Patent ID: 8544492
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: F04F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for extracting useful energy from atmospheric air comprising: a) a vertical tower through which liquid flows upward, said vertical tower being capped with a covered header and seated in an open tank comprising a bottom, b) a liquid inlet manifold attached to the open tank, through which the liquid enters the open tank; c) a liquid overflow fitting attached to the open tank, through which the liquid exits the open tank; d) a horizontal catch basin in which the open tank sits, wherein said catch basin comprises a drain, wherein the liquid flows into the catch basin from the liquid overflow fitting, and wherein the liquid flows out of the catch basin through the drain; e) a plurality of vertical scavenger columns, each comprising a scavenger header, and each connected to the vertical tower via conduits and spaced around the covered header, through which the liquid flows in a downward direction; f) a plurality of downflow columns, connected to the vertical tower via conduits and spaced around the covered header, through which the liquid flows in a downward direction, g) a plurality of micro-bubble diffusers extending into the liquid flowing in the downward direction, being of the same number as the number of the plurality of downflow columns, h) a vacuum priming system which initially fills the vertical tower and each of the plurality of scavenger columns and downflow columns with the liquid; i) a vacuum powered motor; and j) a vacuum flow line connecting the inlet nozzles of said plurality of micro-bubble diffusers to the vacuum motor.