Other

Richard J Koopmans

Kristinn G Drewry

William Allen Arnold

A new accumulator for generating mixing bubbles comprises pivoting, counterbalanced buckets, the buckets receiving air directed from blowers, either directly from injectors connected to the blowers, or from diffusers used for aeration of the liquid in the tank. A bucket, weighed down by a counterbalance, receives air from injectors or diffusers below, and, as the air displaces liquid in the bucket, the buoyancy of the bucket increases until it exceeds the downward force of the counterweight, at which time the bucket pivots upward to release a large mixing bubble into the tank. An assembly for installation of the accumulator affixes the accumulator on a rigid vertical piece depending from a horizontal bridge.

Mixing bubble generator and installation configuration

A means for mixing drinking water stored in large storage tanks, preventing stratification of the water, detects incipient stratification of water along thermoclines, and, responsive to thermocline detection, generates large mixing bubbles toward the bottom of the tank, causing mixing of layers of water in the tank through turbulence created as the bubbles rise through the tank.

Water supply thermocline detection and mixing process

A process and system mixes drinking water stored in large water tower type storage tanks, preventing stratification of the water, by generating large mixing bubbles in the tank's standpipe, causing mixing of layers of water in the tank through turbulence created as the bubbles rise through the tank. Embodiments of the present invention, adapted for use in storage tanks in which the standpipe serves as both water inlet and outlet, detect flow in the standpipe and provide mixing only when the standpipe is not serving as a water outlet.

Water supply mixing process

A means for mitigating or precluding formation of ice in water stored in large storage tanks generates large mixing bubbles toward the bottom of the tank, causing mixing of thermally stratified layers of water in the tank through turbulence created as the bubbles rise through the tank. Incipient stratification of water along thermoclines is detected and the mixer is engaged only when temperatures of portions of stratified water in the tank approach freezing.

Water tank deicing mixer

A process removes or eliminates altogether accumulations of solid and semi-solid, water immiscible materials adhering to walls, and equipment, particularly near the high liquid mark, in tanks of waste liquid lift stations. Compressed gas is used to generate large bubble masses of six inches to several feet in diameter within the waste liquid. As these large bubble masses rise through the liquid in the tank, convection currents generated by the rising bubbles agitate and loosen pieces of accumulations adhering to the tank and lift station equipment, resulting to in a slurry of waste liquid and immiscible materials which can then be pumped from the tank by lift station equipment for further processing. In some embodiments, continuous or frequent periodic generation of the large bubble masses prevents the accumulation of such materials altogether. In some embodiments, wastewater aeration is also provided, which, in combination with biological augmentation, further enhances the effectiveness of accumulated material removal.

Method for remediating solids in waste lifting stations

A system for wastewater treatment comprises a tank and includes a mixer that generates large mixing bubbles, for example a bubble having a largest dimension of 6 inches to 10 feet. In some embodiments, the mixer is located in the anoxic zone. The mixing bubbles are large enough to move wastewater as they rise to the surface and generate a mixing current in the wastewater. The mixing current mixes the wastewater, and bacteria and other microorganisms to promote the bacteria and other microorganisms' conversion of the pollutants contained in the wastewater. The system further comprises an Integrated Fixed-film Activating Sludge (IFAS) system.

Mixer for use with media in wastewater treatment

A system and method of aerobic wastewater treatment provides large mixing bubbles along with small oxygenating bubbles supplied by diffusers. The mixing bubbles are large enough to move wastewater and generate a mixing current as they rise to the surface. The mixing current mixes the wastewater, bacteria and other microorganisms, and the small oxygenating bubbles from the diffusers to promote the bacteria and other microorganisms' conversion of the pollutants contained in the wastewater. The mixing provided by the large mixing bubbles enhances the efficiency of wastewater aeration provided by the small oxygenating bubbles.

Mixer for use in wastewater treatment processes

A system and method of wastewater treatment in a tank provides large mixing bubbles generated in the lower portion of the tank. In embodiments providing aerobic wastewater treatment, the system further provides oxygen to the wastewater by way of tiny aerating bubbles provided by diffusers. At least one sensor in the tank provides measurements of at least one wastewater treatment parameter such as total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, ammonium or nitrate. An automatic controller in the system, responsive to measurements provided by the sensor, adjusts the rate of mixing provided by the large mixing bubbles. In some aerobic embodiments, the controller, responsive to measurements from the sensor, further adjusts the rate of oxygenation supplied to the wastewater by the tiny aerating bubbles.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Richard J Koopmans