In place gas cleaning of diffusion elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:
- a gas distribution network in a tank;
means for introducing treating gas into said network;
a source of cleaning gas;
means including valve means for intermittently introducing into said network said cleaning gas alone or in admixture with the treating gas;
a plurality of flow regulating means distributed about a submerged portion of the network for receiving the aforementioned gases and for discharging them into a plurality of plenums downstream of the flow regulating means, said flow regulating means tending to promote gas flow into said plenums at similar rates; and
a plurality of at least ten multi-pore area release diffusion elements sealingly engaged and in communication with said plenums for receiving said gases, and diffusion elements being members which comprise a multiplicity of closely spaced fine pores defining paths for discharge of said gases and which exhibit an increase in dynamic wet pressure and/or bubble release pressure as a result of deposition of foulants, each of said diffusion elements being in communication with its own individual flow regulating means through its own individual plenum downstream of the flow regulating means, whereby said flow regulating means tend to promote gas flow through said diffusion elements at similar rates.
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Abstract
Cleaning of multi-pore diffusion elements in place with cleaning gases while submerged in liquid media by applying said cleaning gases intermittently or continuously to said diffusion elements between predetermined limits of operating pressure and flow through flow regulation means and plenums for the respective diffusion elements.
99 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:
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a gas distribution network in a tank; means for introducing treating gas into said network; a source of cleaning gas; means including valve means for intermittently introducing into said network said cleaning gas alone or in admixture with the treating gas; a plurality of flow regulating means distributed about a submerged portion of the network for receiving the aforementioned gases and for discharging them into a plurality of plenums downstream of the flow regulating means, said flow regulating means tending to promote gas flow into said plenums at similar rates; and a plurality of at least ten multi-pore area release diffusion elements sealingly engaged and in communication with said plenums for receiving said gases, and diffusion elements being members which comprise a multiplicity of closely spaced fine pores defining paths for discharge of said gases and which exhibit an increase in dynamic wet pressure and/or bubble release pressure as a result of deposition of foulants, each of said diffusion elements being in communication with its own individual flow regulating means through its own individual plenum downstream of the flow regulating means, whereby said flow regulating means tend to promote gas flow through said diffusion elements at similar rates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Liquid treatment apparatus comprising:
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a gas distribution network in a tank; means for introducing treating gas into said network; a source of cleaning gas; means including valve means for intermittently introducing into said network said cleaning gas alone or in admixture with the treating gas; a plurality of flow regulating means distributed about a submerged portion of the network for receiving the aforementioned gases and for discharging them into a plurality of plenums downstream of the flow regulating means, said flow regulating means tending to promote gas flow into said plenums at similar rates; and a plurality of at least ten multi-pore area release diffusion elements sealingly engaged and in communication with said plenums for receiving said gases, said diffusion elements being members which comprise a multiplicity of closely spaced fine pores defining paths for discharge of said gases and which exhibit an increase in dynamic wet pressure and/or bubble release pressure as a result of deposition of foulants, each of said diffusion elements being in communication with its own individual flow regulating means through its own individual plenum downstream of the flow regulating means for tending to promote gas flow through said diffusion elements at similar rates; measuring means for monitoring the operation of said liquid treatment apparatus by measuring changes in operating parameters of the apparatus that indicate dynamic wet pressure changes across the diffusion elements with sufficient precision for initiating the flow of cleaning gas with sufficient frequency for maintaining the dynamic wet pressure across the diffusion elements in a range not to exceed about 25 inches of water gauge above said base condition. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification