An elongate diffuser (10) comprises a diffuser body (30), and a membrane (20) attached so that introduction of gas at a working pressure into the diffuser displaces part of the membrane (20) from contact with the diffuser body (10) providing an elongate sealed compartment (50) between the membrane (20) and a surface (32) of the diffuser body (30). The gas can pass from the compartment (50) through the membrane (20) for aeration of fluid in which the diffuser (10) is immersed. The diffuser body surface (32) which bounds the compartment (50) is recessed away from the membrane (20) in use, to contribute to the lateral cross sectional area of the compartment (50) and facilitate distribution of gas along the diffuser by the compartment (50). An automatic purge valve for purging water from a gas feed pipe of a diffuser is also disclosed.

A diffuser assembly includes a flexible diffuser membrane and a diffuser body. The flexible diffuser membrane defines a perimeter edge bead along four edges. The diffuser body defines an underlying body portion underlying the flexible diffuser membrane, and a perimeter edge frame covering a covered portion of the perimeter edge bead. The edge frame defines an inside surface that conforms to an outside shape of the covered portion of the perimeter edge bead. The perimeter edge frame is integral to the underlying body portion.

A mixing apparatus is disclosed for ponds and other shallow bodies of water. The apparatus uses air flow to entrain and move large volumes of water up and through the mixer. This movement of water creates a mixing of water from different depths within the body of water, and thus prevents, eliminates, or reduces stagnation of the water. The air flow is driven by one or more blowers, which may be mounted on the apparatus. The air from the blower is injected into the water about one to two feet below the surface. The air is injected through a series of relatively large holes positioned on opposed sides of tubing. The injected air creates water flow in sufficiently large volumes to mix the water within a shallow body of water of moderate size.

A diffuser assembly includes a flexible diffuser membrane and a diffuser body. The flexible diffuser membrane defines a circumferential bead. The diffuser body defines a circular plate underlying the flexible diffuser membrane, and an edge ring covering a covered portion of the circumferential bead. The edge ring defines an inside surface that conforms to an outside shape of the covered portion of the circumferential bead. The edge ring is integral to the diffuser body. Such a diffuser assembly may provide a disposable diffuser assembly option with many advantages over conventional technologies such as improved ease of installation, lower weight, and lower cost.

A disposable material processing apparatus, useable as a bioreactor or fermenter, includes a hollow tank (101) and a mixing paddle (110) disposed within the interior of the tank and adapted to mix contents therein. The paddle may be isolated within a flexible sleeve (140). Various functional elements, such as a sparger, sensor, material extraction conduit, material addition conduit, and/or heat exchange element may be provided, and optionally arranged to travel with the paddle within the tank interior. Baffles may protrude into a mixing tank to enhance mixing. A tank and/or sleeve may comprise polymeric film materials.

The invention relates to a mounting device (8) for an aeration element (2) for introducing a gas into a liquid, said aeration element (2) comprises a base body (3) having at least one upwardly-projecting sidewall (6), said mounting device comprises a mounting element (9) for connecting to the sidewall (6) of the base body (3) of the aeration element (2). Said mounting element (9) comprises at least one elastically deflectable retaining web (10) for detachably connecting to the at least one sidewall (6) of the base body (3) of the aeration element (2). The invention also relates to an aerator with said type of mounting device (8).

A dual-action water aerator includes structure that generates fine, fizz-type bubbles and structure that generates larger, more roiling bubbles that cause circulation within a body of water in which the aerator is submerged. The disclosed embodiments include a ring-shaped hub with a central aperture, with a central tube extending axially from the aperture. A number of fine-bubble-producing members extend outwardly from the hub and may be attached to the hub using a twist-lock connection designed to facilitate rapid assembly and deployment of the aerator. An internal air chase extends circumferentially around the aperture. A portion of air supplied to the air chase flows into the fine-bubble-producing members and fizzes out through the members, and another portion of air that is supplied to the air chase flows into the central tube and bubbles up out of the tube in a roiling manner to cause circulation in the body of water.

A gas dissolution accelerating device with a simple structure efficiently increases the concentrations of oxygen dissolved in deep water, such as at lake bottoms. A gas dissolution accelerating device includes a cylindrical member located parallel to a vertical direction when installed, a box member having an opening facing downward when installed, and a fixing unit for fixing the box member to a diffuser. The box member includes a top plate having a cone-shaped protrusion protruding inward and a through-hole receiving the cylindrical member. The fixing unit includes a flat attachment plate having an upper surface onto which the box member is mounted, a pair of halved banding members for clamping a feeding pipe of the diffuser, and rod-shaped connecting members connecting the attachment plate to the banding members.

The invention relates to a diffusor for adding of gases into water, said diffusor comprising a perforated tube (1) and at least one supply tube (2), said the at least one supply tube (2) is at one end coupled to a source for supplying gas and at the other end in fluid communication with the perforated tube (1), the gas is supplied to the perforated tube (1) through at least one inner supply tube (4; 5; 15) extending from the supply tube (2) to the perforated tube (1). The invention is distinctive in that at the least one inner supply tube (4; 5; 15) is a non-perforating tube and has at least one outlet (4a, 5a, 15a) situated at a free end of the at least one inner supply tube (4, 5, 15), said gas is adapted to be distributed into the perforated tube (1) through the at least one outlet (4a, 5a, 15a).

A super-fine bubble generation apparatus includes a fine-array porous membrane and a device for generating substantially uniform, super-fine gas bubbles in a liquid. The fine-array porous membrane includes a plurality of pores having a substantially uniform size of <100 m, with a variation of <20%. The super-fine gas bubbles generated by this apparatus can have a size of 50 nm-50000 nm, with a substantially uniform distribution with variations <20%. Applications of such super-fine bubble generation apparatus can include a skin cleansing device, or a teeth-cleaning device.