Apparatus is providing featuring a synthetic bead having a solid-phase body with a surface, and being configured with a predetermined electric charge so as to respond to a corresponding predetermined electric field; and a plurality of molecules attached to at least part of the surface, the molecules comprising a functional group selected for attracting and attaching one or more mineral particles of interest to the molecules. Some combination of the solid-phase body or the surface may be configured from a polymer. The polymer may be polyethylenimine. The polyethylenimine may be engineered or configured to be highly charged so as to be used to collect the mineral particles of interest and then manipulated through and by the corresponding predetermined electric field.

A magnetic filter 10 includes first and second separation chambers 10, 12. The separation chambers 10, 12 each have an inlet and an outlet, and the separation chambers 10, 12 are joined together such that the inlets of the first and second chambers are adjacent, and the outlets of the first and second chambers are adjacent. An inlet port arrangement 28 connects both inlets to a single inlet pipe, and an outlet port arrangement 30 connects both outlets to a single outlet pipe.

Described herein are methods and apparatus for solid-liquid separation with high efficiency, especially in treating spent filter backwash and sedimentation tank sludge produced in the water treatment process. It combines and applies gravity, electromagnetic force, dynamic filtration, and gravity condensation, magnetic and gravitational compression in one integrated device that produces high quality effluent water (less than 10 ppm suspended solid) and highly condensed sludge (less than 94-96% water content).

A method of facilitating wet recovery of high density material from input wet incinerator bottom ash is disclosed. The method involves receiving the input wet incinerator bottom ash at a first density separator, separating by density from the input wet incinerator bottom ash, by the first density separator, first high density wet incinerator bottom ash and first low density wet incinerator bottom ash, causing the first low density wet incinerator bottom ash to flow to a second density separator, and separating by density from the first low density wet incinerator bottom ash, by the second density separator, second high density wet incinerator bottom ash and second low density incinerator bottom ash. Systems and apparatuses are also disclosed.

A water treatment apparatus using a lamella structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first treatment tank which includes a plurality of inclined plates and is configured to pass water subject to treatment between the inclined plates adjacent to each other and a second treatment tank which is installed at a rear end of the first treatment tank to accommodate the water subject to treatment and into which bubbles are supplied, wherein the plurality of inclined plates include positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates that are alternately arranged, and the water subject to treatment passes between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate.

An apparatus for refining a liquid stream using 180 degree redirection and inclined plates. The apparatus includes a first flow chamber, a second flow chamber, and a separation chamber. The first flow chamber directs the liquid stream downwards in a first direction at a first velocity, the second flow chamber directs the liquid carrier upwards in a second direction opposite the first direction, and the separation chamber is disposed between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber. The separation chamber includes a redirection portion that has inclined plates across which the liquid carrier flows and, as the liquid slows from a first velocity to a second velocity, the solid particles fall out of the liquid carrier and collect in the collection portion of the separation chamber.

A dirt separator including a vessel having a separation container having a lateral container wall, a container bottom, and a container axis, which container has an inlet and an outlet as well as an interior, and having a particle separation chamber, which is disposed at the outlet of the separation container and stands in a fluid connection with the separation container, an inlet for supply of liquid into the vessel, and an outlet for discharge of the liquid out of the vessel. The dirt separator is configured in such a manner that liquid introduced into the separation container flows downward along the container wall in a cyclone-like movement, and then flows upward to the particle separation chamber within the liquid that flows downward in cyclone-like manner, and the dirt separator includes at least one particle separator, which is disposed in the particle separation chamber.

The invention, provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

Some described examples relate to an apparatus for removing magnetically active particles from a fluid. The apparatus comprises at least one vessel for receiving a fluid comprising magnetically active or ferrous particles, and at least one electromagnet operable to produce a magnetic field within the vessel to act on the magnetically active or ferrous particles in use.

A device includes a collimated light source operable to generate a collimated light source beam, which includes a beam direction. The device includes a first channel in a first plane and a second channel in a second plane different from the first plane. The second channel communicates with the first channel and includes a flow direction. The second channel is oriented to receive the collimated light source beam. The device includes a third channel in a third plane different from the second plane and communicates with the second channel. The collimated light source beam is oriented to enter a cross-section of the first channel, then to pass through the second channel, and then to enter a cross-section of the third channel such that the beam direction is opposite to the flow direction in the second channel. The device includes a focused particle stream nozzle operably connected to the first channel.