Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for mixing gases with and in a body of liquid comprising: a substantially vertical riser body having an inlet for liquid at its lower end and an outlet for a liquid-gas mixture at its upper end; guide surfaces at said upper end to deflect the outgoing liquid radially outwardly from the riser body; drive means located above said riser body and having a drive shaft extending downwardly through the center of the riser body; an axial pump impeller carried on the lower end of said shaft for pumping liquid up said riser body; a stationary housing enclosing said drive shaft, the inner wall of the housing and the drive shaft defining a gas communication passage having a lower end which opens into the riser body via at least one outflow passage extending substantially radially outwardly, said gas communication passage being connected with a gas source, such as the surrounding atmosphere.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for mixing gases with and in a body of liquid comprising: a substantially vertical riser body having an inlet for liquid at its lower end and an outlet for a liquid-gas mixture at its upper end; guide surfaces at said upper end to deflect the outgoing liquid radially outwardly from the riser body; drive means located above said riser body and having a drive shaft extending downwardly through the center of the riser body; an axial pump impeller carried on the lower end of said shaft for pumping liquid up said riser body; a stationary housing enclosing said drive shaft, the inner wall of the housing and the drive shaft defining a gas communication passage having a lower end which opens into the riser body via at least one outflow passage extending substantially radially outwardly, said gas communication passage being connected with a gas source, such as the surrounding atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the impeller has a central hub and the stationary housing terminates downstream of the impeller hub with the gas outflow passage being located between the impeller hub and the end of the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the gas communication passage discharges coaxially with the drive shaft in the lower end of said stationary housing and that at a relatively small distance beneath said discharge opening of said passage there is mounted coaxially on the drive shaft a substantially rotational-symmetrical body, and the end facing said discharge opening has a ring-like surface whose outer diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the stationary housing at its end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 3, in which the lower end surface of the stationary housing, together with the ring-shaped surface of the rotational-symmetrical body, defines a ring-shaped gap and forms said gas-outflow passage.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claims 3 or 15, in which the rotational-symmetrical body is the impeller hub.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5, in which the ratio of the impeller blade diameter to the hub diameter is between 3.0 and 2.0 and preferably 2.75 to 2.25.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1, including a fan wheel downstream from the impeller for additional positive circulation of gas through the gas communication passage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the impeller blades have a form such that sections therethrough at mutually the same radial distances from the center of rotation form a straight line when said sections are developed in a plane, and that the leading and trailing edges of the blades are substantially straight and at right angles to said axis of rotation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the impeller has four blades which partially overlap each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the liquid flows through the riser body at a rate of 5 meters per second.