US5935490A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oxygen dissolver for pipelines or pipe outlets
Assignee: BOC Ltd Australia
•
Filing: 1997-07-24
•
Granted: 1999-08-10
•
Expires: 2017-07-24
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for dispersing a gas into a fluid stream. The apparatus has a generally annular body disposed to define an orifice in the fluid stream, a plurality of inwardly depending apertures formed in the body and in fluid communication with a supply of pressurized gas. Each of the apertures defines a localized injection point for dispersion of the pressurized gas into the fluid stream. The orifice includes a restricted throat section adapted to progressively reduce the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid downstream of the apertures, such that resultant velocity and pressure differentials enhance dissolution of the gas in the fluid.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin P. Archbold
- 👤 Stephen P. Vaughan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:45
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01F; B01F23/00; B01F23/20; B01F23/23; B01F23/232; B01F25/00; B01F25/30; B01F25/31; B01F25/314; B01F25/3142; B01F25/31425; B01F25/312
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus for dispersing a gas into a fluid stream flowing through a conduit comprising a generally annular body disposed to define an orifice in the fluid stream, said orifice including a restricted throat section adapted to progressively reduce the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid from the cross-sectional area of the conduit to the cross-sectional area of a neck portion downstream of said throat section, and a plurality of inwardly depending apertures formed in said throat section in fluid communication with a supply of pressurised gas, each of said apertures defining a localised injection point for dispersion of the pressurised gas into the fluid stream upstream of said neck portion, whereby the resultant velocity and pressure differentials in the fluid upstream and downstream of said neck portion enhance dissolution of the gas therein.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus for dispersing a gas into a fluid stream flowing through a conduit comprising a generally annular body disposed to define an orifice in the fluid stream, said orifice including a restricted throat section adapted to progressively reduce the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid from the cross-sectional area of the conduit to the cross-sectional area of a neck portion downstream of said throat section, and a plurality of inwardly depending apertures formed in said throat section in fluid communication with a supply of pressurised gas, each of said apertures defining a localised injection point for dispersion of the pressurised gas into the fluid stream upstream of said neck portion, whereby the resultant velocity and pressure differentials in the fluid upstream and downstream of said neck portion enhance dissolution of the gas therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including an annular retainer adapted for clamping between complementary radial flanges formed on adjacent sections of the wall of said conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the restricted throat section of the orifice is generally frusto-conical in shape and converges to a neck region of minimum effective cross-sectional flow downstream of the gas injection points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the orifice diverges outwardly downstream of the neck region to an original inner diameter of said conduit through a generally smooth transition section of substantially uniform curvature in cross-sectional profile.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the orifice diverges outwardly downstream of the neck region to the original inner diameter of said conduit through a generally smooth frusto-conical transition section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the throat section is a replaceable wear resistant insert.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the throat section, neck and transition section are all formed from a ceramic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said apertures are defined by an array of radial passages formed in the throat section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein each of said passages is between about 0.5 mm and 5 mm in diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein each of said passages is about 1 mm in diameter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the spacing between the radial passages is between about 4 and 15 mm at the zone of largest effective cross-sectional flow in the throat section and between about 2 and 10 mm at the zone of smallest effective cross-sectional flow in the throat section.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for dispersing a gas into a fluid stream comprising passing said stream through a conduit into an orifice having a restricted throat section which progressively reduces the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid from the cross-sectional area of the conduit to the cross-sectional area of a restricted neck portion downstream of said throat section and subsequently allowing said fluid to pass through said neck portion, gas being injected from a pressurised source into the fluid stream in said throat section upstream of said neck portion by means of a plurality of localised injection points whereby the resultant velocity and pressure upstream and downstream of said neck portion enhance the dissolution of the gas in the fluid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for dispersing a gas into a fluid stream comprising passing said stream through a conduit into an orifice having a restricted throat section which progressively reduces the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid from the cross-sectional area of the conduit to the cross-sectional area of a restricted neck portion downstream of said throat section and subsequently allowing said fluid to pass through said neck portion, gas being injected from a pressurised source into the fluid stream in said throat section upstream of said neck portion by means of a plurality of localised injection points whereby the resultant velocity and pressure upstream and downstream of said neck portion enhance the dissolution of the gas in the fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein directly downstream of said neck portion, said fluid stream is passed through a divergent portion which diverges outwardly to increase the effective cross-sectional flow area of the fluid from the cross-sectional area of the neck portion to the original cross-sectional area of said conduit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein gas is supplied to said localized injection points under pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said fluid is passed through a flow restriction means downstream of the neck portion to maintain the elevated pressure of the fluid resulting from its passage through the neck portion, thereby retaining said gas in solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the plurality of apertures is a frusto-conical array.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 12 in which the plurality of localised injection points is a frusto-conical array.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE224232C
Cited
US847010A
Cited
GB468687A
Cited
US2301315A
Cited
FR907814A
Cited
FR971536A
Cited
US3524630A
Cited
US3855367A
Cited
FR2280421A1
Cited
US4051204A
Cited
GB1515221A
Cited
GB1580177A
Cited
DE2736271A1
Cited
US4210613A
Cited
GB2039762A
Cited
JPS55152532A
Cited
US4689237A
Cited
US4761077A
Cited
US5240650A
Cited
AU3276493A
Cited
DE4224911A1
Cited
US5512217A
Cited
US5520856A
Cited
EP0684069A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-09 | 2003-02-08 | 2003-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-09 | 2007-02-08 | 2007-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-09 | 2011-02-08 | 2011-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |