Apparatus for gasification of liquids

A waste water treatment plant comprises:

• a waste water treatment vessel having side walls and a bottom wall and being at least six feet in depth and at least eight feet in each transverse dimension;
• at least one gasification device having an average operational density greater than that of water;
• suspension means for suspending said device within a body of waste water received in said treatment vessel;
• said device being less than about two feet in height and less than about two feet in each transverse dimension;
• said suspension means suspending said device significantly closer to said bottom wall of said vessel than to the water surface;
• gas supply means positioned adjacent said vessel and a gas supply conduit extending from said gas supply means to said device;
• said device comprising a hollow ring-like enclosure defining a generally annular chamber for receiving gas to be introduced into said waste water;
• gas inlet means connected to said gas supply conduit and communicating with said chamber for enabling flow of gas thereto;
• the longitudinal axis passing through the plane of said ring being vertically oriented, and the central opening of said ring defined by the axially-facing surfaces of said enclosure defining a passageway for induced upward flow of said waste water;
• an axially-extended constriction of substantially constant diameter defined at the middle of said passageway, said constriction provided with apertures communicating with said annular chamber to enable gas flow into said constriction, said gas flow and resulting ascending bubble stream inducing flow of water upwardly through said passageway, said gas flow and bubble stream comprising the sole means effecting said water flow;
• the said surfaces of said enclosure bordering and defining said passageway forming a cone-like portion converging from the flow input end of said passageway to said constriction, to thereby define an axially-extended zone of flow convergence, whereby in conjunction with said constriction to increase the flow velocity through said constriction, thereby to augment shearing of gas bubbles emerging from said apertures and promote small bubble formation;
• the said surfaces of said enclosure bordering and defining said passageway forming a second cone-like portion diverging axially for an extended length above said constriction, whereby to define an extended zone of flow divergence for distributing the gasified flow into the body of said waste water;
• the body of water within said vessel being substantially free of structure other than said at least one device, suspension means and gas supply conduit, whereby said gasified flow initiates and sustains a circulation pattern in which at least the smaller diameter gas bubbles are carried down again into the body of the water after the gasified flow has ascended from said device to near the water's surface for prolonged exposure to oxygen transfer to the waste water.