The invention concerns a novel acoustofluidic device to separate acoustically active particles from fluids comprising a novel device arrangement for improved acoustic pressure and particle velocity; and a method of separating particles from a fluid comprising use of same.

The invention relates to a program-controlled apparatus (1) for washing items that is equipped with a water purification system (8) for purifying the wash liquor by removing detergent and suspended soil, which purification system (8) utilizes addition of flocculant, wherein the amount of flocculant that is added is controlled to minimize the total amount of flocculant used without compromising the efficacy of the purification treatment.

The invention relates to a program-controlled apparatus (1) for washing items that is equipped with a water purification system (8) for purifying the wash liquor by removing detergent and suspended soil, which purification system (8) utilizes addition of flocculant, wherein the amount of flocculant that is added is controlled to minimize the total amount of flocculant used without compromising the efficacy of the purification treatment.

An acoustic wave with an acoustic field with a large number of multi-directional gradients can provide an edge effect that be used to form an interface region relative to the acoustic wave. The interface region can block material with certain characteristics related to the nature of the interface region. Other material that is less influenced by the acoustic properties of the interface region can pass through the acoustic wave. This technique permits separation of materials using the edge effect and interface region.

A wastewater dissolved-air floatation apparatus combined with a precipitation tank having sloped plates is proposed. The apparatus can reduce a transfer load according to the discharge of sludge, when the sludge is discharged through a discharge screw which is a discharge means, so as to enable sludge discharge efficiency to be maximized, has a cleaning means so as to enable components provided therein to be easily cleaned, maintained and managed through cleaning when the inside thereof is required to be cleaned, can control the discharge level of wastewater, which has been treated while sludge precipitation and suspended particle floatation are stably performed thereon inside a separation tank to which microbubbles are supplied, selectively blocks the supply of the microbubbles into the separation tank so as to use the separation tank as a precipitation tank.

A wastewater dissolved-air floatation apparatus combined with a precipitation tank having sloped plates is proposed. The apparatus can reduce a transfer load according to the discharge of sludge, when the sludge is discharged through a discharge screw which is a discharge means, so as to enable sludge discharge efficiency to be maximized, has a cleaning means so as to enable components provided therein to be easily cleaned, maintained and managed through cleaning when the inside thereof is required to be cleaned, can control the discharge level of wastewater, which has been treated while sludge precipitation and suspended particle floatation are stably performed thereon inside a separation tank to which microbubbles are supplied, selectively blocks the supply of the microbubbles into the separation tank so as to use the separation tank as a precipitation tank.

Methods and apparatus for liquid/solid separation for use in applications such as dewatering fine particulate solids, and recovery of valuable metals from ore in a leaching process are provided. One application relates to methods of agitation leaching of metals such as gold from gold-bearing feedstock. A slurry is formed in a tank by agitation, and allowed to settle. A filter bed forms to drain the liquid from the tank, and a vertical screen pipe such as a well point addresses the formation of an impervious film on the upper surface of the filter bed.

Methods and apparatus for liquid/solid separation for use in applications such as dewatering fine particulate solids, and recovery of valuable metals from ore in a leaching process are provided. One application relates to methods of agitation leaching of metals such as gold from gold-bearing feedstock. A slurry is formed in a tank by agitation, and allowed to settle. A filter bed forms to drain the liquid from the tank, and a vertical screen pipe such as a well point addresses the formation of an impervious film on the upper surface of the filter bed.

A semi-submersible drilling vessel has a deckbox structure and a shaker room. A downward sloping mud return line is provided that passes mud from the diverter to the shaker room. In the shaker room there are one or more shale shaker devices, one or more upstream mud tanks arranged to receive gas cut mud from the one or more shale shaker devices, and a vacuum degasser having an inlet pipe extending into an upstream mud tank, a vacuum tank, a vacuum pump, and an outlet, and a degassed mud tank receiving degassed mud from the outlet of the vacuum degasser. The degassed mud tank has an effective height between the bottom thereof to the operational mud level in said degassed mud tank that is greater than the corresponding effective height of said one or more upstream mud tanks. The degassed mud tank is mounted so that—in operation—the operational mud level in said degassed mud tank is at least 1.5 meter, preferably at least 2 meters, higher than in said one or more upstream tanks with the vacuum degassers self-suction effect causing the mud to be pumped from the upstream tank, via the vacuum degasser, into the degassed mud tank.

The embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an ultrasonic microbubble generation method, apparatus and system. The apparatus comprises a horn-shaped conductor including an upper horn-shaped body and a lower cylindrical body; the horn-shaped body is provided with a cavity having an upper opening, an upper end of the cavity is fixedly connected with a micropore vibration thin sheet, a micropore array of the micropore vibration thin sheet is corresponding to the upper opening of the cavity, and a side wall of the cavity is provided with a through hole for external gas to enter the cavity; the cylindrical body is provided with a transducing ring and an electrode sheet, an outer side of the cylindrical body is insulated and sealed, and a connection wire of the electrode sheet is led out by a steel pipe and connected with an external ultrasonic oscillation controller.