Aeration technology

Claim 2

Apparatus for aerating a liquid, said apparatus when placed in operation being easily serviced from the surface of the liquid, and including: i a central base structure comprising a source of air under pressure, said base structure being at a level, in relationship to the surface of the liquid, at least as high as a floating relationship on said surface, ii a plurality of lateral passage means extending radially outward from said source for conducting air outwardly from said source, iii a diffuser hanger means at substantially the outward end of at least three said passage means, each hanger means being disposed radially outward from said source in spaced relationship to all other said hanger means, and iv a dependant assembly suspended in hanging relationship downwardly from each said hanger means, each said assembly comprising (a) a downwardly depending flexible air conduit connected in operable air conducting relationship to the outward end of the lateral passage means at the respective hanger means with which a said assembly is associated, (b) an aeration diffuser means fixed substantially in pendant relationship to the lower end of said flexible air conduit in operable connection therewith for receiving air therefrom, said aeration diffuser means being adapted to allow escape of air therefrom for upward aeration movement through the liquid, and (c) means for substantially maintaining said aeration diffuser means at a submerged depth within the liquid in said pendant relationship as air is fed thereto from said source.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source of air under pressure comprises a manifold and wherein said base structure additionally comprises pumping means for feeding air into said manifold.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure additionally comprises a positive air displacement pump for feeding air to said source.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure is adapted for mounting upon a solid ground-supported surface.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure additionally comprises float means for supporting said base structure in floating relationship on the surface of the liquid.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 additionally comprising anchor means for stabilizing said floating base structure against substantial drift movements.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a substantially stiff pipe member held at its radially inward end at a substantially fixed mounting on said base structure.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each said pipe member extends angularly upward as well as radially outward from said base structure.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the outward end of each said pipe member is at a level, in relationship to the surface of the liquid, at least above said surface when said base structure is stabilized against tilting movement.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least three said hanger means each comprises the outward end of said stiff pipe member.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least three said hanger means each comprises a hanger member supported by an arm member extending radially outward from said base structure.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a flexible conduit extending substantially as a continuation of the downwardly depending flexible air conduit connected to said lateral passage means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a plurality of arm members extending in radially outward directions with respect to said base structure and held at their radially inward end at substantially fixed mounting locations on said base structure, and wherein a said hanger means is supported outwardly by each said arm member.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said arm members are adjustable in length.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a flexible conduit.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said flexible conduits of said lateral passage means are each substantially a continuation of a said downwardly depending flexible air conduit.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16 additionally comprising means for holding selected lengths of a said flexible conduit on the lateral passage side of a said hanger means and thereby effecting adjustment of the depth of the said aeration diffuser means fixed in pendant relationship to such flexible conduit.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising float means for supporting said hanger means in floating relationship on the surface of the liquid.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a flexible conduit extending substantially as a continuation of the downwardly depending flexible air conduit connected to said lateral passage means.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising discrete float means for each said hanger means, each said float means being adapted to support its respective hanger means in floating relationship on the surface of the liquid, and guy members for maintaining said discrete float means radially disposed outward from said source and in spaced relationship to each other.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a flexible conduit.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least three said depending flexible air conduits are respectively continuations of said three flexible conduits of said lateral passage means.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 22 additionally comprising means for holding selected lengths of a said flexible conduit on the lateral passage side of a said hanger means and thereby effecting adjustment of the depth of the said aeration diffuser means fixed in pendant relationship to such flexible conduit.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a flexible conduit.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein at least three said depending flexible air conduits are respectively substantial continuations of said three flexible conduits of said lateral passage means.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising means accessible above the surface of the liquid for effecting adjustment of the depth of the said aeration diffuser means.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising regulating means for selectively adjusting the air flow for at least one of said aeration diffuser means to a level different from the air flow for at least one other said aeration diffuser means.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising means for moving the same to different locations on the surface of a liquid as aeration operation of the apparatus is conducted without interruption.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aeration diffuser means comprises a housing having a wall with open minute passages extending therethrough for the passage of air.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said wall comprises porous plastic.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 29 additionally comprising a shield member affixed to the underside of said housing, said shield member being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said housing.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said diffuser means at a submerged depth comprises a weight member which exerts its weight force on said diffuser means.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dependant assembly additionally comprises shielding means for obstructing updraft movement of liquid from the locality below said aeration diffuser means as other liquid is drawn upwardly by rising air escaping from said diffuser means.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said shielding means comprises a plate member fixed to a said aeration diffuser means at a location downwardly therefrom.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said diffuser means at a submerged depth comprises a weighted shielding means in fixed relationship to the lowermost side of said aeration diffuser means, said shielding means being adapted to obstruct updraft movement of liquid from the locality below said aeration diffuser means as other liquid is drawn upwardly by rising air escaping from said diffuser means.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said diffuser means at a submerged depth comprises a shielding means which additionally functions to obstruct updraft movement of liquid from the locality below said aeration diffuser means as other liquid is drawn upwardly by rising air escaping from said diffuser means.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aeration diffuser means includes at least one aeration diffuser assembly comprising a housing having a cavity therein, said housing being defined by walls, at least one wall thereof consisting essentially of a layer of structurally stiff and compression resistant organic plastic having open minute passages extending therethrough from the cavity side of said layer to the exterior side of said layer, said passages being adapted to allow the passage of air therethrough and the emergence of said air on said exterior side, and an evacuation hole in a wall of said housing.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said aeration diffuser assembly additionally includes a shield member affixed on the side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield being sufficiently large to extend outwardly as a circumscribing wing structure beyond said housing, said shield being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said housing.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aeration diffuser means includes at least one aeration diffuser assembly comprising a housing having a wall with open minute passages extending therethrough for the passage of air, and a shield member affixed on the side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield comprising a wing structure extending annularly outwardly from said housing.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one said dependent assembly additionally comprises a shield member affixed to the underside of an aeration diffuser means, said shield member comprising a wing structure extending annularly outwardly and downwardly from said aeration diffuser means.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one said aeration diffuser means comprises more than one aeration diffuser assembly connected to a downwardly depending flexible air conduit through a plenum chamber.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure additionally comprises means for feeding air to said source and filter means for filtering the air fed to said source.

