System, method, and apparatus to oxygenate water
OwnerTerry M. Whiteinventor
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Abstract
A system, method, and apparatus for oxygenation of a source of water, to increase the dissolved oxygen content of water. Aspects of the present invention harnesses and directs the power of water flowing through the system to extract oxygen present in air, rather than relying on the injection of gas or using other mechanical means. The water oxygenator is formed as an elongate cylindrical tube having a water inlet at a first end, a water outlet at a second end, and an air inlet proximal to the first end. The elongate cylindrical tube has an outer sidewall defining a mixing chamber within an interior cavity of the water oxygenator. The mixing chamber includes a plurality of baffles that are disposed in a spaced apart relation along a longitudinal length of the interior cavity.
Claims13
A water oxygenator, comprising:
- an elongate cylindrical tube having a first end, a second end, an outer sidewall defining a main mixing chamber within an interior cavity of the elongate cylindrical tube;
- a plurality of baffles disposed in a spaced apart relation along a longitudinal length of the main mixing chamber;
- a water inlet at the first end, the water inlet coupled with a source of oxygen depleted water contained in a retention reservoir, the water inlet having a diameter less than a diameter of the elongate cylindrical tube;
- a water outlet at the second end, having a diameter less than the diameter of the elongate cylindrical tube;
- a first frusto-conical sidewall connecting the water inlet with the outer sidewall, the frusto-conical sidewall defining an initial mixing chamber;
- and
- an air inlet tube protruding through the first frusto-conical sidewall into the initial mixing chamber defined within the frusto-conical sidewall, the air inlet tube coupled with a high-volume, low-pressure air source to oxygenate the oxygen depleted water contained in the retention reservoir.
A method for oxygenating a source of water held within a containment reservoir, comprising:
- providing a water oxygenator formed as an elongate cylindrical tube having a first end, a second end, an outer sidewall defining a main mixing chamber within an interior cavity, a water inlet at the first end, a fluid outlet at the second end configured to discharge a flow of oxygenated water from the water oxygenator, a plurality of baffles within the interior cavity disposed in a spaced apart radially offset relation along a longitudinal length of the elongate cylindrical tube, a first frusto-conical sidewall connecting the water inlet with the elongate cylindrical tube defining an initial mixing chamber therein, and an air inlet tube projecting through the first frusto-conical sidewall into the initial mixing chamber;
- delivering a volume of oxygen depleted water from the containment reservoir to the water inlet;
- injecting a high volume, low pressure air flow to the air inlet tube to oxygenate the source of water carried through the water oxygenator;
- and
- discharging a volume of oxygenated water from the water from the water oxygenator into a waterway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.