Processing water regeneration equipment includes a waste liquid treatment apparatus that treats waste liquid discharged from a processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by use of processing water, and a fuel cell apparatus that causes a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. The waste liquid treatment apparatus includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed in a tank for reserving the waste liquid, and a hydrogen production unit that supplies electric power to the positive electrode and the negative electrode to produce hydrogen. The fuel cell apparatus causes a chemical reaction between the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production unit and oxygen in the air to produce electricity and water, and the electricity and water thus produced are utilized in the processing apparatus.

The present invention relates to a device and method for controlling the pH of a UpA cell. The device comprises a receiving unit for receiving a preset parameter including a desired pH value; a computing module configured to calculate an UpA cell parameter based on the preset parameter; and a control module configured to control the UpA cell based on the calculated UpA cell parameter.

Devices and methods for electric field driven on-demand separation of liquid-liquid mixtures are provided. For example, methods for separating liquid-liquid mixtures, such as free oil and water, oil-in-water emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions, are provided that have separation efficiencies up to about 99.9%. The liquid-liquid mixture is contacted with a separator membrane assembly comprising a separator membrane formed of a porous oleophobic (or superoleophobic) material and an electrically conductive member. An electrical potential is applied across the porous oleophobic (or superoleophobic) material of the separator membrane to facilitate passage and separation of at least a portion of the first component through the separator membrane. Separation devices and such separator membrane assemblies are also provided.

An electro-kinetic agglomerator for resolving crude oil and water emulsions containing charged particles by the application of a direct current voltage potential. The electro-kinetic agglomerator comprises a shaftless auger with a charged conductive rod positioned in the center of the shaftless auger and a charged porous drum surrounding wherein the electro-kinetic agglomerator has a DC voltage gradient such that the charged particles are attracted to the conductive rod.

A diffusiophoretic water filter has improved inlet, outlet and membrane structures. A support is also disclosed as are method for manufacturing and assembling the diffusiophoretic water filter.

A water treatment system is disclosed having an electrolytic cell for liberating hydrogen from a base solution. The base solution may be a solution of brine for generating sodium hypochlorite or potable water to be oxidized. The cell has first and second opposing electrode end plates held apart from each other by a pair of supports such that the supports enclose opposing sides of the end plates to form a cell chamber. One or more inner electrode plates are spaced apart from each other in the cell chamber in between the first and second electrode plates. The supports are configured to electrically isolate the first and second electrode plates and the inner electrode plates from each other. The first and second electrode plates are configured to receive opposite polarity charges that passively charge the inner electrode plates via conduction from the base solution to form a chemical reaction in the base solution as the base solution passes through the cell chamber.

A method of removing solids from a drilling fluid that includes applying a first electric current to a first screen of a screen assembly within a vibratory screening machine; passing the drilling fluid through the screen assembly while the first electric current is applied to allow electroseparation of solids within the drilling fluid; and removing electroseparated solids from the drilling fluid.

A water treatment system is disclosed having electrolytic cell for liberating hydrogen from a base solution. The base solution may be a solution of brine for generating sodium hypochlorite, or potable water to be oxidized. The cell has first and second opposing electrode end plates held apart from each other by a pair of supports such that the supports enclose opposing sides of the end plates to form a cell chamber. One or more inner electrode plates are spaced apart from each other in the cell chamber in between the first and second electrode plates. The supports are configured to electrically isolate the first and second electrode plates and the inner electrode plates from each other. The first and second electrode plates are configured to receive opposite polarity charges that passively charge the inner electrode plates via conduction from the base solution to form a chemical reaction in the base solution as the base solution passes through the cell chamber.

A biofouling/biofilm removal system includes a filtration module configured to separate a permeate from a feed; a first inert electrode placed at an inlet of the filtration module; a second inert electrode placed at an outlet of the filtration module; and a power source configured to apply a current between the first and second electrodes. The inlet is configured to receive the feed and the outlet is configured to discard a concentrate, and the current applied between the first and second electrodes initiates electrochemical reactions inside the feed and along a biofilm formed in the filtration module, but not into the permeate.

A method of removing solids from a drilling fluid that includes applying a first electric current to a first screen of a screen assembly within a vibratory screening machine; passing the drilling fluid through the screen assembly while the first electric current is applied to allow electroseparation of solids within the drilling fluid; and removing electroseparated solids from the drilling fluid.