Coarse bubble diffuser for wastewater treatment
An apparatus is presented that includes a body and a membrane. The body defines an externally hemispherical body portion with an orifice, as well as a channel passing through the body and terminating in the orifice. The membrane is formed at least in part of an elastomeric material and overlies a portion of the externally hemispherical body portion. The membrane defines a plurality of holes therein, and a plug that is inserted into the orifice and the channel. When submerged at the bottom of a wastewater treatment tank and in gaseous communication with a distribution conduit providing compressed gas, the apparatus may function to release bubbles into the wastewater. When the compressed gas is turned off, the apparatus acts as a check valve that stops water from entering the diffuser and the distribution conduit.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a body defining:
an externally hemispherical body portion with an orifice;
a channel passing through the body and terminating in the orifice; and
a membrane formed at least in part from an elastomeric material, overlying at least a portion of the externally hemispherical body portion, and defining:
a plurality of holes therein; and
a plug inserted into the orifice and the channel.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the orifice is disposed at a crown of the externally hemispherical body portion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body further defines a hollow cylindrical stem that surrounds a portion of the channel and is at least partially externally threaded.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the channel passes linearly from an end of the hollow cylindrical stem to the orifice.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the channel is cylindrical.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the orifice is round.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body further defines an externally cylindrical body portion that abuts a base of the externally hemispherical body portion.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the externally cylindrical body portion is characterized by a diameter smaller than a diameter of a base of the externally hemispherical body portion so that a circular edge is formed at the base of the externally hemispherical body portion.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the membrane further defines a cylindrical membrane part that at least partially overlies the externally cylindrical body portion.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical membrane part defines a pair of parallel circular external ridges.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug is at least partially conical.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a circular clamp encircling the membrane and the body.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the circular clamp is operative to fixate the membrane to the body.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is operative to expand away from the body in response to passing of compressed gas through the channel towards the orifice.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein an extent of insertion of the plug into the orifice and the channel decreases when the membrane expands away from the body.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein, without the membrane expanded away from the body, the plug is inserted into the orifice and the channel so as to form a watertight seal between the membrane and the body.
17. A system comprising:
a distribution conduit;
a body attached to the distribution conduit and defining:
an externally hemispherical body portion with an orifice;
a channel passing through the body and terminating in the orifice, and in gaseous communication with an interior of the distribution conduit; and
a membrane formed at least in part from an elastomeric material, overlying at least a portion of the externally hemispherical body portion, and defining:
a plurality of holes therein; and
a plug inserted into the orifice and the channel.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the distribution conduit, the body, and the membrane are submerged in a liquid; and
the system is operative to release bubbles into the liquid through the plurality of holes via a provisioning of gas to the channel through the distribution conduit.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the distribution conduit defines a set of male threads.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the body is threaded into the distribution conduit.