Apparatus for in place gas cleaning of diffusion elements

Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:

• A. a natural or man-made liquid impound having a bottom surface,
• B. a network of generally horizontal treating gas supply pipes supported in said impound,
• C. a plurality of diffusers comprising plenums mounted on said pipes at elevated positions relative to said surface and supporting a plurality of area-release diffusion elements above said surface in communication with the network to direct treating gas through the elements into the liquid, said elements having upper and lower surfaces bounded by porous peripheral sides and said diffusers including means for preventing escape of gas through said element sides into said liquid,
• D. a cleaning gas source in communication with the plenums to pass cleaning gas through the elements and clean them,
• E. a plurality of flow regulating means connected with said cleaning gas source and with said plenums for regulating the flow of said cleaning gas or both treating gas and cleaning gas to said plenums, said flow regulating means being sized or adjusted to deliver the gas or gases at a substantially similar rate to each of said elements, and
• F. retaining means for securing said elements in gas-tight relationship with their respective plenums.

Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:

• A. a natural or man-made liquid impound having a bottom surface,
• B. a network of generally horizontal treating gas supply pipes supported in said impound,
• C. a plurality of diffusers comprising plenums mounted on said pipes in said impound at elevated positions relative to said surface and supporting a plurality of area-release diffusion elements above said surface in communication with the network to direct treating gas through the elements into the liquid, said elements having upper and lower surfaces bounded by peripheral sides, and said plenums comprising gas-tight enclosures that enclose said lower surfaces and that include upstanding wall means facing and adjacent to said sides,
• D. a cleaning gas source in communication with the plenum to pass cleaning gas through the elements and clean them,
• E. a plurality of flow regulating means connected with said plenums for regulating the flow of cleaning gas or broth treating gas and cleaning gas to said plenums, said flow regulating means being sized or adjusted to deliver the gas or gases at a substantially similar rate to each of said elements, and
• F. retaining means for securing said elements in gas-tight relationship with their respective plenums.

Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:

• A. a natural or man-made liquid impound,
• B. a network of generally horizontal treating gas supply pipes supported in said impound,
• C. a plurality of diffusers comprising plenums mounted on said pipes at elevated positions relative to said surface, said plenums being positioned beneath and in supporting engagement with a plurality of area-release diffusion elements and supporting said elements in communication with the network to direct treating gas under pressure through the plenums and elements into the liquid, said pressure exerting upward force on said elements relative to their respective plenums when the plenums are pressurized,
• D. a cleaning gas source in communication with the plenums to pass cleaning gas through the elements and clean them,
• E. a plurality of flow regulating means connected with said plenums of regulating the flow of cleaning gas or both treating gas and cleaning gas to said plenums, said flow regulating means being sized or adjusted to deliver the gas or gases at a substantially similar rate to each of said plenums, and
• F. peripheral sealing members, positioned upon upward facing surfaces of the elements at the peripheries of the elements and in sealing contact with portions of the respective plenums and elements, and
• G. peripheral retaining means for securing said elements to their respective plenums, said retaining means including overlying members which at least partly overly the sealing member, said overlying members restraining upward movement of said sealing members and elements, whereby said upward force on said elements and said restraining action clamp said sealing members between said overlying members and said elements.