GB2465762A - Fluid purification - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid purification apparatus and system comprises a movable filter band arranged to intermittently move over a plane, pervious support member, an element movable with respect to the pervious support member, peripherally engages and seals a section of the filter band when the filter band is stationary, to form a space into which fluid is delivered and allowed to exit through the sealed section of filter band by means of a pressure differential. Also provided is at least one more separately located planer support member enabling further operational procedures to be carried out. A fluid purification member preferably in the form of a packed bed unit or an extended filter surface is provided.

Description

UNIVERSAL FLUID PURIFICATION SYSTEMS

DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Economically acceptable technology for the large-scale purification in the nano-micro particle size range of naturally occurring fluids making up our environment has up to the present time not been forthcoming.

For decades professional world-watchers have warned of a coming acute shortage of fresh water on or near the surface of the earth. The known amount of accessible fresh water has been put at approximately 0.01% of the total water reserves.

Large quantities of wasted heat energy and the spread of diseases continue from the failure to provide sterile air on a large scale in the internal spaces of buildings.

Environmental pollution from global industrial emissions despite some quantitative reductions are becoming offset by the increasing multiplicity of the range of toxic chemicals now being detected in the ground, water and air surrounding us.

These burgeoning problems can be attributed to the failure of the traditional and present fluid purification technologies to provide effective and economic methods for the purification of fluids in the nano-micro range on a large scale.

The scope of the present invention is to make available an innovative universally applicable purification system for the purification of liquids and gases on a large scale ending the long-standing reliance on end of the pipeline" rectification and eliminating emissions completely with systems of total recycling designed into the industrial processes themselves.

Fig. I provides a schematic, annotated portrayal of the evolution of fluid purification apparatus since the 19th century that graphically illustrates the evolutionary reason for today's environmental situation.

Fig. 2 depicts an essential innovative component of the present innovative purification configuration in the form of packed beds integral with a filter belt.

Fig. 3 illustrates a design configuration as an alternative to that described in GB 2331027 for obtaining extended filtration surface of belt sections.

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the large-scale universally applicable fluid purification system according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation according to the present invention of the design of a filter plant with robotic capabilities.

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of the preferred apparatus of the present invention for the regeneration and reuse of used filter beds of powdered or granular purification media in stages (1) and (2) of Fig.4.

Fig. 7 shows the schema of a system according to the present invention for the purification and complete recycling of industrial effluent.

Fig. 8 is a chart illustrating the annual domestic energy consumption of a major European country.

Fig. 9 illustrates schematically an innovative system for the recycling of sterile conditioned air to all types of occupied buildings.

Fig. 10 is the schematised design of an innovative multi-layered packed bed integral with the filter band of the present invention.

Fig. 11 illustrates a comparison of the size of a municipal water treatment systm, according to the present invention with that of a state of the art system.

Fig. 12 is a flow-sheet illustrating the large scale raw water purification system with media regeneration systems according to the present invention.

Fig. 13 represents a universal solids recovery system according to the present invention.

Fig. 14 shows a filter tunnel solid's drier according to the present invention.

Fig. 15 shows a vacuum filter-"hot plate" drier according to the present invention.

Fig. 16 shows a cake press I vacuum filter-drier combination according to the present invention.

Fig. 17 illustrates the stage combination for large-scale reservoir and ground water purification according to the present invention.

Fig. 18 shows the stage combination for large scale surface run-off water purification.

Fig. 19 is the stage combination for both beet and cane sugar refining.

Fig. 20 is the stage combination for edible fat and oil refining.

Fig. 21 shows the stage combination for large scale beer brewing.

Fig. 22 illustrates the stage combination for large scale wine making.

Fig. 23 shows the combination for chemical and pharmaceutical production.

Fig. 24 shows the stage combination for large scale gas and air purification.

Firstly it should be explained why the necessary technology is not available to prevent the ever increasing pollution of our environmental resources and ensure access to drinking quality water and sterile air for breathing the world over.

Fig. I provides a schematic, annotated portrayal of the evolution of fluid purification apparatus since the 19th century.

