Floating, sub-surface discharge aerator

A floating water and wastewater aerator, comprising:

• a floating head having an air intake port on an upper surface thereof, a lower lip defining a lower peripheral edge, and a concave lower surface;
• a main chamber having at least an intake port, an upper peripheral edge spaced apart from the lower peripheral edge of the floating head to define a discharge slot therebetween;
• an air manifold connected to the air intake port;
• and
• an air diffuser in the main chamber and connected to the air manifold, which the air diffuser is defined by a frustoconical member having plural air apertures and a membrane sealed to the frustoconical member at upper and lower edges thereof, the membrane having plural air passageways formed therein,
• wherein the membrane is configured to expand outwardly away from the frustoconical member when air is flowing through the floating water and wastewater aerator to thereby cause air bubbles to emit from the plural air passageways in the membrane, wherein the plural air passageways in the membrane are defined by slits, and
• wherein the floating head has a diameter at the lower peripheral edge, the main chamber has a diameter at the upper peripheral edge, and where the diameter of the floating head at the lower peripheral edge is greater than the diameter of the main chamber at the upper peripheral edge and the concave lower surface of the floating head is defined by a plurality of stepped and sloped concentric edges.

A floating water and wastewater aerator, comprising, a buoyant float head having an air intake port, a lower peripheral edge, and a lower concave surface;

• a barrel defining an oxygen transfer chamber, the barrel having at least one barrel intake port, and an upper peripheral edge spaced apart from the lower concave surface of the buoyant float head to define an air and water discharge gap between the upper peripheral edge of the barrel and the lower concave surface of the buoyant float head;
• an air manifold connected to the air intake port;
• and wherein the air manifold interconnects the buoyant float head and the barrel and includes a frustoconical air diffuser having plural air apertures in the oxygen transfer chamber and an expandable membrane having plural air passageways therethrough sealed to the frustoconical air diffuser,
• wherein the expandable membrane is configured to expand outwardly away from the frustoconical air diffuser when air is flowing through the floating water and wastewater aerator to thereby cause air bubbles to emit from the plural air passageways in the membrane, wherein the plural air passageways in the membrane are defined by slits, and
• wherein the buoyant float head has a diameter at the lower peripheral edge, the barrel has a diameter at the upper peripheral edge, and where the diameter of the buoyant float head at the lower peripheral edge is greater than the diameter of the barrel at the upper peripheral edge and the concave lower surface of the buoyant float head is defined by a plurality of stepped and sloped concentric edges.