Aeration pond with oxygen recycling

A method of treating water, comprising:

• a) conveying pressurized oxygen from a source to a conduit which is connected to a bottom of an aeration pond, and bubbling said pressurized oxygen through water in the pond,
• b) collecting unreacted oxygen in a hood disposed above a surface of the pond,
• c) mixing unreacted oxygen collected from the hood with fresh oxygen obtained from the source of pressurized oxygen, and
• d) conducting the mixture formed in step (c) to the bottom of the pond, wherein the mixture is bubbled through the water,
• wherein the conveying and conducting steps are performed by using the pressurized oxygen as the sole source of motive force,
• wherein the bubbling step comprises simultaneously dispensing bubbles of oxygen from a plurality of openings in said conduit, wherein all of said openings are disposed below said hood,
• and wherein oxygen is made to flow continuously without passing through any oxygen concentration measuring means.

A method of treating water, comprising:

• a) conveying pressurized oxygen from a source to a conduit which is connected to a bottom of an aeration pond, and bubbling said pressurized oxygen through water in the pond,
• b) collecting unreacted oxygen in a hood disposed above a surface of the pond,
• c) mixing unreacted oxygen collected from the hood with fresh oxygen obtained from the source of pressurized oxygen, and
• d) conducting the mixture formed in step (c) to the bottom of the pond, wherein the mixture is bubbled through the water,
• wherein the conduit has a plurality of openings at the bottom of the pond, all of said openings being disposed below said hood, wherein the conveying step includes simultaneously dispensing bubbles of oxygen from said plurality of openings,
• and wherein oxygen is made to flow continuously without passing through any oxygen concentration measuring means.

Apparatus for treating water by exposing the water to oxygen, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a hood connected to a float means, the float means comprising means for enabling the hood to be positioned above a surface of an aeration pond, and to float on said surface,
• b) a supply of pressurized oxygen, the oxygen supply being connected to a perforated conduit which is sufficiently long to deliver oxygen to a bottom of an aeration pond, wherein the conduit has a plurality of openings, all of said openings being disposed below said hood, wherein the hose comprises means for simultaneously dispensing bubbles of oxygen from said plurality of openings, and
• c) means for recovering unreacted oxygen in the hood and for conveying the unreacted oxygen to said perforated conduit, wherein the unreacted oxygen becomes mixed with oxygen from said oxygen supply,
• and wherein oxygen is recycled after having been dispensed into the pond, and wherein oxygen flows continuously through the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is free of any oxygen concentration measuring means.

Apparatus for treating water by exposing the water to oxygen, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a hood connected to a float means, the float means comprising means for enabling the hood to be positioned above a surface of an aeration pond, and to float on said surface,
• b) a supply of pressurized oxygen, the oxygen supply being connected to a perforated conduit which is sufficiently long to deliver oxygen to a bottom of an aeration pond, and
• c) means for recovering unreacted oxygen in the hood and for conveying the unreacted oxygen to said perforated conduit, wherein the unreacted oxygen becomes mixed with oxygen from said oxygen supply,
• wherein the supply of pressurized oxygen comprises the sole means for conveying oxygen through the apparatus,
• wherein the perforated conduit has a plurality of openings, all of said openings being disposed below said hood, wherein the hose comprises means for simultaneously dispensing bubbles of oxygen from said plurality of openings,
• and wherein oxygen flows continuously through the system, wherein the system is free of any oxygen concentration measuring means.