As a solution to the excessive space and labour requirements of the primeval progenitor of all filtration apparatus the "NUTSCHE" filter was succeeded by the development of the FILTER PRESS for universal application. This led to the division of the further evolutionary development into two distinct branches: 1. Filters for liquid purification and 2. Filters for solids recovery 1. FiLTERS FOR LIQUID and GAS PURIFICATION The exposed multi-planar elements of the FILTER PRESS were simply encased in pressure vessels resulting in an enormous proliferation of varying designs based on this configuration.

It is the continued reliance on these and similar types of filters to solve the global fluid purification problems that has caused the present state of impasse.

The fundamental problem concerns fluid purification in the particulate size range 1010-10m.

The separation of particles above this range presents on the whole no insurmountable problems. The reason for this is that normally the regeneration of the media employed in this particulate size-range also presents no serious problems.

This is far from being the norm in the size range 10'°-1Om. A plethora of media is available to affect separation across the whole of this range but prior art filters depicted on in the right-hand column of Fig. I seldom have the capability of economically regenerating the media on a repeated cyclical basis.

The design of the elements packed into sealed pressure vessels and the large number required for the provision of the large areas of filtration makes the task of regeneration difficult and expensive. Manual intervention for this task is mostly mandatory.

The problem is not one of purification per-se but media regeneration.

THE SOLUTION

a) Providing complete and instantaneous accessibility to the filter media employed.

b) The avoidance of blockages of the pores of the surface of the media at all stages of the purification.

c) The employment of the innovative regenerative deep bed media purification system of the present invention.

2. FILTERS FOR SOLIDS RECOVERY The evolution involved mainly the further development of the progenitor NUTSCHE as model. These consisted mainly of vacuum filters with mobile or static mono-planar or cylindrical surfaces. They are mainly confined to solids recovery operations whereby the regeneration of the media is seldom a problem.

During the 20th century no attempt was made to develop a HYBRID design combining the advantages of the mono-planar NUTSCHE with those of the multi-planar FILTER PRESS. Instead, two similarly sized evolutionary branches dominated the scene until a rapidly changing environment favoured the creation of a mutational variety capable of thriving and succeeding in the changed environment (theory of evolution).

Three decades ago the "VACUBAND FILTER" based on the teaching in GB1487401 and the principle of the NUTSCHE was introduced to the market and was at first seen as a technical curiosity with some niche application potential.

The evolutionary process leading to a HYBRID was initiated with an improved variety of NUTSCHE filter described in GB1487401 followed by a further favourable modifications disclosed in GB2066094.

Then followed further advantageous "mutational" modifications in GB2280857 leading to the disclosures in Patents GB2324975 and GB 2331027 displaying hybrid-like characteristics.

In 2331027 the essential innovative components are depicted and described as moveable separation elements consisting of MULTI-PLANAR pleated media elements integral with the belt of a MONO-PLANAR filter. These elements are sealed at their periphery within an upper filter container during operation. Then with the container opened they are transported with the belt to an external media regeneration facility separately situated directly beneath the filtrate chamber. The main purpose of this arrangement was to provide a compact design with favourable facilities for media regeneration for removing solids from the spaces within the pleated elements and for scouring the surfaces within the pleated elements with high pressure jets of fluid and subjecting the elements to turbulent soaking baths.

This arrangement proved to be useful for some batch types of processing encountered in multi-product production. However for large scale product-dedicated fluid processing such as municipal water purification, sugar production, beer brewing, wine making and large scale air and gas purification the specialized media regeneration processes required a large variety of intensive and time consuming methodology whereby contamination of the product from contact with residues of cleaning fluids must be avoided at any cost was not possible with this state-of-the-art solution.

THE GOAL OF THE INVENTION

The previous long-standing goal is cited in the patent literature listed has now been extended: "To develop a single complete processing system for fluids whereby a universally applicable fluid purification and separation system plays the central role in fluid processing and environmental fluid purification The present invention is to make available an innovative universally applicable system for the purification of both liquids and gases on a large scale providing solutions to the pressing ecological problems and with sound economic arguments for their implementation.

The most pressing ecological problems are associated with water and air pollution mainly caused by industrial and human activity, It is ironic however that much of the worst environmental water pollution is caused by the very industrial apparatus depicted on the right hand branch of Fig. I that are then depended upon for the large scale purification of the polluted effluent that they themselves have largely caused.

