Abstract: Disclosed is a process of stabilizing spent filter material that comprises mixing the filter media with a city media to produce a composition having a moisture content that is sufficiently low to retard microbial growth. The composition comprises spent filter media and a dry material, and preferably comprises diatomaceous earth. Soil is treated by adding the composition as a top dressing, soil amendment, or the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions for, and methods of, delivering treatment compounds to lignocellulosic substrates, wherein the solvent is recovered using RF energy.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of stabilizing spent filter material that comprises mixing the filter media with a dry media to produce a composition having a moisture content that is sufficiently low to retard microbial growth. The composition comprises spent filter media and a dry material, and preferably comprises diatomaceous earth. Soil is treated by adding the composition as a top dressing, soil amendment, or the like.

Abstract: A new method of improving the process of dewatering fine particulate materials is disclosed. In this method, an aqueous slurry of fine particles is treated with appropriate hydrophobizing reagents so that the particulate material becomes moderately hydrophobic with its water contact angle considerably below 90°. A low hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) number surfactant is then added to the slurry, so that the surfactant molecules adsorb on the moderately hydrophobic surface primarily by hydrophobic attraction and, thereby, increase its contact angle close to or above 90°. By virtue of the greatly enhanced hydrophobicity, the water molecules adhering to the surface are destabilized and removed more readily by a mechanical dewatering process. Any nonionic surfactant with its HLB number below about 15 may be used for the hydrophobicity enhancement. The surfactants may be used in conjunction with appropriate solvents such as light hydrocarbon oils and short-chain alcohols.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the temperature of a web, which is formed from cellulosic pulp and is to be passed to a dryer, by way of applying temperature-controlled liquid to the web. According to the invention, the thus formed web is passed into a closed space defined by two wires and side deckles, wherein temperature-controlled liquid is applied at controlled pressure and flow rate through the wire to the web.

Abstract: A new method of improving the process of dewatering fine particulate materials is disclosed. In this method, an aqueous slurry of fine particles is treated with appropriate hydrophobizing reagents so that the particulate material becomes moderately hydrophobic with its water contact angle considerably below 90°. A low hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) number surfactant is then added to the slurry, so that the surfactant molecules adsorb on the moderately hydrophobic surface primarily by hydrophobic attraction and, thereby, increase its contact angle close to or above 90°. By virtue of the greatly enhanced hydrophobicity, the water molecules adhering to the surface are destabilized and removed more readily by a mechanical dewatering process. Any nonionic surfactant with its HLB number below about 15 may be used for the hydrophobicity enhancement. The surfactants may be used in conjunction with appropriate solvents such as light hydrocarbon oils and short-chain alcohols.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for treating a hydrocarbonaceous waste material, in particular a rolling scale slurry and/or grinding slurry, the waste material being heated in a dryer, preferably moving, by the indirect supply of heat, and in the process hydrocarbons, if appropriate together with other volatile components, in particular H2O, being removed. In this process, in the dryer, at low temperature, the hydrocarbons are broken down in a specific way, the hydrocarbons being broken down by chemical and/or radiation means, which effect decomposition of the hydrocarbons of low volatility into highly volatile hydrocarbons, preferably decomposing high molecular weight hydrocarbons into lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, and the hydrocarbons, if appropriate together with the other volatile components in particular together with the H2O, are at least partially discharged, in particular by suction, from the vessel. The invention also relates to a apparatus for treating a hydrocarbonaceous waste material.

Abstract: A method of dewatering fine particulate materials is disclosed. In this method, an aqueous slurry of fine particles is treated with appropriate hydrophobizing reagents so that the particulate material becomes moderately hydrophobic. A lipid of vegetable or animal origin is then added to the slurry in solutions of light hydrocarbon oils and short-chain alcohols, so that the hydrophobic lipid molecules adsorb on the moderately hydrophobic surface and, thereby, greatly enhance its hydrophobicity. By virtue of the enhanced hydrophobicty, the water molecules adhering to the surface are destabilized and more readily removed during the process of mechanical dewatering. The moisture reduction can be further improved using appropriate electrolytes in conjunction with the lipids, spraying surface tension lowering reagents onto the filter cake, subjecting the cake to a suitable vibratory means, and using combinations thereof.

Abstract: In a process for drying microporous, fluid-containing particles, the heat required for increasing the temperature is supplied by convection by reducing the interfacial tension of the fluid, preferably to 0 to 1/10, in particular to 0 to 1/20, of the interfacial tension of the fluid at room temperature, by appropriately increasing the temperature at from close to the critical pressure to supercritical pressure of the fluid. Furthermore, microporous, three-dimensionally networked particles are prepared by a process in which the drying process is used. In addition, an apparatus is used for carrying out the drying process, the apparatus comprising a pressure container having an inner container and pressure-withstanding outer container and suitable measuring and control apparatuses and pump apparatuses and heat exchangers, the inner container being provided for holding the particles to be dried and a gap being provided between the inner container and the outer container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for drying protein crystals starting from an aqueous protein crystal suspension, which comprises drying the protein crystal suspension in a centrifugal dryer, where the protein crystals, after they have been filtered off from the protein crystal suspension, are brought into contact with a drying medium which consists of a mixture of water and a nonaqueous solvent which is miscible with water in any ratio and which has a lower vapor pressure than water. In the process, a drying gas which has been moistened with water is advantageously used. The protein crystal suspension is advantageously converted into a fluidized bed for the purpose of drying.

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: 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: Vaporizing and concentration drying apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus and method prepare good quality of condensed water and save evaporation energy and are wide used in making contaminated waste water become distilled water and in purification of the waste water and in concentration and drying of varieties of environmental polluting sludge. The apparatus and method recover and reuse the heating energy, which energy was applied to the vapor so as to heat the vapor to a high temperature and to remove the environmental polluting impurities, such as odor, B.O.D. and C.O.D. laden in the vapor, so that the apparatus and method remarkably save the cost for the heating energy. The apparatus saves the energy by 2-10 times in comparison with the conventional apparatus.