This invention relates to a process for the recovery of cobalt ions and tungstic acid and/or its derivatives from aqueous solutions, such as in particular the spent catalytic waters deriving from processes for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils. In particular this invention relates to a process for the recovery of cobalt ions and tungstic acid and/or its derivatives which provides for the use of cation-exchange resins.

A water purification system comprising a salvage pump, a vacuum assembly, and a clean water assembly. The salvage pump is configured to draw water from a water source. The vacuum assembly is configured to remove solutes from the water via vacuum evaporation. The clean water assembly is configured to remove non-soluble particles and/or bacteria from the water.

Embodiments of the invention provide a piston assembly for a control valve in a water softener system. The control valve includes a drive mechanism, one or more fluid passageways, and a seal assembly. The piston assembly includes a main piston moveably received within the seal assembly and including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a shuttle piston moveably received within the seal assembly. The shuttle piston includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and is configured to selectively engage the second end of the main piston to form a seal therebetween and to selectively move relative to the second end of the main piston to form an opening between the second end of the main piston and the first end of the shuttle piston, in response to movement of the main piston.

[Object]

To provide granulated sintered clay that is porous with micropores and mesopores and has high hardness that does not collapse even in water.

[Solution]

Provided is granulated sintered clay having a differential pore volume with a pore diameter of 10 nm or less of 0.06 cm.sup.3/g or more in a pore distribution curve measured by a nitrogen gas adsorption method, a hardness to collapse at a planar load of 180 g to 1200 g in a crushing test, and a silicon dioxide content of 35 mass % to 95 mass %.

A method, system and composition is described for treating waste generated from manufacturing operations including at least one of Printed Circuit Boards Fabrication (PCB FAB), General Metal Finishing (GMF), semiconductors manufacturing, chemical milling, and Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD). The method, system and composition are used to create zero liquid discharge recycling.

A control valve (10) includes a valve body with a plurality of ports (A, B, C, D, E, F) and a plurality of annular flow passages (53, 55,57). A piston (34) which includes a plurality of annular flow passages and a longitudinal flow passage is selectively movable within a bore (32) within the valve body through operation of a valve controller (70). The valve controller is selectively operative to control the position of the piston so as to enable liquid flow through a plurality of flow paths. A master controller wirelessly communicates with a plurality of slave controllers, including the valve controller. The master controller is operative to control conditions of the valve and an associated liquid treatment tank.

The invention relates to a water purification system and distillation unit. The water purification system (3) comprises an input section (31) for providing water (21), in particular tap water, to a distillation unit (1), and said distillation unit (1) for producing distilled water. Said distillation unit comprises an evaporation section (12) for evaporating said water (21) and producing steam (23), and a condensation section (14) for at least partly condensing said steam (23), producing distilled water. The system further comprises a first admixing unit (32), in particular a cartridge, which is arranged and configured in such a way that it is enabled for admixing compounds, in particular minerals, to said distilled water, producing enriched distilled water, and an output section (33) for dispensing said enriched distilled water. Said evaporation section (12) is provided by a heatable side (101) of a first Peltier effect device (10) and said condensation section (14) is provided by a coolable side (102) of said first Peltier effect device (10).

A control valve (10) includes a valve body with a plurality of ports (A, B, C, D, E, F) and a plurality of annular flow passages (53, 55, 57). A piston (34) which includes a plurality of annular flow passages and a longitudinal flow passage is selectively movable within a bore (32) within the valve body through operation of a valve controller (70). The valve controller is selectively operative to control the position of the piston so as to enable liquid flow through a plurality of flow paths. The valve controller further includes a installable and removable valve controller housing (74) which is releasibly engageable with a valve base (72). The valve may include a changeable multi-piece piston and changeable injector and plug components to adapt the valve to different flow and fluid mixing requirements.

The installation for separating a multivalent cationic species from a solution comprising this multivalent cationic species and lithium comprises a capture device (3) having an entry (2) and an exit (4). The capture device (3) comprises, between the entry (2) and the exit (4), a microfibre product (12) with a higher affinity for multivalent cations than for monovalent cations. The installation comprises a circulation system (5) adapted to circulate the solution from the entry (2) to the exit (4) in contact with the microfiber product (21), the microfibre product (21) capturing said multivalent cationic species.

Provided is a resin composition comprising (a) a collection of resin beads, wherein the collection of resin beads has pH of 8 or above, and wherein the collection of resin beads has volume average diameter of 150 μm to 2,000 μm; and (b) a collection of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles contain one or more alkaline earths, and wherein the collection of inorganic particles has volume average diameter of 0.5 μm to 50 μm. Also provided is a method of processing an aqueous composition using such a composition.