Flow-through oxygenator
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method for treating waste water comprising;
- providing a flow-through oxygenator comprising an emitter for electrolytic generation of microbubbles of oxygen comprising an anode separated at a critical distance from a cathode and a power source all in electrical communication with each other,placing the emitter within a conduit; and
passing waste water through the conduit.
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Abstract
An oxygen emitter which is an electrolytic cell is disclosed. When the anode and cathode are separated by a critical distance, very small microbubbles and nanobubbles of oxygen are generated. The very small oxygen bubbles remain in suspension, forming a solution supersaturated in oxygen. A flow-through model for oxygenating flowing water is disclosed. The use of supersaturated water for enhancing the growth of plants is disclosed. Methods for applying supersaturated water to plants manually, by drip irrigation or in hydroponic culture are described. The treatment of waste water by raising the dissolved oxygen with the use of an oxygen emitter is disclosed.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method for treating waste water comprising;
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providing a flow-through oxygenator comprising an emitter for electrolytic generation of microbubbles of oxygen comprising an anode separated at a critical distance from a cathode and a power source all in electrical communication with each other, placing the emitter within a conduit; and passing waste water through the conduit.
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2. An emitter for electrolytic generation of microbubbles of oxygen in an aqueous medium comprising:
- an anode separated at a critical distance from a cathode, a nonconductive spacer maintaining the separation of the anode and cathode, the nonconductive spacer having a spacer thickness between 0.005 to 0.050 inches such that the critical distance is less than 0.060 inches and a power source all in electrical communication with each other, wherein the critical distance results in the formation of oxygen bubbles having a bubble diameter less than 0.0006 inches, said oxygen bubbles being incapable of breaking the surface tension of the aqueous medium such that said aqueous medium is supersaturated with oxygen.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An emitter for electrolytic generation of bubbles of oxygen in water, the emitter comprising:
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a tubular housing having a water inlet, a water outlet, and a longitudinal water flow axis from the inlet to the outlet; at least two electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes being positioned in the tubular housing, the first electrode opposing and separated from the second electrode by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches within the tubular housing; each electrode of the emitter is positioned so that all points midway between all opposing electrodes are closer to a surface of the tubular housing than to a center point within the tubular housing and so that at least some water may flow from the water inlet to the water outlet without passing through a space between electrodes of opposite polarity separated by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches; a power source in electrical communication with the electrodes, the power source configured to deliver a voltage to the electrodes, the voltage being less than or equal to 28.3 volts, the power source being configured to deliver a current to the electrodes, the current being less than or equal to 12.8 amps; the power source being operable to deliver electrical current to the electrodes while water flows through the tubular housing and is in contact with the electrodes to produce oxygen in said water via electrolysis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An emitter for electrolytic generation of bubbles of oxygen in water, the emitter comprising:
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a tubular housing defining an oxygenation chamber and having a water inlet, a water outlet, a longitudinal water flow axis from the inlet to the outlet, and an inward-facing surface that runs parallel to the water flow axis and defines at least in part the oxygenation chamber; at least two electrodes comprising an outside electrode and an inside electrode, the outside and inside electrodes being positioned in the oxygenation chamber and extending in a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, the outside electrode opposing and separated from the inside electrode by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches within the chamber, wherein the position and size of each electrode within the chamber defines a cross-section of the chamber that has a water flow area within the oxygenation chamber through which water may flow without passing between electrodes of opposite polarity that are separated by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches, wherein the water flow area is greater than an area at the cross-section equal to the total area between electrodes of opposite polarity that are separated by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches, wherein at least a portion of the outside electrode positioned in the chamber is closer to the inward-facing surface of the oxygenation chamber than said distance separating the inside electrode from the outside electrode; and a power source in electrical communication with the electrodes, the power source configured to deliver a voltage to the electrodes, the voltage being less than or equal to 28.3 volts, the power source being configured to deliver a current to the electrodes, the current being less than or equal to 12.8 amps; the power source being operable to deliver electrical current to the electrodes while water flows through the chamber of the tubular housing and is in contact with the electrodes to produce oxygen in said water via electrolysis. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An emitter for electrolytic generation of bubbles of oxygen in water, the emitter comprising:
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a tubular housing defining an oxygenation chamber and having a water inlet, and a water outlet; at least two electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes being positioned in the oxygenation chamber, the first electrode opposing and separated from the second electrode by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches, a portion of at least one of the first and second electrodes being in contact with at least one wall of the tubular housing, said wall defining at least in part the oxygenation chamber, said portion being a portion that opposes the other of the first and second electrodes, wherein each electrode is positioned within the oxygenation chamber so that a cross section of the oxygenation chamber includes a water flow area that allows water to avoid passing between electrodes separated by 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches; a power source in electrical communication with the electrodes, the power source configured to deliver a voltage to the electrodes, the voltage being less than or equal to 28.3 volts, the power source being configured to deliver a current to the electrodes, the current being less than or equal to 12.8 amps; the power source being operable to deliver electrical current to the electrodes while water flows through the tubular housing and is in contact with the electrodes to produce oxygen in said water via electrolysis. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An emitter for electrolytic generation of bubbles of oxygen in an aqueous medium comprising:
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a tubular housing defining an oxygenation chamber, and having an inward-facing surface that defines at least in part the oxygenation chamber, a water inlet, and a water outlet; at least two electrodes comprising an outside electrode and an inside electrode, the outside and inside electrodes being positioned in the oxygenation chamber and extending in a direction that runs parallel to the inward-facing surface, the outside and inside electrodes being outside and inside electrodes respectively in that the electrodes are positioned relative to each other so that the outside electrode is closer to the inward-facing surface of the chamber than the inside electrode is and so that the inside electrode is closer to the longitudinal center axis than the outside electrode is, the outside electrode opposing and separated from the inside electrode by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches within the chamber; wherein each electrode of the emitter is positioned closer to the inward-facing surface of the chamber than to a midpoint of the tubular housing and so that at least some water may flow through an unobstructed passageway from the water inlet to the water outlet without passing through a space between electrodes of opposite polarity separated by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. An emitter for electrolytic generation of bubbles of oxygen in an aqueous medium comprising:
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a tubular housing defining an oxygenation chamber, said housing having an outer wall that runs parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the housing, said housing having a water inlet and a water outlet, at least two electrodes comprising an outside electrode and an inside electrode, the outside and inside electrodes being positioned in the oxygenation chamber, the outside and inside electrodes being outside and inside electrodes respectively in that the electrodes are positioned relative to each other so that the outside electrode is closer to the outer wall of the chamber than the inside electrode is and so that the inside electrode is closer to the longitudinal center axis than the outside electrode is, the outside electrode opposing and separated from the inside electrode by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches; the electrodes being positioned away from the center axis and maintaining a longitudinal, unobstructed passageway parallel to and including the center axis that runs for at least the length of one of the electrodes positioned within the chamber, the unobstructed passageway having a uniform cross-sectional area along that length, the electrodes being positioned so that water may flow from the water inlet to the water outlet without passing through a space between electrodes of opposite polarity separated by a distance of between 0.005 inches to 0.140 inches; wherein the outside electrode defines a cross-sectional area between the outside electrode and the outer wall of the chamber that is less than said cross-sectional area of the unobstructed passageway. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification