Confined tube aspiration aeration devices and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318432-B2
Application number	US-202016791267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 15, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

Various implementations include an aeration device. The aeration device includes a venturi tube and an outlet tube. The venturi tube has an outlet port and an air intake port. The outlet tube has a first end coupled to the outlet port of the venturi tube, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends of the outlet tube. The intermediate portion is helically shaped and extends around a helical axis of the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion extends at least one rotation about the helical axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aeration device comprising:
a venturi tube having an outlet port and an air intake port; and
an outlet tube having a first end coupled to the outlet port of the venturi tube, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends of the outlet tube,
wherein the intermediate portion is helically shaped and extends around a helical axis of the intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends at least one rotation about the helical axis, and
wherein the helical axis is disposed at an angle to a gravitational axis, wherein the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

2. The aeration device of claim 1 , wherein the angle is 90 degrees.

3. The aeration device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises no angled bends in the outlet tube.

4. The aeration device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises three or more angled turns.

5. The aeration device of any one of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises two rotations.

6. The aeration device of any one of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises three rotations.

7. The aeration device of any of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises four or more rotations.

8. The aeration device of claim 1 , further comprising a pump for pumping a liquid through the venturi tube and the outlet tube.

9. The aeration device of claim 8 , wherein the pump causes the liquid to flow through the outlet tube at 50 gallons per minute or more.

10. An aeration system comprising:
two or more venturi tubes, each of the two or more venturi tubes having an outlet port and an air intake port; and
two or more outlet tubes, each of the two or more outlet tubes having a first end coupled to the outlet port of one of the venturi tubes, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends of the outlet tube,
wherein the intermediate portion is helically shaped and extends around a helical axis of the intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends at least one rotation about the helical axis.

11. The aeration system of claim 10 , wherein each of the second ends of the two or more outlet tubes are coupled together such that the second ends of the two or more outlet tubes are in fluid communication with each other.

12. The aeration system of claim 10 , wherein the helical axis is disposed at an angle to a gravitational axis, wherein the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

13. The aeration system of claim 12 , wherein the angle is 90 degrees.

14. The aeration system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises no angled bends in the outlet tube.

15. The aeration system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises three or more angled turns.

16. The aeration system of any one of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises two rotations.

17. The aeration system of any one of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rotation comprises three rotations.

18. The aeration system of claim 10 , further comprising a pump for pumping a liquid through the two or more venturi tubes and the two or more outlet tubes.

19. The aeration system of claim 18 , wherein the pump causes the liquid to flow through the two or more outlet tubes at a total of 50 gallons per minute or more.

Assignees

• Univ Alabama

Inventors

• Macphee David W

Classifications

• B01F25/4331

  Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow · CPC title

• B01F23/2323

  by circulating the flow in guiding constructions or conduits · CPC title

• C02F3/1294 Primary

  "Venturi" aeration means · CPC title

• B01F25/30

  Injector mixers (mixing by creating vortex flow B01F25/10) · CPC title

• B01F25/3121

  with additional mixing means other than injector mixers, e.g. screens, baffles or rotating elements · CPC title