The present invention is a device for sterilizing microorganisms on a liquid or solid substrate. The device includes a light source for producing a light and an optical device positioned proximate the light source. The optical device is configured to focus the light generated by the light source to provide a high intensity light output. The optical device also includes a dichroic reflector. The dichroic reflector is configured to pass thermal energy generated by the light source and reflect the light produced by the light source. The device also includes a power supply, where the power supply is coupled to the light source and the optical device. The device thereby killing microbial organisms presented within the range of the high intensity light output.

The present invention pertains to a process for treating waste water from mining. The process involves contacting the mining waste water with an emulsion of a nano scale compound comprising iron, magnesium, or both. Mixing results in a substantially foam-like layer at the surface of the mixture which may be further oxidized to form treated water.

This disclosure includes systems and methods for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, systems and methods for optimizing liquid water production from air, in some instances, taking into account diurnal variations. The systems comprise an adsorption zone an a desorption zone, an actuator to move a desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone. The liquid water production is optimized based, at least in part, on measurements of one or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.

A UV disinfectant system may include a chamber having a wall that is transparent to a disinfecting radiation. Liquid may be flowed through the chamber for treatment by exposure to the radiation. The chamber may include a static mixer having vanes to impede laminar flow of the liquid during treatment. The vanes extend into the flow path of the liquid through the chamber. A gap is defined between the vanes and the transparent wall. A cabinet may house the chamber and radiation emitting bulbs. Blowers may be operably coupled to a temperature sensor and flow meter and positioned at a lower end and upper end of the cabinet to urge air out of the cabinet. The temperature sensor may include a thermocouple. The blowers may be variable speed blowers. The system may include a controller to control system operations. The controller may be remotely accessible to monitor or control operations.

The present invention relates to a filter medium (10) for air and/or water cleaning, comprising a semiconductor photocatalytic material (14) and a light energy source (15) for radiating light provided to activate photocatalytic reactions of the semiconductor photocatalytic material (14). The light energy source (15) is configured as a support (16) for the semiconductor photocatalytic material (14). The filter medium (10) can be incorporated into a filter unit (100).

In one embodiment, a system includes a disinfection system configured to disinfect a first fluid. The system further includes a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system configured to treat a second fluid, wherein the disinfection system is fluidly coupled to the MBBR system upstream of the MBBR system, downstream of the MBBR, or wherein the disinfection system is disposed in the MBBR system.

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.

A composite filtration material is provided as well as a method for preparing the same. A filter is also provided that is fabricated with the presently disclosed composite filtration material. In various aspects, the provided composite filtration material may include activated carbon doped with silver and/or iron oxide. A one-step thermal decomposition process is provided that may be employed to prepare the provided composite filtration materials. The one-step thermal decomposition process may include dissolving one or more precursors in water, spraying the dissolved one or more precursors onto activated carbon, and heating the activated carbon saturated with the one or more precursors for a predetermined amount of time. The inventors have found that the provided composite filtration materials are more effective (e.g., higher removal of pollutants) and have a longer service life as compared to typical activated carbon filtration materials.

A water purification apparatus includes a water intake configured to receive water to the water purification apparatus, a filter part including a plurality of filters configured to filter the water and generate purified water, a water outlet including a plurality of water outlet ports configured to discharge the purified water, and one or more pipes that define a water purification path configured to guide the water from the water intake through at least one of the plurality of filters to thereby provide the purified water to at least one of the plurality of water outlet ports.