WO2011115972A1

WO2011115972A1 - Aerating device

Info

Publication number: WO2011115972A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/028490
Authority: WO
Inventors: Randall L. Tucker; John A.D. Mcarthur
Original assignee: Streamside Technology, Llc
Priority date: 2010-03-15
Filing date: 2011-03-15
Publication date: 2011-09-22

Abstract

An aerating device for introducing air into a liquid includes a housing having a first rotor mounted on a shaft for rotation relative to the housing. The rotor includes a series of disks disposed in spaced relation along the shaft. The shaft encloses a drive motor for selectively rotating the shaft and at least one of the disks includes surface protrusions for imparting energy to the liquid as the rotor is rotated.

Description

AERATING DEVICE

Background of the Disclosure

[0001] This disclosure relates to an aerating device, and particularly to an apparatus for aerating and treating liquid such as a waterway (e.g., lake, pond, river, stream, canal, etc.). Selected aspects, however, may find application in related fields of use.

[0002] U.S. Patent Nos. 5,942,161 and 5,948,326 are directed to an aeration system, and the disclosure of each patent is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Each of these patents discloses a floating unit having an adjustable inlet baffle that directs water from a selected depth at or below the water surface to a rotor having a series of disks. The rotor also directs the water toward an outlet baffle where it is again released to the water at a region at or below the surface. Although commercially successful, this device uses either a motor, gearbox, and a drive pulley that connects with a driven pulley associated with the rotor and disks via a flexible drive member such as a belt that wraps around the pulleys or utilizes a direct drive arrangement (motor, 90 degree gear reducer, coupling) that has proven to have unacceptable reliability, availability, and maintainability. Further, the disks are provided with dimples, slots or apertures to extend contact with the liquid, typically water, in which the disks are partially immersed. It has been found that improvements are required in the drive mechanism, rotor/disks, and with maintenance issues associated with the assembly.

Summary of the Disclosure

[0003] An exemplary embodiment of an improved aerating device includes a housing that receives a rotor for selective rotation relative to the housing. A motor and gear assembly is received within a shaft of the rotor and drives a plurality of disks that are axially spaced along the length of the rotor.

[0004] The disks include a series of protrusions or protuberances that extend axially outward from a face of the disk. In a preferred form, the protrusions are a pair of generally C-shaped buckets or scoops that merge together along contiguous edges. A series of these buckets are radially and circumferentially arranged on the surface of the disk.

[0005] The buckets are arranged in a pattern whereby they are radially aligned in groups that extend outwardly from a rotational axis of the disk, and one group is radially off-set from a next adjacent circumferentially spaced group.

[0006] A primary benefit of the present disclosure is the extended life associated with this drive arrangement.

[0007] Still another advantage provided by the subject disclosure is the ability to easily service and/or replace one or more disks, or the complete rotor.

[0008] Yet another advantage is associated with the improved aeration associated with the modified design of the disks.

[0009] A significant improvement in the materials of construction (MOC) of the new disk design, the use of a high durometer cast urethane with a stainless steel central support, radically improves the service life and durability of predecessor designs.

[0010] Still other benefits and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following, detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] Figure 1 is an elevational view of a preferred aerating device.

[0012] Figure 2 is perspective view taken from the front left-hand end of the device shown in Figure .

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rotor that includes a shaft having a motor contained therein, and on which one of the disks is mounted.

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a series of disks secured to the shaft shown in Figure 3.

[0015] Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the first surface of one of the disks, the second surface being a substantially mirror image thereof.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments [0016] Turning first to Figures 1 and 2, an aerating device 100 includes a housing 102, which in the present arrangement is a portable floating platform with attached floats or pontoon-type of structure. Of course in other arrangements, the portable aerating device may be moored or the device modified to be no-portable and secured in the associated waterway or to a structure extending into the waterway (e.g., bridge, wall, pier, dock, etc.). More particularly, deck 104 is supported along longitudinal edges by first and second pontoons 106, 108. A cover 1 10 extends upwardly from the deck and a protective shroud 1 12 extends from beneath the deck for reasons which will become more apparent below. Preferably, the housing is a lightweight structure such as aluminum, galvanized metal, fiberglass, urethane, etc., that is able to withstand the corrosive effects of oxidation and water.

[0017] Extending outwardly from a first or forward end 120 of the aerating device is a first baffle 122, and similarly a second baffle 124 is mounted at the second or rear end 126. Each of the baffles angles downwardly from the deck and the angle may be varied via an adjustment mechanism 130. In other words, each baffle is pivotally mounted to the housing, and the adjustment mechanism adjusts the angle and therefore the depth of axially outer, terminal ends of each baffle.

