A disinfection apparatus and method is provided for disinfecting a fluid. The apparatus elements define three internal container volumes. Fluid is introduced into an entry volume where its flow is conditioned to reduce splash and slow the fluid flow. The fluid is then channeled into a disinfection volume where a disinfection unit delivers a disinfection agent to the fluid. Finally, the fluid exits the apparatus through an exit volume. In one aspect, a sink-trap is disclosed in which wastewater liquid contacts a pair of diverters. The diverters have conditioned contact surfaces that slows and spreads the liquid flow and reduces liquid splash. The wastewater then passes through a UV chamber in which it is disinfected. The liquid then exits the sink-trap. Advanced self-cleaning apparatus are additionally disclosed to clean and disinfect the sink-trap and trapped wastewater. The entire apparatus operates under computer control.

Fresh water contamination by heavy metals results from a variety of sources and can be damaging to wildlife, alter landscapes, and impact human health. metals removal form water sources is desirable for improving water quality and preventing adverse effects, but also for metals collection and recycling. Adsorption is a desirable metals extraction technique due to economic feasibility. Nanoscale materials exhibit high surface-area-to-volume ratio that lends to high adsorption and reactivity, making them ideal candidates for adsorptive metals extraction processes. Despite these properties, nanomaterials have elicited safety concerns. The extraordinarily small dimensions of these materials allow them to maneuver biological systems, tissues, and even cells, and combined with high reactivity, this translocation can result in toxic effects. It is therefore imperative that safety of nanomaterials for metals extraction be evaluated in addition to adsorptive properties. The current invention describes nanoparticles composed of magnetite, coated in hydroxyapatite, and functionalized for adsorption with titanium dioxide (TiHAMNPs). This material is safe, provides significant adsorption of metals, and allows efficient collection in magnetic systems.

Fresh water contamination by heavy metals results from a variety of sources and can be damaging to wildlife, alter landscapes, and impact human health. metals removal form water sources is desirable for improving water quality and preventing adverse effects, but also for metals collection and recycling. Adsorption is a desirable metals extraction technique due to economic feasibility. Nanoscale materials exhibit high surface-area-to-volume ratio that lends to high adsorption and reactivity, making them ideal candidates for adsorptive metals extraction processes. Despite these properties, nanomaterials have elicited safety concerns. The extraordinarily small dimensions of these materials allow them to maneuver biological systems, tissues, and even cells, and combined with high reactivity, this translocation can result in toxic effects. It is therefore imperative that safety of nanomaterials for metals extraction be evaluated in addition to adsorptive properties. The current invention describes nanoparticles composed of magnetite, coated in hydroxyapatite, and functionalized for adsorption with titanium dioxide (TiHAMNPs). This material is safe, provides significant adsorption of metals, and allows efficient collection in magnetic systems.

A device for treating a flow of water having a chamber (1) through which the flow of water passes. in the chamber (1), a voltage with alternating polarity is fed to two electrodes (15a, 15b) of at least one electrolysis device, whereby particles of the electrode material are released to and entrained by the flow of water. The particles in the flow of water are mixed in at least one nozzle (45) of a vortexing device.

Introduced here are treatment systems and associated processes for treating water using magnetic fields. A treatment system can comprise a hydromagnetic resonator that creates the magnetic fields through which water can be directed. A hydromagnetic resonator can include at least one expansion chamber that provides a tortuous path along which water is able to flow through a magnetic field created by an arrangement of permanent magnets and at least one convergent-divergent nozzle designed to accelerate the flow of waterpassing through a throat segment. Water directed through a hydromagnetic resonator will be magnetically treated while flowing through the magnetic field created by the arrangement of permanent magnets within each expansion chamber and then pressurized while flowing through the throat segment of each convergent-divergent nozzle.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for cleaning materials, such as flooring and upholstery. In some cases, the systems and methods use an electrolytic cell to electrolyze a solution comprising sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acetate, sodium percarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and/or any other suitable chemical to generate electrolyzed alkaline water and/or electrolyzed oxidizing water. In some cases, the cell comprises a recirculation loop that recirculates anolyte through an anode compartment of the cell. In some cases, the cell further comprises a senor and a processor, where the processor is configured to automatically change an operation of the cell, based on a reading from the sensor. In some cases, a fluid flows past a magnet before entering the cell. In some additional cases, fluid from the cell is conditioned by being split into multiple conduits that run in proximity to each other. Additional implementations are described.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for cleaning materials, such as flooring and upholstery. In some cases, the systems and methods use an electrolytic cell to electrolyze a solution comprising sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acetate, sodium percarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and/or any other suitable chemical to generate electrolyzed alkaline water and/or electrolyzed oxidizing water. In some cases, the cell comprises a recirculation loop that recirculates anolyte through an anode compartment of the cell. In some cases, the cell further comprises a senor and a processor, where the processor is configured to automatically change an operation of the cell, based on a reading from the sensor. In some cases, a fluid flows past a magnet before entering the cell. In some additional cases, fluid from the cell is conditioned by being split into multiple conduits that run in proximity to each other. Additional implementations are described.

The physical water treatment device, in particular in a flexible water inlet (1), comprises at least one pair of electrodes (2) for water galvanization and at least one means for inserting and fixing the electrodes (2). The means for inserting and fixing the electrodes (2) together with the electrodes (2) form an integral body (3), the resulting shape of which is adapted for the insertion into the flexible water inlet (1). The integral body (3) completely blocks the flexible water inlet (1) and is hollow so that the water flowing through the flexible inlet (1) flows through the electrodes (2) of the integral body (3). The electrodes (2) form a flow-through galvanization system in the integral body (3).

Systems and methods for treatment of hard water are disclosed that relate to combining a scale reduction device with a water softener device. In an aspect, the water softener device is an ion exchange water softener device. The systems and methods can be used to provide treated water having the same or similar performance quality compared to water produced by ion exchange water softener devices alone, while using significantly less chemical regenerant.

A desalination and lithium collection system has a primary brine chamber receiving brine from a brine inlet. A charged metal has anodes and cathodes, submerged in the brine in the primary brine chamber. Electrical power applied is to the charged metal as alternating current having a frequency of less than 2kHz for conducting a primary electrolysis. A water vapor collection chamber fluidly connected to the primary brine chamber and configured to collect water vapor generated from the charged metal. A condenser chamber is fluidly connected to the water vapor collection chamber and configured to condense water vapor. A freshwater chamber is fluidly connected to the condenser and configured to collect freshwater.