Gas dissolving apparatus and method

An apparatus for dissolving a gas into fluid, the apparatus comprising:

• a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;
• a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;
• a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid from the container, and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;
• a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means for introduction of the gas into the gas transfer device;
• and
• an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device.

A method for dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container having the fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;
• providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of fluid in the container;
• providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;
• providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;
• allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;
• introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;
• allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;
• releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means;
• and
• retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.

The method of dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;
• providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container, the gas transfer device being substantially cylindrical in shape;
• providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;
• providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• providing an acceleration plate positioned within the gas transfer device for acceleration of the fluid and gas mixture therethrough;
• providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;
• allowing the fluid to flow from the container to the first end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;
• introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the acceleration means and the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;
• allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;
• releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved into the fluid therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means;
• and
• retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.

A method of dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;
• providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;
• providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;
• providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• providing a helix-shaped bubble harvester positioned within the gas transfer device;
• providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;
• allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;
• introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;
• introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas travel downward to the helix-shaped bubble harvester where the bubbles are kept in contact with the fluid for dissolving at least a portion of the gas into the fluid;
• allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;
• releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means;
• and
• retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.

A method for dissolving a gas into a fluid, the apparatus comprising:

• providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;
• providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;
• providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid from the container, and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;
• providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means for introduction of the gas into the gas transfer device;
• providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;
• allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;
• allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;
• introducing the fluid into the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;
• introducing the gas into the gas transfer device via the gas inlet means;
• allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;
• allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;
• releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means;
• and
• retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.