A reciprocating stirrer device with which favorable gas absorption into the stirred substance can be obtained. The reciprocating stirrer device is obtained from: a stirring vessel in which the substance to be stirred is placed; a reciprocating drive shaft provided inside the stirring vessel; a stirring blade connected and affixed so as to intersect the drive shaft; and a microbubble-generating unit. The microbubble-generating unit is obtained from a sparger that is made of a porous body and a gas supply means for supplying a gas to the sparger. Bubbles are generated in the substance being stirred by passing gas supplied to the sparger by the gas supply means through pores of the porous body.

In a method of carbonating a beverage using a carbon dioxide diffusing stone, temperature is measured in a flow of that beverage immediately before the flow changes from laminar to effervescent, thereby obtaining a true temperature at which carbon dioxide is diffused into the beverage. In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable controller having connectors joinable to a gas pressure regulator of a gas cylinder and to any one of several beverage carbonation containers. The portable controller has instruments therein for controlling a flow of carbon dioxide gas to the beverage in any one of the containers and for controlling a pressure gradient of the carbon dioxide gas in the beverage over a period of time. There is also provided an elongated carbon dioxide diffusing stone assembly having an elongated temperature probe well extending parallel to and immediately below a diffusing stone.

Aeration device for bioreactors with a first aeration element with gas outlet openings of a first size and with at least one second aeration element with gas outlet openings of a second size, the aeration elements being formed by a common housing with separate aeration channels.

A method of entraining gas in a flowable food product comprising the steps of accelerating the flowable food product in a flow direction through a flow channel that includes a ramp. Gas is injected into the flowable food product transverse to the flow direction through a porous surface or plate while the food product traverses the ramp to generate a froth. An apparatus for entraining gas in a food product, comprises a source of flowable food product and a food product pump to accelerate the food product through a flow channel. A ramp is disposed in the flow channel as well as a porous surface forming a wall of the flow channel opposite the ramp. A source of gas is in communication with the porous surface, wherein gas is entrained in the food product as it passes by the ramp and the porous surface.

A bottled water dispenser is disclosed that includes a water bottle, a cold tank, and an ozone generator, which is fluidly coupled to a Y-connector. The dispenser includes a first tube that is fluidly coupled to a first port of the Y-connector, with the first tube being configured to deliver ozone gas to the cold tank. The dispenser further includes a second tube that is fluidly coupled to a second port of the Y-connector, with the second tube being configured to deliver ozone gas to the water bottle. The ozone gas is effective to sterilize and prevent biofilm formation within the interior areas of the cold tank and water bottle. The dispensers further include an in-line flow restrictor positioned in-line with either the first tube or second tube, which helps balance the flow of ozone that is delivered to the cold tank and water bottle.

Systems, devices, and methods for the delivery of gas bubbles to liquids are generally described. The devices can include a primary conduit (102) comprising a plurality of openings (104) fluidically connecting an internal flow pathway (106) of the primary conduit to an environment outside the primary conduit. The devices may also include, in some instances, a secondary conduit (114) located at least partially within the primary conduit, the secondary conduit configured to redistribute the pressure of the gas delivered to the openings of the primary conduit, and comprising a plurality of openings (116) fluidically connecting an internal flow pathway (118) of the secondary conduit to a portion of the internal flow pathway (106) of the primary conduit outside the secondary conduit. Certain of the gas delivery systems and methods described herein are capable of delivering gas at relatively uniform linear flow velocities across multiple gas outlet openings. Certain embodiments are related to inventive configurations (e.g., spacings and/or sizing) of gas outlet openings in one or more conduits of the gas delivery device (e.g., the primary conduit and/or, when present, the secondary conduit). In addition, some embodiments are related to inventive arrangements for joining a gas delivery device is to a vessel, which may be part of for example, a reactor such as a bioreactor. Certain embodiments are related to the orientation of the gas delivery device and/or its components (e.g., during operation).

A liquid aerator includes a porous diffuser; a stem connected to the porous diffuser; and a manual air pump accepting an end of the stem, the manual air pump configured such that the aerator can be set onto a supporting structure with the stem and the porous diffuser extending upwardly from the manual air pump.

An air-powered water circulation system for ponds, lakes, municipal water tanks, and other bodies of water having a draft tube extending along and about a vertical axis between upper and lower end portions and supported by a flotation arrangement with the upper end portion slightly below the water surface. A pneumatic, air flow arrangement is then provided to supply pressurized air from an aft pump to a plurality of submerged air pipes positioned within the draft tube below the upper end portion thereof and extending inwardly from a submerged manifold toward the interior of the draft tube. In operation, pressurized air is supplied from the air pump through an air delivery conduit to the submerged air manifold and into the submerged air pipes where it is discharged as air bubbles through series of discharge holes extending along the pipes to create an overall circulation pattern in the body of water.

A gas injection assembly for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution includes a vessel that receives the liquid, a flow channel that conveys the liquid from the vessel through an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet that is configured to dispense the solution, and a sparger having a porous surface positioned in the flow channel such that the liquid flows across the porous surface and the porous surface injects the gas into the liquid as the liquid flows across the porous surface.

A mixing aerator is disclosed that includes 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 includes (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.