Diffuser mounting arrangement for waste water aeration systems

• US 4,960,546 A
• Filed: 04/19/1989
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Environmental Dynamics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Tharp
• Inventors: Tharp, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miles, Tim
• Application Number:
  US07/340,265
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 261/122, 261/124, 285/915, 285/197
• US Class Current: 261/122.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2311 Mounting the bubbling devices or the diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23113 characterised by the disposition of the bubbling elements in particular configurations, patterns or arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231142 Mounting the gas transporting elements, i.e. connections between conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231143 Mounting the bubbling elements or diffusors, e.g. on conduits, using connecting elements; Connections therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231244 Dissolving, hollow fiber membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231265 being tubes, tubular elements, cylindrical elements or set of tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/915 Mastic

Abstract

An improved mounting bracket for mounting diffusers on submerged air lateral pipes in a waste water treatment system. Each mounting bracket includes a pair of complemental saddle sections which can be clamped securely yet releasably on the air lateral with an outlet spout of the saddle in registration with a discharge port in the bottom of the air lateral. A Tee fitting has a pipe nipple connected with its inlet, and the pipe nipple can be threaded into the outlet spout. Virtually any type of diffuser can be solvent welded to each outlet of the Tee fitting. The mounting bracket surrounds and reinforces the air lateral at the diffuser connection point and takes advantage of relatively large diameter pipe at the threaded connection between the outlet spout and pipe nipple. All parts can be PVC or a similar plastic and can withstand the stresses which are applied because of the structural strength of the diffuser mounting arrangement.

Claims

1. In a waste water aeration system having a submerged pipe supplied with air under pressure, the improvement comprising;

means for providing an outlet port in said pipe for discharging air therefrom;

a mounting saddle comprising first and second saddle sections, said first saddle section having an outlet fitting thereon;

means for clamping said first and second saddle sections on the pipe with said outlet fitting in registration with said outlet port to receive air therefrom and with said saddle sections surrounding said pipe for structural reinforcement thereof at the outlet port location;

a diffuser Tee fitting providing a flow passage therethrough and having an inlet and a pair of axially aligned outlets;

means for establishing a threaded connection between said outlet fitting and the inlet of said diffuser Tee fitting to mount the diffuser fitting with said flow passage disposed to receive air from the outlet fitting; and

an elongate tubular diffuser connected with each outlet of said diffuser Tee fitting in a manner to receive air from said flow passage, each diffuser having means for discharging air into the waste water in bubbles and said diffusers extending horizontally in opposite directions from the outlets of said Tee fitting.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein;

each saddle section has opposite first and second edges, said first edges of the saddle sections mating together to form a hinge about which the saddle sections may be closed onto the pipe; and

said clamping means comprises a fastener applicable to the second edges of said saddle sections in a manner to secure said second edges together.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said fastener presents a tapered channel receiving said second edges and arranged to tighten thereon when the fastener is moved along the second edges.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a threaded connection comprises a pipe nipple connected with said inlet of the Tee fitting and having a threaded connection with said outlet fitting of the first saddle section.

5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein

said pipe nipple and said Tee fitting are plastic and are connected by a solvent weld connection;

and

each diffuser has a plastic portion connected with the corresponding Tee fitting outlet by a solvent weld connection.

6. The improvement of claim 1, wherein each of said diffusers comprises;

a tube having opposite ends, one end of each tube being connected with the corresponding outlet of the Tee fitting;

a porous flexible membrane sleeved on said tube and secured thereto; and

port means in said tube for directing air therefrom into the membrane whereupon the air passes through the membrane and discharges therefrom in the form of bubbles.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein

said Tee fitting and both tubes are plastic;

and

said tubes have solvent weld connections to said Tee fitting.

8. The improvement of claim 6, including means for closing the end of each tube opposite said one end to permit air to fill the tube along substantially the entire length thereof.

9. The improvement of claim 6, including a plug in each tube at a location intermediate the opposite ends thereof to permit the tube to fill with air only between said plug and said one end of the tube.

10. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said Tee fitting is plastic and each of said diffusers comprises:

an elongated diffuser body constructed of plastic and having one end connected with the corresponding outlet of the Tee fitting by a solvent weld connection; and

a plurality of outlet ports in said diffuser body through which air discharges in the form of relatively coarse bubbles.

11. The improvement of claim 10, including orifice means between said pipe and each of the diffuser bodies.

12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein said orifice means comprises an orifice plate in aid outlet fitting.

13. The improvement of claim 12, wherein said orifice plate is removable from the outlet fitting and is held therein by said diffuser fitting upon tightening of said threaded connection.

14. Aeration apparatus for a waste water treatment system having a submerged pipe presenting an air outlet port, said aeration apparatus comprising:

a pair of saddle sections applicable to the pipe in surrounding relationship thereto, one of said saddle sections having an internally threaded outlet spout;

means for clamping said saddle sections on the pipe with said outlet spout communicating with said port to receive air therefrom and with the saddle sections surrounding the pipe to provide structural reinforcement therefor;

means for sealing said spout to the pipe;

an externally threaded pipe nipple threaded into said outlet spout;

a diffuser fitting connected to said nipple to receive air therefrom; and

at least one elongate tubular diffuser connected to said diffuser fitting to receive air therefrom and discharge the air in bubbles into the waste water for aeration thereof, said diffuser extending generally horizontally from the diffuser fitting and applying vibrational loads to the fitting and pipe when air is discharged from the diffuser into the waste water.

15. The aeration apparatus of claim 14, wherein

said pipe nipple and said diffuser fitting are plastic and are connected by a solvent weld connection;

and

said diffuser includes a plastic portion connected with said diffuser fitting by a solvent weld connection.

16. The aeration apparatus of claim 15, wherein said diffuser fitting comprises a Tee fitting having an inlet connected with said pipe nipple by a solvent weld connection and a pair of outlets one of which is connected with said plastic portion of said one diffuser by a solvent weld connection, and including a second diffuser having a plastic portion connected with the other outlet of said Tee fitting by a solvent weld connection such that said diffusers extend horizontally in opposite directions from said Tee fitting in alignment with one another.

17. In a waste water treatment system having a plurality of air lateral pipes submerged in waste water in a basin and a plurality of elongate tubular diffusers for discharging air bubbles into the basin, an improved diffuser mounting arrangement comprising;

a pair of complementary saddle sections applicable to each air lateral pipe in surrounding relationship thereto;

a threaded plastic outlet spout on one of said saddle sections;

an air outlet port in one of the air lateral pipes;

means for clamping said saddle sections on said one pipe with said spout in communication with said port to receive air therefrom and with said saddle sections surrounding said one pipe to structurally reinforce it;

a plastic diffuser fitting having a threaded conduit which may be threaded to said outlet spout to receive air therefrom, said diffuser fitting having a body presenting a flow passage communicating with said conduit to receive air therefrom; and

means for connecting at least one of the diffusers with said diffuser fitting to mount the diffuser thereon in communication with said flow passage with the diffuser extending generally horizontally from the diffuser fitting, said connecting means comprising a plastic tube connected with said one diffuser and having a solvent weld connection with said diffuser fitting.

18. The diffuser mounting arrangement of claim 17, including a friction strip on one of said saddle sections at a location to apply a frictional force to the pipe resisting rotation of said saddle section on said one pipe.