FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a fluid driver. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a fluid driver device operable to aerate a fluid medium and to compress gas.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well established that oxygen and circulation are among the key components of any healthy, water-based ecosystem. Plant communities, algae, aerobic, facultative, and anaerobic bacteria provide a benefit to a body of liquid such as a waste water system because these organisms perform organic processes that digest bio-waste pollution. Many of these living organisms, such as aerobic bacteria, require oxygen to survive, but are immobile. When water or liquid is circulated, aerobic bacteria are displaced. Displacement brings the aerobic bacteria into contact and with the nutrients the aerobic bacteria rely on to survive. The bacteria and other organisms with which the bacteria interact flourish in this type of environment. Accordingly, continual movement of bacteria and other organisms therein makes the ecosystem more complete. The success of such interactions depends upon biological, chemical and physical dynamics of the body of liquid or waste water. Consequently, efforts are made to manipulate these dynamics in order to accomplish a more balanced ecosystem.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for a fluid driver that can be used as an aerator or a gas compressor. Preferably, such a fluid driver can be used in a single-stage or a multi-stage configuration wherein one or more containers are aerated and agitated with oxygen or another aerobic bacteria food product to enhance the bio-waste digestion process and compression of gas therein. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fluid driver includes a rotatable tube having an open end and a closed end. An aperture is disposed along a length of the tube and is associated with a blade configured to create a reduced pressure pocket within a fluid medium near the aperture when the tube, the aperture and the blade rotate within the fluid medium. As a result, the reduced pressure pocket draws an input gas through the open end of the tube and into the fluid medium through the aperture to aerate the fluid medium. In one embodiment, the blade may extend outwardly along a leading edge of the aperture. Preferably, the blade at least partially extends over the aperture and is circumferentially associated therewith. The tube itself may include multiple apertures disposed along its length. Each aperture should include an associated blade, or may include multiple blades associated therewith.
In an alternative embodiment, the fluid driver may include a housing that encompasses the aperture and the blade and is at least partially disposed within the fluid medium. The housing is positioned to trap foam formed as a result of the input gas entering the fluid medium through the aperture. Furthermore, a gas separator may be coupled to the tube and positioned within the housing to rotatably contact the foam trapped by the housing. The gas separator itself may be a wire or a brush. Accordingly, the housing should include a vent whereby gas separated from the foam is able to escape out from the housing.
In another embodiment, the fluid driver may reside within a container housing the fluid medium. If the container is open to the atmosphere, the fluid driver provides aeration. Alternatively, if the container is closed to the atmosphere, the fluid driver provides aeration and compresses the input gas therein. The fluid driver may be used in an embodiment wherein multiple closed containers are coupled to the tube in series with one another. The tube is configured to selectively receive compressed gas from one closed container for subsequent injection into the fluid medium of the next closed container in the series. Accordingly, the gas is increasingly compressed as it passes through subsequent closed containers in the series. This occurs because the relatively lighter gas separates from the heavier fluid medium. As such, the gas tends to rise to the top of the container while the heavier fluid medium settles on the lower portion of the container. Preferably, the blade rotates in the same rotational direction of the tube.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid driver in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fluid driver disposed within a pair of closed containers;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fluid driver and an associated gas separator; and
FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective view of the fluid driver, illustrating an additional blade and a pair of turbulence rings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the fluid driver of the present invention is generally referred to in FIG. 1 by reference number 10. The fluid driver 10 can be used as an aerator or a gas compressor. The fluid driver 10 can also be used in a single-stage or multi-stage configuration as described in more detail below. When used as an aerator, the fluid driver 10 is capable of releasing air bubbles in a liquid or fluid medium, thereby resulting in higher aeration. It will also become obvious that the simple structure of the fluid driver 10 requires no lubricant and is, therefore, maintenance friendly. As a result, the fluid driver 10 consumes less energy than existing aeration or compression devices. The fluid driver 10 works based on the relative velocity of a fluid relative to an aperture/blade combination, as described in detail below. Thus, while the preferred embodiment described herein is with respect to rotating the fluid driver 10, it is possible to maintain the fluid driver 10 in a stationary position and rotate the liquid surrounding the fluid driver 10. Additionally, it is possible to rotate both the fluid driver 10 and any container housing the fluid medium in opposite directions to obtain better performance.
As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid driver 10 is a generally elongated and cylindrical pipe 12 that includes one or more apertures 14 disposed about the pipe 12. The apertures 14 may be formed out of any shape, i.e. round, square, triangular, etc. Alternatively, the aperture 14 may be an open crack or another similar structure. The aperture 14 is preferably at least partially circumferentially encompassed by a blade 16 that extends out and away from the surface of the pipe 12. Alternatively, the blade 16 may be formed as part of the aperture 14 itself. In this regard, the thickness of the pipe 12, out of which the aperture 14 is formed, serves as the blade 16. The blade 16 causes agitation when the fluid driver 10 is placed within a fluid medium and rotated. The blade 16 is preferably designed to produce more turbulence to facilitate aeration and displacement of, e.g., bacteria or oxygen in the fluid medium. There may be additional blades 16 (shown in phantom) disposed along the length of the pipe 12 to provide better agitation performance. As such, the blade 16 depicted in FIG. 1 extends over the aperture 14 to partially encase or cover the aperture 14. As described in detail below, the blade 16 works in conjunction with the aperture 14 to form a reduced pressure pocket near the opening of the aperture 14 to generate a vacuum within the interior of the pipe 12 to draw gas through the aperture 14 and into the fluid medium.
Preferably, the pipe 12 has an open end 18 and a closed end 20. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the open end 18 mounts to the shaft of a motor 22. The motor 22 is designed to rotate the pipe 12 such that the blade 16 and the aperture 14 may facilitate agitation of a fluid medium 24. As part of agitating the fluid medium 24, the blade 16 and the aperture 14 draw an input gas 26 (denoted by the arrow in FIG. 2) into the pipe 12 for dispersion out into the fluid medium 24 through the aperture 14. In FIG. 1, the blade 16 is shown formed flush around the external curvature of the pipe 12 and partially extends up, outward and over a portion of the aperture 14 in a cup-type position designed to agitate the fluid medium 24 when the pipe 12 rotates. The pipe 12 preferably rotates according to the directional arrow shown in FIG. 1—the blade 16 rotates in the same rotational direction as the pipe 12. This allows the fluid medium 24 to travel up along a back surface 28 of the blade 16 to permit relatively resistance-free rotation of the pipe 12 within the fluid medium 24 compared to rotation of the blade 16 in an opposite rotational direction as the pipe 12. If the pipe 12 were to rotate in the opposite direction of the arrows depicted in FIG. 1, the fluid medium 24 would get caught up underneath the blade 16 and tend to enter the interior of the pipe 12 through the aperture 14 as water would be cupped and caught within the space between the blade 16 and the aperture 14. When the blade 16 rotates in the same rotational direction as the pipe 12, fluid in the fluid medium 24 is displaced as it encounters the back surface 28 of the blade 16. This causes the fluid to increase in speed as it eclipses the outer perimeter of the blade 16 and flows over the aperture 14. The increased speed across the back surface 28 creates a vacuum or a reduced pressure pocket near the space immediately above the aperture 14, similar to a vacuum that is created with an airplane wing. Accordingly, the blade 16 is preferably situated next to the leading boundary of the aperture 14 with respect to the direction of rotation of the pipe 12.
FIG. 2 illustrates the pipe 12 disposed within an upper container 30 and a lower container 32. The two containers 30, 32 in FIG. 2 are shown as a sample embodiment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the fluid driver 10 may be used in conjunction with a single open container, a single closed container, or a plurality of containers placed end-to-end in series, such as the upper container 30 and the lower container 32. As such, the open end 18 of the pipe 12 is inserted into the container such that the aperture 14 and the blade 16 are immersed within the fluid medium 24 and positioned to receive the input gas 26. In one embodiment, wherein the fluid driver 10 is used with a container open to the atmosphere, the closed end 20 merely extends out from within the fluid medium 24, and may even extend out from within the container. The primary purpose of using the fluid driver 10 with an open container is to aerate the fluid medium 24. On the other hand, when the fluid driver 10 is used in conjunction with a single closed container, such as either one of containers 30 or 32, the fluid driver 10 is used to aerate the fluid medium 24 and to compress the input gas 26 therein. In this embodiment, the closed end 20 may simply reside within the interior of the closed container, extend up into a portion of the wall forming the closed container, or extend up and out of the closed container, as is shown with respect to the container 30 in FIG. 2. In each embodiment, the pipe 12 must be sealed to the walls of the closed container such that the input gas can be compressed therein.
Aeration occurs by spinning the pipe 12 within the fluid medium 24 as generally shown with respect to FIG. 2. The input gas 26 is drawn up into the pipe 12 as the motor 22 rotates the pipe 12 to create the aforementioned reduced pressure pocket near the surface of the aperture 14. The input gas 26 enters the pipe 12 through the open end 18 as generally shown in FIG. 2. The reduced pressure pocket in the immediate vicinity of the aperture 14 draws the input gas 26 in through the pipe 12. The input gas 26 within the pipe 12 is urged through the aperture 14 and into the fluid medium 24. Agitation and the natural buoyancy of the input gas 26 encourage dispersion of small gas bubbles throughout the fluid medium 24. Dispersion can be further facilitated, and the output optimized, by placement of one of more of the blades 16 along the length of the pipe 12 in the fluid medium 24. If more than one aperture 14 is used, each aperture preferably includes an associated blade 16. The addition of multiple aperture/blade combinations enhances the amount of the input gas 26 drawn into the pipe 12 and dispersed into the fluid medium 24. In an alternative embodiment, the apertures 14 may include multiple blades 16 disposed about or flanking the exterior of the aperture 14. Additionally, the pipe 12 may include one or more of the blades 16 disposed along its length and not associated with one of the apertures 14. In this embodiment, the blades 16 are designed to agitate the fluid medium 24 to facilitate dispersion of the input gas 26 into the fluid medium 24.
The fluid driver 10, as briefly described above, may be disposed in a single-stage environment (i.e. one container) or in a multi-stage environment (i.e. multiple containers). As described above with respect to the single-stage embodiment, when the container is open to the atmosphere, the fluid driver 10 aerates the fluid medium 24. When the container is closed to the atmosphere, not only does the fluid driver 10 aerate the fluid medium 24, but the gas therein collects and compresses in the space above the fluid medium 24. The application of the closed container single-stage compression is transferable to multi-stage compression. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a dual-stage compressor 34. A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 is not simply limited to two containers. That is, the dual-stage compressor 34 may be expanded to include three or more containers in series, depending on the desired level of compression of the gas therein. Accordingly, the dual-stage compressor 34 shown in FIG. 2 is capable of compressing gas within each stage or container. Specifically, the input gas 26 enters the pipe 12 through the open end 18 of the fluid driver 10. The input gas 26 disperses into the fluid medium 24 through the respective apertures 14. The input gas 26 is relatively lighter than the fluid medium 24. Thus, as the input gas 26 enters the lower container 32, it generally tends to aerate through the fluid medium 24 into an air space 36 above the fluid medium 24. Accordingly, the heavier fluid medium 24 makes up the lower part of the lower container 32 and the lighter compressed input gas occupies the upper region of the lower container 32—namely the air space 36. Compressed gas in the air space 36 then re-enters the pipe 12 through an input valve 38 and serves as an input gas for the upper container 30. The aeration and compression process repeats itself within a second stage of the dual-stage compressor—i.e. in the upper container 30. In general, for multi-stage applications, the compressed gas for one stage or container becomes the input or source gas for the next stage or container. The effectiveness of aeration and compression is thereby multiplied with each succeeding container in series along the length of the fluid driver 10.
The fluid driver 10 has other applications in addition to aeration or compression of gas in a fluid medium or wastewater application. For example, the fluid driver 10 may be utilized in a water recycling system wherein chemicals dispersed in a liquid attach to air bubbles and rise to the surface. Such separation is useful, for example, in the mining industry, such as mining copper, where it is desirable to purify and isolate certain chemicals. The fluid driver 10 is also useful as a mixer/circulator. For example, rising air bubbles stimulate the boiling process resulting in greater circulation that facilitates mixing. Other applications include using the fluid driver 10 as an emulsifier/homogenizer for dissimilar liquids such as oil and water. Here, the open end 18 of the pipe 12 is inserted into the fluid medium 24 so a liquid such as oil can be drawn into the pipe 12 by the reduced pressure pocket created by the aperture/blade combination. This oil is subsequently injected into the fluid medium 24 through the aperture 14 and further mixed therein through agitation by the blade 16. Repetition of this process eventually results in a homogenized emulsion.
The fluid driver 10 may also be deployed with a housing 40 that generally encompasses the aperture 14 and the blade 16, as shown in FIG. 3. Similar to the embodiment described with respect to FIG. 2, the input gas 26 enters the pipe 12 and is dispersed into the fluid medium 24 through the apertures 14 flanked by the blades 16 as a result of rotating the fluid driver 10. The input gas 26 is shown traveling through the apertures 14 and into the fluid medium 24 by the respective arrows. In this embodiment, the pipe 12 is surrounded by the housing 40, which is designed to facilitate the separation of the input gas 26 from the fluid medium 24. This is accomplished by positioning the housing 40 around the exterior portion of the pipe 12 near the open end 18. The housing 40 includes a cylindrical casing 42 extending away from the pipe 12 at an angle to ensure that the fluid medium 24 remains free flowing therein. The cylindrical casing 42 forms a chamber 44 surrounding the exterior of the pipe 12. The casing 42 provides clearance for rotation of a gas separator 46 within the chamber 44. The gas separator 46 is designed to breakdown a foam 48 that forms within the chamber 44 as a result of the input gas 26 entering the fluid medium 24 through the apertures 14. The mixture of the input gas 26 and the fluid medium 24 that makes up the foam 48 contacts an interior surface 50 of the casing 42. Heavier fluid travels down along the side of the interior surface 50 as denoted by the directional arrows therein. This fluid eventually makes its way back into the fluid medium 24 in the open container 52. The vacuum created by the rotating pipe 12 near the aperture 14 by the blade 16, as described above, causes the fluid medium 24 to be drawn up into the gas separator 40 as denoted by the directional arrows that flank each side of the pipe 12 by the open end 18. This particular function causes constant circulation of the fluid medium 24 and replenishes the fluid medium 24 with a constant supply of the input gas 26 through such movement. This is highly desirable to aerate nutrients and oxygen through the fluid medium 24.
The purpose of the gas separator 46 is to breakdown the foam 48 that forms as a result of the input gas 26 mixing with the fluid medium 24 within the chamber 44. The gas separator 46 rotates along with the pipe 12 and aides in separating heavier fluids from the gas such that the heavy fluid is recycled back into the fluid medium 24 and the gas escapes from the housing 40 through a vent 54 therein. This process is further facilitated by the fact that the rotating pipe 12 and the gas separator 46 exert a centrifugal force on the combination of the input gas 26, the fluid medium 24 and the foam 48 within the chamber 44. Additionally, the angled nature of the gas separator 46 urges the foam 48 downwardly into the input gas 26 and the surface of the fluid medium 24. The gas separator 46 may be in a relatively fixed vertical position (as shown in FIG. 3) or may be positioned anywhere between being perpendicular with the pipe 12 or parallel with the pipe 12. Additionally, the gas separator 46 may be in a non-fixed position offset relative to the pipe 12. In this embodiment, the position of the gas separator 46 may vary depending on the rotational speed of the pipe 12. Although, it is preferable that the gas separator 46 be positioned at an angle that forces any gas, liquid or other fluid (e.g. the foam 48) down into the fluid medium 24. The housing 40 acts as a cone in combination with the gas separator 46 to ensure maximum aeration of the gas filled fluid medium 24 within the interior of the casing 42. The gas separator 46 may include wires, blades, or brushes. The wires, blades or brushes all preferably attach to and rotate with the pipe 12. Extensions (e.g. the wire, blade body or bristles) destroy bubbles in the foam 48 to separate the gas from the fluid. The wires, in particular, may perform similarly as those wires that are used to cut or edge grass in a garden. In the event that the gas separator 46 is configured like a round brush, the bristles of the brush may generate more bubbles by agitating the surface of the fluid medium 24. Preferably, each of the various gas separators 46 (e.g. wires, blades and brushes) are interchangeable with the pipe 12. Alternatively, devices designed to agitate or disperse the foam 48 may attach to the pipe 12 as an accessory.
In an alternative embodiment, the input gas 26 may be injected into the fluid driver 10 by a pump, instead of simply being drawn therein by the reduced pressure pocket or vacuum. This embodiment is particularly preferred so that additional gas may be injected into the fluid medium 24 that otherwise would not be injected through use of the vacuum or reduced pressure pocket created by the combination of the blade 16 and the aperture 14. Additionally, the container 52 may include blades or jets designed to circulate the fluid medium 24 therein to provide better aeration characteristics.
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the fluid driver 10, including a second blade 56 and a pair of turbulence rings 58. In this embodiment, the second blade 56 is mounted to a pair of bushings 60 that rotate freely relative to the pipe 12. In this regard, the bushings 60 may rotate the second blade 56 in an opposite direction of the pipe 12 to enhance the turbulence in and around the aperture 14 and the blade 16. Alternatively, the second blade 56 may be fixedly mounted to the pipe 12. The second blade 56 is designed to enhance the aeration of the fluid medium surrounding the fluid driver 10. The second blade 56 is also designed to mix input gas with the surrounding fluid medium similar to the blade 16. In one embodiment, the fluid driver 10 includes only the second blade 56 connected to the bushings 60. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the fluid driver 10 includes the turbulence rings 58 in addition to the second blade 56. The turbulence rings 58 are disposed concentrically around the outside of the pipe 12 and are designed to circulate fluid therein and around the blade 16 and the aperture 14. Additional blades may be placed in series or in parallel with either the blade 16 or the second blade 56 to increase the turbulence in and around the aperture 14 or in the fluid medium in general. The second blade 56 can be any shape, but is preferably designed to enhance circulation of the fluid medium when the fluid driver 10 is disposed therein. In a preferred embodiment, the second blade 56 is the same shape as the blade 16 to create a similar, if not the same, turbulence effect. Additionally, the second blade 56 includes an arc 62 that provides clearance over the blade 16 when the second blade 56 rotates in the opposite direction (or even the same direction) of the pipe 12.
Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20110135495
