Methods and apparatuses for adding gas bubbles to a tank containing liquid at locations that allow the bubbles to rise to the top of the tank are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a membrane filtration system connected to a gas source and a drain. The membrane filtration system draws gas into the system from the gas in response to a reduced pressure profile created by opening a drain. The gas may be air supplied at atmospheric pressure.

Disclosed are microfluidic chips and methods of loading the same. Some microfluidic chips include a microfluidic network that has an inlet port, a channel configured to receive liquid from the inlet port, and a droplet-generating region that includes an end of the channel having a transverse dimension, a constant portion extending from the end of the channel and having a constant transverse dimension that is larger than the traverse dimension of the end of the channel, and an expanding portion extending from the constant portion, wherein the transverse dimension of the end of the channel, the transverse dimension of the constant portion, and a length of the constant portion are configured such that, when an aqueous liquid is flowed through the droplet-generating region in the presence of a non-aqueous liquid, droplets of the aqueous liquid are completely formed in the constant portion.

An object is to provide a slurry storage and stirring device which can sufficiently flow even a high-concentration slurry by a simple means and is excellent in stirring properties. Disclosed is a slurry storage and stirring device including a container which stores a slurry containing particles and a solvent, and in this device, the container has an inner wall provided inside the container and formed of a porous body which passes a gas supplied to the container through the porous body to generate fine bubbles in the slurry.

A microfluidic chip that can have a body defining a microfluidic network including a test volume, one or more ports, and one or more channels in fluid communication between the port(s) and the test volume. Gas can be removed from the test volume before a sample liquid is introduced therein by reducing pressure at a first one of the port(s), optionally while the liquid is disposed in the port. Liquid in the first port can be introduced into the test volume by increasing pressure at the first port. The microfluidic network can define one or more droplet-generating regions in which at least one of the channel(s) defines a constriction and/or two or more of the channels connect at a junction. Liquid flowing from the first port can pass through at least one of the droplet-generating region(s) and to the test volume.

A microfluidic chip that can have a body defining a microfluidic network including a test volume, one or more ports, and one or more channels in fluid communication between the port(s) and the test volume. Gas can be removed from the test volume before a sample liquid is introduced therein by reducing pressure at a first one of the port(s), optionally while the liquid is disposed in the port. Liquid in the first port can be introduced into the test volume by increasing pressure at the first port. The microfluidic network can define one or more droplet-generating regions in which at least one of the channel(s) defines a constriction and/or two or more of the channels connect at a junction. Liquid flowing from the first port can pass through at least one of the droplet-generating region(s) and to the test volume.

A mixing apparatus includes a phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply, an additive supply, a tank, a phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply path and an additive supply path. The phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply is configured to supply a phosphoric acid aqueous solution. The additive supply is configured to supply an additive configured to suppress precipitation of a silicon oxide. The phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply path is configured to connect the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply with the tank. The additive supply path is configured to connect the additive supply with the tank. The additive is supplied while fluidity is imparted to the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supplied from the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply into the tank.

An apparatus (100) for mixing a liquid (160) containing particulates (106, 108) comprising: a vessel (102) for containing the liquid (160) that includes a sidewall (120) and a bottom (124); and an impeller (300) rotating about a substantially vertical axis (X-X), said impeller (104): adapted for submerging below the liquid surface (162) by a distance that is approximately one-tenth to one-half of the height of the liquid (129); and include at least two annually spaced apart blades (310) extending radially outwardly of the vertical axis (X-X), the blades (310) comprising back-swept blades that are pitched substantially parallel to the vertical axis (X-X), at least 50% of the length of each blade (310) comprising an angled section (312) extending through a chord angle of 20 to 60 degrees; to produce (a) an inner, upward flow region (164) located along said vertical axis (X-X), (b) a transition flow region (166) located around the impeller (300) in which liquid moves radially outwardly toward the vessel sidewall (120), and (c) an outer, downward flow region (168) located along the sidewall (120).

A microfluidic chip that can have a body defining a microfluidic network including a test volume, one or more ports, and one or more channels in fluid communication between the port(s) and the test volume. Gas can be removed from the test volume before a sample liquid is introduced therein by reducing pressure at a first one of the port(s), optionally while the liquid is disposed in the port. Liquid in the first port can be introduced into the test volume by increasing pressure at the first port. The microfluidic network can define one or more droplet-generating regions in which at least one of the channel(s) defines a constriction and/or two or more of the channels connect at a junction. Liquid flowing from the first port can pass through at least one of the droplet-generating region(s) and to the test volume.

An airlift, water mixing system that passes biocides, algaecides and gas through a ship's ballast water tanks and its pipping to control water PH. Vertically moving diffusion grids provide air sparging in treated ballast water that accommodates variances in ballast water levels without changes in pressure or power used by an air compressor connected to a diffusion grid.

A device for mixing powders by a cryogenic fluid, characterised in that it comprises: a chamber for mixing the powders, comprising a cryogenic fluid, provided with means for forming a fluidised powder bed; a chamber for supplying powders in order to allow the powders to be introduced into the mixing chamber; a chamber for supplying cryogenic fluid in order to allow the cryogenic fluid to be introduced into the mixing chamber; a system for generating vibrations in the fluidised powder bed; and a system for controlling the system for generating vibrations.