Method and apparatus to facilitate recycling of at least one fraction of bitumen-containing materials. This can be accomplished by dissolving the at least one fraction, for example, maltenes or asphaltenes in roofing shingles, into at least one solvent. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a dissolution vessel, a tumbler positioned therein, and at least one solvent distributor. The tumbler is configured to facilitate wetting the bitumen-containing materials with solvent. In a second aspect, a system comprises the apparatus, a solid-liquid separator, for example, a vibratory screen, and at least one solvent-fraction separator, for example, a flash drum. The at least one solvent can comprise one or more solvents useful to extract the at least one fraction. In a third aspect, a first fraction is extracted from the bitumen-containing materials with a first solvent composition, then a second fraction is extracted from the remaining bitumen-containing materials with a second solvent composition.

A star-shape nanoparticle that adsorbs arsenic in a solution, a method of producing the star-shape nanoparticle, and a method of determining an arsenic concentration in an arsenic-containing solution via the star-shape nanoparticle and fluorescence spectroscopy are provided. Various embodiments of the star-shape nanoparticle, the method of producing thereof, and the method of using thereof to determine an arsenic concentration in a solution are also provided.

Acoustophoretic devices and methods for separating biological cells (particularly T-cells) from other fluids/materials using multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves are disclosed. The devices include an inlet, at least two outlets, and a flow chamber having an ultrasonic transducer-reflector pair. Specifically, T cells, B cells, or NK cells can be separated from other blood components. A dual-pass acoustophoretic system including two acoustophoretic devices arranged in series and fluidly connected to one another is also illustrated. Means for pre-chilling the mixture prior to separation in the devices or system can be used to improve retention, concentration, and clarification and to prevent outgassing.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus for refining a liquid stream which includes a liquid carrier with a heavier waste and a lighter waste. The apparatus includes a first flow chamber, a second flow chamber, and plates. The first flow chamber is a cone structure and directs the liquid stream downwards in a first direction at a first velocity. The first velocity is greater than a settling velocity of a heavier waste in the liquid carrier. The second flow chamber directs the liquid carrier upwards in a second direction at a second velocity less than the settling velocity. The plates are in the second flow chamber and at a transition between the first and second flow chambers. The plates have an inclined geometry to cause laminar flow in the liquid stream to separate the heavier waste to a lower collection chamber and lighter waste to an upper collection reservoir.

A process for removing hydrocarbons and water from hydrocarbon and/or water containing drilling waste. The process includes introducing hydrocarbon contaminated drill cuttings and a cleaning solvent into a solvent wash tank. Prior to introducing the hydrocarbon contaminated drill cuttings into a solvent wash tank, the hydrocarbon contaminated drill cuttings are treated with a hydrocarbon solvent such as hexane to break the surface tension of the hydrocarbons in a solvent sealed vertical centrifugal separator to remove hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon contaminated drill cuttings, resulting in improved efficiency of the hydrocarbon removal process. Apparatus for performing the process is also described.

An apparatus includes a chamber and an intake device configured to control a flow of fluid into the chamber. The fluid comprises particles; a resonance device is configured to resonate the chamber to provide an acoustic standing wave within the chambers. The frequency of the standing wave is selected to cause particles above a specific size to collect at a node of the standing wave.

An acoustophoretic system is controlled and driven to attain a desired level of performance. An RF controller and a driver provide a frequency and power to an acoustic transducer, which can be implemented as a piezoelectric element, which presents a reactive load or a complex load. A controller implements a control technique for efficient transducer operation. The control technique can locate a frequency for operation that is at a reactance minimum or maximum for the system to produce a modal pattern and to provide efficient operation of the transducer. A method of detecting a minimum or maximum reactance in a acoustophoretic system used to trap, separate, deflect, cluster, fractionate or otherwise process particles or secondary fluids or tertiary fluids in a primary fluid and utilizing the frequency of the detected reactance to operate the acoustophoretic system.

Acoustophoretic devices and methods for concentrating targeted biological cells in a reduced volume using multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves are disclosed. The methods include flowing a mixture of a host fluid and the biological cells through an acoustophoretic device. The acoustophoretic devices include an inlet, an outlet, and a flow chamber having an ultrasonic transducer-reflector pair. Biological cells, such as T cells, are separated from a host fluid for utilization in allergenic or autologous cell therapies. The disclosed devices and methods are capable of concentrating biological cells to at least 100 times their original cell concentration. The disclosed methods and devices are further capable of decreasing an original feed volume to a final concentrated volume that is less than one percent of the original feed volume.

A method of performing acoustically enhanced sedimentation in a sample of a suspension comprising particles and a fluid is provided. The method comprises the steps of: i. introducing a volume of the sample into an accumulation zone of a microfluidic cavity; ii performing the substeps of: a. during a first time period: subjecting the volume to an acoustic standing wave configured to cause the particles in the volume to accumulate in at least a first region of the volume; b. during a second time period: subjecting the volume to a gravitational field affecting the particles and the fluid so that the particles accumulated in the at least one first region sediment in a first direction in relation to the direction of the gravitational field, thereby removing particles from the volume; and iii. moving the volume in a second direction opposite the first direction by introducing a subsequent volume of the sample into the accumulation zone of the microfluidic cavity. An acoustofluidic system is also provided.

A method of separating a metal organic framework (MOF) from a solution and associated apparatus. The method comprises: providing a MOF containing solution; contacting the MOF containing solution with an acoustic reflector surface such that, any high frequency ultrasound applied within the MOF containing solution reflects off the acoustic reflector surface; and applying a high frequency ultrasound of at least 20 kHz to the MOF containing solution. The MOF material is substantially separated from solution as aggregated sediment that settles out of solution.