Faced with this dilemma it was logical to concentrate on the development of novel universally applicable fluid filtration and purification apparatus and methods that don't generate polluted effluent in the first place.

Such a development would also solve the present global problems associated with the production of potable water and sterile air and enable significant savings in energy consumption now wasted for the heating and cooling of building interiors.

This goal is based on the recognition that historically the individual industrial processes developed largely independently and mostly in isolation over the centuries that resulted in the proliferation of purification and filtration apparatus depicted on Fig. 1 with the accompanying impasse of the present environmental problem. This trend is continuing despite the fact that the basic fluid purification tasks of the apparently disparate processes were and still are largely of a similar nature.

Historically, successful systems for general application in large-scale fluid purification in the particulate range 1O10-1O5m remain unavailable.

Governmental environmental agencies have become stalled in their quest to improve the present deplorable quality standards set for industrial and domestic polluters. The reason given and the argument steadfastly supported by the polluters is that at best the environmental agencies can only enforce the best STATE-OF-THE-ART pollution control technology available.

It is this situation more than anything else that has led to the present stagnation in the development of innovative technologies in this field. The polluters as well as the filter makers have little if any incentive to improve the situation.

It is proposed that the innovation described here will provide the technology to break the present deadlock and convince today's polluters that it makes sound economic sense to invest in effective technology to not only further reduce the present degree of pollution but to eliminate it altogether, Fig. 2 depicts a key innovative purifying element configuration 201 of the present invention consisting of mobile packed beds out of regenerative or restorable materials such as silica, glass, sand, etc. and purifying materials capable of regeneration such as activated carbon, bleaching earth, molecular sieves, zeolites, ion-exchange resins, etc. In a preferred embodiment the bed consists of flexible containers 203 integral with the sectioned belt, containing the beds with sealed pervious metal or plastic sheets or grids 204 with flanged peripheral sections 205 providing the chamber sealing surfaces.

Fig. 3 illustrates a further preferred design configuration 301 to that disclosed in 2331027 for obtaining extended surface of belt sections. It consists of grooved or corrugated vertical discs acting as filtrate drainage members integral with or attached to the material of the filter belt 304 providing drainage spaces 302 for the free flow of filtrate with minimal pressure drop through the internals of the elements 301. Fitted to the external surfaces of the grooved or corrugated discs are pre-confectioned pieces of filter medium 303 shaped or treated to provide a close fit to the entire upper face of the filtrate drainage members.

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a large-scale universally applicable fluid purification system according to the present invention: * Fluid purification stages I and 2 * Stage 3 for the recovery of solids and purification of effluent liquids and/or gases.

* Intermediate stage 4 for regeneration and recycling of used granular or powdered filter media.

1st stage (1) is a shuttle unit consisting of twin regenerative mobile electro-charged packed beds for the purification of both liquids and gases in the range >0.01 micron.

Liquids are generally pre-dosed with flocculating or coagulating substances whereas gases are pre-radiated with corona-discharge or its equivalent.

Operation: The central purification chamber 405, reserved for fluid purification, contains a regenerated packed bed 201 or a multi-layered bed Fig.10 from the previous cycle transferred on the belt from the bed regeneration chamber 406.

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Chamber 404 contains the exhausted packed bed for regeneration previously in 405.

Liquid for purification dosed with flocculating or coagulating material from 408 or gas pre-radiated with corona discharge or its equivalent to charge aerosols and suspended particulate matter is pumped by 407 through the bed in 405 in an oppositely chared state and delivered as purified fluid or as partially purified fluid to 410 in the 2 Stage (2) for more intensive final purification.

Simultaneously the exhausted bed in 404 is subjected to back-wash liquid from vessel 415 in the Stage (3). Further combinations of regenerative measures (not shown) such as bed treatment with ultrasonic vibration and facilities for washing the beds with acids, alkalis, solvents and bed drying with heated gas or vapour are also available for application The used back-wash or cleaning liquid is collected in 417 to be purified in (3) after dosing with purifying agents from 408 and collected in 415.

After purification in 405 and bed regeneration in 404 the chambers are opened and the band, moving in the opposite direction (shuttle-mode), delivers the exhausted bed in 405 to 406 and the regenerated bed in 404 to 405.

