Aeration system

1. An aerator for aerating a liquid within a container having a main body portion and an opening, said aerator comprising:

a pump assembly configured to provide an air flow;

a cannulated shaft; and

a manifold assembly configured to be fluidly coupled to said pump assembly by way of said cannulated shaft, said manifold assembly defining a plurality of intake runners which extend from an intake chamber and terminate at a plurality of radially arranged manifold nozzles, wherein said radially arranged manifold nozzles are configured to generate a plurality of air bubbles directed generally radially outwardly from said manifold assembly.

2. The aerator of claim 1 , wherein said manifold assembly is configured to generate said plurality of air bubbles having said radial velocity of 2.0 feet/second to 3.0 feet/second.

3. The aerator of claim 1 , wherein said pump assembly further includes a light source configured to illuminate said liquid.

4. The aerator of claim 3 , wherein said cannulated shaft is configured to extend generally parallel to, and an offset distance away, from a longitudinal axis of said pump assembly.

5. The aerator of claim 1 , wherein said pump assembly further includes:

a pump;

a switch; and

circuitry configured to provide power to said pump for a predetermined amount of time upon activation of said switch.

6. The aerator of claim 1 , wherein said manifold assembly defines said intake chamber.

7. The aerator of claim 6 , wherein said manifold assembly includes a plenum, a manifold, and a ferrule, wherein said ferrule is configured to be coupled to a distal end of said cannulated shaft and secure said manifold assembly to said cannulated shaft.

8. The aerator of claim 7 , wherein air flows from said pump assembly through the cannulated shaft, through an opening in said ferrule, and into said intake chamber defined by said manifold and said ferrule, and wherein air within said intake chamber then flows through a plurality of openings arranged about a periphery of said manifold proximate to a top end of the manifold and partially defined by a bottom surface of said ferrule and into the plurality of intake runners.

9. The aerator of claim 7 , wherein said ferrule comprises a shoulder region extending radially outward configured to engage with a shoulder region of said plenum, and wherein said manifold is configured to be coupled to said plenum and urge said shoulder region of ferrule against said shoulder region of said plenum to secure said ferrule within a cavity defined by said plenum and said manifold.

10. The aerator of claim 1 , comprising at least two cannulated shafts configured to be removably coupled to said pump assembly, said two cannulated shafts having different lengths.

11. The aerator of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of radially arranged manifold nozzles are configured to said plurality of air bubbles having a radial velocity configured to direct said plurality of air bubbles radially outward from said manifold assembly such that said plurality of air bubbles travel vertically upwards generally towards said opening of said container without generally contacting said main body portion of said container or said cannulated shaft.

12. An aerator for aerating a liquid within a container having a main body portion and an opening, said aerator comprising:

a pump assembly comprising:

a housing having a tapered surface configured to be at least partially received in said opening in said container;

a pump at least partially disposed within said housing;

a switch coupled to said housing; and

circuitry at least partially disposed within said housing, said circuitry configured to provide power to said pump for a predetermined amount of time upon activation of said switch;

a cannulated shaft having a first end configured to be coupled to housing and fluidly coupled to said pump; and

a manifold assembly comprising a plenum, a manifold, and a ferrule, said ferrule configured to fluidly couple said manifold assembly to a second end of said cannulated shaft;

wherein air flows from said pump assembly through the cannulated shaft, through an opening in said ferrule, and into an intake chamber defined by said manifold and said ferrule, and wherein air within said intake chamber then flows through a plurality of openings arranged about a periphery of said manifold proximate to a top end of the manifold and partially defined by a bottom surface of said ferrule and into a plurality of intake runners to a plurality of radially arranged manifold nozzles configured to generate a plurality of air bubbles directed generally radially outwardly from said manifold assembly.

13. The aerator of claim 12 , wherein said manifold assembly is configured to generate said plurality of air bubbles having said radial velocity of 2.0 feet/second to 3.0 feet/second.

14. The aerator of claim 12 , wherein said tapered surface further comprises an air flute configured to allow air from said aerator to vent from inside said container.

15. The aerator of claim 12 , wherein said pump assembly further includes a light source configured to illuminate said liquid.

16. The aerator of claim 15 , wherein said cannulated shaft is configured to extend generally parallel to, and an offset distance away, from a longitudinal axis of said housing.

17. The aerator of claim 12 , comprising at least two cannulated shafts configured to be removably coupled to said pump assembly, said two cannulated shafts having different lengths.

18. The aerator of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of radially arranged manifold nozzles are configured to said plurality of air bubbles having a radial velocity configured to direct said plurality of air bubbles radially outward from said manifold assembly such that said plurality of air bubbles travel vertically upwards generally towards said opening of said container without generally contacting said main body portion of said container or said cannulated shaft.

19. An aerator for aerating a liquid within a container having a main body portion and an opening, said aerator comprising:

a pump assembly comprising:

a housing having a tapered surface configured to be at least partially received in an opening in said container;

a pump at least partially disposed within said housing; and

at least one air flute configured to allow air from said aerator to vent from inside said container;

a cannulated shaft having a first end configured to be coupled to housing and fluidly coupled to said pump; and

a manifold assembly configured to receive air from said pump assembly at an intake chamber, said manifold assembly defining a plurality of intake runners which extend from an intake chamber and terminate at a plurality of radially arranged manifold nozzles configured to generate a plurality of air bubbles directed generally radially outwardly from said manifold assembly.

20. The aerator of claim 19 , wherein said manifold assembly is configured to generate said plurality of air bubbles having said radial velocity of 2.0 feet/second to 3.0 feet/second.