Disclosed herein is an aeration hose capable of diffusing bubbles of air within a body of water, comprising a) a hose portion derived from a composition, comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin; a first rubber component; a second rubber component; at least one copolymer; at least one low temperature plasticizer; at least one filler comprising bismuth trioxide; at least one heat stabilizer; at least one internal lubricant; at least one antioxidant; and at least one biofouling agent, wherein the hose portion comprises an outer hose portion, an inner hose portion and a plurality of hose apertures capable of receiving and diffusing pressurized air, and wherein the hose is flexible and has no memory, wherein the hose apertures are provided therethrough the inner hose portion and the outer hose portion and proportionally spaced about the outer hose portion along a length of the hose portion.

A container system includes a collapsible bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A sparger is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the sparger bounding a compartment and having an inside edge that encircles an opening passing through the sparger. At least a portion of the sparger is gas permeable. A tubular member is coupled to the sparger and is in communication with the compartment. A shaft passes into the chamber of the bag and through the opening of the sparger. A mixing element is secured to the shaft and is disposed within the chamber of the bag.

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 container assembly includes a flexible bag having an interior surface bounding a chamber and an opposing exterior surface, the bag having a bottom end wall being comprised of a first sheet overlying a second sheet, the first sheet and the second sheet of the bottom end wall being welded together so as to form a first sparging area and a separated second sparging area that are both bounded between the first sheet and the second sheet, at least a portion of the first sheet overlying the first and second sparging areas being gas permeable.

A container system includes a bag comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material, the bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A flexible sparging sheet is secured to the interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough. A tubular port or tube is secured to the bag so that a passage bounded by the tubular port or tube communicates with the compartment. A mixing element is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the mixing element being spaced apart from the flexible sparging sheet.

Aspects of the invention provide a system comprising a data processor, a gas conducting device, and a sensor. The gas conducting device is submerged and transports a gas. The sensor is connected to the gas conducting device, is also submerged, and is operative to determine a characteristic of the gas conducting device or the gas. The sensor is further operative to transmit data representing the characteristic to the data processor. In one or more non-limiting embodiments, the system comprises a wastewater treatment system, and the gas conducting device comprises a pipe or a diffuser.

Disclosed herein is an aeration hose capable of diffusing bubbles of air within a body of water, comprising a) a hose portion derived from a composition, comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin; a first rubber component; a second rubber component; at least one copolymer; at least one low temperature plasticizer; at least one filler comprising bismuth trioxide; at least one heat stabilizer; at least one internal lubricant; at least one antioxidant; and at least one biofouling agent, wherein the hose portion comprises an outer hose portion, an inner hose portion and a plurality of hose apertures capable of receiving and diffusing pressurized air, and wherein the hose is flexible and has no memory, wherein the hose apertures are provided therethrough the inner hose portion and the outer hose portion and proportionally spaced about the outer hose portion along a length of the hose portion.

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.

A container assembly includes a flexible bag having an interior surface bounding a chamber and an opposing exterior surface, the bag having a top end wall, a bottom end wall, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween, the bottom end wall including a first polymeric sheet overlying a second polymeric sheet. A first weld line welds the first polymeric sheet to the second polymeric sheet, the first weld line bounding a first sparging area formed between the first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet. A plurality of first perforations are formed through a portion of the first polymeric sheet that overlies the first sparging area so that gas can pass from the first sparging area, through the first perforations and into the chamber of the bag.

Disclosed herein is an aeration hose capable of diffusing bubbles of air within a body of water, comprising a) a hose portion derived from a composition, comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin; a first rubber component; a second rubber component; at least one copolymer; at least one low temperature plasticizer; at least one filler comprising titanium dioxide; at least one heat stabilizer; at least one internal lubricant; at least one antioxidant; and at least one biofouling agent, wherein the hose portion comprises an outer hose portion, an inner hose portion and a plurality of hose apertures capable of receiving and diffusing pressurized air, and wherein the hose is flexible and has no memory, wherein the hose apertures are provided therethrough the inner hose portion and the outer hose portion and proportionally spaced about the outer hose portion along a length of the hose portion.