The present invention relates to a water treatment system comprising a pre-filtering device receiving water, such as waste water, to be treated and providing a filtrate, and a biological treatment device being fluidic connectable to or in fluidic connection with the pre-filtering device for receiving the filtrate from the pre-filtering device. The biological treatment device is adapted to perform a biological treatment of the filtrate and to provide sludge solids. The pre-filtering device is a cake filtration device having a filtration cake wherein the filtration cake is being provided by deposition of solids from the sludge formed in the biological treatment device. A water treatment process employing the system and a method of forming a filter cake are also described.

A method of treating at least one surface includes a step of contacting the at least one surface with an aqueous solution obtained by mixing in water an aqueous formulation having at least one biosurfactant and at least one organic acid. The weight ratio between the at least one biosurfactant and the at least one organic acid is between 1:1000 and 10:1, in an amount such that the aqueous solution includes the at least one biosurfactant in an amount between 0.0001 and 10% by weight and the at least one organic acid in an amount between 0.001 and 10% by weight. The at least one biosurfactant is selected from glycolipids, lipopeptides, lipoproteins, phospholipids and polymeric biosurfactants. The at least one organic acid is selected from citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, formic acid, caprylic acid, methanesulfonic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, and polyaspartic acid.

The invention provides methods and compositions for reducing the amount of water required in an industrial process, especially a bottling process such as beer or beverage manufacturing. The method comprising the steps of: collecting water used to rinse cleaned and/or dirty recycled bottles, spraying the collected water at a food contacting piece of equipment as part of a CIP rinse, and passing the CIP second rinse water into a cooling tower as make-up water. The method allows for the re-use of water already in the system but by being careful where each water stream goes the water does not accumulate contaminants that would damage the cooling tower or foul the bottled product or vessel that is cleaned by CIP method.

A water filtration system with power generating capability includes a membrane that receives relatively hot water on a dirty side, purifies the hot water, and transmits it to a clean side having relatively cold purified water. The system further includes at least one thermoelectric element coupled to the membrane that absorbs thermal energy from the dirty side and emits thermal energy into the clean side to generate electrical power. The system further includes at least one conductor electrically coupled to the at least one thermoelectric element that channels generated electrical power away from the at least one thermoelectric element.

A membrane module and a membrane separating method for processing liquids, that includes: the liquid stream of a liquid to be processed is supplied, via an inlet, to a separating membrane designed as a flat membrane, such that a purified permeate passes the separating membrane; and the separating membrane is irradiated by UV light at least on the side of the separating membrane facing the inlet, the irradiation by UV light occurring by means of a mat and/or a fabric and/or a grating and/or a net, which consists, in full or in part, of optical waveguide fibers which out-couple light laterally, forming an irradiation element.

Low strength wastewater such as municipal sewage is treated using an anaerobic digester. In some examples, a wastewater stream is separated into a solids rich portion and a solids lean portion. The solids lean portion is treated, for example to remove nitrogen. The solids rich portion is treated in an anaerobic digester, preferably with influent or recuperative thickening. In another example, the wastewater stream is fed to an anaerobic digester and solid-liquid separation stages downstream of the digester return active bacteria and undigested organics to the digester. Both cases may use a process train comprising treatment in an anoxic tank followed by a nitritation tank with a portion of the effluent from the nitritation tank recirculated to the anoxic tank to provide nitritation and denitritation.

The present invention relates to a filtering device for a water treatment system comprising a biological treatment device adapted to provide a sludge from wastewater or filtrated wastewater, and/or the biological treatment device being fluidic connectable to or in fluidic connection with the filtering device for receiving filtrated wastewater from the filtering device and for delivering sludge to the filtering device. The filtering device is a cake filtration device comprising a fluid penetrable support structure and the support structure is provided as one or more tubular elements having a filtration cake provided on the inside of the fluid penetrable support structure. The filtering has device an inlet being connectable to receive liquid to be filtered so that the flux of liquid to be filtered is from the inside of the support structure, through the filtration cake and to the outside of the support structure thereby providing a filtrate, an outlet for outletting liquid from the interior of the tubular element, and a filtrate outlet for outletting filtrate from the filtering device. The filtration cake is being provided by deposition of solids from the sludge formed in the biological treatment device.

An algae preventive device for prevention of algae buildup in an aquarium is presented. The algae preventive device is useful for eliminating algae growth on all surfaces. Also, the algae preventive device is useful for keeping water clear and can be used on ponds, pools and aquariums. The algae preventive device does not impact fish or plant life and does not require testing of water, high-grade filers and media, lighting modification or chemicals.

A system includes a cooling tower, an algae inhibitor skid, and at least one pump fluidly connected between the cooling tower and the algae inhibitor skid. The algae inhibitor skid includes a first water tank containing a first water supply fluidly connected to the cooling tower and barley straw suspended within the first water tank above the first water supply.

The subject matter of the present invention concerns means of storage, transport and/or biocide treatment of a liquid, paste or gel, characterized in that said means comprises a copper base powder composition, said composition: containing at least 60% by weight of copper, does not contain more than 70% by weight of powder particles whose diameter is less than 45 μm maximum, and is at least partially in contact with said liquid, paste or gel.