-The cycle is then repeated. - 2d Stage (2) is also a shuttle unit consisting of twin regenerative mobile sets of extended surface filter elements 301 fitted with membranous or woven media for the separation of particulate matter in the size range 1010-10m normally acting as support for powdered or granular layers of pre-coated material such as kieselguhr, silica, perlite, glass fibre, cellulose fibres, etc. with a mean particulate size range of micron often with the addition of finely ground purification material such as activated carbon, ion-exchange resins, etc. with a size range at least a factor of 5 below the main pre-coated material to facilitate its removal from the media regeneration in unit 412. Optionally, Stage 1 (1) with packed bed members can also act as support for pre-coated material whereby separation of particulate matter in the size range 0.01-1.0 micron for certain operations is also possible.

Operation: Fluid filtrate from 405 is either delivered directly as finished product or through a separate filtrate container (not shown) to the shuttle filter chamber 410 through a regenerated filter element 301 directly through the fitted medium or through the fitted medium covered with layers of regenerated surface-charged powdered or granular material delivered to the shuttle chamber 410. The purified fluid filtrate now in a sterile condition is delivered to its destination through conduit 413.

Simultaneously the previously exhausted shuttle element now in 409 is subjected to a variety of regeneration options including jets of high-pressure fluid, ultra-sonic generation, chemical treatment and back-washing.

Regeneration and reuse of powdered and granular purification media 4th Stage (4) is the preferred apparatus and method of the present invention for the regeneration of pre-coated purification media for both Stage 1 (1) and Stage 2 (2) illustrated schematically in Fig. 6.

Operation: This unit operation can be described as batch-wise counter-current dilution.

1st Reslurrying of the bed Referring now to Fig. 6 decant-liquid in 601 from the previous batch is transferred to 605 into which, with agitation, the bed is discharged normally as a slurry from the filter chamber. The contents of 605 after pH-adjustment and dosing with purification agents are vigorously agitated for a set period.

Settling and Decantation With the agitator shut down the bed is allowed to settle to the base of 605.

The supernatant liquid, containing most of the dislodged adsorbed and trapped impurities in the bed material, is decanted to the turbid liquid purifier 606.

* 2nd Reslurrying of bed The contents of 602 are transferred to 605 where the bed is reslurried again by means of agitation. After a set time agitation ceases and the bed settles in the base of 605 and the supernatant liquid is transferred to 601.

* 3JC Reslurrying of bed The contents of 603 are transferred to 605 where the bed is again reslurried by means of agitation. After a set time agitation ceases and the bed settles in the base of 605 and the supernatant liquid is transferred to 602.

* 4th Reslurrying of bed The contents of 604 are transferred to 605 where the bed is again reslurried by means of agitation. After a set time agitation ceases and the bed settles in the base of 605 and the supernatant liquid is transferred to 603.

According to requirements this batch-wise counter-current regeneration operation can be carried out with any number of (n) stages.

* The final flth reslurrying uses the stored purified supernatant liquid from 606.

Purification and recycling of the 1st decant liquid in 606: * pH-adjustment of decant from the 1st reslurrying in 606 (H2S04 / NaOH).

* Conditioning flocculating and/or coagulating agents are dosed from storage 607.

* After a settling period the supernatant liquid is transferred to the final stage container n.

* The settled sludge is transferred to sludge container 417 (Fig.4).

The regenerated powdered or granular media are then reslurried in 412 and recycled on 410 (in exceptional circumstances on 405) to redeposit them on the surface of the surfaces of the purification members.

Stage 3 is a fluid purification apparatus 414 consisting of a moveable filter band arranged to move intermittently between two or more separately located sealing elements and two or more plane, pervious support member, a gas pump 416 and filtrate container and recycle pump 415 and a source of expendable non-woven filter material in roll form. Solids residue as well as product solids are recovered from suspension in this unit and collected in 418. Liquid suspensions from regeneration of shuttle fluid purification members are purified and recycled to Stage 1(1) and Stage 2(2) from this stage for further member regeneration purposes.

Stages I and 2 can be employed independently depending on the quality of the raw feed and the quality requirement of the filtrate.

For example:

* The recycling of effluent to production facilities may warrant the use of Stage I alone.