[0018] With continued reference to Figures 1 and 2, and additional reference to

Figures 3 and 4, there is more particularly shown a rotor 140 that is carried on the housing. The rotor includes shaft 142 which is shown in the preferred arrangement as an elongated, generally cylindrical structure that is adapted for rotation about an inner stator 144 that is secured at opposite ends by mounting blocks 146 to support the shaft and likewise the rotor on the housing. In the preferred embodiment, the rotor is mounted so that its rotational axis extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the first and second pontoons. That is, the shaft is oriented cross-wise relative to the longitudinal lengths of the pontoons. A longitudinal axis of the shaft, which is coaxial with the rotational axis of the rotor, is located above a surface of the water so that the shaft is preferably located out of the water. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that due to the size of individual disks 150 that are received on the shaft, that a substantial surface area of each disk is immersed in the water. More particularly, each disk may include at least one keyway or a series of keyways 152 that cooperate with a key 154 extending outwardly from the shaft 142. Central opening 56 of each disk is dimensioned for receipt over the shaft and the keyways are aligned with the keys on the shaft. As is evident in Figure 3, each disk is inserted over one end and moved toward the other end of the shaft. This process continues until multiple disks are located on the shaft (Figure 4) and a retaining plate 158 is located at opposite ends of the series of disks to maintain the disks in fixed relation on the shaft.

[0019] With continued reference to Figures 1-4, and additional reference to Figure 5, details of one of the disks will now be provided. Specifically, each disk has a generally annular conformation with the central opening 156 defining an inner diameter radially spaced from an outer periphery or circular edge 170. Although one face 172 of the disk is illustrated in Figure 5, it will be understood that the second or underside face is substantially identical in structure and function unless noted otherwise. A series of small diameter recesses or openings 174 are provided in the first face. These recesses 174 extend inwardly from the outer periphery 170 toward central opening 156 and terminate along region 176 which represents the annular portion of each disk. These recesses 174 are generally randomly located throughout the first face. In addition, outwardly extending members or protrusions 180 are provided in radial groups at circumferentially spaced locations on the first face. Each protrusion has the general conformation of a pair of contiguous, generally C-shaped buckets in which inner edges of each C-shape merges with the adjacent C-shaped bucket or scoop, although different conformations of the buckets are also contemplated. Thus, a pair of the C-shaped scoops appears as a reference numeral "3". For example, three of these protuberances are located in each radial group, however a greater or lesser number of groups or protrusions in each group may be used without departing from the scope and intent of the present disclosure. Moreover, each group is preferably radially offset from each circumferentially adjacent group located forwardly and rearwardly of the select radial group. In this preferred arrangement, three protrusions are provided in each radial group. Each of the protrusions is oriented in the same configuration so that, as the disk rotates in the direction indicated by reference numeral 182, the open channel of the protuberance passes into the water and redirects flow in the reverse direction as a result of the C-shape to create turbulence and cause an aerating of the water. This can generally be thought of as a "reverse-Pelton wheel" arrangement, where the velocity of the water is changed by rotation of the disk and the momentum likewise changes as the rotor disks rotate through the water. The double C-shaped design of the protrusions imparts a reverse momentum on the water and forms a series of eddying pools around the C-shaped scoops. Further, large diameter recesses/openings 184 are also provided on the first face 72. In the exemplary embodiment, each large diameter recess 184 is centrally located adjacent and on the downstream side or rear edge of the intersection of the pair of C-shaped buckets. Preferably, each face of the disk, and each of the disks on the rotor, include a series of protrusions and recesses as generally described above.

[0020] The disclosure has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A device for introducing air into a liquid comprising:

a housing;

a first rotor having a shaft with a first axis and mounted on the housing for rotation, the first rotor including a first series of disks disposed in spaced relation along the shaft;

the shaft enclosing a drive motor and gear assembly for selectively rotating the shaft relative to the housing; and

at least one of the disks including surface protrusions for imparting energy to the liquid as the rotor is rotated.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft is mounted on the housing so that a portion of the disks are immersed in the liquid.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein approximately one-third to one-half of the surface area of the disks are immersed in the liquid.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the surface protrusions on the disk include bucket-shaped scoops.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the bucket-shaped scoops are disposed in paired relation with terminal edges of adjacent scoops

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second rotor having a shaft with a second axis and mounted on the housing for rotation, the second rotor including a second series of disks disposed in spaced relation along the shaft.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the protrusions include impulse buckets to change a velocity of water and thereby change momentum as the rotor disks rotate through the water.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the buckets have a double bucket design so that the water reverses direction in the bucket.

9. An aerating device that displaces large volumes of water resulting in the development of, when combined with the unique unit structural elements, a horizontal column of near-laminar hydraulic flow that has been demonstrated to entrain local water into regional circulation.