Abstract: High capacity, low cost devices for use in growing monocultures of novel, previously unknown microbial species contain adhesive layers with wells covered by nanoporous membranes. The devices are placed in natural environments for cultivation of unknown microbial species.

Abstract: In order to increase energy efficiency in an industrial furnace (1) operated by heating gas and protective gas for thermally treating materials, a first burner (3.1) is actuated for heating with priority over a second burner (3.2), the second burner (3.2) is engaged additionally and operated when the output from the first burner (3.1) falls below the level necessary to heat the industrial furnace (1) up to a temperature setpoint, and the second burner (3.2) is switched off when the temperature setpoint has been reached.

Abstract: A system for cooling and recuperative heating of a slurry in a metallurgical process which includes heat exchangers, pumps and autoclaves is described herein. The heat exchangers use a non-scaling common liquid heat transfer medium. Preferably, the heat exchangers are tube-in-tube heat exchangers with 3 to 7 slurry tubes in each heat exchanger. An advantage of this system is that it does not use flash tanks. To minimize abrasive wear on impinged surfaces, the velocity of the slurry is not more than 5 meters per second. The slurry comprises a solids concentration of 25% to 50%. Preferably, the pumps in the system are float-type pumps in which the driven liquid from the discharge pumps is also used as the drive liquid for the feed pumps.

Abstract: A system for treating recovered fluids in-line that includes a thermal reactor for separating contaminated drill cuttings into drill cuttings and contaminants by applying heat to the contaminated drill cuttings so as to vaporize contaminants from the contaminated drill cuttings; a first condenser in fluid connection with the thermal reactor for condensing the vaporized contaminants; a separator in fluid connection with the first condenser for separating the condensed vapors into an oleaginous liquid and an aqueous liquid, wherein at least a portion of one of the aqueous liquid and oleaginous liquid is fed back into the first condenser via a feedback line; and an ozone generator operatively coupled to the feedback line, wherein at least the portion of the fed back liquid is ozonated by the ozone generator and fed into the condenser is disclosed.