Flotation apparatus

Claim 2

In a flotation apparatus for treating liquids by the use of a treatment liquid saturated with a gas under pressure, such gas expanding prior to its entry into the apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a treatment tank of rectangular cross-section, said tank having a base, a pair of parallel opposite major walls and a pair of parallel opposite minor walls; a plurality of injection means, spaced uniformly along said base in a line equally spaced from and parallel to said major walls, for introducing perpendicularly through said base and into said tank said liquid to be treated and said pressurized treatment liquid; a pair of collecting means for collecting treated liquid, one of said collecting means being arranged along each of said major walls, sail plurality of injection means being spaced midway between said pair of collecting means, whereby liquid flowing from said injection means out of said apparatus is divided into two oppositely directed equal streams, one of said streams flowing toward each of said collecting means; means operatively connected to said collecting means for evacuating said treated liquid from said apparatus; removing means connected to said evacuating means for removing a predetermined portion of said treated liquid therefrom; means connecting to said removing means for pressurizing said removed portion of said treated liquid; and means operatively positioned to supply said pressurized portion of said treated liquid to said plurality of injection means as said treatment liquid.

Claim 3

In a flotation apparatus for treating liquids by the use of a treatment liquid saturated with a gas under pressure, such gas expanding prior to its entry into the apparatus, said apparatus comprising; a treatment tank of rectangular cross-section, said tank having a base, a pair of parallel opposite major walls, and a pair of parallel opposite minor walls; a plurality of injection means, spaced uniformly along said base in a line equally spaced from and parallel to said major walls for introducing perpendicularly through said base and into said tank said liquid to be treated and said pressurized treatment liquid, each of said injection means comprising a vertically arranged open-top injection pot extending through said base, said injection pot having a circular horizontal cross-section, a main pipe means extending vertically into the bottom of said injection pot for delivering said liquid to be treated into said pot in a vertical stream and a lateral horizontal pipe means opening into said injection pot eccentrically and non-tangentially thereto for supplying said treatment liquid thereto in a stream which will not directly impinge on said vertical stream of liquid to be treated; and a pair of collecting means for collecting treated liquid, one of said collecting means being arranged along each of said major walls, said plurality of injection means being spaced midway between said pair of collecting means; whereby liquid flowing from said injection means out of said apparatus is divided into two oppositely directed equal streams, one of said streams flowing toward each of said collecting means.

Claim 4

In a flotation apparatus for treating liquids by the use of a treatment liquid saturated with a gas under pressure, such gas expanding prior to its entry into the apparatus, said apparatus comprising; a treatment tank of rectangular cross-section, said tank having a base, a pair of parallel opposite major walls, and a pair of parallel opposite minor walls; a plurality of injection means, spaced uniformly along said base in a line equally spaced from and parallel to said major walls for introducing perpendicularly through said base and into said tank said liquid to be treated and said pressurized treatment liquid, each of said injection means comprising a vertically arranged open-top injection pot extending through said base, said injection pot having a circular horizontal cross-section, a main pipe means extending vertically into the bottom of said injection pot for delivering said liquid to be treated into said pot in a vertical stream and a lateral horizontal pipe means opening into said injection pot eccentrically and non-tangentially thereto for supplying said treatment liquid thereto in a stream which will not directly impinge on said vertical stream of liquid to be treated; and a pair of collecting means for collecting treated liquid, one of said collecting means being arranged along each of said major walls, said plurality of injection means being spaced midway between said pair of collecting means; whereby liquid flowing from said injection means out of said apparatus is divided into two oppositely directed equal streams, one of said streams flowing toward each of said collecting means.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2, further comprising: means operatively connected to said collecting means for evacuating said treated liquid from said apparatus; means connected to said evacuating means for removing a predetermined portion of said treated liquid therefrom; means connected to said removing means for pressurizing said removed portion of said treated liquid; and means operatively positioned to supply said pressurized portion of said treated liquid to said plurality of injection means as said treatment liquid.