The invention relates to bio-electrochemical systems for the generation of methane from organic material and for reducing chemical oxygen demand and nitrogenous waste through denitrification. The invention further relates to an electrode for use in, and a system for, the adaptive control of bio-electrochemical systems as well as a fuel cell.

The invention pertains to a method of optimizing the chemical precipitations process in water treatment plants and waste water treatment plants using an aluminum based coagulant, wherein the optimization, which comprises the degree of contamination of the Clear water phase after precipitation and sludge separation, cost of operation and sludge production, is obtained by in situ regulation, of precipitation pH, amount of coagulant that is used in the precipitation process and the basicity of the coagulant, based at least on online measurement of degree of contamination, pH, flow and temperature of incoming untreated water and/or in the clear water phase, characterized in that the basicity of the coagulant is regulated by adding in situ, to a stock solution of polymerized aluminum based coagulant (A), acid or a solution of an aluminum based coagulant (B) having a lower basicity than the polymerized aluminum based coagulant (A) in the stock solution.

A water purification system provides clean water for the consumption by livestock by using a continuously recirculating water loop. Optionally, a circulating pump moves the water within the water loop in a flow direction. A water supply inlet is fluidically connected to the water loop to provide additional water. A particle filter system (or systems) is fluidically connected in series and removes dissolved solids or particulates within the water. An ozone purification system and/or with the addition of other antimicrobial or purification agents is fluidically connected in parallel to a portion of the continuously recirculating feedback monitored and control water loop. The ozone purification system is disposed downstream of the particle filter system and RO (or similar) system in relation to the flow direction. A feeding station is connected in series with the continuously recirculating water loop disposed downstream of the ozone purification system in relation to the flow direction.

An apparatus having a layer of fats, oils and grease (F.O.G) on water includes a tank having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet connects to a source of F.O.G.-laden effluent and the outlet connects to a sewer pipe so that the outlet defines a normal static water level for F.O.G. and effluent in the tank. A sensor mounted above the static water level determines a distance from the sensor to a top of F.O.G. within the tank, so that a thickness of the F.O.G. in the tank can be determined. If the sensor is LIDAR, sensing may be at about 940 nm. When the F.O.G. is sensed to be above a threshold, the apparatus generates signals to remove the F.O.G. Ultrasonic sensing may be used. Preferably, the sensor is mounted far enough above the static water level so the distance between the sensor and the liquid surface is filled with air. More preferably, the sensor is far enough above the static water level so that the top of the F.O.G. does not touch the sensor even as the top of the F.O.G. rises above the static water level.

Disclosed is a method for reducing methane emission from slurry (2) produced in a livestock farm (1). The method comprises the steps of guiding the slurry (2) from the livestock farm (1) to a dewatering unit (12) in which the slurry (2) is at least partially dewatered by extracting a watery fraction of said slurry (13), guiding the slurry from the dewatering unit (12) to a steam dryer (3), drying the slurry in the steam dryer (3), guiding the dried slurry (4) into a pyrolysis reactor (5) to produce pyrolysis gas (6) and biochar (7) through a pyrolysis process in the pyrolysis reactor (5), guiding at least a portion of the pyrolysis gas (6) to a combustion unit (8) in which the pyrolysis gas portion is combusted to raise the temperature of the combusted pyrolysis gas (9), guiding the combusted pyrolysis gas (9) to the pyrolysis reactor (5) to drive the pyrolysis process, guiding the combusted pyrolysis gas (9) from the pyrolysis reactor (5) to the steam dryer (3) to increase the temperature of steam (10) in the steam dryer (3), and heating the watery fraction of the slurry 13 to a temperature at least above 75° Celsius by means of the steam (10) from said steam dryer (3). Furthermore, a slurry treatment plant (20) for reducing methane emission from slurry (2) is disclosed.

A UV disinfectant system may include a chamber having a wall that is transparent to a disinfecting radiation. Liquid may be flowed through the chamber for treatment by exposure to the radiation. The chamber may include a static mixer having vanes to impede laminar flow of the liquid during treatment. The vanes extend into the flow path of the liquid through the chamber. A gap is defined between the vanes and the transparent wall. A cabinet may house the chamber and radiation emitting bulbs. Blowers may be operably coupled to a temperature sensor and flow meter and positioned at a lower end and upper end of the cabinet to urge air out of the cabinet. The temperature sensor may include a thermocouple. The blowers may be variable speed blowers. The system may include a controller to control system operations. The controller may be remotely accessible to monitor or control operations.

A distillation apparatus is disclosed herein. The distillation apparatus comprises an evaporation chamber, a heat source arranged to provide heat to the evaporation chamber, one or more condensing chambers located at least partially inside the evaporation chamber, a fluid inlet connected to the evaporation chamber, one or more fluid outlets attached to the one or more condensing chambers and a vapour compressor pump. Also disclosed is a liquid ring pump suitable for use with such a distillation apparatus, the pump comprising a pump body, a pump compression chamber provided within the pump body, a rotor mounted within the compression chamber, a rotor axle to mount said rotor, the rotor being provided with one or more ceramic bearings to mount it to the rotor axle.

A sewage treatment machine comprising: a closed container inside which the liquid to be treated is brought to boil; a vacuum-generating apparatus, which is adapted to maintain the inside of the closed container at a given pressure having a value lower than the environmental/external pressure; a heat-pump assembly which is associated to the closed container so as to be able to transfer heat to the liquid present on the bottom of the closed container, thus to bring said liquid to boil, and simultaneously remove heat from the vapours that reach the top of the closed container, thus to condense the vapour and obtain a distilled liquid, and which contains a refrigerant fluid comprising one or more gases of the family of the hydrofluoroolefins in a percentage greater than 3%.

Disclosed herein is a process for de-watering a sludge. The process comprises heating a de-watering fluid, and passing the de-watering fluid through the sludge, thereby de-watering the sludge. Also disclosed herein is a system for de-watering a sludge and a sludge which is at least partially de-watered according to the process.

A device includes a tube body 110 being filled with water; an induction coil 120 installed at a center inside the tube body 110; and a plurality of heating plates 130, 140 arranged around the induction coil 120. The device further includes a high frequency generator 180 for applying high-frequency power to the induction coil 120 to heat the plurality of heating plates 130, 140, resulting in that the water in the tube body 110 is heated and converted into micro-cluster magnetized water; and a tube 150, positioned between a pair of magnets 160, 170 for causing the micro-cluster magnetized water to pass through an N-pole and an S-pole resulting from the pair of magnets 160, 170, thereby providing it as magnetized water exhibiting a high degree of electric conductivity.