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INNOVATIONS

Water Quality Monitoring by Remote Sensing and AI
With the increasingly prominent ecological and environmental problems in lakes, monitoring water quality in lakes by satellite remote sensing is becoming more urgent. Traditional water quality sampling is not only time-consuming and labor-costly, it cannot provide a full picture of the waterbodies over time. 
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We propose a novel approach that uses hyperspectral remote sensing in conjunction with machine learning technologies to retrieve water quality parameters (both optically active parameters and non-optically active parameters) and provide mapping for them in a lake. 
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With the proposed approach, spatial-temporal changes of mass indices in large water bodies and water quality trends over time can be monitored, forecast, and managed.
Stirred Sludge Volume Index (SSVI) Apparatus
SVI is an important design and operation parameter for secondary settling tanks in wastewater treatment processes. However, numerous studies over the past 20 years have demonstrated flaws in the traditional method of assessing SVI. 
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We propose the stirred SVI at 3.5 g suspended solids/L (SSVI 3.5) to overcome the limitations of traditional SVI method. As shown in figures on the right, the device meets the  specifications in Ekama et al. (1997); mixed liquor may be added directly to the cylinder with or without a funnel; the cylinder is calibrated for ease of determination of final sludge volume and interface settling velocities. The device is easily assembled and dissembled for cleaning.
Air Filter with Superior Filtration Efficiency
The ultrafine particle matter (PM) in air has been recognized as one of the most hazardous environmental issues. Efficient air filtration methods and applications are highly demanded.
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We have developed the porous bead-on-string filters with nanobeads along the nanofiber axis, which improves the PM removal efficiency to above 99% and alleviates the pressure drop. The presented design is a competitive cadidate in various air filtration applications, including respiration, window screen, and medical equipment
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The trasformation of morphology can be simply achieved by adjusting the polymer concentration and ambient humidity of a nanofibrous structure. The fabrication can be scaled up, as no special  equipments or materials required.
Enhanced Oil Grit Separator 
Urbanization increases impervious surface area resulting in more significant and faster urban runoff. Urban runoff carries floatables, oil, organics, and bacterial contaminants and causes water body pollution.  A new enhanced oil grit separator (EOGS) has been developed to effectively separate oil and grit from captured runoff, simplify operation and maintenance functions, and reduce receiving water pollution.  EOGS incorporates multiple oil-water-grit separation mechanisms and can be installed at storm drainage systems. Using the Toronto and Regions Conservation Authority’s regulatory guideline (2014) titled the “Procedure for Laboratory Testing of Oil/Grit Separators,” a full-scale laboratory testing of EOGS confirmed the high separation of oil and grit from water.
Contact us for details and more innovations
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