DE20015594U1 - Device for infinitely variable, quantity and pressure-controlled entry of gas into liquid media - Google Patents

Description

Patent Attorneys Erich and Nein GBM243B1

Device for the stepless, quantity and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into liquid media

The invention relates to a device for the stepless, quantity- and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into a liquid medium, in particular water, via a porous dosing medium.

It is known to introduce gases into liquid media and to increase their volume by dividing them into fine beads. For this purpose, devices are known in the state of the art which ensure the introduction of the gas and the creation of its pearliness via porous materials.

DE Al 30 21 85 presents a device for impregnating water with a gas, in which the gas and the water are placed in a cooling coil and arranged in a container. The gas is brought together with the water under high pressure. For this purpose, a porous body is used which protrudes into a water inlet pipe, the lower end of which is above the mouth of an outlet riser pipe. The device ensures that the gas passes into the water and at the same time regulates the pressure gradient, but does not allow for permanent use and functionality.

The document DE C2 31 30 597 presents a method for gassing liquids, in particular for the biological treatment of waste water, in a bioreactor. The partial flow above a liquid level in the central area of the tank bottom is branched off from the circulating flow, enriched with gas and the partial flow treated in this way is fed into the circulating flow in the peripheral area of the tank bottom. In one embodiment, a porous device is used to introduce the gas, primarily normal ambient air.
DE Ul 297 07 300 discloses a device for mixing fluids. Here, a first fluid is mixed into a second fluid in a finely divided and homogeneous manner. The porous body used for this purpose is made of sintered bronze, for example, and is inserted into the head of a lancet which extends into the liquid flow. The invention is intended to be used in the production of mixed liquid-gas mixtures, gas-gas mixtures,

Patent Attorneys Erich and Nern GBM243 Bl - 2 -

Mixtures, in the fields of medicine, pharmaceutical medicine and nutritional technology.

EP Al 476 732 describes a solution according to the invention, according to which an opening area has a gassing nozzle with a cover, which is arranged in front of a chamber through which the gas flows. The lower end of the chamber is formed by a gas-permeable grate. Between this and the cover, there are numerous solid bodies in the chamber thus formed, which form a fluidized bed under the effect of the gas flowing through the grate and the chamber.
EP A2 945 169 protects a device which presents a tube with a vertically directed attachment into which a lancet-like dosing piece is inserted, which protrudes into the horizontal tube and which, in its inclination following the direction of flow of the liquid, has a device at its front head-like end via which the gas is introduced into the liquid. The gas flows through channels and is fed via these to an outer ring which is made of sintered material and introduces the gas into the surrounding liquid in fine pores. In one embodiment of the disclosed solution, a dosing device is arranged in front of the lancet or the lancet is inserted into the tube at an angle. A disadvantage of this device is that the porous material is arranged in such a way that its service life appears to be very limited. It is not apparent that the porous material has been assigned a function beyond that of forming fine bubbles of gas.

WO 99/29404 shows a way of introducing gas into liquids that are being passed through in a metered manner. The gas is introduced into the liquid under pressure without varying the original pressure and is introduced into the liquid in a fine-pored manner.

The process achieves a homogeneous mixture and dosing and a filling machine equipped with it can operate continuously.

The invention is based on the object of creating a device for the continuous, quantity and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into a liquid medium, in particular water, via a porous dosing medium, by means of which gases are transferred into the media with high precision of processing and pressure constancy while ensuring long periods of use.

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Patent Attorneys Erich and Nern GBM243 Bl - 3 -

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a device according to the features of claims 1 and 2. The invention is advantageously designed if, when the conditioned gas penetrates the dosing point, it reaches the required pressure and the necessary fineness of bubbles for introduction into the liquid medium. The invention is further advantageously designed if the gas is subjected to further pressure regulation in its transition point in the area of the moving liquid medium. The solution according to the invention is designed by a device for the quantity and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into liquid media, which is arranged in a housing through which the liquid medium flows. The device is assigned a dosing agent which is accommodated in the housing, is pressurized on one side at its inlet side and through which a gas kept under pressure flows. The outlet side of the dosing agent is directed to a gas transfer point which is firmly and force-fittively enclosed by a sleeve which keeps the liquid medium away from the dosing agent.

