This sludge drying device is characterised in that a gas entraining a mix of sludge and sand is recycled after drying (6) and separation (8) to be compressed (10) and circulate again through the dryer (6) acting as a heat exchange fluid. Compression has been performed to increase the dew point temperature of the gas containing the evaporated moisture, such that the latent heat of evaporation can be recovered by the drying gas. The required operating power can then be much lower than the required power for evaporating the moisture contained in the sludge, because most of this power is recovered.

An induction heater and materials processing apparatus and method using induction heating and rotary tumbling to heat or heat and dry materials such as drilling cuttings or waste material.

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.

A system and process is provided to deplete or remove moisture from wood coring in boats by piercing 20 a fiberglass outer skin; forming 30 bores or holes 200 in wood coring to form an exposed portion; processing ambient air 35 to create processed air; pumping or displacing 40 processed air into the bores or holes 200; penetrating 50 an exposed portion 80; with a sealant 100; and filling 60 the exposed portion 80 with a sealant 100.

A method for diminishing variation between and/or within individual sheets of filter papers which are suitable for collecting samples of biological material, e.g. blood, is described. The method includes at least one of the following: subjecting the sheets of filter paper to gaseous substance containing at least 30 grams water per cubic meter and/or wetting the sheets of filter paper with water and subsequently drying the sheets of filter paper. According to tests, the above-described treatment significantly reduces the undesirable variation between results analyzed from sheets of filter paper and impregnated with same biological material for test purposes.

A method for diminishing variation between and/or within individual sheets of filter papers which are suitable for collecting samples of biological material, e.g. blood, is described. The method includes at least one of the following: subjecting the sheets of filter paper to gaseous substance containing at least 30 grams water per cubic meter and/or wetting the sheets of filter paper with water and subsequently drying the sheets of filter paper. According to tests, the above-described treatment significantly reduces the undesirable variation between results analyzed from sheets of filter paper and impregnated with same biological material for test purposes.

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.

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.

A spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a filter element housing and powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The filter element housing comprises a plurality of cylindrical filter elements supported from a wall of an exhaust chamber that communicates with an exhaust gas outlet of the filter element housing. In one embodiment, the filter element housing includes an inner downwardly opening cylindrical shroud surrounding the filter elements which defines an outer annular powder and drying gas passageway communicating with the powder collection chamber, and the exhaust chamber is defined by a downwardly opening conical plenum having an outer conical surface for directing drying gas and powder about the shroud into the powder collection chamber. Filter elements each have a respective reverse gas pulse cleaning device.

A spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated drying chamber, a spray nozzle assembly at an upper end of the drying chamber and a filter element housing and powder collection chamber at a lower end of the drying chamber. The filter element housing comprises a plurality of cylindrical filter elements supported from a wall of an exhaust chamber that communicates with an exhaust gas outlet of the filter element housing. In one embodiment, the filter element housing includes an inner downwardly opening cylindrical shroud surrounding the filter elements which defines an outer annular powder and drying gas passageway communicating with the powder collection chamber, and the exhaust chamber is defined by a downwardly opening conical plenum having an outer conical surface for directing drying gas and powder about the shroud into the powder collection chamber. Filter elements each have a respective reverse gas pulse cleaning device.