An apparatus and process mechanically remove hydrocarbons and other contaminants from solids through high energy slurry impact with a stationary plate or through high energy slurry impact of two or more slurry streams. In addition to the mechanical process, a gas additive, such as CO.sub.2, in solid, liquid or gas form, can be introduced into the slurry stream. The presence of gas additive can aid in the liberation of the contaminant. The process can increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve thoroughness of contaminate cleaning in conjunction with aqueous pressure and sheer energy.

A process for cleaning and dewatering hydrophobic particulate materials is presented. The process is performed in in two steps: 1) agglomeration of the hydrophobic particles in a first hydrophobic liquid/aqueous mixture; followed by 2) dispersion of the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid to release the water trapped within the agglomerates along with the entrained hydrophilic particles.

A process for cleaning and dewatering hydrophobic particulate materials is presented. The process is performed in in two steps: 1) agglomeration of the hydrophobic particles in a first hydrophobic liquid/aqueous mixture; followed by 2) dispersion of the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid to release the water trapped within the agglomerates along with the entrained hydrophilic particles.

Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The apparatus has a tumbler cell and a rotation device to rotate the tumbler cell. The tumbler cell has a container to hold a mixture of the engineered media and the slurry containing the mineral particles. The container is turned such that at least part of the mixture in the upper part of the container is caused to interact with at least part of the mixture in the lower part of the container. As such, the contact between the engineered media and the mineral particles is enhanced. The surfaces of the engineered media are functionalized with a chemical having molecules to attract the mineral particles to the surfaces so as to form mineral laden media. After the mineral laden media are discharged from the tumbler cell, the mineral particles can be separated from the engineered media by stripping.

Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The apparatus has a tumbler cell and a rotation device to rotate the tumbler cell. The tumbler cell has a container to hold a mixture of the engineered media and the slurry containing the mineral particles. The container is turned such that at least part of the mixture in the upper part of the container is caused to interact with at least part of the mixture in the lower part of the container. As such, the contact between the engineered media and the mineral particles is enhanced. The surfaces of the engineered media are functionalized with a chemical having molecules to attract the mineral particles to the surfaces so as to form mineral laden media. After the mineral laden media are discharged from the tumbler cell, the mineral particles can be separated from the engineered media by stripping.

A modified selective recirculation circuit has a loading stage, a stripping stage and a filtering stage for use in processing a feed stream or slurry containing mineral particles. The stripping stage forms a first loop with the loading stage, a second loop with the filtering stage. The loading stage has a loading mixer and a loading washing screen. The stripping stage has a stripping mixer and a stripping washing screen. The loading mixer receives the slurry and causes barren media in the circuit to contact with the slurry so that the mineral particles in the slurry are loaded onto the barren media. The media is directed to the stripping stage where the mineral particles are removed from the media. The barren media is recycled to the loading stage. The stripping solution recovered from the filtering stage is returned to the stripping stage and the mineral particles are discharged as concentrate.

A modified selective recirculation circuit has a loading stage, a stripping stage and a filtering stage for use in processing a feed stream or slurry containing mineral particles. The stripping stage forms a first loop with the loading stage, a second loop with the filtering stage. The loading stage has a loading mixer and a loading washing screen. The stripping stage has a stripping mixer and a stripping washing screen. The loading mixer receives the slurry and causes barren media in the circuit to contact with the slurry so that the mineral particles in the slurry are loaded onto the barren media. The media is directed to the stripping stage where the mineral particles are removed from the media. The barren media is recycled to the loading stage. The stripping solution recovered from the filtering stage is returned to the stripping stage and the mineral particles are discharged as concentrate.

According to the invention, there is provided a process for the beneficiation of coal discards by increasing calorific value and carbon content while removing inert mineral matter and sulphur compounds. The process involves the pretreatment of wash water with a non-ionic kinetically energized surface-active agent and the admixture with a fixed mass of raw coal discard to enhance hydrophobicity and carboniferous particle agglomeration. Processing of the resulting suspension though a dedicated series of spiral separators and high frequency, resonance sieves reliably reduces excessive levels of mineral ash and sulphur compounds.

According to the invention, there is provided a process for the beneficiation of coal discards by increasing calorific value and carbon content while removing inert mineral matter and sulphur compounds. The process involves the pretreatment of wash water with a non-ionic kinetically energized surface-active agent and the admixture with a fixed mass of raw coal discard to enhance hydrophobicity and carboniferous particle agglomeration. Processing of the resulting suspension though a dedicated series of spiral separators and high frequency, resonance sieves reliably reduces excessive levels of mineral ash and sulphur compounds.

A method for separating cells in a biofluid includes pretreating the biofluid by introducing an additive comprising a cell activator, flowing the pretreated biofluid through a microfluidic separation channel, and applying acoustic energy to the microfluidic separation channel to accumulate target cells in a primary stream and non-target cells in a secondary stream. A system for microfluidic cell separation capable of separating target cells from non-target cells in a biofluid includes at least one microfluidic separation channel, a source of biofluid, a source of additive comprising a cell activator, and at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the microfluidic separation channel.