An apparatus for the wet attrition of particulate material comprising an attrition scrubber; a dewatering screen comprising a deck and a sump beneath the deck, the dewatering screen being mounted upstream of the attrition scrubber whereby oversize material from a downstream end of the deck of the dewatering screen passes into the attrition scrubber; and a hydrocyclone wherein an underflow, containing a coarser fraction of the feed slurry, passes out of a lower outlet of the hydrocylone while an overflow, containing a finer fraction of the feed slurry and most of the water, passes out of an outlet at the upper end of the hydrocyclone, a pump being provided for pumping material from the sump of the dewatering screen to the inlet of the hydrocyclone, wherein the underflow from the hydrocyclone is passed into the attrition scrubber.

A water treatment system including an enclosure for water to be treated, a multiplicity of biomass carriers located within the enclosure, at least one airlift in the enclosure for raising the water and the biomass carriers and at least one mechanical biomass carrier accumulated residue removal apparatus operative to remove accumulated residue from the biomass carriers.

Methods and systems for conveniently producing fresh smoothies, which can be tailored to the particular nutritional requirements and desires of the individual customer. The system is typically a semi-automatic or fully automatic system and may be in the form of a vending machine for smoothies. It allows a consumer to select ingredients and other options, and provides a freshly-made smoothie in a short amount of time. The system generally includes a user input apparatus for receiving orders and customer preferences, and then makes a smoothie to order, delivers the smoothie to the customer, and cleans the blending device.

An apparatus for cleaning nets underwater formed from a propeller housing with a centrally disposed axis with a plurality of blades extending therefrom. An outer perimeter ring secured to an outer tip of each blade with a plurality of knuckles secured to the outer perimeter ring. Each knuckle including a curved surface constructed and arranged to be forcefully presented to the aquaculture net upon rotation of said blades for removal of growth by impact and shaking of the aquaculture net. An elastomeric hub prevents spike loads.

The invention is generally a system for washing off residual resin from objects which are three-dimensionally (3D) printed through a vat polymerization (VP) process. Exemplary systems may include a solvent receptacle, a wash reservoir in fluid communication with the solvent receptacle, and a controller configured to pump a solvent from the solvent receptacle to the wash reservoir for washing off residual resin from a 3D-printed object. Exemplary methods may include pumping a first solution of a plurality of solvent solutions from the solvent receptacle to the wash reservoir, dispersing the first solution onto the 3D-printed object, pumping the first solution from the wash reservoir to the solvent receptacle, pumping a second solution of the plurality of solvent solutions from the solvent receptacle to the wash reservoir, and dispersing the second solution onto the 3D-printed object.

A system (1) for washing a 3D-printed object (4). The system (1) has a washing device (2) and a workpiece (3) that includes the 3D-printed object (4). The washing device (2) has a container (7) that forms a process chamber (8) for receiving a liquid cleaning agent (9), and the container (7) has an inlet (10) into the process chamber (8). The workpiece (3) further has a support structure (6) that supports the 3D-printed object (4) and a base (5) supporting the support structure (6). The base (5), in a mating relationship with the inlet (10), forms a restraint preventing the workpiece (3) from passing through the inlet (10) in a situation in which the workpiece (3) is placed with the 3D-printed object (4) located within the process chamber (8).

Component carrier for an additive manufacturing device, wherein the component carrier comprises a construction surface, on which a component to be manufactured is disposed during the operation of the manufacturing device, wherein the component carrier comprises a sealing surface which radially surrounds the construction surface, and method for post-processing a component manufactured according to an additive manufacturing process using such a component carrier.

Techniques for depowdering in additive fabrication are provided. According to some aspects, techniques are provided that separate powder from additively fabricated parts through liquid immersion of the parts. Motion of the liquid, such as liquid currents, may dislodge or otherwise move powder away from additively fabricated parts to which it is adhered or otherwise proximate to. The liquid may also provide a vehicle to carry away powder from the additively fabricated parts. Removed powder may be filtered or otherwise separated from the liquid to allow recirculation of the liquid to the parts and/or to enable re-use of the powder in subsequent additive fabrication processes. Techniques for depowdering through liquid immersion may be automated, thereby mitigating challenges associated with manual depowdering operations.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminating material that also includes metal elements includes a stirring device having a plurality of blades which are driven in a washing fluid to generate a turbulent stirring action to mechanically remove part of the contaminating material from the plastics material. The tilt of the blades and the rotation speed of the stirring device are chosen carefully to generate an upward thrusting action to maintain the plastics material with a specific weight that is greater than the specific weight of the fluid in a floating condition. The plastics material is retained inside the container for sufficient time to obtain a desired degree of purity and decontamination for the plastics material, after which it is evacuated by controlled overflow.

A method and apparatus for washing and separating pieces of plastics material from contaminants includes supplying to a washing container pieces of plastics material containing contaminating material and an entering flow of washing fluid. A turbulent stirring action to detach and separate mechanically the contaminating material from the plastics material is generated, evacuating through overflowing, through an outlet port An outlet flow of washing fluid and a quantity of plastics material that has undergone the turbulent stirring action is evacuated by overflow through an outlet port. A controlled-conveying and retaining arrangement is driven to retain the plastics material in the washing container and to advance in a controlled manner the quantity of plastics material to the outlet port independently of the advancement of the outlet flow of washing fluid. An adjustable bulkhead is arranged in the washing fluid at a depth with respect to the free surface to divert from the outlet port the pieces of plastics material that, once supplied to the container, by advancing more on the surface, tend to reach the outlet zone of the washings container. The bulkhead guides and forces the pieces of plastics to undergo the turbulent stirring action to separate and detach the adhering contaminants therefrom.