The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 25, 1983
Filed:
Jul. 24, 1981
Benjamin L Koopman, Gainesville, FL (US);
Antonio O Lau, Morristown, NJ (US);
Peter F Strom, Highland Park, NJ (US);
David Jenkins, Kensington, CA (US);
University of California, Berkeley, CA (US);
Abstract
Liquid (13, 13a) within a vessel (12, 12a) which receives an inflow is maintained at a predetermined level (43) by discharging liquid as necessary to compensate for the inflow. Discharge flow is drawn from below the surface (18) of the liquid to avoid clogging from scum or from other undesirable effects of surface draw off. Intake structure (34) for the discharge pump (33, 33a) has a branched flow path (47) that includes a first inlet (48) situated above the predetermined level, a second inlet (49) situated below the predetermined level and a flow junction (51) through which both inlets are communicated with the discharge pump, the junction being at the predetermined liquid level. If the liquid rises above the flow junction, the pump draws liquid through the second, subsurface inlet. If the liquid surface recedes below the flow junction, the pump aspirates air or other gas through the first inlet. Consequently liquid level is stabilized at the elevation of the flow junction. The system is applicable, for example, to chemostats (11, 11a) in which microorganisms are cultured in a liquid medium.