Pool chlorination diffuser

Claim 2

A CHLORINE DIFFUSER FOR DIRECT CHLORINATION OF SWIMMING POOL WATER WITH GASEOUS CHLORINE COMPRISING: A MANIFOLD, A PLURALITY OF POROUS PLASTIC DIFFUSER ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO SAID MANIFOLD FOR PRESSURIZATION OF THE DIFFUSER ELEMENTS WITH GASEOUS CHLORINE FROM EACH OF THEIR ENDS IN DISCHARGING CHLORINE THROUGH THE POROUS ELEMENTS INTO SWIMMING POOL WATER, SAID DIFFUSER ELEMENTS HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE WHICH IS WATER WETTABLE BUT IS NOT PENETRATED BY WATER AT A DIFFERENTIAL CHLORINE PRESSURE OF ABOUT 5 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH,

Claim 3

The chlorine diffuser of claim 1 wherein said diffuser elements are constructed of porous polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 4

The chlorine diffuser of claim 2 wherein said elements have an inside diameter of about 1/4 to about 3/8 ths of an inch.

Claim 5

The chlorine diffuser of claim 3 wherein the diffuser elements each have a length of about 4 to about 16 inches.

Claim 6

The chlorine diffuser of claim 1 wherein said manifold includes a pair of substantially parallel side headers; a pair of substantially parallel end headers joined to the side headers with the connections between the end headers and side headers forming angles of approximately 90*, with the side headers and end headers forming a loop for the supply of gaseous chlorine to the diffuser elements, and the diffuser elements being connected in parallel across the side headers, whereby the diffuser elements are each pressurizable from either end from the manifold.

Claim 7

The chlorine diffuser of claim 5 wherein said diffuser elements are constructed of polytetrafluoroethylene, and said elements have a porosity of about 60 to about 80 percent.

Claim 8

The chlorine diffuser of claim 5 wherein said diffuser elements each have a length of about 4 to about 16 inches.

Claim 9

The chlorine diffuser of claim 7 wherein said diffuser elements are constructed of polytetrafluoroethylene, and said elements have a porosity of about 60 to about 80 percent.

Claim 10

The chlorine diffuser of claim 8 wherein the side headers and end headers are formed of polyvinyl chloride piping.

Claim 11

The chlorine diffuser of claim 1 wherein said diffuser elements have a porosity of about 5 to about 95 percent.

Claim 12

A chlorine diffuser for direct chlorination of swimming pool water with gaseous chlorine comprising: a manifold; a plurality of porous plastic diffuser elements connected to the manifold for pressurization of the diffuser elements with gaseous chlorine from each of their ends in discharging chlorine through the porous elements into swimming pool water; said diffuser elements being formed of a plastic material which is inert to chlorine; said diffuser elements having an outer surface which is water wettable but is not penetrated by water at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch; said diffuser elements having pores which are sufficiently large to premit the passage of chlorine gas through Said pores at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch and said pores ranging in size up to about 6 microns; said diffuser elements having a stretchability to provide self-cleaning in periodically cleansing the pores of the diffuser elements of contaminants found in liquid chlorine, and a plurality of separators positioned between said diffuser elements to isolate each diffuser element from adjacent diffuser elements.

Claim 13

A chlorine diffuser for direct chlorination of swimming pool water with gaseous chlorine comprising: a manifold; a plurality of porous plastic diffuser elements connected to the manifold for pressurization of the diffuser elements with gaseous chlorine from each of their ends in discharging chlorine through the porous elements into swimming pool water; said diffuser elements being formed of a plastic material which is inert to chlorine; said diffuser elements having an outer surface which is water wettable but is not penetrated by water at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch; said diffuser elements having pores which are sufficiently large to premit the passage of chlorine gas through Said pores at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch and said pores ranging in size up to about 6 microns; said diffuser elements having a stretchability to provide self-cleaning in periodically cleansing the pores of the diffuser elements of contaminants found in liquid chlorine, and a plurality of separators positioned between said diffuser elements to isolate each diffuser element from adjacent diffuser elements.

Claim 14

The chlorine diffuser of claim 11 wherein the separators are shaped to provide support for the manifold in positioning the manifold in spaced relation to the bottom of a swimming pool.

Claim 15

A chlorine diffuser for direct chlorination of swimming pool water with gaseous chlorine comprising: a manifold; a plurality of porous plastic diffuser elements connected to the manifold for pressurization of the diffuser elements with gaseous chlorine from each of their ends in discharging chlorine through the porous elements into swimming pool water; said manifold including a pair of substantially parallel side headers and a pair of substantially parallel end headers joined to the side headers with the connections between the end headers and side headers forming angles of approximately 90*and with the side headers and end headers forming a loop for the supply of gaseous chlorine to the diffuser elements; said diffuser elements being connected in parallel across said side headers; said diffuser elements being formed of a plastic material which is inert to chlorine; said diffuser elements having an outer surface which is water wettable but is not penetrated by water at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch; said diffuser elements having microscopic pores which are sufficiently large to permit the passage of chlorine gas through said pores at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch and said pores ranging in size up to about 6 microns; said diffuser elements having a stretchability to provide self-cleaning in periodically cleansing the pores of the diffuser elements of contaminants found in liquid chlorine; a plurality of separators positioned between said diffuser elements to isolate each diffuser element from adjacent diffuser elements, and said separators being joined to said side headers.

Claim 16

A chlorine diffuser for direct chlorination of swimming pool water with gaseous chlorine comprising: a manifold; a plurality of porous plastic diffuser elements connected to the manifold for pressurization of the diffuser elements with gaseous chlorine from each of their ends in discharging chlorine through the porous elements into swimming pool water; said manifold including a pair of substantially parallel side headers and a pair of substantially parallel end headers joined to the side headers with the connections between the end headers and side headers forming angles of approximately 90*and with the side headers and end headers forming a loop for the supply of gaseous chlorine to the diffuser elements; said diffuser elements being connected in parallel across said side headers; said diffuser elements being formed of a plastic material which is inert to chlorine; said diffuser elements having an outer surface which is water wettable but is not penetrated by water at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch; said diffuser elements having microscopic pores which are sufficiently large to permit the passage of chlorine gas through said pores at a differential internal chlorine pressure of about 5 pounds per square inch and said pores ranging in size up to about 6 microns; said diffuser elements having a stretchability to provide self-cleaning in periodically cleansing the pores of the diffuser elements of contaminants found in liquid chlorine; a plurality of separators positioned between said diffuser elements to isolate each diffuser element from adjacent diffuser elements, and said separators being joined to said side headers.

Claim 17

The chlorine diffuser of claim 13 wherein the separators are shaped to provide support for the manifold in positioning the manifold in spaced relation to the bottom of a swimming pool.