US 11,344,852 B1Granted

Hydroponic system and method for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles

AssigneeEnrichment Systems LLC

InventorsJerome Charles Hamler, Jacob Henry Elliott, Rex O'Neal, Jack Sweeten

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In one configuration, a hydroponic system for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles is disclosed. The system may include at least one reservoir configured to temporarily store the gas-bubble enriched liquid. Each of the at least one reservoir may include an associated inlet port and an associated outlet port fluidically coupled with each other via a liquid-flow line. The system includes one or more pumps configured to cause movement of the liquid along the liquid-flow line, a gas supply feeding a gas (in one configuration, oxygen from a gas concentrator), and a gas-bubble generator provided on the liquid-flow line. The gas-bubble generator may be fluidically coupled to the gas supply to receive gas from the gas supply. The gas-bubble generator may be configured to generate a plurality of individual gas-bubbles of the gas received from the gas supply and mix with the liquid stream flowing via the gas-bubble generator.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A hydroponic system for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles configured to improve plant health, the hydroponic system comprising:

a first reservoir configured to temporarily store the liquid, the first reservoir comprising:
a first reservoir inlet port;
a first reservoir outlet port;
a liquid-flow line fluidically coupled to the first reservoir inlet port and the first reservoir outlet port,
wherein the liquid enters the first reservoir via the first reservoir inlet port;
and
wherein the liquid exits the first reservoir via the first reservoir outlet port;
a pump configured to cause movement of the liquid across the pump, wherein the pump comprises:
a suction port;
and
a discharge port;
a gas supply feeding a pressurized gas;
a gas-bubble generator provided on the liquid-flow line, the gas-bubble generator comprising:
an inlet port;
an outlet port;
a gas injection port configured to selectively supply the pressurized gas from the gas supply to the gas-bubble generator;
and
a turbulent flow path inside the gas-bubble generator;
a rigid body formed in a spiral configured to create the turbulent flow path along which the pressurized gas is mixed with the liquid;
wherein the gas-bubble generator is configured to receive the liquid via the inlet port and eject the liquid via the outlet port;
wherein the gas-bubble generator is:
fluidically coupled to the gas supply via the gas injection port and configured to receive the pressurized gas from the gas supply via the gas injection port;
wherein the gas-bubble generator is further configured to generate a plurality of gas-bubbles of the pressurized gas received from the gas supply and mix with a liquid stream flowing via the gas-bubble generator;
and
wherein the liquid stream containing the plurality of gas-bubbles is in fluid communication with at least one plant.

22 more elements

An apparatus for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles in a system, the apparatus comprising:

a reservoir configured to temporarily store the liquid, the reservoir comprising:
a reservoir inlet port;
a reservoir outlet port;
a liquid-flow line fluidically coupled to the reservoir inlet port and the reservoir outlet port;
wherein the liquid enters the reservoir via the reservoir inlet port;
and
wherein the liquid exits the reservoir via the reservoir outlet port;
a pump positioned inside the reservoir and submerged in the liquid, wherein the pump is configured to cause movement of the liquid across the pump, the pump comprising:
a suction port;
and
a discharge port;
a gas supply feeding a pressurized gas;
and
a gas-bubble generator positioned inside the reservoir and provided on the liquid-flow line, the gas-bubble generator comprises:
an inlet port;
an outlet port;
an injection port;
and
a turbulent flow path inside the gas-bubble generator
a rigid body formed in a spiral configured to create the turbulent flow path
along which the pressurized gas is mixed with the liquid;
wherein the turbulent flow path is configured to generate turbulence to cause the pressurized gas received from the gas supply to mix with a liquid stream flowing from the inlet port to the outlet port of the gas-bubble generator;
wherein the gas-bubble generator is configured to receive the liquid via the inlet port and eject the liquid via the outlet port;
wherein the gas-bubble generator is:
fluidically coupled to the gas supply;
and
configured to receive the pressurized gas from the gas supply via the injection port;
and
wherein the gas-bubble generator is further configured to generate a plurality of gas-bubbles of the pressurized gas received from the gas supply and mix with the liquid flowing via the gas-bubble generator;
and
wherein the liquid stream containing the plurality of gas-bubbles is in fluid communication with at least one plant.

28 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.