Abstract:
A process for the treatment of sewage or other wastewater containing organic matter which comprises the steps of: (a) mixing sewage or other wastewater containing organic matter with a coagulant/adsorbent which is finely divided particulate mineral or clay material the individual particles of which have a thin hydroxylated surface layer, under conditions whereby at least a substantial proportion of the organic material in the sewage or other wastewater containing organic matter becomes attached to the coagulant/adsorbent; (b) separating the coagulant/adsorbent with attached organic material from the mixture to leave a treated liquid effluent; (c) treating the separated coagulant/adsorbent from step (b) with alkali thereby to release the organic material therefrom, separating the coagulant/adsorbent from the resultant concentrated slurry containing the organic material; and (d) adding acid to the concentrated slurry of organic material to lower the pH to less than 4 and thereby to obtain a sludge which separates under gravity and a supernatant liquid which optionally may be recycled to acidify the incoming sewage or other wastewater containing organic matter.
Abstract:
A refrigeration unit (1) used on bulk containers for perishable foodstuffs which cycles water obtained by condensation from the refrigeration cooling coil (2) through a fine water spray (9) into the air on the cold side of the cooling coil (2) while circulating the air through the container. The relative humidity of the circulating air on the warm side of the cooling coil is measured (10) and the water spray (9) controlled according to the measured relative humidity.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for the determination of moisture content of a sample carried on a conveyor belt. Microwave signals at a number of discrete frequencies within a range are transmitted through the sample and the phase shift of the received signals is averaged and combined with measurement of attenuation or mass per unit area to provide a measure of moisture content of the sample. The invention is applicable to measurement of moisture content of crushed coking and steaming coals.
Abstract:
Production of an electrosuspension of particles (5), comprising an insulating container (3) fitted with two spaced apart electrodes (2, 4) between which a high electrical potential is applied. At least one of the electrodes (2) is mounted for rotation by an associated electric motor (20). The electrode mounted for rotation preferably has a drum like configuration formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart conductors (6). In a second aspect the invention produces an electrosuspension of micronised particles where one of the electrodes is in contact with a bed of particles and a second electrode is spaced above the particles. Field concentrating conductors are connected with the second electrode to generate ions and irradiate the surface of the particulate material with ions of opposite polarity to the first electrode.
Abstract:
A method for stretching an assembly, e.g. a sliver or roving, of untwisted staple fibres (12) to reduce their diameter and increase their length employs false twist to provide grip between the fibres to ensure that stretching of the fibres and not drafting of the assembly occurs. The fibres are first plasticized by treatment with a suitable agent in a bath (16) and then passed through apparatus which employs a number of rotatable arrays (24, 25, 29, 32) of driven pulleys (26, 33). The arrays are mounted for rotation between two twist blocking nips (18, 18') and are rotatable about a longitudinal axis corresponding to the direction of travel of the assembly through the apparatus to impart false twist into the assembly. The assembly is stretched between two of the pulley arrays (24 and 25), the pulleys of the downstream array (25) being driven at a higher speed than the pulleys of the upstream array (24). The stretch is then set by steam heating in chamber (17) while the false twist is maintained by further rotatable pulley arrays (29). Post treatment stages (14, 46) may be added to further stabilize the stretched fibres. The fibres are animal hairs, for example wool.
Abstract:
A wool card has at least one burr-beater morel unit (15a, 15b) for the removal of vegetable matter, the morel roller (16, 20) of which is fitted with a plurality of burr-beaters (30, 31), preferably two, arranged about the morel roller (16, 20) so that, in operation of the card, the fibre web is fed directly along the morel roller from one burr-beater (31) to the other (30) substantially without intervening inversion of the web or displacement of vegetable matter in the web.