* The recycling of air in buildings and factories may also warrant the employment of only Stage 1.

* Stage I provided with multi-layered beds Fig. 10 and the dosing of the fluid stream with polyelectrolytes, finely divided adsorbent and purifying materials as well as electro-charging facilities can produce degrees of purification not obtainable with state-of-the-art packed bed technology.

* The use of Stage 2 alone can constitute the optimal purification configuration for many fluid purification requirements.

Fluid processing The previously described system (Fig.4) can rationalize processes not only for the purpose of fluid processing but also for * Adsorptive fluid purification * Extraction * Catalysis * Ion-exchange * Liquid-gas reactions Packed beds containing granular activated carbon, silica gel, "Bentonite", etc. are used for adsorptive fluid purification followed by bed regeneration. The overriding advantage is that the separation of purification and regeneration facilities enables a more thorough regeneration with the avoidance of product contamination.

These plants are inherently more compact than state-of-the-art methods.

These advantages also apply to extractive, catalytic, ion-exchange and mixed phase reactive processes.

THE ROBOT

In 2324975 the realisation of a liquid processing system with robot-like capability is described. Referring to Fig.5 the following innovative capabilities are now disclosed: 1. Deep bed regeneration Means 501, 517 for the regeneration and reuse of in-situ formed beds of liquid purifying substances in granular and powdered form such as silica, diatomaceous earth, silicates, etc. which if necessary are dosed with more finely powdered quantities of fluid purifying substances such as activated carbon, bleaching earth, molecular sieves, zeolites, ion-exchange resins, etc. from storage vessels 516 to remove specific impurities. These dosed purifying powders are removed on regeneration of the carrier bed material and are recovered as de-watered or dried solids for incineration.

2. Automated choice of mode of operation and media Fully automatic testing with separate disposable sheets 503 of known filtration characteristics both before and/or during the filtration operation are carried out to determine and achieve the optimal media, throughput and mode of operation.

3. Trouble shooting Fully automatic resolution of operational problems especially low throughput and failed product quality occurring during the operation are monitored and signalled ("trouble shooting") thereby initiating test runs with the element in use and/or by separate disposable sheets 503 of known filtration characteristics. An alternative quality of filter media and/or mode of filtration is chosen and automatically put into operation.

These developments have led to the innovative concept of fluid purification plants operating in a robot-like mode of operation especially suited to multi-product and multi-process operations such as occur in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical as well as many smaller scale food and beverage industries including effluent purification and recycling.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the design of such a ROBOT.

In the present innovation the filter belt includes a number of linked sections consisting of * Extended surface elements 512 * Packed bed elements 511 * Membranous or woven sections 524 for direct filtration or as support for fotnied regenerable beds supplied from the storage vessel 517 With prior art apparatus it has proved difficult if not impracticable to unblock or regenerate elements especially those of a membranous nature after a fluid purification cycle.

In the present invention stretches or sections of extended surface elements, packed beds and sheet elements after transportation from the pervious support member are first located on vertical planar support members 505 and subjected to high pressure jets of cleaning fluid 515 to ensure that a large proportion of the remaining residues on or in the media are removed before delivery to the bath 522. The elements are fed to vessel 522 and located on planar support members 505 in a vertical orientation in close proximity to the faces of the ultra-sonic generators 514 whereby the walls of the vessel 522 are constructed from material offering a maximum transmission to sonic waves.

After emerging from the bath the elements are again subjected to separate high-pressure fluid jets 515. The lower planar surfaces then optionally pass over or in contact with vacuum heads to remove the maximum amount of residual fluid from the element before returning to the pervious support member of the filter chamber.

GENERAL APPLICATION

Existing industrial facilities are seldom if ever set up to internally eliminate effluent from processes. The primary aim and a first step of the present invention is to provide industries with the means for cutting their present fluid effluents into the environment from their present level to close to ZERO by externally intergrating the capability of effluent prevention and purification with the production facility itself.

Air is still free at the point of usage and its usage cannot be controlled. However the effluent from usage must be restricted and controlled.

As with water the recycling of purified air in domestic and industrial scenarios can also be a profitable proposition.

