A liquid treatment unit removes particulate matter and colloids from a liquid, as found in waste water on mines, on construction sites and on heavy industry sites. The liquid treatment unit includes an electrocoagulation unit and a cyclonic separator unit. The liquid to be treated is first subject to electrocoagulation and then fed into the cyclonic separator unit. The cyclonic separator unit guides the electrocoagulated liquid in a circular path downwardly from an outer perimeter to move underneath a skirt and then upwardly and inwardly towards a central outlet located at the top of the cyclonic separator. Floating particles are skimmed from the surface outside of the skirt. In moving to the outlet, the liquid passes through a plurality of nested frusto-conical guide members. An ultrasonic transducer is used to collapse bubbles formed by electrocoagulation, and to clean the electrocoagulation electrodes.

An apparatus that can be connected to a conventional sprayer bottle that permits the sprayer bottle to generate ozonated and ionized water to be used as a cleaning fluid. The apparatus includes an ozonator element submerged in the bottle water via a first electrical conductor and an ionizer lead submerged in the water via a second electrical conductor which is connected to an ionizer that is not submerged. Respective apertures are formed in the sidewall of the bottle, each having respective electrical connectors to permit the respective electrical connections to different power sources. The dip tube of the spray head is then passed through the top opening and into the water in the bottle and the spray head is secured onto the bottle. Electrical energy is provided through the respective conductors to ozonate and ionize the water in the bottle for use a cleaning agent. Humidifier or vaporizer versions of this invention provide an ozonated and ionized water mist or vapor.

A system can include a multi-material fluid having a mixture of a first material and a second material. The system can also include a first vessel into which the multi-material fluid is disposed. The system can further include a first sonication device disposed, at least in part, in the multi-material fluid in the first vessel. The first sonication device, when operating, can emit ultrasound waves into the multi-material fluid. The ultrasound waves separate the first material and the second material from each other in the first vessel.

A system can include a multi-material fluid having a mixture of a first material and a second material. The system can also include a first vessel into which the multi-material fluid is disposed. The system can further include a first sonication device disposed, at least in part, in the multi-material fluid in the first vessel. The first sonication device, when operating, can emit ultrasound waves into the multi-material fluid. The ultrasound waves separate the first material and the second material from each other in the first vessel.

A water decalcification system includes an electroactive polymer (EAP) layer having at least one EAP film, a first electrode contacting the EAP layer and configured to contact a surface of an appliance capable of having at least one interior surface with limescales built up thereon, a second electrode contacting the EAP layer, and an electrical connector configured to connect to an electrical source in electrical communication with the first and the second electrode and configured to apply an electrical voltage to the first and the second electrode. The at least one EAP film deforms in response to the electrical voltage to generate ultrasound vibrational energies transmissive to decalcify the limescales.

A water decalcification system includes an electroactive polymer (EAP) layer having at least one EAP film, a first electrode contacting the EAP layer and configured to contact a surface of an appliance capable of having at least one interior surface with limescales built up thereon, a second electrode contacting the EAP layer, and an electrical connector configured to connect to an electrical source in electrical communication with the first and the second electrode and configured to apply an electrical voltage to the first and the second electrode. The at least one EAP film deforms in response to the electrical voltage to generate ultrasound vibrational energies transmissive to decalcify the limescales.

A modular water purification system for a nuclear power plant includes a plurality of modules that may be selectively connected together directly or through the use of intermediary adapters in a plurality of arrangements. The modules may include a pump module, a FOSAR module, a particulate filtration module, a cross-flow filtration module, a degasification module, and/or a demineralization module, among other possible modules. The modules may have common interfaces so that they can be interconnected (directly or through intermediary adapters) in a variety of configurations for different purposes within the context of the nuclear power plant (e.g., filtering pool water; collecting large objects via vacuuming). Various modules may have form factors and/or mounting structures that are similar enough to the fuel assemblies of the plant that (1) the plant's fuel assembly handling equipment can grab, move, and reposition the modules, and/or (2) the modules may be stored in the fuel pool's storage rack.

A modular water purification system for a nuclear power plant includes a plurality of modules that may be selectively connected together directly or through the use of intermediary adapters in a plurality of arrangements. The modules may include a pump module, a FOSAR module, a particulate filtration module, a cross-flow filtration module, a degasification module, and/or a demineralization module, among other possible modules. The modules may have common interfaces so that they can be interconnected (directly or through intermediary adapters) in a variety of configurations for different purposes within the context of the nuclear power plant (e.g., filtering pool water; collecting large objects via vacuuming). Various modules may have form factors and/or mounting structures that are similar enough to the fuel assemblies of the plant that (1) the plant's fuel assembly handling equipment can grab, move, and reposition the modules, and/or (2) the modules may be stored in the fuel pool's storage rack.

Functionalized material, methods of producing the functionalized material, and use thereof for separation processes such as for separating and extracting a dissolved organic foulant, charged contaminant or oily matter or any combination thereof from water (e.g., produced water), are provided. The method of making the functionalized material, can include: a) providing a mineral material; b) providing an alkyl chain and/or a perfluorinated species, the alkyl chain or perfluorinated species selected to dissolve organic foulants, charged contaminants or oily matter from water or any combination thereof; c) hydroxylating the material via a concentrated acid solution or a basic solution; and d) grafting the alkyl chain and/or the perfluorinated species onto the material via a silanation reaction.

Methods for removing polymers from treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a polymer comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone or a derivative thereof; and adding a precipitant to the treatment fluid to form a precipitate with at least a portion of the polymer.