The present invention relates to a filter medium (10) for air and/or water cleaning, comprising a semiconductor photocatalytic material (14) and a light energy source (15) for radiating light provided to activate photocatalytic reactions of the semiconductor photocatalytic material (14). The light energy source (15) is configured as a support (16) for the semiconductor photocatalytic material (14). The filter medium (10) can be incorporated into a filter unit (100).

A solution for treating a fluid, such as water, is provided. An ultraviolet transparency of a fluid can be determined before or as the fluid enters a disinfection chamber. In the disinfection chamber, the fluid can be irradiated by ultraviolet radiation to harm microorganisms that may be present in the fluid. One or more attributes of the disinfection chamber, fluid flow, and/or ultraviolet radiation can be adjusted based on the transparency to provide more efficient irradiation and/or higher disinfection rates. In addition, various attributes of the disinfection chamber, such as the position of the inlet(s) and outlet(s), the shape of the disinfection chamber, and other attributes of the disinfection chamber can be utilized to create a turbulent flow of the fluid within the disinfection chamber to promote mixing and improve uniform ultraviolet exposure.

A system for treatment of a polluted effluent, includes an outer chamber configured to treat the polluted effluent in mixture with a purification slurry including particles of one or more catalysts and/or organoclays, or a mixture thereof. The outer chamber includes (i) a stirring unit consisting of an engine and a stirrer, configured to mix the polluted effluent and the purification slurry to prevent the particles from sinking without causing a turbulence, (ii) a membrane located at the top of the outer chamber through which a treated effluent passes, while preventing the particles of one or more catalysts and/or organoclays from exiting the outer chamber together with the treated effluent, (iii) a membrane cleaning system configured to remove and collect the particles of one or more catalysts and/or organoclays accumulated on the membrane, and re-introducing the particles back to the bottom of the outer chamber.

Various ultraviolet (UV) reactors and their methods of fabrication are disclosed. One exemplary process comprises forming a set of parallel channels in a slab of ultraviolet transparent material. The process also comprises providing a reactor substrate with an input manifold and an output manifold. The process also comprises joining the slab of ultraviolet transparent material and the reactor substrate. The input manifold, output manifold, and set of parallel channels are in fluid communication after the joining step. The process also comprises providing a planar ultraviolet light source isolated from the set of parallel channels by the shaped slab of ultraviolet-transparent material. The set of parallel channels and a defining plane of the planar ultraviolet light source are parallel in the assembled ultraviolet reactor.

A laser ablation and filtration process and apparatus wherein liquid containing hydrocarbons or other contaminates is purified. The liquid is exposed to laser energy at one or more selected wavelengths wherein the laser energy travels through the liquid and reaches the hydrocarbons or other contaminates and vaporizes, denatures, breaks down, neutralizes, renders inert and/or separates the hydrocarbons or contaminates from the liquid. A laser source is positioned in or on a vessel based on pre-set parameters to maximize exposure of the liquid to the laser energy, including sizing parameters, angle and inclination of the laser, retention time for the laser process to be applied and geometry of the containment for proper inclination. One or more collection chambers, which may include perforated membranes may be included to collect gases, separated hydrocarbons or contaminates and other by-products of the process. The vessel utilized may be submergible in water to pull or flow contaminated water therethough. The vessel may also be utilized outside a body of water wherein contaminated water from a source is introduced within the vessel.

A disinfection device including a pipe with a taper, inlet, and outlet; an ultraviolet laser; a beam steering device and a transparent layer. The laser, located at a smaller diameter end of the pipe, projects a laser beam towards a larger diameter end of the pipe. The laser beam projects through and/or off the beam steering device and through the transparent layer at a plurality of angles in a cycle. The beam steering device reflects, refracts and/or deflects the laser beam at angles such that a laser beam profile projects through part or all of an inner profile of any point along the taper in the cycle. The pipe receives a fluid that passes through the pipe. One of the inlet or the outlet is located at the smaller diameter pipe end and the other of the inlet or the outlet is located at the larger diameter pipe end.

A laser ablation and filtration process and apparatus wherein liquid containing hydrocarbons or other contaminants is purified. The liquid is exposed to laser energy at one or more selected wavelengths wherein the laser energy travels through the liquid and reaches the hydrocarbons or other contaminants and vaporizes, denatures, breaks down, neutralizes, renders inert and/or separates the hydrocarbons or contaminants from the liquid. A laser source is positioned in or on a vessel based on pre-set parameters to maximize exposure of the liquid to the laser energy, including sizing parameters, angle and inclination of the laser, retention time for the laser process to be applied and geometry of the containment for proper inclination. One or more collection chambers, which may include perforated membranes may be included to collect gases, separated hydrocarbons or contaminants and other by-products of the process. The vessel utilized may be submergible in water to pull or flow contaminated water therethough. The vessel may also be utilized outside a body of water wherein contaminated water from a source is introduced within the vessel.

A disinfecting system includes a housing. An ultraviolet light (UV) source is secured to the housing and configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target. A processor is secured to the housing in communication with the UV light source. The processor is configured to activate the UV light source for a selected amount of time suitable for disinfection of the target.

A laser ablation and filtration process and apparatus wherein liquid containing hydrocarbons or other contaminants is purified. The liquid is exposed to laser energy at one or more selected wavelengths wherein the laser energy travels through the liquid and reaches the hydrocarbons or other contaminants and vaporizes, denatures, breaks down, neutralizes, renders inert and/or separates the hydrocarbons or contaminants from the liquid. A laser source is positioned in or on a vessel based on pre-set parameters to maximize exposure of the liquid to the laser energy, including sizing parameters, angle and inclination of the laser, retention time for the laser process to be applied and geometry of the containment for proper inclination. One or more collection chambers, which may include perforated membranes may be included to collect gases, separated hydrocarbons or contaminants and other by-products of the process. The vessel utilized may be submergible in water to pull or flow contaminated water therethough. The vessel may also be utilized outside a body of water wherein contaminated water from a source is introduced within the vessel.

A process of dissolving into to-be-treated water a peroxodisulfate and metal ions other than ions of alkali metals is performed by pouring equipment. An ultraviolet irradiation apparatus performs a process of treating the to-be-treated water, having the peroxodisulfate and the metal ions other than ions of alkali metals dissolved therein, with ultraviolet rays. By performing UV treatment on the to-be-treated water having the peroxodisulfate and metal ions dissolved therein, the inventive method and system achieve improved TOC decomposing performance and thus can particularly decompose a urea component in an efficient manner. Further, the to-be-treated water may be treated with an ion-exchange resin at a subsequent stage in such a manner that organic acids contained in the to-be-treated water having been subjected to the UV treatment are adsorbed to the ion exchange-resin, with the advantageous result that the concentration of TOC present in the to-be-treated water can be reduced.