* Fig.7 shows a fluid shuttle purification unit 701 according to the present invention with an effluent pre-treatment station 702, 703 receiving externally the complete effluent or emissions from an industrial installation and

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recycling it to the production unit with any desired degree of purification. The unit 701 may comprise any single stage or combination of the stages illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig.8 and 9 illustrate the possible large potential reductions in domestic energy consumption to be achieved from the total recycling of sterile conditioned air in buildings fitted out with improved insulation. It is estimated that at least a 30% reduction in domestic carbon emissions due to the heating and cooling requirements of buildings can accrue.

* Fig. 10 illustrates schematically the design of a multi-layer packed bed in the systems of the present invention. The grading from coarse to fine particulate matter of the beds is an ideal solution for general purpose fluid purification where the dangers of rapid blockage of conventional beds are acute.

Application Examples

* Water purification industries: Reservoir, ground water and run-off water are becoming increasingly polluted from effluent and dumped industrial and domestic waste as well as the use agricultural chemicals.

Figs. 11, 12, 17, 18 illustrate the advantageous compactness of the municipal water treatment plant of the present invention compared with state of the art engineering.

Not only is it far more compact it is also far more effective in that the end product is far superior in quality, reliability and cost than that provided by state of the art sand filters.

With the demise of the sand filter there is now no acceptable technology to directly purify large quantities of water for drinking purposes from today's raw water, e.g. direct from "run-off' into large tributaries and major rivers or from water contaminated with effluent from domestic sewage works ("grey water").

With the enactment of measures to prevent liquid effluent from industries and agriculture the emission of heavy metals, CHC, mineral oils and their derivatives, hazardous inorganic molecules and ions, biological contamination, etc., the possibility of general recycling of domestic sewage as potable water could become a reality.

Fig.12 shows a system comprising a universal shuttle system (Fig.4) and solids residue filter according to the invention capable of economically converting such raw water sources to potable quality.

Potable water from raw water: The results of trials indicate that a purification system according to the present invention provided with the means for filter bed regeneration and reuse can purify and recycle such sources as final effluent from a typical communal sewage system.

The ultimate challenge for any liquid purification system would be the ability to economically produce potable water from what is known as "grey water".

The system according to he present invention depicted in Fig.1 I achieves a 90% installation space saving compared with state-of-the-art plants that require massively expensive civil engineering construction but despite this cannot economically produce potable water from "grey" water".

COST EXAMPLE (assuming an existing distribution network) Population: 200.000 Water consumption/day: 200 litrejperson Raw water source: typical running river water

CAPITAL __________________

Stage 1: 4m2 Miller packed bed sand ______________________________ filter Stage 2: 2m2 Miller pleated shuttle ____________________________ band> 200m2

BUDGET I COST _________________

All ancillary equipment, building, � 10 M reservoirs etc __________________________ Amort. I 5yr -� 0.7 M/yr: �2000/day

RUNNING COST _________________

Chemicals: Polyelectrolyte, 100 ppm -4 t/day activated carbon, ion-exchange, etc: _____________________________ + Power, maintenance, etc + Labour: 1 man / 3 shift + -�1500/day overhead: _________________________ TOTAL: -�3500/day Cost of water: �0.09 (p) I m3 * Sugar industry Fig.1 9: Little has changed in both beet and cane industries over the centuries. Antiquated liquid purification systems continue to cause serious pollution, product loss and waste of energy.

According to the present invention the universal fluid purification system (Fig.4) would replace these conventional systems for the purification of raw juices in the cane and beet industries with considerable improvement in the yield of sugar and savings in energy consumption.

State-of-the-art refining of both beet and cane sugar is based on technology developed over 2 centuries ago.

The processes are outdated and inefficient.

Recent bio-fuel developments based on starch as well as sucrose have

opened up this field to further development.

Sugar production would profit from improved heat energy conservation and improved juice purification resulting in a considerable reduction in carbon consumption and up to a 10% increase in sucrose yield.

Edible fats and biofuels Fig2O illustrates a scheme for the extraction and refining and transformation of a large variety of agricultural crops in food products.

Edible fats and biofuels can be produced in plants that are similar to those for the production of products from agricultural raw material such as sugar cane and beet, maize, barley, wheat, rapeseed, palm, etc. Beverages, edible fats In all these processes the essential substance targeted is pressed or extracted from the comminuted solid raw product and finally purified by a combination of Stages 1-4.

