Fine bubble airlift device
AssigneeTekni-Plex, Inc.
InventorsWilliam S. Mitchell, Roland Schmidt, Roy Trence Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an aeration device for use in a liquid medium. The device includes a housing adapted to float within the medium such that a top portion thereof remains above a top surface of the medium. The housing has a bottom portion and an open side portion. The device further includes a hose affixed to the bottom portion of the housing substantially parallel to the surface of the liquid medium. The hose has a wall with a plurality of pores formed therein. The device further includes a gas-supplying pipe affixed to the hose and means for supplying a gas to the pipe such that the gas passes through the pipe and into the hose.
Claims23
A device for the aeration and circulation of a liquid medium comprising:
- a housing adapted to float within the liquid medium such that a top portion thereof remains above a top surface of the liquid medium, the housing having a substantially open bottom having a predetermined area, at least one open side portion having an area substantially corresponding to said predetermined area of said open bottom, said at least one open side portion extending substantially continuously from said substantially open bottom portion to said top portion adjacent to said top surface of the liquid medium, and a plurality of remaining closed side portions defining the remainder of said housing and extending substantially continuously from said substantially open bottom to said top portion, thereby defining a substantially open interior portion defined by said plurality of remaining closed side portions of said housing, whereby said liquid medium can be caused to flow into said substantially open bottom and directly out of said at least one open side portion of said housing to create a substantial circulation of said liquid medium;
- a plurality of hose portions affixed to the bottom portion of the housing substantially parallel to the surface of the medium thus providing an array of hose portions substantially corresponding to said predetermined area of said substantially open bottom, said array of hose portions having a wall with a plurality of pores formed therein, the plurality of pores having an average diameter of between about 0.001 inches and about 0.004 inches and being spaced apart substantially evenly throughout a length of the hose;
- a gas supply pipe affixed to said base;
- and
- means for supplying a gas to said gas supply pipe.
A device for the aeration and circulation of a liquid medium comprising:
- a housing adapted to float within the liquid medium such that a top portion thereof remains above a top surface of the liquid medium, the housing having an open bottom portion, at least one open side portion extending substantially continuously from said open bottom portion to said top portion thereof adjacent to the top surface of the liquid medium, and a plurality of remaining closed side portions comprising the remainder of said housing and extending substantially continuously from said open bottom portion to said top portion thereof, whereby said liquid medium can be caused to flow in a current into said open bottom portion and directly out of said at least one open side portion of said device to create a substantial circulation of said liquid medium therein;
- a pipe affixed to the housing near the open bottom portion thereof, and forming a rectangle having a first side and a second side;
- a plurality of hose portions each including a first end and a second end, the first end of the plurality of hose portions being affixed to the first side of the rectangle and the second ends of the plurality of hose portions being affixed to the second side of the rectangle such that a gas can flow into the plurality of hose portions from the pipe at the first end and the second end of the plurality of hose portions, each of the plurality of hose portions further having a wall with a plurality of pores formed therein, the plurality of pores having an average diameter of between about 0.001 inches and about 0.004 inches and being spaced apart substantially evenly throughout a length of the hose, wherein each of the plurality of hoses is formed from thermoset polymer particles distributed within a matrix of a thermoplastic binder material;
- and
- means for supplying a gas to the pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.