3513results about "Flotation" patented technology

Peer-to-peer redundant file server system and methods include clients that determine a target storage provider to contact for a particular storage transaction based on a pathname provided by the filesystem and a predetermined scheme such as a hash function applied to a portion of the pathname. Servers use the same scheme to determine where to store relevant file information so that the clients can locate the file information. The target storage provider may store the file itself and/or may store metadata that identifies one or more other storage providers where the file is stored. A file may be replicated in multiple storage providers, and the metadata may include a list of storage providers from which the clients can select (e.g., randomly) in order to access the file.

Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, a bioreactor system is presented and includes a disposable container for housing biomaterials for processing, the disposable container including at least one input port, at least one exhaust port, at least one harvest port, and the integrity of the sterile environment is protected with sterile filters attached to all external open ports a structure for supporting the disposable container, one or more sensors for sensing one or more parameters of the biomaterials in the container, a heater for heating the contents of the container, the heater having a thermostat and mixing system arranged with the system such that biomaterials contained in the disposable container are mixed.

A protocol for protected email transmission using micropayments and a segregated inbox in which protected emails are displayed. The protocol also involves authentication of the sender to defeat phishers and an opt out protocol which can be used to block protected emails from sources from which the user no longer wishes to receive emails even if the source has made a micropayment. Branded email is also taught wherein a sender of protected emails can pay extra to have a miniature version of its brand logo or trademark displayed with its email in the segregated inbox. A white list is maintained on the protected email server (along with the opt out black list) so that recipients can designate specific senders who may send email to that recipient without paying a micropayment and still have the protected email displayed in the segregated inbox.

A method and apparatus for sorting particles moving through a closed channel system of capillary size comprises a bubble valve for selectively generating a pressure pulse to separate a particle having a predetermined characteristic from a stream of particles. The particle sorting system may further include a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse. The particle sorting system may include a plurality of closely coupled sorting modules which are combined to further increase the sorting rate. The particle sorting system may comprise a multi-stage sorting device for serially sorting streams of particles, in order to decrease the error rate.

A process for in-situ remediation of contaminated soil in which at least one treating agent is introduced into the contaminated soil and transported to an underground in-situ treatment zone of the contaminated soil by a foam-based fluid.

An automated system for sorting dissimilar materials, and in particular for sorting plastics from other materials and for sorting different types of plastics from one another comprises, depending upon the embodiment, combinations of a sizing mechanism, a friction separation, an air separator, a magnetic separator, a dielectric sensor sortation bed, shaker screening, a ballistic separator, an inductive sensor sortation system and a float/sink tank. The dielectric sensor sortation system may be either analog or digital, depending upon the particular implementation. One or more float/sink tanks can be used, depending upon the embodiment, each with a media of a different specific gravity. The media may be water, or water plus a compound such as calcium chloride. In addition, multiples of the same general type of module can be used for particular configurations. A heavy media system or a sand float process can be used either alternatively or additionally.

The invention discloses a benefication method for recovering specularite. The method comprises the processes of primary grinding, grading, primary low intensity magnetic separation, and tailings discarding by primary high intensity magnetic separation; rough concentrate pre-classification by the primary low intensity magnetic separation and the primary high intensity magnetic separation, secondary grinding, secondary low intensity magnetic separation to obtain concentrates, secondary high intensity magnetic separation to obtain concentrates; and selective flocculation desliming secondary conducted on high intensity magnetic separation tailings (middlings), and anionic reverse flotation. The method further comprises the step of arranging a cylindrical slag separating sieve before the primary high intensity magnetic separation. With the advantages that the iron concentrate grade and the iron recovery are high, the loss of granular iron minerals is low, the mineral process flow is short, concentrates and tailings can be obtained in advance and the energy consumption of the benefication is low, the invention can be used not only for selecting specularite ores, but also for selecting weakly magnetic iron minerals, such as hematite, goethite, siderite, limonite, and the like.

A reactor has an aerobic tank, an anoxic tank and a sealed membrane tank with conduits for circulating mixed liquor between them. Permeation starts when the mixed liquor reaches a high level and stops when the mixed liquor reaches a low level. A sensor, for detecting the mixed liquor level, may stop and start permeation. Pressure builds in the membrane tank when membrane air is on. Transmembrane pressure is also provided by gravity flow or siphon. Membrane air generates an air lift which drives the mixed liquor circulation. The total amount of air provided by an air source is divided and varied in time between the membrane aerator and the process aerator. The process aerator acts as a screening inlet to the conduit to the membrane tank. Chemical maintenance cleaning is provided by gravity flow.