* Bio-fuels from both sucrose and starch can be produced efficiently with identical production technology.

* Beverages Fig. 21, 22: State-of-the-art beer brewers and wine makers are universally convinced that their technology after thousands of years of development has now reached a zenith of perfection and should not be tampered with by over-zealous innovators.

The beer brewing process consists essentially of a set liquid purification operations utilizing filtration equipment illustrated on the right hand column of Fig.1 zero effluent. The reality is that the average brewery comprises a proliferation of a multitude of such apparatus producing 5-10 litres of potent bio-effluent for each litre of beer produced.

It is common knowledge that an abundance of bad wine is being imposed on an undeserving public. The goal of the present invention is to improve the availability of bulk wine with a consistently good quality combined with zero effluent.

The system is identical to the beer brewing process. in fact the whole gamut of fermented beverages can be produced in a single plant.

The aim of the present invention is eliminate polluting effluent altogether and rationalize these types of operation.

* Fig.23 I Chemical industries For over 2 centuries filtration engineering was based on laboratory practice with the laboratory BUCHNER funnel as the basis for the design of large-scale liquid purification and solids recovery apparatus (NUTSCHE filter). This then led to an enormous proliferation of fluid purification and solids recovery apparatus in these industries with the accompanying serious environmental.

pollution problems.

The universal fluid purification system of the present invention backed up by a choice from the following solids recovery designs according to the present invention can rationalise these operations and enable these polluting industries to be completely sealed off from the external environment regarding liquid and gaseous emissions.

Fig.24 STACK GAS & BREATHING AIR The term "stack-gas" generally refers to gases discharged into the atmosphere from a huge variety of industrial processes. Large visible and in visible plumes of gas continue to be discharged from numerous chimneys, Here again analogous to the need for the total recycling of purified liquid effluent there is a similar need to eliminate "off-gas" completely by purifying and recycling to the point of intake.

Large-scale air and gas purification requirements.

There is no generally applicable system for submicronic for the large scale sterile purification of air. That is, workable, economical technologies have not been available for the purification of air in all types of buildings, factories or enclosed inhabited spaces to enable the total recycling of sterile fully conditioned air at all times and hence to achieve potentially large savings in energy consumption for heating and/or cooling and improved health of the occupiers of such spaces. Large savings can accrue by eliminating the practice of continually or continuously "renewing" the internally used air of buildings with "fresh" and often low or high temperature as well as polluted external air.

Today's hospitals are plagued by the spread of contagious diseases that to a large extent are caused by airborne microbes contained within the premises.

CHOICE OF SOLIDS RECOVERY FILTER-DRIERS ACCORDING TO THE

PRESENT INVENTION

Fig.13 illustrates a universal shuttle-type fluid purification and solids recovery system according to the present invention capable of eliminating many troublesome and polluting conventional apparatus such as filter presses and centrifuges used for difficult solids/liquid separation operations in the chemical and allied industries.

Extended surface membranous elements enable the separation and removal of finely divided solids from the most intractable suspensions whereby the spaces between the extended surface elements filled with solids are discharged after which the set of elements are returned to Position 2 or 3 for final cleaning of the surfaces by high pressure jets of liquid before being transported to Position I for further filtration operations.

* Fig.14 shows a filter-drier according to the present invention fitted with a tunnel convective cake drier suitable for solids with elevated melting points.

* Fig.15 illustrates a vacuum filter-drier according to the present invention suitable for the recovery of heat sensitive solids in the "dried" state often encountered in the fine chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Solids residues from the filtration are transported on the filter band to sealed in chambers where they are subjected to "hot-plate" indirect conductive heating and direct vacuum convective evaporation whereby the vapours are condensed, recovered and recycled.

Fig.16 depicts an innovative filter/press/drier according to the tenets of the present invention suitable for many applications in the chemical, effluent treatment, mining, and sundry industries whereby a recovered filter cake is firstly mechanically pressed by a hydraulically actuated plate 1601 extending over the whole surface of the cake and secondly a final thermal drying chamber fitted with a lower hot plate 1603 and upper radiant heat elements 1602 backed up by vacuum evaporation and condensation.