A system for enhancing the separation of particles or fluids from water is disclosed. A tank or bioreactor is provided with an open submersible acoustophoretic separator. The separator captures and holds fluid droplets or particles such as cells, permitting them to coalesce or agglomerate until they are large enough and have sufficient buoyant or weight force to float/sink to the top/bottom of the tank or bioreactor. In a tank or bioreactor, the separator captures and holds particles until they are large enough that their weight causes them to settle out of the host fluid. The acoustophoretic device thus speeds up separation of the particles or droplets from the host fluid.

Provided herein are processes for the removal and/or recovery of a target metal from a liquid sample, said process comprising: [1] applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid; and [2] adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals; thereby producing a target metal salt or metal oxide having a reduced solubility in the liquid sample, leading to removal of the target metal from the liquid sample. The use of metal ligands in such processes is also described, as well as systems for performing such processes. Methods, processes, and systems for removing organic contaminants from a liquid sample are also described.

Provided herein are processes for the removal and/or recovery of a target metal from a liquid sample, said process comprising: [1] applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid; and [2] adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals; thereby producing a target metal salt or metal oxide having a reduced solubility in the liquid sample, leading to removal of the target metal from the liquid sample. The use of metal ligands in such processes is also described, as well as systems for performing such processes. Methods, processes, and systems for removing organic contaminants from a liquid sample are also described.

Devices and associated methods described herein in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can, for example, treat acidity and remove suspended solids and heavy metals from acid mine and acid rock drainage, as well as from other acidic and various aqueous fluids of various pH. The disclosed system includes a cavitation/electro-coagulation reaction chamber, solids separation, and other optional components including a passive media contact reaction chamber, and/or an oxidation/reduction electrode assembly to facilitate or expand upon parameters requiring treatment. The disclosed system can be packaged in small housing units suitable for insertion within mine tunnels or adits, but may also be expanded for large scale applications.

A method for treating wastewater having one or more of suspended solids, dissolved solids, biological oxygen demand includes solids filtration followed by a bi-polar/bi-directional flow through ionic module fitted with anionically/cationically charged plates followed by a sub-sonic resonance module followed by another bi-polar/bi-directional flow through ionic module followed by a ultra-sonic resonance module followed by one or more anion/cation collection membrane modules. Recycle is provided in each step, wherein each step may be repeated, and wherein one or more of the steps can be bypassed.

Systems and processes for purifying and concentrating a liquid feed stream are disclosed. In the systems, the concentrated liquid output from the high pressure side of a reverse osmosis stage is used as the draw solution in the low pressure side of the reverse osmosis stage in a configuration called osmotically assisted reverse osmosis. This reduces the osmotic pressure differential across the membrane, permitting high solute concentrations to be obtained, hastening the purification of the liquid. Reduced system pressures are also obtained by arranging multiple osmotically assisted reverse osmosis stages in a cross-current arrangement. Overall system energy consumption is reduced compared to conventional thermal processes for high concentration streams.

A method of activating and dewatering sludge through application of acoustic pressure shock waves to wastewater.

A method of activating and dewatering sludge through application of acoustic pressure shock waves to wastewater.

A fluid cleaning system for cleaning contaminated water sources via at least one cleaning process. The system includes at least one solids dissociation apparatus that includes a housing, at least one insert operably engaged with the housing and is adapted to receive a continuous fluid stream, and a transducer operably engaged with the housing and is disposed about the at least one insert at a distance away from said at least one insert inside of the housing. The transducer is configured to create cavitation, via sonic waves, to eviscerate contaminants in the continuous fluid stream. The system also includes at least one solids separation apparatus operably connected with the at least one fluid treatment apparatus for receiving the eviscerated contaminants provided in the fluid stream. The at least one solids separation apparatus is adapted to separate the eviscerate contaminants from the fluid stream for at least one separation process.

A fluid cleaning system for cleaning contaminated water sources via at least one cleaning process. The system includes at least one solids dissociation apparatus that includes a housing, at least one insert operably engaged with the housing and is adapted to receive a continuous fluid stream, and a transducer operably engaged with the housing and is disposed about the at least one insert at a distance away from said at least one insert inside of the housing. The transducer is configured to create cavitation, via sonic waves, to eviscerate contaminants in the continuous fluid stream. The system also includes at least one solids separation apparatus operably connected with the at least one fluid treatment apparatus for receiving the eviscerated contaminants provided in the fluid stream. The at least one solids separation apparatus is adapted to separate the eviscerate contaminants from the fluid stream for at least one separation process.