US 12,264,090 B2
Wastewater aerator/digesters
Lewis Titus, Prineville, OR (US)
Assigned to TITUS WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS INC., Casper, WY (US)
Filed by Titus Wastewater Solutions Inc., Casper, WY (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/444,100.
Prior Publication US 2023/0029790 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B01F 23/231 (2022.01); B01F 23/237 (2022.01); C02F 3/20 (2023.01); B01F 101/00 (2022.01)
CPC C02F 3/201 (2013.01) [B01F 23/23123 (2022.01); B01F 23/23124 (2022.01); B01F 23/231231 (2022.01); B01F 23/231232 (2022.01); B01F 23/23125 (2022.01); B01F 23/231265 (2022.01); B01F 23/23128 (2022.01); B01F 23/237611 (2022.01); B01F 23/237613 (2022.01); B01F 2101/305 (2022.01); B01F 2215/0431 (2013.01); B01F 2215/0486 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mixing aerator comprising:
a housing defining a chamber having a bottom end and a top end, the housing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet; and
a longitudinally extending diffuser disposed within the chamber and configured to deliver air bubbles into the chamber when the chamber is filled with liquid, the diffuser comprising (a) a tubular elastomeric membrane having a plurality of perforations and, within the tubular elastomeric membrane, (b) an air pipe having a plurality of openings, the openings being larger and fewer than the perforations, and the tubular membrane having upper and lower ends that are sealed against an outer surface of the air pipe, wherein a gap is provided between an inner surface of the membrane and an outer surface of the air pipe to allow air to flow therebetween and wherein the membrane includes a central region having a first wall thickness and end portions having a second wall thickness greater than the first wall thickness, and the difference in wall thickness is configured to provide the gap that extends around the circumference and along the length of the air pipe.