Gas dissolving apparatus and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dissolving a gas into a fluid which may contain at least one other dissolved gas. The apparatus includes an inlet tube for receipt of the fluid from a container containing the fluid. A gas inlet is operably connected to the inlet tube for the introduction of gas into the fluid. The mixture of gas and fluid is introduced into a gas transfer device via the inlet tube. The gas transfer device is positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container so that the gas transfer device is hydrostatically pressurized in order to increase the rate and concentration at which the gas is dissolved into the fluid. The gas and fluid mixture is allowed to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved in the fluid. The fluid having the gas dissolved therein enters an outlet means positioned within the gas transfer device. The fluid having the gas dissolved therein flows upward through the outlet means and is released from the gas transfer device while the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved in the fluid are retained in the gas transfer device.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for dissolving a gas into a fluid, the apparatus comprising: 
 a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;    a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid from the container, and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device; and    an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fluid comprises water.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gas comprises oxygen.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fluid comprises water and the gas comprises oxygen.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gas transfer device has a generally diverging inside surface.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an acceleration plate positioned within the gas transfer device for acceleration of the fluid and gas mixture therethrough, and wherein the gas transfer device is substantially cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a helix-shaped bubble harvester positioned within the gas transfer device.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gas transfer device is positioned underground.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the gas transfer device is positioned in an excavated caisson.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second end of the outlet means is positioned within the container for the release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein into the container.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a midpoint of a longitudinal axis of the gas transfer device is positioned at least about ten feet below the surface of the fluid in the container.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pumping means operably connected to the first end of the fluid inlet means for pumping the fluid from the container into the fluid inlet means.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for dissolving a gas into fluid, the apparatus comprising: 
 a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;    a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid from the container, and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means for introduction of the gas into the gas transfer device; and    an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device.    
     
     
         14 . A method for dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container having the fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of fluid in the container;    providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;    allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;    introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;    allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;    releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means; and    retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the fluid comprises water such that the method results in dissolving the gas into the water.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the gas comprises oxygen such that the method results in dissolving the oxygen into the fluid.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the fluid comprises water and the gas comprises oxygen such that the method results in dissolving the oxygen into the water.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the gas transfer has a generally diverging inside surface.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of: 
 positioning the second end of the outlet means within the container; and  
 releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein into the container.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of positioning the gas transfer device underground.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of positioning the gas transfer device in an excavated caisson.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of positioning a midpoint of a longitudinal axis of the gas transfer device at least about ten feet below the surface of the fluid in the container.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pumping means operably connected to the first end of the fluid inlet means; and  
 pumping the fluid from the container into the first end of the inlet means.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method of dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container, the gas transfer device being substantially cylindrical in shape;    providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    providing an acceleration plate positioned within the gas transfer device for acceleration of the fluid and gas mixture therethrough;    providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;    allowing the fluid to flow from the container to the first end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;    introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the acceleration means and the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;    allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;    releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved into the fluid therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means; and    retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.    
     
     
         25 . A method of dissolving a gas into a fluid, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;    providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means operably connected to the fluid inlet means between the first end of the fluid inlet means and the second end of the fluid inlet means for introduction of the gas into the fluid before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    providing a helix-shaped bubble harvester positioned within the gas transfer device;    providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;    allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;    introducing the gas into the fluid through the gas inlet means before it is introduced into the gas transfer device;    introducing the fluid and gas mixture into the gas transfer device through the upper end of the gas transfer device via the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas travel downward to the helix-shaped bubble harvester where the bubbles are kept in contact with the fluid for dissolving at least a portion of the gas into the fluid;    allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;    releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means; and    retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.    
     
     
         26 . A method for dissolving a gas into a fluid, the apparatus comprising: 
 providing a container having fluid therein, the fluid having a surface;    providing a gas transfer device, the gas transfer device having an upper end and a closed bottom end, the gas transfer device positioned below the surface of the fluid in the container;    providing a fluid inlet means, the fluid inlet means having a first end for receipt of the fluid from the container, and a second end for the introduction of the fluid into the gas transfer device;    providing a gas inlet means, the gas inlet means for introduction of the gas into the gas transfer device;    providing an outlet means, the outlet means having a first end positioned within the gas transfer device for receipt of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein, and a second end positioned outside of the gas transfer device for release of the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device;    allowing the fluid to flow from the container into the first end of the fluid inlet means;    allowing the fluid to flow through the fluid inlet means;    introducing the fluid into the gas transfer device via the second end of the fluid inlet means;    introducing the gas into the gas transfer device via the gas inlet means;    allowing the fluid and gas mixture to flow downward through the gas transfer device such that bubbles of gas are dissolved into the fluid;    allowing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein to enter the first end of the outlet means and flow toward the second end of the outlet means;    releasing the fluid having the gas dissolved therein from the gas transfer device via the second end of the outlet means; and    retaining the bubbles of gas which are not dissolved into the fluid in the gas transfer device.