radially outside of the mouth of the tundish tube.

Abstract: A system for reclaiming carpet components such as yarn, tufting primary, binder, and secondary backing wherein the carpet is sprayed with a high velocity water spray so as to disjoint the components from one another, and thereafter, separating the secondary backing from the yarn and tufting primary. Desirably, water is removed from the disjointed carpet after spraying the carpet with high pressure water spray. This system is useful for reclaiming components of broadloom carpet and carpet tiles and cleanly and efficiently separates tie components of carpet.

Abstract: An improved method of preparing embossed metallic flakelets for a hologram pigment improves productivity through a simpler process. A metallic foil 12 is first pressed between a cooperative pair of dies 10 having mutually complementary embossed patterns to thereby transfer to the surfaces of the metallic foil 12 the embossed pattern of the dies 10. Finally, the pulverized metallic flakelets are mixed with predetermined other ingredients to make a hologram pigment.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating components of free-flowing material contained in a cotton-like, mat-like carrier, includes an air accelerator providing an accelerated air stream for tearing apart the carrier to form flakes. Positioned downstream of the air accelerator is a separation deck which includes a screen surface and a trough. A vibratory unit is associated to the separation deck for oscillation thereof, thereby realizing a separation of the components.

Abstract: An apparatus pulverizes material composed of wet or dry discrete objects into relatively smaller particles with shock waves created by flowing the material through a housing having alternating rotors and orifice plates. The housing includes a first end having a feed chute for introducing the material into the housing, a second end having an opening for removing the smaller particles, and internal sides meeting in corners, which extend longitudinally between the first and second ends. A rotatable shaft extends substantially along a longitudinal central axis of the housing. Rotors each include a hub coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith, a substantially polygonal-shaped rotor plate centrally fixed to the hub and having apices, and a plurality of vanes each vanes extending approximately radially inward on a side of the rotor plate from an apex. Each orifice plate extends inwardly from the internal sides of the housing to a central aperture which provides an orifice around the shaft.

Abstract: The carbon and mineral components of fly ash are effectively separated by a continuous air agglomeration method, resulting in a substantially carboree mineral stream and a highly concentrated carbon product. The method involves mixing the fly ash comprised of carbon and inorganic mineral matter with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a slurry, contacting the slurry with an aqueous solution, dispersing the hydrocarbon slurry into small droplets within the aqueous solution by mechanical mixing and/or aeration, concentrating the inorganic mineral matter in the aqueous solution, agglomerating the carbon and hydrocarbon in the form of droplets, collecting the droplets, separating the hydrocarbon from the concentrated carbon product, and recycling the hydrocarbon.

Abstract: An apparatus for devulcanizing vulcanized rubber or crosslinked polymeric material has an ultrasonic exposure portion including a body forming an exposure channel through which particles of the material flow and an ultrasonic generator including a horn extending generally traverse to the direction of the material flow. The apparatus also has a preconditioning portion for feeding the particles to the ultrasonic exposure channel. The method for devulcanizing vulcanized rubber or crosslinked polymeric material comprises the steps of preconditioning and feeding particles of the material, including heating the particles; feeding the particles through a pressurized exposure channel; and exposing the particles to ultrasonic energy within the exposure channel with an ultrasonic wave propagated in a direction traverse to the direction of the channel to effect devulcanization by breaking chemical bonds in the material.

Abstract: In a process for granulating and comminuting molten material, the slag melt is acted upon by compressed water and discharged together with the vapour formed. The liquid slag is introduced into a granulation chamber in a free flowing jet while directing compressed water jets against the slag jet, whereupon the solidified and granulated slag is conducted through a pneumatic conveyor duct and a distributor along with the vapour formed. The partial streams leaving the distributor, via conically tapering nozzles are transferred into a grinding space exhibiting a lower pressure than the granulation space and from which the comminuted and solidified material is drawn off.

Abstract: The method for shredding wornout tire cases comprises exposing wornout tire cases to the effect of an explosion exerted thereon in a closed circular system so as to establish a directional circulating flow of explosion products. The device for carrying the method into effect comprises a chamber (1, 2) and a piping (3, 4) which forms, together with the chamber, a circular closed system, the chamber has a portion shaped as a cone-frustum shell (1), wherein shredding members (7) and a fixing unit of the explosive (13) are accommodated; a the smaller-diameter portion of the cone-shaped shell (1) communicates with one end of the piping (4) through a valve appearing as, e.g., a grid established by plates (7) in the area of the smaller base of the shell (1), while the other end of the piping (3) communicates with the chamber (1, 2) from the side of the larger-diameter portion of the cone-shaped shell (1).

Abstract: A method of crushing or smashing nonconductive materials such as natural ore materials and concretes by a discharge voltage requires a large amount of energy for crushing or smashing. Products produced by crushing or smashing have not been recycled effectively as new nonconductive raw materials. A value set by the quality and a thickness of the nonconductive materials to be crushed, an impulse voltage Uo, a time constant .tau. and a spark constant A is defined as a parameter P of an electric circuit. By setting the value of P to 0.02.ltoreq.P.ltoreq.1.0 to cause crushing, energy stored in the circuit can be utilized effectively. Accordingly, uniformcrushedor smashed matter with high quality can be manufactured effectively.

Abstract: A pulverizer which reduces solid materials having moisture content to a powder-like material in a single pass through the pulverizer. The pulverizer of this invention utilizes a plurality of radially extending flexible chains associated with anvils oriented outwardly and above the ends of the chains for disintegrating solid materials into fine aggregate material similar to dust or powder. The chains and anvils produce a kinetic energy and standing sound waves to fracture materials and vaporize moisture in the materials with the characteristics of the kinetic energy and standing sound waves being varied depending upon the structural characteristics of the rotatable chains and anvils, the spatial relationship between the chains and anvils, the angular position of the anvils and the rotational speed of the chains.

Abstract: A method and device for fragmenting semiconductor material, comprising at least two spaced-apart electrodes, which consist of the semiconductor material which is to be fragmented. Each electrode has a heating device. The electrodes pass high voltage current through the semiconductor material to fragment it. The device eliminates the risk of contanimation of the semiconductor material as compared with conventional methods.

Abstract: A method for rupturing microalgae in an aqueous suspension is disclosed. In one embodiment the aqueous suspension is passed through a constriction into a liquid phase at a pressure sufficient to rupture the cells by circulating the aqueous suspension through a constriction in a pump loop at a pressure and a percent recycle sufficient to rupture the cells. Cells of the alga Dunaliella salina can be ruptured by the method of the invention to promote froth flotation and mechanical filtration of the cells for recovery of mixed carotenoids.

Abstract: Processes for treating fly ash to enhance the fly ash as a pozzolan for portland cement mixes and to separate therefrom a substantial carbon compound and/or to increase the fineness of the fly ash include the treatment of a fly ash slurry with ultrasonic energy using ultrasonic horns immersed in a slurry of fly ash and water and imparting to said slurry such ultrasonic energy as to cause microscopic cavities to form and implode with high localized energy to break up fly ash agglomerations along cleavage lines and to break up carbon particles and matrices which have entrapped fly ash microspheres therein to release the microspheres into the slurry. A conditioner agent may be added at or during ultrasonic treatment to enhance the flotation of the carbon compound.

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.