Gas and liquid contact apparatus – Fluid distribution – Pumping
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-05-01
Bushey, C. Scott (Department: 1724)
Gas and liquid contact apparatus
Fluid distribution
Pumping
C261S077000, C261S121100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224041
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to aerators for treating water. Particularly the present invention relates to a splash plate structure which overlies an open top end of a draft tube of the aerator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Aerators are known which are utilized to increase the oxygen content of water, i.e., to “oxygenate” water, within a body of water. Aerators placed into a body of waste water have heretofore incorporated a draft tube having an open bottom end located at a depth of the waste water to be aerated, and an open top end extending near to the surface of the waste water. The aerator includes a mechanism for drawing water through the open bottom end and displacing the water vertically to mix with air as the water exits the open top end. In some apparatus, the mechanism is a rotary device such as a pump or an impeller while in other apparatus the device is a conduit for injecting pressurized air into the draft tube. The latter device is referred to as an “airlift”.
Aerators of both types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,466,608; 3,972,965; and 3,966,599.
Airlifts operate on the principal of using air to displace water to cause a pumping action of the water. Airlifts have been used to transfer water from one treatment zone to another and have been used in different types of water treatment systems. Airlifts also enhance mixing and oxygen transfer into a waste water stream to aid in the treatment of water and wastewater in aerobic water/waste water treatment processes.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus which would increase the oxygenation and the oxygen transfer efficiency of an aerator useful in water treatment applications, particularly in waste water treatment processes.
Traditional airlifts, due to their configuration, also tend to allow a certain amount of water to escape the treatment zone without being fully treated. It would be desirable to provide an apparatus which would reduce this tendency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an aeration device for placing in a body of water which utilizes a draft tube with an open top end wherein a splash plate is elevated from, and overlies the open top end. The device directs water through the open top end and against the splash plate to deflect the water radially outwardly onto a surface of the body of water. The splash plate includes a stepped surface which is stepped upwardly and radially outwardly with horizontal surfaces of increasing horizontal dimensions. The stepped surface of the splash plate causes a cascading of water that is splashed against the splash plate and a resulting increased oxygenation effect. The splash plate of the invention improves the oxygen transfer efficiency of the aerator and improves the spray pattern of the water deflected off the splash plate while utilizing the same size treatment aeration zone within the body of water.
The splash plate of the invention can be incorporated into varying types of water pumping or water lifting devices. The invention is particularly adapted to an airlift type aerator having an air injection tube extending axially into the draft tube to supply a bottom region of the draft tube with a source of pressurized air. The air tube is supported on a top surface of the splash plate. The splash plate is mounted to the draft tube by a plurality of bars or brackets extending from a top end of the draft tube upwardly to the splash plate.
As an additional aspect of the invention, a blinder bracket or bar of preselected width, is arranged between the splash plate and a top end of the draft tube. The blinder bracket is sized and located to block and prevent a direct flow path between the draft tube and an outlet of the surrounding aeration vessel. Thus, flow from the draft tube can be selectively limited to certain arcs around a top end of the draft tube. The blinder bracket can be made as wide as desired to block flow out of a corresponding arc.
Advantageously, the aerator of the present invention is composed of plastic. The support structure between the draft tube and the splash plate can be configured as a hollow cone and preselected windows can be cut from the cone to form flow areas and intermittent support brackets and one or more blinder brackets. Advantageously, the draft tube and the hollow cone can be rotationally molded as a single hollow plastic piece. The windows and the open bottom end of the draft tube can be cut from the hollow plastic piece.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
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Rebori Robert J.
Struewing John W.
Bushey C. Scott
Rockey, Milnamow & Katz
Smith & Loveless, Inc.
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