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Charles E. Tharp, Columbia US

Charles E. Tharp, Columbia, MO US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080224337DIFFUSER ASSEMBLY WITH BUOYANCY VESSEL - A diffuser assembly with a buoyancy vessel and a chamber for buoyantly raising the diffuser assembly for maintenance work. The diffuser assembly has a support structure, diffusers connected to the frame, and a buoyancy vessel positioned on the frame, capable of alternating between a state of buoyancy or ballast.09-18-2008
20090095692RETRIEVABLE DIFFUSER MODULE WITH INTERNAL BALLAST/BUOYANCY CHAMBER - A diffuser module and system for diffusing gas into liquid such as in aeration/mixing of wastewater. Each module has a header pipe and diffusers which receive gas from the header pipe. Each pipe is equipped with a smaller internal pipe arranged concentrically to provide an annular space which receives the gas and supplies it to the diffusers. The volume within the internal pipe can serve as a ballast chamber or a buoyancy chamber or both.04-16-2009
20090096117RETRIEVABLE DIFFUSER MODULE WITH TRUSS CONSTRUCTION - A diffuser module and system for diffusing gas into liquid such as in aeration/mixing of wastewater. Each module has a header pipe and diffusers which receive gas from the header pipe. Each header pipe is equipped with a truss for enhanced structural strength and resistance to bending. The truss may take the form of a buoyancy/ballast pipe connected with the header pipe by purlins.04-16-2009
20090166901DISK DIFFUSER WITH IMPROVED SEAL - A flexible membrane disk diffuser having an improved arrangement for sealing the membrane to the diffuser body. An enlarged sealing bead on the circumference of the membrane fits in an annular channel on the diffuser body. A retainer ring threads onto the diffuser body to compress the sealing bead against a base surface of the channel. A discontinuity on the base surface provides an effective seal with the bead without requiring undue tightening force of the retainer ring. The discontinuity may take the form of a ridge or a rut on the base surface of the channel.07-02-2009
20090211969METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS - Submerged media useful with or without aeration and/or mixing to enhance an aquatic environment by promoting and retaining biogrowth. The media takes the form of a cluster of individual flexible elements having free ends. The media are submerged in a liquid such as a water or wastewater treatment basin or an aquaculture environment. The media are characterized by the ability to promote and retain microbial growth. The media clusters have substantial flow through thicknesses to provide a three dimensional effect along with baffling for increased contact with the liquid being treated. The media may be thin strips constructed to avoid sticking together to allow maximum exposed surface area. The media clusters can create oxic, anoxic and anaerobic environments for maximum treatment during flow through the media cluster. The flexibility of the media elements and their free ends automatically dislodges excessive biomass buildup to avoid clogging of the media.08-27-2009
20110003115GAS DIFFUSER MEMBRANE WITH COATED SUBSTRATE - A flexible diffuser membrane for diffusing gas into a liquid includes a substrate covered wholly or partially by a thin fluorocarbon elastomer coating. The coating is applied after the substrate has been fully constructed and cured. The coating is then mixed with an adhesive catalyst and applied by spraying or in another suitable manner to the substrate. The substrate and coating are then heated to a temperature such as 350° F.-800° F. adequate to form a strong chemical, molecular, and adhesive bond between the coating and substrate. Perforations are formed in the membrane, the substrate may be treated with a biocide allowing the uncoated edges of the perforations to be coated with the biocide and resist biological growth.01-06-2011
20110027528GAS DIFFUSER MEMBRANE WITH COATED SUBSTRATE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A flexible diffuser membrane for diffusing gas into a liquid includes a substrate covered wholly or partially by a thin coating. The substrate is formed by a mold or extruder and is of an elevated temperature upon exiting the mold or extruder. The coating may be applied directly to a selected surface of the substrate just after it exits the mold or extruder and while the substrate is at an elevated temperature and before it may become contaminated by foreign materials. The membrane's manufacturing process may be a substantially continuous process wherein the substrate is continuously formed by an extruder and the coating is applied to the substrate in a continuous manner as the substrate exits the extruder.02-03-2011
20110215042DIFFUSER ASSEMBLY WITH BUOYANCY VESSEL - A diffuser assembly with a buoyancy vessel and a chamber for buoyantly raising the diffuser assembly for maintenance work. The diffuser assembly has a support structure, diffusers connected to the frame, and a buoyancy vessel positioned on the frame, capable of alternating between a state of buoyancy or ballast.09-08-2011

Patent applications by Charles E. Tharp, Columbia, MO US