Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

A process for treating effluent streams in a naphtha complex is described. One or more of the sour water stripping unit for the NHT sour water from the NHT, the amine treatment unit and the caustic treatment unit for the NHT stripper off-gas, the caustic scrubber unit or other chloride treatment unit for the off-gas from the C.sub.5-C.sub.6 isomerization zone and the C.sub.4 isomerization zone, and the caustic scrubber unit or other chloride treatment unit for the regenerator off-gas are replaced with a thermal oxidation system.

Methods and systems are provided for desalting wash water treatment and recycling processes and control of those processes. More specifically, treatment of wash water and wastewater streams using forward osmosis are provided. Additional methods and systems for desalting processes are provided, including recycling wash water. Methods for controlling operations of desalting systems and processes are provided.

A process for treating effluent streams in a renewable transportation fuel production process is described. One or more of the sour water stream and an acid gas stream are treated directly in thermal oxidation section. The process allows the elimination or size reduction of a sour water stripper unit, waste water treatment plant, and sulfur recovery unit.

A method for controlling treatment of an industrial water system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing an apparatus for controlling delivery of at least one treatment chemical, the apparatus comprising at least one sensor and an electronic input/output device carrying out a protocol; measuring a parameter of the industrial water system using the at least one sensor; relaying the measured parameter to the electronic device; adjusting the protocol based on the measured parameter; delivering a concentrated treatment chemical into a stream of the industrial water system according to the adjusted protocol, the concentrated treatment chemical comprising an active ingredient, the active ingredient traced as necessary, the active ingredient having a concentration; repeating the measuring, the adjusting, and the delivering; and optionally repeating the steps for n-number of parameters, n-number of active ingredients, and/or n-number of concentrated treatment chemicals.

A method for the treatment of oil-based sludge by thermal desorption, characterized in that it comprises a step of conditioning of the sludge to be treated which includes the conditioning of the oil-based sludge with rice husk in a 1:2 ratio, before entering the TDU, increasing the technical and economic viability and cost relation of the thermal desorption for oil-based sludge treatment, showing better performance, and making possible the treatment of sludge on an industrial scale with effective rates of 28.6 m3/day, oil recovery of 54%, with a volumetric increase of 19%, compared to the original volume, and a fuel consumption adjusted to the historical data of the TDU from the economic point of view, which allows to have a high amount of rice husk, reducing the costs associated with the elimination of this agro-industrial waste.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods related to water treatment are generally described. In particular, clarifiers that may improve solids thickening and related systems and methods are disclosed.

A process for treating waste fluid generated during a petrochemical process. The process comprises: subjecting at least one first water-based wastewater stream to at least one freeze concentration stage so as to produce a third clean water stream and a fourth concentrated water-based wastewater stream, subjecting at least one second organic fluid-based waste fluid stream to at least one separation stage so as to produce a fifth purified product stream and a sixth concentrated organic fluid-based waste fluid stream, forwarding the fourth concentrated water-based wastewater stream and the sixth concentrated organic fluid-based waste fluid stream to an incinerator, and incinerating the streams in the incinerator. The process is controlled such that incineration of the sixth concentrated organic fluid-based waste fluid stream generates at least 70% of an energy necessary to incinerate the fourth concentrated water-based wastewater stream.

Managed ecosystems, methods for producing managed ecosystems and methods for using managed ecosystems for sequestering carbon dioxide are described herein. Produced water is obtained and purified to sustain a managed ecosystem with saline-tolerant vegetation. The managed ecosystem biologically sequesters carbon dioxide by photosynthetically absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and by decomposition into a layer of sediment on the ecosystem floor.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of microbial electrochemical technology, in particular to a graphene-magnetite conductive skeleton electrode, a preparation method and application thereof, and a method for treating petrochemical wastewater. In the present disclosure, the surface roughness of the graphite rod electrode can be increased by the conductive skeleton modified on the surface of the graphite rod electrode, which is beneficial to the enrichment of microorganisms. The increase in the load of microorganisms will mean the amount of electroactive microorganisms will also increase, which will further improve the electron transfer ability, and because the material of the modified layer is a conductive material, it is also more conducive to the transfer of electrons; at the same time, the conductive skeleton modified on the surface of graphite rod electrode can also further enhance the transmission distance of electrons because of the skeleton constructed.