A porous pipe for use in offshore water intake and discharge systems is provided, which is able to strain and filter water directly within the water body along the length of the pipe. Features of the porous pipe can be designed to optimize performance and flow rates for the particular environment, including the pore distribution and diameter along the pipe, the wall thickness and materials along the pipe; and the placement of piezoelectric devices to vibrate the pipe wall to remove impinged debris from pores.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid. That apparatus comprises a flow chamber with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A drive circuit configured to provide a drive signal to a filter circuit configured to receive the drive signal and provide a translated drive signal. An ultrasonic transducer is cooperatively arranged with the flow chamber, and transducer includes at least one piezoelectric element configured to be driven by the current drive signal to create an acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. At least one reflector opposing the ultrasonic transducer to reflect acoustic energy.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid. That apparatus comprises a flow chamber with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A drive circuit configured to provide a drive signal to a filter circuit configured to receive the drive signal and provide a translated drive signal. An ultrasonic transducer is cooperatively arranged with the flow chamber, and transducer includes at least one piezoelectric element configured to be driven by the current drive signal to create an acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. At least one reflector opposing the ultrasonic transducer to reflect acoustic energy.

A filter for water treatment exhibiting high filtering capability by preventing vortices, and a filter apparatus including same is provided. The filter for water treatment, which is a cross flow type filter, includes a metal thin plate and a plurality of micropores passing through the metal thin plate so as to filter water flowing on one side of the metal thin plate. A micropore includes an inlet port which is formed on one surface of the metal thin plate and through which water flows in; a discharge port which is formed on the other surface positioned opposite from the one surface of the metal thin plate, and through which the water flowing in through the inlet port is discharged; and a curved portion convexly curved towards the inside of the micropore connects the inlet port and the discharge port. The curved portion and the other surface form a singular surface.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid. That apparatus comprises a flow chamber with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A drive circuit configured to provide a drive signal to a filter circuit configured to receive the drive signal and provide a translated drive signal. An ultrasonic transducer is cooperatively arranged with the flow chamber, and transducer includes at least one piezoelectric element configured to be driven by the current drive signal to create an acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. At least one reflector opposing the ultrasonic transducer to reflect acoustic energy.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid. That apparatus comprises a flow chamber with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A drive circuit configured to provide a drive signal to a filter circuit configured to receive the drive signal and provide a translated drive signal. An ultrasonic transducer is cooperatively arranged with the flow chamber, and transducer includes at least one piezoelectric element configured to be driven by the current drive signal to create an acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. At least one reflector opposing the ultrasonic transducer to reflect acoustic energy.

Disclosed is a dynamic separation and filtration system for dewatering and dehydrating of slurries and sludges. The system includes a compression filter press cylinder in which hydraulic pressure within a sealed liner is used to press and separate moisture from a sludge. A self-contained closed sealed liner pressurizing component is connected thereto, for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the sealed liner, and a compressed air and vacuum and backflushing cylinder component is connected thereto for voiding the press cylinder of a resulting cake. A sludge transfer and metering component supplies metered quantities of sludge to the press cylinder. A dynamic filtration clarifier and thickener initially separates solids from a slurry and thickens the slurry into sludge that is supplied to the metering component.

Disclosed is a dynamic separation and filtration system for dewatering and dehydrating of slurries and sludges. The system includes a compression filter press cylinder in which hydraulic pressure within a sealed liner is used to press and separate moisture from a sludge. A self-contained closed sealed liner pressurizing component is connected thereto, for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the sealed liner, and a compressed air and vacuum and backflushing cylinder component is connected thereto for voiding the press cylinder of a resulting cake. A sludge transfer and metering component supplies metered quantities of sludge to the press cylinder. A dynamic filtration clarifier and thickener initially separates solids from a slurry and thickens the slurry into sludge that is supplied to the metering component.

The invention relates to a method for cleaning a filter element made of a porous material. The method comprises directing ultrasound to the filter element, and directing after a predefined time from starting of the ultrasound an impulse to a filtrate reservoir causing filtrate inside the filtrate reservoir to be forced inside the filter element in order to remove particles from the surface of the filter element. Pressure of the impulse is between 4 to 8 times higher than the forward pressure and also that the reverse flux, measured in volume per area time, caused by the impulse is at the minimum 2 to 8 times the feed flux. The invention also relates to a filtering device comprising a filter element made of a porous material.

An RF driver provides power to an acoustic transducer, which can be implemented as a piezoelectric element, which presents a reactive load. The driver can be a linear amplifier or a combination of a DC-DC converter and DC-AC inverter. 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 transducer to provide efficient operation of that transducer. An implementation of the controller can be provided in modular hardware.