Disclosed are methods, devices and systems to cause differential evaporation of micro-droplets in a scalable fashion. In some embodiments, an attenuated laser is used to focus an attenuated laser power to the center of an aqueous solution droplet, producing a differential evaporative flux profile that is peaked at the droplet apex. The laser-induced differential evaporation described herein is a breakthrough in the enrichment and focused deposition of water-soluble molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, inks, and other small molecules. Disclosed is a general solution to remove the coffee-ring effect, ubiquitous in the drying process of aqueous droplets that causes many adverse outcomes. The disclosed techniques enable new paradigms in liquid biopsy combinational analysis, microarray fabrication, and ink-jet printing.

A self-contained .[.portable.]. waste water evaporating apparatus is shown. A solar-operated submersible pump pumps waste water from just under the surface of a waste water pit, through a pair of automatic backflushing filters and out misters located around the bank of the waste water pit. At a predetermined pressure across the automatic backflushing filters, the automatic backflushing filters are reverse cycled, one at a time, to backflushing particles back into the waste water pit. Periodically, the misters are purged and/or cleaned to remove particles therefrom. In response to sunlight, solar panels provide DC voltage directly to the submersible pump. If pressure from the submersible pump gets excessive, a pressure relief valve removes the excess pressure.

A self-contained .[.portable.]. waste water evaporating apparatus is shown. A solar-operated submersible pump pumps waste water from just under the surface of a waste water pit, through a pair of automatic backflushing filters and out misters located around the bank of the waste water pit. At a predetermined pressure across the automatic backflushing filters, the automatic backflushing filters are reverse cycled, one at a time, to backflushing particles back into the waste water pit. Periodically, the misters are purged and/or cleaned to remove particles therefrom. In response to sunlight, solar panels provide DC voltage directly to the submersible pump. If pressure from the submersible pump gets excessive, a pressure relief valve removes the excess pressure.

An atomizing spray dryer employs one or more stages defined by ultrasonic transducers in close proximity to a liquid feed opening forming a path of an atomization flow for producing uniform droplets from a close tolerance with the transducer. The atomization flow exits a gap between the transducer and an outer edge of the opening, such that the passed liquid is responsive to an oscillation of the transducer for forming the droplets. A conical or other suitably shaped transducer engages a substantially round liquid feed opening. Subsequent stages may include a circular, ring, or other suitable shape aligned to receive the atomization flow from a circumference of the conical base, or may also take any suitable shape, preferably to receive droplets directed by the first stage.

An atomizing spray dryer employs one or more stages defined by ultrasonic transducers in close proximity to a liquid feed opening forming a path of an atomization flow for producing uniform droplets from a close tolerance with the transducer. The atomization flow exits a gap between the transducer and an outer edge of the opening, such that the passed liquid is responsive to an oscillation of the transducer for forming the droplets. A conical or other suitably shaped transducer engages a substantially round liquid feed opening. Subsequent stages may include a circular, ring, or other suitable shape aligned to receive the atomization flow from a circumference of the conical base, or may also take any suitable shape, preferably to receive droplets directed by the first stage.

A process and apparatus for removing moisture from sludge. The process and apparatus comprise: conveying on a conveyor the sludge on an incline through a housing such that, as the sludge is conveyed, it is deposited onto an exposed portion of the housing; heating the sludge with a heater as it is conveyed on the incline to evaporate moisture in the sludge, whereby the sludge that it is deposited onto the exposed portion of the housing is also heated to thereby evaporate moisture from the sludge; extracting from the housing using a vacuum device an airflow comprising the evaporated moisture, whereby the airflow includes moisture that has been evaporated as a result of the sludge being deposited onto the exposed heated portion of the housing; and discharging from the housing, separately to the extracting of the airflow from the housing, the sludge from which the moisture has been removed.

A process and apparatus for removing moisture from sludge. The process and apparatus comprise: conveying on a conveyor the sludge on an incline through a housing such that, as the sludge is conveyed, it is deposited onto an exposed portion of the housing; heating the sludge with a heater as it is conveyed on the incline to evaporate moisture in the sludge, whereby the sludge that it is deposited onto the exposed portion of the housing is also heated to thereby evaporate moisture from the sludge; extracting from the housing using a vacuum device an airflow comprising the evaporated moisture, whereby the airflow includes moisture that has been evaporated as a result of the sludge being deposited onto the exposed heated portion of the housing; and discharging from the housing, separately to the extracting of the airflow from the housing, the sludge from which the moisture has been removed.

The present disclosure discloses a microwave flash evaporation process and apparatus and uses thereof. A microwave flash evaporation process, wherein the process makes integration of those technologies for liquid spraying, liquid droplet flash evaporation, microwave enhancement, vacuum steam discharge, and simulation and optimization of multi-mode resonant cavity, wherein through the coupling effect of the microwave, by means of one stage microwave flash evaporation, the effect normally achieved by multi-effect evaporation and flash evaporation is obtained and a liquid droplet micro-system with microwave energy transfer in situ is formed so as to prevent a circulation pump and a steam heat exchange system from being corroded under high temperature and high pressure, and prevent scaling on a heat exchanger, and improve evaporation efficiency. The present disclosure makes integration of those technologies for liquid spraying, liquid droplet flash evaporation, microwave enhancement, vacuum steam discharge, and simulation and optimization of multi-mode resonant cavity, and can be used for performing the processes of effluent disposal, seawater desalination, evaporation concentration of spent liquor of Bayer process, concentration crystallization of chemical production, sterilization of solution, unoil of solution, the rectification separation for various organic mixed solutions, sterilization, unoil and dehydration of solid powder. There is a prospect for this new process of the present disclosure with short technological process to upgrade the evaporation process.

The present disclosure discloses a microwave flash evaporation process and apparatus and uses thereof. A microwave flash evaporation process, wherein the process makes integration of those technologies for liquid spraying, liquid droplet flash evaporation, microwave enhancement, vacuum steam discharge, and simulation and optimization of multi-mode resonant cavity, wherein through the coupling effect of the microwave, by means of one stage microwave flash evaporation, the effect normally achieved by multi-effect evaporation and flash evaporation is obtained and a liquid droplet micro-system with microwave energy transfer in situ is formed so as to prevent a circulation pump and a steam heat exchange system from being corroded under high temperature and high pressure, and prevent scaling on a heat exchanger, and improve evaporation efficiency. The present disclosure makes integration of those technologies for liquid spraying, liquid droplet flash evaporation, microwave enhancement, vacuum steam discharge, and simulation and optimization of multi-mode resonant cavity, and can be used for performing the processes of effluent disposal, seawater desalination, evaporation concentration of spent liquor of Bayer process, concentration crystallization of chemical production, sterilization of solution, unoil of solution, the rectification separation for various organic mixed solutions, sterilization, unoil and dehydration of solid powder. There is a prospect for this new process of the present disclosure with short technological process to upgrade the evaporation process.

The systems and methods reduce the total acid number (TAN) in crude oil. The crude oil, that includes naphthenic acid, is mixed with at least a caustic solution (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to produce a mixture. After mixing, the mixture is pumped to an atomizing tank. The mixture is spray-atomized in the mixing tank to produce a condensed liquid state of the crude oil that settles at the bottom of the atomizer tank and to produce minute droplets (e.g. mist, fog or the like) of the caustic. The minute droplets interact with and neutralize the naphthenic acid in the condensed liquid state of the crude oil for a predefined period of time. As a result, the resulting crude oil in the bottom of the atomizer tank has a reduced TAN and includes salt water. Additionally, the resulting crude oil has a water concentration that does not exceed 0.5%.