Diffuser for aeration systems

Claim 2

A diffuser for submerged gas treatment of a liquid system comprising a body assembly formed of a material which is non-porous and providing vertically spaced horizontally extending top and bottom wall portions cooperating at least in part to define an internal cavity, said bottom portion being formed with a centrally located inlet passage and an upwardly facing valve seat around said passage, said top wall portion being imperforate above said valve seat and providing a plurality of perforations in a pattern laterally around said valve seat, said bottom wall portion having a plurality of cut out openings laterally around said valve seat each having a greater open area than any individual perforation, and normally seated valve means positioned against said valve seat and closing said inlet passage, said valve means being movable under the influence of gas under pressure supplied through said inlet passage to an open unseated position, said body assembly providing means to confine the movement of said valve between said seated and unseated positions.

Claim 3

A diffuser in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cavity is dome-shaped at the top.

Claim 4

A diffuser for submerged aeration of a liquid comprising a top member formed of a non-porous material and providing a generally horizontally extending top wall portion having an imperforate central portion and a plurality of perforations therethrough generally symmetrically positioned around said central portion, said top member providing a depending perpheral flange, a bottom member providing a generally horizontal bottom wall space from said top wall and an upstanding peripheral flange dimensioned and configured for mating coaction with the depending peripheral flange of said top member to define an internal cavity, said bottom member providing a centrally located inlet gas nipple having an inlet passage therethrough and a valve seat within said cavity extending around said inlet passage beneath said central portion, said bottom member providing a plurality of cut out openings generally symmetrically positioned around said valve seat for removal of solid and semi-solid accretion within said cavity, a ball valve member positioned by gravity against said seat, and stop means on said top member for confining the movement of said ball between a seated position and a non-seated position.

Claim 5

A diffuser for submerged aeration of a liquid comprising a top member formed of a non-porous material and providing a generally horizontally extending top wall portion having an imperforate central portion and a plurality of perforations therethrough generally symmetrically positioned around said central portion, said top member providing a depending perpheral flange, a bottom member providing a generally horizontal bottom wall space from said top wall and an upstanding peripheral flange dimensioned and configured for mating coaction with the depending peripheral flange of said top member to define an internal cavity, said bottom member providing a centrally located inlet gas nipple having an inlet passage therethrough and a valve seat within said cavity extending around said inlet passage beneath said central portion, said bottom member providing a plurality of cut out openings generally symmetrically positioned around said valve seat for removal of solid and semi-solid accretion within said cavity, a ball valve member positioned by gravity against said seat, and stop means on said top member for confining the movement of said ball between a seated position and a non-seated position.

Claim 6

A diffuser in accordance with claim 3 wherein the top member is cemented to the bottom member.

Claim 7

A diffuser in accordance with claim 3 wherein the ball valve member is a stainless steel ball.

Claim 8

A diffuser in accordance with claim 3 in which the peripheral flanges are provided with complimentary rims and recesses for mating coaction.

Claim 9

A diffuser in accordance with claim 3 in which the top is convexly shaped, said top and bottom members being formed of a molded plastic which is substantially immuned to deterioration within the liquid system.