Claim 44

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure additionally comprises float means for supporting said base structure in floating relationship on the surface of the liquid and wherein at least three said lateral passage means each comprises a substantially stiff pipe member held at its radially inward end at a substantially fixed mounting on said base structure.

Claim 45

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base structure additionally comprises float means for supporting said base structure in floating relationship on the surface of the liquid and wherein at least three said hanger means each comprises a hanger member supported by an arm extending radially outwardly from said base structure.

Claim 46

The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the lateral passage means to each said hanger member comprises a flexible conduit extending substantially as a continuation of the downwardly depending flexible air conduit at said respective hanger member.

Claim 47

An aeration diffuser assembly for introducing air into a liquid, comprising a housing having a cavity therein, an inlet port for feeding air into said cavity, and an evacuation hole for rapid purging of any water from said cavity when air is first fed thereto after said assembly has remained submerged in a liquid during a period when air was not fed thereto, said housing being defined by walls, one wall thereof consisting essentially of a layer of structurally stiff and compression resistant organic plastic in the form of a cylindrical sleeve which in use is oriented vertically, said one wall having open minute passages extending therethrough from the cavity side of said layer to the exterior side of said layer, said passages being adapted to allow the passage of air therethrough and the emergence of said air on said exterior side, a second wall of said housing consisting essentially of a top plate member over the upper end of said cylindrical sleeve and having said inlet port extending therethrough, and a third wall of said housing consisting essentially of a bottom plate member over the lower end of said cylindrical sleeve and having said evacuation hole extending therethrough, and a shield member affixed to said housing on a side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield being sufficiently large to extend outwardly as a circumscribing wing structure beyond said housing, said shield having a downwardly extending outward edge and being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said walled housing.