The invention is advantageously designed when the dosing means is connected to the gas transfer point by a lancet-like guide in which the gas emerging from the dosing means in the form of fine bubbles at a constant pressure is assigned to the gas transfer point protruding into the liquid medium, which has gas outlet openings. The gas outlet openings are firmly enclosed by the sleeve. The sleeve thus closes the gas outlet openings from the outside against access of the liquid medium in which the lancet-like guide is immersed. By shielding the interior of the lancet-like guide, it is ensured that the dosing point remains untouched by suspended matter in the liquid medium and does not lose its porosity due to the deposition of suspended matter in the liquid medium. As shown, the sleeve closes the gas outlet opening with a constant tension and lies firmly against the cylindrical outer surfaces, spanning the openings. It has the function of a membrane. The constant tension generates a surface pressure of the inner surface of the cuff in a specific size, which flows from the dosing agent to the gas transfer point. The gas has to overcome the pressure in order to pass through the gap between the cuff and the lancet-like guide and come into contact with the liquid medium. With constant pressure of the cuff and constant external pressure, a

Patent Attorneys Erich and Nern GBM243 Bl -A-

additional fine conditioning of the gas, in particular oxygen, which is set at a constant pressure and in the form of fine bubbles in the dosing medium. The gas flows out between the contact surfaces in a sliding manner, is at a constant pressure and has received a more even beading, as on the transition side of the dosing point. The invention is formed in that the dosing medium is a diaphragm through which the gas is kept at a constant pressure, brought into a fine-bubble, pearly structure and moved. The device is further developed according to the invention in that the diaphragm is sealed on the side surfaces running parallel to its longitudinal center axis and is arranged in the insert of the device.

The solution according to the invention has a number of advantages that surpass the state of the art. Firstly, the design of the device according to the invention ensures the generation of gas that is conditioned in terms of constant pressure and quantity and that is present in a uniform fine-bubble structure. These requirements are the basis for chemical and biological processes such as the oxidation of media containing water contaminants such as manganese and iron, especially drinking water, from well systems, to be carried out with high precision. The expert reading this will therefore not be unfamiliar if, without departing from the concept of the solution according to the invention, he places a gas bead counter in front of the dosing device in order to determine the amount of oxygen flowing into the device and to be able to precisely control the reactions to be triggered within the scope of the device functions. It is advantageous and fits into the inventive concept of the solution if the device is used in water supply systems whose pumped water contains impurities, which, by incorporating the inventive operation of the devices, can be used easily above and below ground, i.e. in filter reactors and in the soil layers surrounding the respective wells by the backflow of the previously pumped water. The advantageously achieved pressure constancy, accompanied by the fine bubbles of the gas, primarily oxygen, is suitable for entering pipes of liquid media, such as drinking and industrial water, treated waste water and similar media, and for ensuring the start of an oxidation process, for consciously controlling its processes and for promoting the living conditions of microorganisms, which are necessary for biological treatment of the liquid media.

Patent Attorneys Erich and Nern GBM243 Bl - 5 -

are necessary. Not only the fine bubbles and the constant pressure of the gas prepared according to the process guarantee the advantageous design of the invention, but also the high degree of gas concentration, advantageously of oxygen, which under such conditions can be introduced into the liquid, introduced at almost 100% concentration and completely absorbed by it.

The invention will be explained in more detail using an embodiment. The accompanying drawing shows:

Fig. 1: The device, in a housing, immersed in flowing service water;

Fig. 2: The arrangement of the device in a pipeline with an upstream bubble counter and a gas source.

Fig. 1 shows the dosing device 1 in a front view in section. The dosing device 1 is inverted T-shaped here, with a liquid medium, for example service water, flowing through the horizontal line 14 of the device 1 in the direction of an arrow 13. A dome 14 is placed vertically on the longitudinal center axis of the horizontal line 11, which has a closure cap 15 at its upper end, into which an oxygen inlet 12 is incorporated. An insert 3 is inserted into the dome 14, which has a central bore that is tapered with an intermediate piece, to which a lancet-like guide 2 is connected in an adaptive manner, which has a continuous inner bore. An outlet opening 7 is incorporated at the outer end of the lancet-like guide 2. The outlet opening 7 can be formed from one or more evenly or unevenly radially directed bores. The continuous inner bore of the lancet-like guide 2 is provided with a plug 9 or a similar closure option. In the area of the outlet opening 7, the lancet-like guide 2 is enclosed by a sleeve 8, which is firmly but non-positively attached to the outlet openings 7 and parts of the outer surfaces of the lancet-like guide 2, closing the outlet openings 7. Above the lancet-like guide 2 is in the

