A method of synthesizing a medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption comprises providing a toluene solution containing a polymer or a polymer mixture; immersing porous wool-like structure (PW) in the toluene solution for a period of time; and removing the immersed PW from the toluene solution, and heat-treating the immersed PW to obtain the medium comprising polymer-modified PW, wherein the polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water or salty water.

Method and apparatuses for forming gel droplets including biological tissue (e.g., cells), and in particular, methods and apparatuses for removing oil from the gel droplets comprising dissociated cells (including micro-organospheres) are described herein. Although it is beneficial to use oil in the formation of these gel droplets, and particularly micro-organospheres, oil may inhibit growth and survival of the cells within the gel droplets. The methods and apparatuses described herein may permit the removal of oil and may enhance survival and quality of the resulting gel droplets.

A thermal management system includes a refrigerant receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, an evaporator arrangement that removes heat from a heat load converting a portion of the refrigerant fluid to refrigerant vapor and a liquid separator having an inlet, a liquid side outlet, and a vapor side outlet. The system also includes a pump that pumps refrigerant liquid received from the liquid side outlet of the liquid separator and a closed-circuit refrigeration system having a closed-circuit fluid path that includes the refrigerant receiver, the liquid separator, the pump, and the evaporator arrangement, the closed-circuit refrigeration system further including a compressor and a condenser. The system also including an open-circuit refrigeration system having an open-circuit fluid path that includes the refrigerant receiver, the liquid separator, the pump, and the evaporator arrangement, and further including a back-pressure regulator configured to receive refrigerant vapor from the vapor side outlet of the liquid separator and an exhaust line coupled to the outlet of the back-pressure regulator, with refrigerant vapor from the exhaust line not returning to the refrigerant receiver.

A method for cleaning up oil spills using multi-layered carbon fiber-based absorbents is disclosed. The method for cleaning up oil spills requires an oil-contaminated area including a quantity of oil, a first storage vessel, an oil extraction machine, a heating element, and a multi-layered carbon fiber absorbent. The multi-layered modified carbon fiber absorbent is distributed to the oil-contaminated area, where the multi-layered modified carbon fiber absorbent is configured to extract the quantity of oil from the oil-contaminated area while maintaining hydrophobic. The quantity of oil is extracted and separated from the multi-layered modified carbon fiber absorbent using the oil extraction machine. The extracted quantity of oil is collected into the first storage vessel. The extract quantity of oil is then transferred over to a second storage vessel for later refinement.

Provided is a toothed drum type oil recovery device, which includes: a recovery drum having a center coupled to a rotary shaft and having a plurality of tooth units formed around an outer circumference thereof, wherein one side of the recovery drum is disposed in the water to which oil is spilled so that the oil is recovered by the tooth unit at one side of the recovery drum according to the rotation; and a separation unit containing an oil separating liquid and disposed at the other side of the recovery drum, wherein when the tooth unit moves onto the oil separating liquid at the other side of the recovery drum according to the rotation of the recovery drum, the oil separating liquid is introduced into a space between the tooth units adjacent to each other by means of a capillary action to separate the oil from the tooth unit.

An apparatus for collection and disposal of fats, oil and grease that includes a fabric container having at least one open end, a biogradable material capable of absorbing a large quantity of fats, oil and grease positioned in the container through the open end, the container and biogradable material adapted for being placed in a source of fats, oil and/or grease for absorbing the Pats, oil and/or grease for removal from the source and for transport to a location for processing.

The present invention relates to a method and/or device for improving the separation behaviors and performance of aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) for the isolation and/or concentration of one or more target analytes from a sample. In one embodiment, the present method and device comprise ATPS components within a porous material and one or more phase separation behavior modifying agents that improve the separation behavior and performance characteristics of ATPS, including but not limited to the increasing the stability or reducing fluctuations of ATPS thought the adjustment of total volume of a sample solution that undergoes phase separation, volume ratio of the two phases of the ATPS, fluid flow rates, and concentrations of ATPS components.

The present disclosure is directed to providing an oil-water separation filter structure including a base guide having a separated water outlet hole through which a fluid separated from a mixed fluid including an impurity exits, an oil-water separation filter disposed on the base guide to separate the impurity and the fluid included in the mixed liquid, and a top guide disposed on the oil-water separation filter, having at least one mixed fluid inlet hole through which the mixed fluid enters, and coupled to the base guide. According to the present disclosure, the oil-water separation filter structure includes a hydrophilic material to separate water and oil, and as opposed to the existing nonwoven fabric type filters, can be continuously used, thereby preventing environmental pollution problems.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus (10) for remediation of a site contaminated by an oil spill. The apparatus (10) comprises a porous capsule (12) encapsulating material (14) for sorbing oil. The material (14) comprises granules of an at least semi-open cell polymeric foam, the granules being less than 10cm3 in size. Ingredients from which the polymeric foam is formed comprise acrylonitrile butadiene rubber as a major constituent thereof by weight.

A skimming apparatus with a pivot arm and a drive follower on the pivot arm that guides a belting to facilitate precise placement of the belting for efficient skimming.