# US 8,740,195 B2 · Systems and methods for diffusing gas into a liquid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,740,195 B2 - Document ID: US8740195B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/678,444 - Filed: 2012-11-15 - Published: 2013-06-27 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-31 - Applicants: Jakob H. Schneider; Joseph Mark Schneider - Inventors: Jakob H. Schneider; Joseph Mark Schneider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740195B2 ## CPC - B01F 23/231: by bubbling (mixers with gas or liquid agitation, e.g. with air supply tubes B01F33/40) - B01F 23/232: using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles - B01F 25/102: {wherein the vortex is created by two or more jets introduced tangentially in separate mixing chambers or consecutively in the same mixing chamber} - B01F 25/31421: {the conduit being porous} - B01F 35/2113: {Pressure} - B01F 35/833: {Flow control by valves, e.g. opening intermittently} - C02F 3/201: {Perforated, resilient plastic diffusers, e.g. membranes, sheets, foils, tubes, hoses} - C02F 3/343: {for digestion of grease, fat, oil} - C02F 2101/322: {Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene} - C02F 2101/34: containing oxygen - C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds} - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract Systems and methods for diffusing gas into a liquid are disclosed. In some cases, the methods include tangentially introducing a liquid into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall such that the liquid develops a spiral flow. In some cases, gas bubbles are orthogonally introduced into the liquid as the liquid flows through the chamber. In some cases, a flow of the liquid and the gas bubbles is controlled such that a ratio of a liquid flow rate to a gas bubble flow rate does not exceed values which convert non-bacteria enriched, clear water into froth. In such cases, a mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles to exit the chamber near an output end. While the liquid can include clear water, in some instances, the liquid also includes bacteria (e.g., surfactant-producing or non-surfactant-producing bacteria) and/or bacterial nutrients that allow for improved bioremediation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for diffusing gas bubbles in a liquid, the process comprising: i) introducing a stream of the liquid into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, and enclosed at a first end, the stream being introduced tangentially at an input zone near the first end of the chamber in a manner to develop a spiral flow of the stream along the cylindrical inner wall toward an opposite, output end of the chamber, wherein the stream comprises at least one of clear water and a fluid enriched with bacteria, ii) introducing gas into the stream during at least a portion of its travel in the chamber, the gas being introduced to the stream orthogonally through means located at the chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into the stream, iii) controlling a flow of the liquid and the gas bubbles so that a ratio of liquid flow rate to gas bubble flow rate does not exceed values which convert non-bacteria enriched, clear water into froth, iv) the chamber being of a length sufficient to provide a residence time in the chamber which permits a diffusion of the gas in the liquid, and v) allowing a mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles to exit the chamber near the output end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the stream comprises the fluid enriched with bacteria, and wherein the bacteria comprises a surfactant-producing bacteria that is capable of producing a surfactant that alters a surface tension of the gas bubbles such that the mixture of liquid and gas bubbles comprises a froth as it exits the chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, further comprising adding bacterial nutrients to the stream. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The process of claim 2, wherein the gas comprises oxygen. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the stream comprises the fluid enhanced with bacteria, and wherein the bacteria comprises a non-surfactant-producing bacteria, such that the mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles exits the chamber substantially free of froth. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the chamber is operable in any and all orientations. ### Claim 7 A process for diffusing gas bubbles in a liquid, the process comprising: i) introducing a stream of the liquid into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, and enclosed at a first end, the stream being introduced tangentially at an input zone near the first end of the chamber in a manner to develop a spiral flow of the stream along the cylindrical inner wall toward an opposite, output end of the chamber, wherein the stream comprises clear water, ii) introducing gas into the stream during at least a portion of its travel in the chamber, the gas being introduced to the stream orthogonally through means located at the chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into the stream, iii) controlling a flow of the liquid and the gas bubbles so that a ratio of liquid flow rate to gas bubble flow rate does not exceed values which convert non-bacteria enriched, clear water into froth, iv) the chamber being of a length sufficient to provide a residence time in the chamber which permits a diffusion of the gas in the liquid, and v) allowing a mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles to exit the chamber near the output end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, further comprising adding surfactant-producing bacteria to the stream, wherein the surfactant-producing bacteria produces a surfactant that alters a surface tension of the gas bubbles such that the mixture of liquid and gas bubbles comprises a froth as it exits the chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, further comprising adding a non-surfactant-producing bacteria to the stream, such that the mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles exits the chamber substantially free of froth. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, further comprising applying the froth to an application site. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10, wherein the application site comprises an in situ site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10, wherein the application site comprises a surface of a body of water. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the body of water comprises a volatile organic compound, and wherein the froth traps a portion of the volatile organic compound in an aerobic environment, re-entrains the portion of the volatile organic compound into the body of water, and reduces odors being released into the atmosphere from the portion of the volatile organic compound. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, wherein the introduction of gas into the stream during at least a portion of its travel in the chamber produces a gas-rich froth that enhances an environment for bacteria. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14, wherein the gas comprises oxygen and the gas-rich froth comprises an oxygen-rich froth. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, further comprising adding bacterial nutrients to the stream. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, wherein the chamber is operable in any and all orientations. ### Claim 18 A process for diffusing gas bubbles in a liquid, the process comprising: i) introducing a stream of the liquid into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, and enclosed at a first end, the stream being introduced tangentially at an input zone near the first end of the chamber in a manner to develop a spiral flow of the stream along the cylindrical inner wall toward an opposite, output end of the chamber, ii) introducing gas into the stream during at least a portion of its travel in the chamber, the gas being introduced to the stream orthogonally through means located at the chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles which move into the stream, iii) adding bacteria to the stream, wherein the bacteria is selected from a surfactant-producing bacteria and a non-surfactant-producing bacteria, iv) controlling a flow of the liquid and the gas bubbles so that a ratio of liquid flow rate to gas bubble flow rate does not exceed values which convert non-bacteria enriched, clear water into froth, v) the chamber being of a length sufficient to provide a residence time in the chamber which permits a diffusion of the gas in the liquid, and vi) allowing a mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles to exit the chamber near the output end. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the bacteria comprises the surfactant-producing bacteria, and the surfactant-producing bacteria produce a surfactant that alters a surface tension of the gas bubbles such that the mixture of liquid and gas bubbles comprises a froth as it exits the chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the bacteria comprises the non-surfactant-producing bacteria, such that the mixture of the liquid and the gas bubbles exits the chamber substantially free of froth. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, further comprising adding bacterial nutrients to the stream to enhance a multiplication of the bacteria. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the stream comprises clear water. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, wherein the chamber is operable in any and all orientations.