The invention provides systems and methods for producing biofuel from algae wherein the algae and fishes are co-cultured in a body of water. The methods further comprise inducing the algae to accumulate lipids by environmental stress, and concentrating the algae prior to extraction of the algal oil. The systems of the invention comprise at least one growth enclosure, means for concentrating algae, and means for subjecting algae to environmental stress.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for extracting non-polar lipids from microalgae are achieved using a lipid extraction device having an anode and a cathode that forms a channel and defines a fluid flow path through which an aqueous slurry is passed. An electromotive force is applied across the channel at a gap distance in a range from 0.5 mm to 200 mm to cause the non-polar lipids to be released from the algae cells. The non-polar lipids can be extracted at a high throughput rate and with low concentrations of polar lipids such as phospholipids and chlorophyll.

A method for the removal of contaminants from a contaminated water stream, by pretreating the contaminated water stream to yield a pretreated water stream, wherein pretreating comprises passing the contaminated water stream to at least one electrocoagulation cell wherein coagulation of contaminants is promoted, yielding an electrocoagulated stream; and separating coagulated contaminants from the electrocoagulated stream.

An electrocoagulation reactor comprising a plurality of electrodes positioned parallel to each other and provided with a means of energizing each electrode; a fluid inlet for an inlet stream comprising contaminated water; a fluid outlet for an outlet stream comprising electrocoagulated products; a flow distributor system; and a gas distribution system for injecting a gas into the electrocoagulation reactor. An electrocoagulation system for treating a contaminated water stream, the system comprising at least one electrocoagulation reactor.

The present invention provides a passenger location information system that provides information on the current location of a user during a trip in real time and in a mode suitable for each user. A configuration is provided in which passenger location information, at least including information on the ends (station, stop, etc.) of a transportation line interval in which a portable information terminal is located, is output at a predetermined time on a user terminal 1 such as a mobile phone terminal connectable to a network. In addition, using notification means such as a ringing tone or a vibrator, the user terminal 1 notifies the user, under a condition set by the user in advance, that the user is approaching a destination to prevent the user from riding past a destination due to dozing.

A two-step chemical precipitation process involving hydroxide precipitation and sulfide precipitation combined with “field separation ” technology such as magnetic separation, dissolved air flotation, vortex separation, or expanded plastics flotation, effectively removes chelated and non-chelated heavy metal precipitates and other fine particles from water. In the first-step, the non-chelated heavy metals are precipitated as hydroxides and removed from the water by a conventional liquid/solids separator such as an inclined plate clarifier to remove a large percentage of the dissolved heavy metals. The cleaned water is then treated in a second precipitation step to remove the residual heavy metals to meet discharge limits. In the second precipitation step, any metal precipitant more effective than hydroxide for metal precipitation can be used. The invention improves metal removal, lowers cost because fewer chemicals are used, produces less sludge, and reduces the discharge of toxic metals and metal precipitants to the environment. Magnetic separation is preferred for the separation of particles precipitated in the second stage. Similar methods can be employed for separation of other particulates from water. Particulates can also be removed by causing them to adhere to particles of expanded plastic, forming a floc lighter than water, so that the floc can be removed by flotation.

This invention is directed to structurally-modified water-soluble polymers prepared by initiating polymerization of an aqueous solution of monomers under free radical polymerization conditions to form a polymer solution and adding at least one structural modifier to the polymer solution after at least 30 % polymerization of the monomers has occurred, and to use of the water-soluble cross-linked polymers as flocculating agents.

An apparatus of produced water treatment, to be adopted in an in-situ recovery method of producing bitumen from oil sand, the apparatus capable of removing the oil from produced water, the produced water of being left by separating the bitumen from bitumen-mixed fluid having been recovered from the oil sand, the apparatus having: a vessel for receiving the produced water; a submerge type filtration membrane module, installed in the vessel, for filtering the produced water in the condition of the membrane being submerged in the produced water; and a bubble generator for generating bubbles to be forwarded toward the submerged filtration membrane in the produced water.

