| abstract |
An apparatus and process for oxygenating a liquid. The apparatus includes a liquid pump fluidly connected to an injector having a liquid inlet forming a nozzle, a liquid outlet and an oxygen inlet therebetween, the injector arranged such that the injector liquid inlet is above the injector liquid outlet, and a downwardly opening first diffuser portion connected to the injector outlet. The first diffuser portion is serially connected to a second diffuser portion located below the first diffuser portion. Liquid being pumped by the pump is conducted downwardly through the injector and the first diffuser portion to the second diffuser portion. The process includes the steps of first, introducing a liquid under pressure into the injector and flowing it liquid downwardly through the injector at a selected liquid volume flow rate; second, introducing oxygen into the injector to create an admixture of liquid and large oxygen bubbles; third, introducing the mixture of liquid and large oxygen bubbles from the injector into the first diffuser portion at such velocity to create a shockwave in the first diffuser portion; fourth, breaking up the large oxygen bubbles into a greater number of small oxygen bubbles; fifth, introducing a mixture of liquid and small oxygen bubbles from the first diffuser portion into the second diffuser portion, which may be a continuation of the first diffuser portion and wherein the pressure of the admixture is increased; sixth, floating some of the bubbles upwards against the downward liquid flow and breaking them down to smaller size; continuing the fourth through sixth steps until the smaller bubbles no longer float upwards; and recovering the oxygen-enriched liquid. |