Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080224337 | DIFFUSER 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 |
20090095692 | RETRIEVABLE 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 |
20090096117 | RETRIEVABLE 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 |
20090166901 | DISK 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 |
20090211969 | METHOD 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 |
20110003115 | GAS 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 |
20110027528 | GAS 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 |
20110215042 | DIFFUSER 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 |
20110278746 | RETRIEVABLE 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. | 11-17-2011 |
20120061862 | MODULAR DIFFUSER BODY AND AERATION SYSTEM - An aeration system for treating liquid contained in a vessel is provided. The aeration system includes a header pipe and a plurality of lateral pipes coupled to the header pipe. The lateral pipes each have one or more tubular diffuser membranes sleeved therearound. Also provided is a coupling for sealingly joining end portions of two adjacent pipes is provided. The coupling includes two saddle sections and a deformable gasket extending between the pipes. The coupling is adapted for enabling one pipe to be removed and replaced from a series of pipes without substantially moving any adjacent pipes. | 03-15-2012 |
20120313266 | DIFFUSER MEMBRANE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - A diffuser membrane and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. In the method for manufacturing, a first material is heated and extruded to form a base layer and a second material is heated and extruded to form a coating layer. The base layer and coating layer may be extruded substantially simultaneously in a coextrusion process. Accordingly, the coating may be applied to the base layer in a manner that optimizes the bonding between the two layers and provides the ability to control the thickness of the coating layer. Alternatively, the base layer is formed initially and the coating layer is subsequently formed thereover. The first and second materials have differing properties. The first material may comprise polyurethane and the second material may comprise polyurethane and PTFE. | 12-13-2012 |
20130270182 | DECANTED BIO-BALANCED REACTOR AND METHOD - A wastewater treatment system is provided having a reactor, first and second bio media and an aeration system. The first bio medium is located proximate an inlet end of the reactor and extends vertically between a top water level and the reactor's floor. The second bio medium is located proximate an outlet end of the reactor and extends vertically between a bottom water level and the reactor's floor. The media are adapted for retaining solids within the reactor as clarified water is withdrawn after treatment. The first bio media is further adapted to act as a baffle thereby causing wastewater to flow generally uniformly into a primary reactor zone. The aeration system includes a plurality of diffusers, some of which may be located adjacent or underneath the bio media and are adapted for promoting the shaking the bio media when activated in order dislodge excessive biomass therefrom. | 10-17-2013 |
20130319942 | FLUORINE TREATMENT OF DIFFUSER MEMBRANES USED IN WASTEWATER AERATION - A flexible diffuser membrane used in aeration/mixing of wastewater is impregnated with biocide and treated with fluorine or another halogen gas which forms a barrier inhibiting migration of the biocide out of the membrane. Another aspect of the invention involves cleaning a diffuser membrane with a halogen and then coating the membrane with PTFE or polyurethane. | 12-05-2013 |
20140264969 | SINGLE-LAYER MEMBRANE COMPRISING POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE INTERSPERSED THEREIN - A single-layer diffuser membrane constructed of first and second compounds. The first compound has structural and flexibility properties suitable for applying air to wastewater through a plurality of perforations formed through the membrane and the second compound is suitable for inhibiting fouling of the membrane. The first compound may comprise polyurethane and the second compound may comprise polytetrafluoroethylene. The concentration of the second compound within the membrane may be between about 3.0 vol. % and 20.0 vol. %. The second compound may be dispersed adjacent the perforations to inhibit fouling of the perforations. Another aspect of the present invention relates to the method for constructing the membrane. Upon the mixing of the first and second compounds, the mixed composition may be formed into a membrane through, for example, an extrusion process or a molding process. Perforations may be created either during or after the forming of the membrane. | 09-18-2014 |
20140284273 | DECANTED BIO-BALANCED REACTOR AND METHOD - A wastewater treatment system is provided having a reactor, first and second bio media and an aeration system. The first bio medium is located proximate an inlet end of the reactor and extends vertically between a top water level and the reactor's floor. The second bio medium is located proximate an outlet end of the reactor and extends vertically between a bottom water level and the reactor's floor. The media are adapted for retaining solids within the reactor as clarified water is withdrawn after treatment. The first bio media is further adapted to act as a baffle thereby causing wastewater to flow generally uniformly into a primary reactor zone. The aeration system includes a plurality of diffusers, some of which may be located adjacent or underneath the bio media and are adapted for promoting the shaking the bio media when activated in order dislodge excessive biomass therefrom. | 09-25-2014 |