The present invention relates to polysaccharides that have been modified by providing azetidinium functionality thereto. Such functionality can be provided by crosslinking a polysaccharide with a resin having azetidinium functional groups. In one or more aspects, the polysaccharide can comprise one or more of starch, guar gum, alginate or derivatives thereof. Polysaccharides having azetidinium functionality according to the present invention are suitable for multiple uses. Such uses include, but are not limited to, removal of one or more solid materials from a liquid, beneficiation of an ore, removal of metallic ions from a liquid; providing oil from bitumen; and removal of mercury from synthetic gypsum. Other uses of the functionalized polysaccharides of the present invention include hydroseeding, dust control and corosion control.

An ink set, comprising: an oil based ink composition containing a metallic pigment; and at least one or more oil based ink compositions selected from a group consisting of a chromatic color ink composition containing chromatic color pigment, a black ink composition containing black pigment, and a white ink composition containing white pigment.

An apparatus to perform a process to remove water and minerals from a bitumen froth output of a oil sands hot water extraction process comprises: (i) a cyclone body having an elongated conical inner surface defining a cyclone cavity extending from an upper inlet region with a diameter DC to a lower apex outlet with a diameter DU; (ii) an inlet means forming an inlet channel extending into the upper inlet region of the cyclone cavity; and (iii) a vortex finder forming an overflow outlet of a diameter (DO) extending into the upper inlet region of the cyclone cavity toward the lower apex outlet and having a lower end extending an excursion distance below the inlet channel; wherein a fluid composition entering the inlet channel into the cyclone cavity is urged by force of gravity and velocity pressure downward toward the lower apex and variations in density of the constituent components of the fluid composition cause the lighter component materials to be directed toward the overflow outlet of the vortex finder.

Methods of increasing the rate of separating hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles by flotation have been developed. They are based on using appropriate reagents to enhance the hydrophobicity of the particles to be floated, so that they can be more readily collected by the air bubbles used in flotation. The hydrophobicity-enhancing reagents include low HLB surfactants, naturally occurring lipids, modified lipids, and hydrophobic polymers. These methods can greatly increase the rate of flotation for the particles that are usually difficult to float, such as ultrafine particles, coarse particles, middlings, and the particles that do not readily float in the water containing large amounts of ions derived from the particles. In addition, new collectors for the flotation of phosphate minerals are disclosed.

A compact portable modular wastewater treatment system which integrates several processing technologies to provide a substantially purified water source. A wastewater stream is sent through an initial filtration step. The filtered wastewater is then subjected to electrocoagulation and then further filtered. The resulting stream containing substantially only organics is then treated in an advanced oxidation process which can include passing an electrical current through the water during the oxidation process. The partially treated water is then passed through ion-exchange columns to polish ammonium and other contaminants. The ion-exchange columns are cycled through regeneration cycles to provide continuous ion-exchange medium. The ammonium rich brine solution used in regeneration is subjected to an ammonium destruct process and then reused in regenerating ion-exchange columns. The water can then be sent through a final disinfection oxidation process to destroy or inactivate pathogens and/or remove any remaining colorants or odor to provide a water source suitable for almost any use.

A two-step chemical precipitation process involving hydroxide precipitation and sulfide precipitation combined with “field separation” technology such as magnetic separation, dissolved air flotation, vortex separation or expanded plastics flotation, effectively removes chelated and non-chelated heavy metal precipitates and other fine particles from water. In the first-step, the non-chelated heavy metals are precipitated as hydroxides and removed from the water by a conventional liquid/solids separator such as an inclined plate clarifier to remove a large percentage of the dissolved heavy metals. The cleaned water is then treated in a second precipitation step to remove the residual heavy metals to meet discharge limits. In the second precipitation step, any metal precipitant more effective than hydroxide for metal precipitation can be used. The invention improves metal removal, lowers cost because fewer chemicals are used, produces less sludge, and reduces the discharge of toxic metals and metal precipitants to the environment.

Processing recycled materials to recover plastics, copper wire, and other non-ferrous metals. Aspects of the invention employ density separation to separate plastic-bearing materials from copper-bearing materials. Plastic-bearing materials are further separated to separate light plastics from heavy plastics. Plastics are concentrated, extruded, and palletized. Copper and other valuable metals are recovered from copper-bearing materials using a water separation table.

