Importance

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Abstract

A process for enriching a liquid with oxygen which includes the steps of: introducing a liquid and oxygen into a liquid and oxygen mixer and mixing the liquid with oxygen therein; introducing the liquid into a sealed enriching vessel containing a plurality of plates or trays, and flowing it gradually downwardly; subjecting the interior of the vessel to an oxygen pressure sufficient to enrich the liquid with oxygen; conducting the introduced liquid in a substantially flowing contact with the oxygen, whereby the liquid is enriched with oxygen; and recovering all of the oxygen-enriched liquid. The present invention also provides an apparatus for enriching a liquid with oxygen, which includes: an oxygen enriching vessel having an interior; a plurality of vertically spaced, substantially horizontal annular trays therein, each of the trays having a substantially central opening and an outer rim spaced from an interior surface; a liquid supply tube which extends through the tray openings; discharge means in the liquid supply tube subdividing liquid entering from the supply tube into discrete water particles and from the supply tube onto a tray; an oxygen supply source in fluid communication with the interior for providing oxygen at a pressure sufficient to enrich the liquid with oxygen; a liquid and oxygen mixer in fluid communication with the inlet of the liquid supply tube and with the oxygen supply source; and a liquid outlet for the removal of oxygen-enriched liquid from the vessel.

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First Claim