Claim 48

An aeration diffuser assembly for introducing air into a liquid, comprising a housing having a cavity therein, an inlet port for feeding air into said cavity, and an evacuation hole for rapid purging of any water from said cavity when air is first fed thereto after said assembly has remained submerged in a liquid during a period when air was not fed thereto, said housing being defined by walls, one wall thereof consisting essentially of a layer of structurally stiff and compression resistant organic plastic in the form of a cylindrical sleeve which in use is oriented vertically, said one wall having open minute passages extending therethrough from the cavity side of said layer to the exterior side of said layer, said passages being adapted to allow the passage of air therethrough and the emergence of said air on said exterior side, a second wall of said housing consisting essentially of a top plate member over the upper end of said cylindrical sleeve and having said inlet port extending therethrough, and a third wall of said housing consisting essentially of a bottom plate member over the lower end of said cylindrical sleeve and having said evacuation hole extending therethrough, and a shield member affixed to said housing on a side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield being sufficiently large to extend outwardly as a circumscribing wing structure beyond said housing, said shield having a downwardly extending outward edge and being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said walled housing.

Claim 49

The diffuser assembly of claim 46, additionally comprising a weight member for maintaining said diffuser assembly at a submerged depth within a liquid as air is fed thereto.

Claim 50

The diffuser assembly of claim 46, additionally comprising a flexible air conduit for conveying air to said inlet port, said diffuser assembly being adapted to be suspended in pendant relationship with respect to said flexible air conduit.

Claim 51

The diffuser assembly of claim 34 wherein said organic plastic comprises polyurethane.

Claim 52

An aeration diffuser assembly for introducing air into a liquid, comprising a walled housing having a cavity therein, at least more than one-fourth of the total gross interior surface area and at least more than one-fourth of the total gross exterior surface area of the walls of said housing consisting essentially of opposing surfaces of a layer of structurally stiff and compression resistant organic plastic in the form of a cylindrical sleeve which in use is oriented vertically, said sleeve of organic plastic having open minute passages extending therethrough from the cavity said thereof to the exterior side thereof, said passages being adapted to allow the passage of air therethrough and the emergence of said air on said exterior side, a top plate member over the upper end of said cylindrical sleeve, an inlet port through said top plate member for feeding air into said cavity, a bottom plate member over the lower end of said cylindrical sleeve, an evacuation hole through said bottom plate member for rapid purging of any water from said cavity when air is first fed thereto after said assembly has remained submerged in a liquid during a period when air was not fed thereto, and a shield member affixed to said housing on a side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield being sufficiently large to extend outwardly as a circumscribing wing structure beyond said housing, said shield having a downwardly extending outward edge and being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said walled housing.

Claim 53

An aeration diffuser assembly for introducing air into a liquid, comprising a walled housing having a cavity therein, at least more than one-fourth of the total gross interior surface area and at least more than one-fourth of the total gross exterior surface area of the walls of said housing consisting essentially of opposing surfaces of a layer of structurally stiff and compression resistant organic plastic in the form of a cylindrical sleeve which in use is oriented vertically, said sleeve of organic plastic having open minute passages extending therethrough from the cavity said thereof to the exterior side thereof, said passages being adapted to allow the passage of air therethrough and the emergence of said air on said exterior side, a top plate member over the upper end of said cylindrical sleeve, an inlet port through said top plate member for feeding air into said cavity, a bottom plate member over the lower end of said cylindrical sleeve, an evacuation hole through said bottom plate member for rapid purging of any water from said cavity when air is first fed thereto after said assembly has remained submerged in a liquid during a period when air was not fed thereto, and a shield member affixed to said housing on a side of said housing which is lowermost during aeration use of said diffuser assembly, said shield being sufficiently large to extend outwardly as a circumscribing wing structure beyond said housing, said shield having a downwardly extending outward edge and being adapted to obstruct aeration draft movement of liquid located on the side of said shield away from said walled housing.