Patent attorneys Erich and Nem

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A dosing agent is inserted into the insert 3, facing the oxygen inlet 12. The dosing agent is a diaphragm 6 with an extremely fine-pored structure. The diaphragm 6 is firmly inserted into the insert 3 by means of a guide rubber 5 covering its outer surfaces running parallel to the longitudinal center axis, and rests with its lower transition side on a shoulder which is designed as a recess in an intermediate piece 10. The inlet side of the diaphragm 6 is directed towards the inlet 12 of the oxygen, which rests on the diaphragm 6 via a line with high transport pressure and penetrates it in the direction of the lancet-like guide 2. The gas, here oxygen, is divided into fine bubbles and set to a constant pressure. The now conditioned gas flows from the transition side 17 of the diaphragm 6 through the inner bore of the lancet-like guide 2 to the transfer point 18 and presses into the outlet openings 7. The tightly fitting sleeve 8 is put under axial pressure in the area of the outlet openings 7 and the extremely fine-beaded oxygen overcomes the frictional connection between the sleeve 8 and the outer wall of the guide and leaves it through the resulting less than hair-thin gap. Since the contact force of the sleeve 8 and its contact surface remain constant, the specific pressure that causes the oxygen to diffuse through the gap is again relativized, evenly adjusted and kept constant. The lancet-like guide 2 is closed at its lower end with a closure piece in the form of a plug 9. The lancet immersed in the water is thus sealed against the ingress of the water flowing past, which is to be gasified, and the suspended matter contained therein cannot reach the area of the diaphragm 6 and clog its pores. This measure ensures that the device functions properly for a long time.

Fig. 2 shows the possibility of arranging an oxygen bubble counter 21 in the line 20; 22 between the oxygen source 19 and the dosing device 1 in order to feed the amount of oxygen in a deliberately metered manner to the dosing device 1, which is arranged in the line 23; 24. The expert reading along will recognize that the line 23 feeds the liquid medium into the dosing device 1 in the direction of the arrow 13, which it leaves again via the line 24. Arranging the bubble counter 21 in front of the dosing device 1 in the lines 20; 22 ensures a safe regulation of the amount of gas supplied, which is conditioned in the dosing device 1.

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Patent Attorneys Erich and Nern GBM243 BZ3

List of reference symbols used

1 Dosing device 2 lancet-like guide 3 Mission 5 Guide rubber 6 Diaphragm 7 Outlet opening 8th cuff 9 Plug 10 Intermediate piece 11 strand 12 Oxygen inlet 13 Flow direction 14 Cathedral 15 Cap 16 Home page 17 Transition page 18 Transfer point 19 Oxygen source 20 Line 21 Bubble counter

22;23;24 Line

Claims (8)

1. Device for the continuous, quantity and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into a liquid medium, in particular water, using a porous dosing medium arranged in a holder, to which a gas at high pressure is fed at its inlet side, which is pressure-reduced, regulated and structured into fine bubbles in the dosing medium as it flows through, its quantity is dosed, exits at the opposite transition side and is fed to a transfer point in which the gas is pressure-regulated again, made to flow into the liquid medium flowing past and which has a closure with which the dosing medium is protected from wetting the liquid medium. 2. Device for the continuous, quantity- and pressure-regulated introduction of gas into liquid media with a housing through which the medium flows according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a fine-pored diaphragm ( 6 ) which is acted upon on one side at its inlet side ( 16 ) by a gas kept under pressure, through which it flows and is connected via its transition side ( 17 ) to a transfer point ( 18 ) which is firmly enclosed by a sleeve ( 8 ) keeping the liquid medium away from the diaphragm ( 6 ). 3. Device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the diaphragm ( 6 ) is connected on its transition side ( 17 ) to a lancet-like guide ( 2 ), at which the gas emerging from the diaphragm ( 6 ) in the form of fine bubbles at a constant pressure is fed to a transfer point ( 18 ) projecting into the liquid medium, in which gas outlet openings ( 7 ) are provided, which are enclosed by the sleeve ( 8 ) in a tight fit, protecting the interior of the lancet-like guide ( 2 ) from liquid ingress, wherein its inner side brought into contact with the lancet-like guide ( 2 ) fits tightly and the gas is caused to emerge between the lancet-like guide ( 2 ) and the inside of the sleeve ( 8 ). 4. Device according to claim 2 and 3, characterized in that the diaphragm ( 6 ) is sealed on its outer surfaces running parallel to its longitudinal center axes and is inserted into the insert ( 3 ). 5. Device according to claim 2 and 4, characterized in that the lancet-like guide ( 2 ) has at least one outlet opening ( 7 ) in the region of its transfer point ( 18 ), which is covered by the cuff ( 8 ). 6. Device according to claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the cuff ( 8 ) is a membrane and is movable by the pressure in the lancet-like guide ( 2 ) for the oxygen to slide through in the region of the contact surfaces next to the outlet openings ( 7 ). 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the dosing means is a fine-pored diaphragm ( 6 ) in which the gas is moved to produce a constant pressure to form a fine-bubble structure. 8. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the gas at the transfer point into the liquid medium must overcome the frictional connection of a sleeve ( 8 ) designed as a membrane for further pressure regulation.