Mixer sparging apparatus
First Claim
1. Sparging apparatus which comprises an impeller for generating a discharge flow of liquid and a mechanism for releasing a fluid into the flow, the mechanism being disposed between the impeller and the bottom of a tank;
- the mechanism comprising at least one open pipe having an outlet through which said fluid is discharged at low pressure;
fins disposed downstream of said outlet for distributing the fluid; and
a plate for turbulizing the discharge flow as the discharge flow passes by said plate into the fluid released via said pipe, said plate being disposed above the outlet of the pipe and the fins.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In order to efficiently mass transfer from gas, particularly air, into liquid or liquid suspensions with enhanced efficiency in terms of the mass of the gas transferred to the liquid, the gas is released or sparged through a plurality of open pipes which are disposed in a space between the bottom of the tank containing the liquid or liquid suspension and an axial flow impeller which creates a flow path downwardly past the outlet ends of the pipes. Turbulence is enhanced even though the air leaves the pipes at low velocity rather than in a jet through the use of a Bernoulli air trapping ring and plates. The ring and plates encounter the flow produced by the axial flow impeller successively. The ring distributes the air and assists in defining a low pressure region below the ring. A low pressure region also is defined by the plates on the underside thereof. The underside of the plates is in the vicinity of the outlets of the pipes. Distribution fins taper away from the outlet and provide for a spacial distribution of the low pressure gas. The low pressure air may exit the outlets of the pipes at a pressure of a few PSI greater than the liquid pressure at the outlets which may be in the range of 10% greater pressure than the liquid pressure at these outlets. The plates, especially at their edges, provide turbulence in the liquid flow to facilitate transfer of the mass of the gas to the liquid.
58 Citations
23 Claims
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1. Sparging apparatus which comprises an impeller for generating a discharge flow of liquid and a mechanism for releasing a fluid into the flow, the mechanism being disposed between the impeller and the bottom of a tank;
- the mechanism comprising at least one open pipe having an outlet through which said fluid is discharged at low pressure;
fins disposed downstream of said outlet for distributing the fluid; and
a plate for turbulizing the discharge flow as the discharge flow passes by said plate into the fluid released via said pipe, said plate being disposed above the outlet of the pipe and the fins. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- the mechanism comprising at least one open pipe having an outlet through which said fluid is discharged at low pressure;
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13. Apparatus for dispersion of gas into a liquid medium, comprising:
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a tank formed by a wall and a base closing said tank at an end thereof, an axial-flow impeller within said tank producing flow in opposite directions, one of said directions being toward said base and the other of said directions being along said wall, said impeller being spaced from said base, a pipe between said base and said impeller, having an outlet to discharge gas into said tank, a pair of fins disposed downstream of said outlet, said fins defining a slit there between and adapted to disperse gas within said tank, and a plate disposed adjacent said outlet and surrounded by said flow towards said base, said plate being disposed between said pipe and said impeller and encompassing an area greater than the area encompassed by said fins and said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for dispersion of gas in a liquid medium tank having a wall and a bottom at an end thereof comprising:
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an axial flow impeller within said tank, said impeller having a diameter D and an axis of rotation, three pipes, each pipe having an outlet adapted to discharge gas into said tank, said pipes spaced 120 degrees from each other around said axis of rotation of said impeller, a pair of fins disposed downstream of each said outlet, said fins adapted to disperse the gas within said tank, and a plate disposed adjacent each said outlet, between each said pipe and said impeller surrounded by said flow, and encompassing an area greater than the area encompassed by each pair of said fins and each said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of dispersing gas in a tank containing liquid, comprising of the steps of:
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rotating an axial flow impeller within said tank to cause the liquid to move within the tank, discharging gas into said tank through an outlet, dispersing the gas within said tank by flowing said gas past a pair of fins disposed downstream of said outlet, and turbilizing the flow of liquid in the vicinity of said outlet by providing a plate adjacent said outlet, said plate encompassing an area greater than the area encompassed by said fins and said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification