WAVE-POWERED AERATOR

• US 3,758,083 A
• Filed: 12/30/1971
• Issued: 09/11/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Palmer
• Original Assignee: William E. Palmer
• Inventors: Palmer, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lutter, Frank W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gifford, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US05/214,035
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 261/25,30,120 61/1R,6,21 417/100,232,331 210/170,198-199,220-221,136,242
• US Class Current: 261/25
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23 by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 7/00 Aeration of stretches of water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

A system is disclosed for taking atmospheric air and forcing it to the bottom of a large body of water, such as a lake, using only the energy available in waves. A number of flexible chambers and rigid chambers are alternately interconnected to form a string extending down into the lake. A rigid chamber communicates with the atmosphere above the lake, and adjacent chambers are connected through a check valve which opens only when pressure in an upper chamber is greater than the pressure in a lower chamber. Pressure differentials in the water caused by waves forces the air into successively lower chambers. Air is ultimately discharged from the lowermost chamber.

Claims

1. A system for aerating a lake including a plurality of interconnected rigid and flexible chambers disposed in a string in alternate fashion, the uppermost chamber being a rigid chamber and communicating with the atmosphere above the lake, flotation means for holding the string in a generally upright position with the open upper mouth of the first rigid chamber held above the surface of the lake;

unidirectional air flow means interconnecting adjacent chambers for permitting the downflow of air while preventing the upflow of air; and

resilient means for urging the first flexible chamber in expanded condition;

whereby a positive pressure differential will cause a flexible chamber to contract thereby expelling air into a lower rigid chamber and a negative pressure differential will cause a flexible chamber to expand thereby drawing air in from an upper rigid chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for anchoring the lowermost chamber of said string to the bottom of the lake.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said string includes a continuous flexible outer sheathing and each rigid chamber includes a cylindrical wall member spaced from adjacent ones of said rigid chambers and held to said outer sheathing by means of clamp means.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising rain shield means for preventing rain from entering into the open mouth of the uppermost rigid chamber while permitting air to enter therein.