The invention relates to a beneficiation method for removing long quarry impurities by adopting strong magnetic flotation, comprising the steps of crushing, grinding, sieving, desliming, strong magnetically floating, floating, concentrating and dewatering. The concrete beneficiation method comprises the following steps of: breaking and grinding ore in a ball mill; grading ground minerals by a spiral grader and a hydraulic hydrocyclone twice; combining with the ball mill into a closed cycle; respectively mounting high-frequency linear vibration sieves in overflows graded twice; respectively removing impurities over 3 mm and 1 mm, such as mica, grass-roots bark, and the like; removing most of muddy substances from minerals through desliming equipment after the impurities are removed; removing mechanical iron, weakly magnetic iron ore, tourmaline and partial mica in a strong magnetic flotation machine; floating the minerals passing through the strong magnetic flotation machine again to remove residual iron minerals, mica and black minerals; and finally, concentrating and dewatering the minerals to form a product.

A dissolved gas flotation apparatus and process for removing oils and other contaminants from produced water generated in the production of crude petroleum and natural gas. The invention is particularly designed for offshore applications, where space is limited and natural gas is readily available. The invention includes a vessel for receiving and maintaining a liquid level therein and a circulating pump for introducing tiny flotation gas bubbles into the vessel. Natural gas is used as a blanket gas for the vessel and as a source of gas fed into the pump, wherein the gas is mixed with the pumped liquid. The liquid/gas mixture is transferred into the vessel, wherein the gas releases from the liquid, thereby forming tiny, finely dispersed gas bubbles. The tiny gas bubbles rise vertically through the vessel and attach themselves to the oil and other contaminants suspended in the liquid and buoyantly transport the oil and other contaminants to the top of the vessel, where the gas is released and either recycled back to the recirculating pump or transferred out of the vessel for further processing, and the oil and other contaminants are collected in a reservoir for recovery. The clarified water is removed from the vessel through a liquid outlet line located near the bottom of the vessel.

A mineral separation process includes wet-grinding the ore to liberation of minerals, oxidizing the slurry using air, hydrogen peroxide or other oxidants and floating the valuable minerals at a pH between about 9.0 and 10.0 with a xanthate as collector, and a combination of a polyamine and a sulfur containing species as depressants for arsenide minerals. This depressant suite effectively depresses the flotation of arsenide minerals with no effect on the flotation of the valuable minerals.

The present invention relates to a system for producing ethanol from an organic source and that operates to purify and dry ethanol from a beer source. The system for producing substantially anhydrous ethanol comprises: (a) a first distillation stripping column that operates between 160 to 220 degrees F.; (b) a second distillation rectifying column having a higher operating temperature than said stripping column; (c) a molecular sieve dehydration means in fluid communication with said rectifying column; and (d) an energy control means.

Disclosed and claimed is apparatus and methods for the growth of cells to high density, products therefrom and uses thereof. Also disclosed and claimed is the use of this method for the growth to high-density insect cells, such as the Spodoptera frugiperda Sf900+ cell line (ATCC: CRL 12579). Further disclosed is the infection of Sf900+ cells at high cell density with wild type and recombinant baculoviruses to produce baculovirus and DNA or gene or expression products.

Novel methods and apparatuses are disclosed for the treatment of wastewater to reduce, often associated, offensive odors. Irrigation of oxygenated liquid on top of a permeable cover effectively creates an aerobic treatment zone at the top of the lagoon whereby odorous gases being produced anaerobically below the cover are metabolized within this zone before being released to the atmosphere. This same system also serves to increase evaporation from the overall waste handling system therefore substantially reducing or eliminating the need for land application of treated wastewater.

The invention relates to an ore dressing method of a low-grade scheelite, which is characterized by comprising the following steps: 1. tailing discard by gravity concentration; 2. iron removal by magnetic separation; 3. sulfide ore flotation; 4. normal-temperature rougher flotation of scheelite; and 5. heating concentration of the scheelite. The invention provides a lower-cost ore dressing method for dressing scheelite concentrates from the tailings of the low-grade scheelite. The invention has the characteristics that the comprehensive recovery cost is saved, the beneficiation feed grade of the scheelite is improved, the flotation feed ore quantity is reduced, the dosage of a flotation reagent is reduced, the used ore dressing reagent is more friendly to the environment, and secondary pollution can not be caused. The method of the invention is applicable for low-grade scheelite resources with 0.03 to 0.15 percent of WO3.

The present invention relates to modified layered fillers made from layered fillers and modifying agents and processes to produce the same. The invention also relates to nanocomposite compositions made from these modified layered fillers and elastomers, and processes to produce the same, and their use in articles.