Apparatus and method for dissolving a gas in an aqueous stream

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 in which the gas is carbon dioxide.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is carbon dioxide.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is ozone.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is oxygen.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is chlorine dioxide.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is chlorine.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 4 in which the aqueous stream has been pretreated with an alkaline water softening material which raises the water pH above 10 and the dissolved carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid which lowers the pH of the aqueous stream.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 3 in which the downflow velocity of the aqueous stream in the upper portion of the vessel is about 1 to 5 ft/sec and the downflow velocity of the aqueous stream in the lower portion of the vessel is about 0.01 to 0.1 ft/sec.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 10 in which the aqueous stream inlet velocity is about 2 to 10 ft/sec.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 3 including removing an aqueous stream containing dissolved gas from the lower portion of the vessel.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 3 including removing an aqueous stream containing dissolved gas from the lower portion of the vessel by means of a vertically positioned axially located tube and feeding the stream out the upper portion of the vessel.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 3 in which the aqueous stream containing dissolved gas flows out the bottom of the vessel into a surrounding reaction tank and the aqueous stream is withdrawn from an upper portion of the tank.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 3 in which the gas is fed into the lower portion of the vessel.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 3 in which a stream of water is fed into the lower portion of the vessel codirectional to rotational flow of the aqueous stream.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 3 in which the vessel conical portion is joined to a cylindrical lower portion.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 3 in which the vessel conical portion apex is joined to a cylindrical upper portion containing the aqueous stream inlet.

Claim 21

A vessel, for dissolving a gas in water, having a vertical axis and which is circular in horizontal section for most of its height; the vessel having upper and lower ends; the vessel including a conical portion with the apex at the upper end of the vessel; an aqueous stream inlet tangential to the vessel and communicating with the vessel interior space near the vessel upper end, whereby an aqueous stream fed to the vessel through the inlet rotates in a downwardly moving spiral stream from a high downward velocity in the upper portion of the vessel to a lower downward velocity in the lower portion of the vessel; and a gas diffuser means in the vessel for diffusing a gas into the aqueous stream so as to produce small gas bubbles which are rotated in generally spiral path by the aqueous stream thereby providing a long flow distance over which the bubbles have increased contact time with the aqueous stream to facilitate dissolution of the gas therein and in which rising of the gas bubbles is progressively opposed by the increased downward velocity of the aqueous stream higher in the vessel.

Claim 22

A vessel, for dissolving a gas in water, having a vertical axis and which is circular in horizontal section for most of its height; the vessel having upper and lower ends; the vessel including a conical portion with the apex at the upper end of the vessel; an aqueous stream inlet tangential to the vessel and communicating with the vessel interior space near the vessel upper end, whereby an aqueous stream fed to the vessel through the inlet rotates in a downwardly moving spiral stream from a high downward velocity in the upper portion of the vessel to a lower downward velocity in the lower portion of the vessel; and a gas diffuser means in the vessel for diffusing a gas into the aqueous stream so as to produce small gas bubbles which are rotated in generally spiral path by the aqueous stream thereby providing a long flow distance over which the bubbles have increased contact time with the aqueous stream to facilitate dissolution of the gas therein and in which rising of the gas bubbles is progressively opposed by the increased downward velocity of the aqueous stream higher in the vessel.

Claim 23

A vessel according to claim 19 having a closed bottom; a vertically positioned axially located tube in the vessel and extending through the conical portion apex to terminate above the vessel tangential inlet; an outlet, for the aqueous stream, communicating with the upper portion of the tube and extending out of the vessel; and the lower portion of the tube having an access opening for the aqueous stream to flow from the lower portion of the vessel into the tube.

Claim 24

A vessel according to claim 20 having a vertical cylindrical circular body portion extending from the vessel bottom to the conical portion.

Claim 25

A vessel according to claim 20 in which the vessel conical portion apex is joined to a cylindrical upper portion containing the aqueous stream inlet.

Claim 26

A vessel according to claim 20 in which the vessel and the tube are open at the top to the atmosphere.

Claim 27

A vessel according to claim 20 in which the gas diffuser means includes at least one pipe positioned to feed gas into the vessel.

Claim 28

A vessel according to claim 20 including at least one pipe positioned to feed a stream of water into the lower portion of the vessel codirectional to rotational flow of the aqueous stream.

Claim 29

In combination: a reaction tank having a bottom and side wall extending up from and joined to the bottom thereby defining an aqueous liquid retaining space; a vessel, for dissolving a gas in water, having a vertical axis and which is circular in horizontal section for most of its height, the vessel having upper and lower ends, the vessel including a conical portion with the apex at the upper end of the vessel, and an aqueous stream inlet tangential to the vessel and communicating with the vessel interior space near the vessel upper end, whereby an aqueous stream fed to the vessel through the inlet rotates in a downwardly moving spiral stream from a high downward velocity in the upper portion of the vessel to a lower downward velocity in the lower portion of the vessel; the vessel being positioned vertically in the tank and having means at the vessel bottom portion for an aqueous stream to flow out of the vessel into the tank; means at the upper portion of the tank for removing an aqueous stream from the tank; and a gas diffuser means in the vessel for diffusing a gas into the aqueous stream so as to produce small gas bubbles which are rotated in a generally spiral path by the aqueous stream thereby providing a long flow distance over which the bubbles have increased contact time with the aqueous stream to facilitate dissolution of the gas therein and in which rising of the gas bubbles is progressively opposed by the increased downward velocity of the aqueous stream higher in the vessel.

Claim 30

In combination: a reaction tank having a bottom and side wall extending up from and joined to the bottom thereby defining an aqueous liquid retaining space; a vessel, for dissolving a gas in water, having a vertical axis and which is circular in horizontal section for most of its height, the vessel having upper and lower ends, the vessel including a conical portion with the apex at the upper end of the vessel, and an aqueous stream inlet tangential to the vessel and communicating with the vessel interior space near the vessel upper end, whereby an aqueous stream fed to the vessel through the inlet rotates in a downwardly moving spiral stream from a high downward velocity in the upper portion of the vessel to a lower downward velocity in the lower portion of the vessel; the vessel being positioned vertically in the tank and having means at the vessel bottom portion for an aqueous stream to flow out of the vessel into the tank; means at the upper portion of the tank for removing an aqueous stream from the tank; and a gas diffuser means in the vessel for diffusing a gas into the aqueous stream so as to produce small gas bubbles which are rotated in a generally spiral path by the aqueous stream thereby providing a long flow distance over which the bubbles have increased contact time with the aqueous stream to facilitate dissolution of the gas therein and in which rising of the gas bubbles is progressively opposed by the increased downward velocity of the aqueous stream higher in the vessel.

Claim 31

A combination according to claim 26 in which the vessel has a vertical cylindrical circular body portion extending from the vessel bottom to the conical portion.

Claim 32

A combination according to claim 26 in which the vessel conical portion apex is joined to a cylindrical upper portion containing the aqueous stream inlet.

Claim 33

A combination according to claim 26 in which the vessel is open at the top to the atmosphere.

Claim 34

A combination according to claim 26 in which the vessel gas diffuser means includes at least one pipe positioned to feed gas into the vessel.

Claim 35

A combination according to claim 26 in which the vessel has at least one pipe positioned to feed a stream of water into the lower portion of the vessel codirectional to rotational flow of the aqueous stream.