The present disclosure includes a process for pelletizing a spent bleaching earth (SBE) into a clay-biocarbon composite including classifying the SBE based on at least one parameter of the SBE, selecting at least one filler compound and mixing the at least one filler compound with the SBE to make a mixture, forming a plurality of pellets out of the mixture, and pyrolyzing the pellets to produce the clay-biocarbon composite. Pyrolyzing a pelleted spent bleaching earth (SBE) may include advancing the pelleted SBE with a distributer to a first thermal chamber for providing even thermal processing, releasing the pelleted SBE to an auger to cool to room temperature, and condensing at least one volatile compound emitted from the pelleted SBE during thermal processing to produce a condensate for reuse.

In accordance with one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts, a porous ceramic structure includes a three-dimensional printed structure having predefined features, where the three-dimensional structure has a geometric shape. The average length of the features may be at least 10 microns. The three-dimensional structure includes a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, where the pores form continuous channels through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material.

The invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for conditioning a zirconium oxide sorbent module for use in dialysis after recharging. The devices, systems, and methods can provide for conditioning and recharging of zirconium oxide in a single system, or in separate systems.

A lithium adsorbent includes an aluminum-based adsorbing material, a binder, and a wetting and dispersing agent. The binder includes at least one of a vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene (VDF-CTFE) copolymer and a fluoroolefin-vinyl ether copolymer. The wetting and dispersing agent includes one or more of polyethylene glycol, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, and formaldehyde condensate.

A Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) sorbent material of the present invention includes a multi-metallic oxide that includes one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal, one or more 3d transition metal, and one or more rare earth element. The NOx sorbent material is configured to adsorb and absorb NOx below a low temperature and to release the adsorbed or absorbed NOx at temperature at or above the low temperature. In some embodiments, a manganese catalyst is deposited on a high surface area carrier. The manganese catalyst takes the form of an alkali/metal promotor and an Mn-based compound. In general, the NOx sorbent material contains about one percent to about fifty percent by weight of alkali/alkaline earth metal manganese catalyst based on the total weight of the catalyst.

Processes are disclosed for the preparation of granular sorbent, useful to recover lithium values from brine. The process comprises reacting a granular aluminum hydroxide with an aqueous solution containing lithium salt and alkali hydroxide, optionally in the presence of alkali chloride. The granular aluminum hydroxide can be a compressed aluminum hydroxide having an average particle size of at least 300 microns. The granular sorbent obtained by the method and its use to recover lithium values from brine are disclosed.

The invention relates to a process for the regeneration of an adsorber. For the regeneration a liquid stream (S2) comprising at least one alkane is converted from liquid phase into gaseous phase. Then the adsorber is regenerated and heated by contact with gaseous stream (S2) up to 230 to 270° C. Subsequently, the adsorber is cooled first by contact with gaseous stream (S2) to a temperature of 90 to 150° C. followed by cooling with liquid stream (S2) to a temperature below 80° C. The outflow of the adsorber (S2*) during the cooling with gaseous stream (S2) and optionally the outflow of the adsorber (S2*) during cooling with liquid stream (S2) is recycled in at least one of these steps.

A regeneration solvent comprised of one or more ethylene amines may contact an adsorbent bed that has been used to remove sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream to extract adsorbed sulfur compounds from the adsorbent material in the bed to regenerate it. The one or more ethyleneamines may have structure (I), (II), or (III): ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, to the extent chemically possible, independently H, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 linear or branched alkyl, amido (RRNC═O), or hydroxyalkyl, where each R in the amido group is independently H or C.sub.1 alkyl, where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are alkylene of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where x ranges from 0 to 3, y ranges from 1 to 6. The regenerated adsorbent bed may be reused, either alone or in combination with a liquid-liquid extraction column, to remove sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream.

The invention provides methods and systems for sanitizing and/or regenerating porous filter media using dissolved ozone in the filter backwash under fluidized conditions.

Methods of forming a nanocomposite of a base material and a plurality of nanoparticles are provided. In embodiments, the method comprises combining a first input stream of flowing fluid comprising a base material having nucleation sites, a second input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle precursor material, and a third input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle nucleation agent, to form an output stream of flowing fluid; heating or sonicating or both heating and sonicating the output stream for a period of time; and collecting a nanocomposite formed within the fluid of the output stream, the nanocomposite comprising the base material and a plurality of nanoparticles directly anchored onto a surface of the base material via the nucleation sites. The nanocomposites are also provided.