Patent ID: 11406943

Abstract:
An apparatus for treating fluids such as waste streams with improved aeration efficiency and dual function operation has a blower-assisted aerator, an impeller, a baffle structure circumscribing an air line that includes a first baffle and a second perforated baffle downstream from the first baffle, and a liquid reservoir containing a liquid. The impeller is fully submerged, and located upstream of the fully submerged baffle structure. A fully submerged air outlet is located downstream of the baffle structure, preferably in close proximity to the perforated baffle. When the blower is stopped and the impeller rotating, the baffle structure prevents aspiration into the liquid. In some embodiments, the baffle structure is removably affixed to an air outlet from the blower-assisted aerator, and so may be applied to pre-existing blower-assisted aerators. In some embodiments, one or both of the first and second baffles may resemble flat, domed, cupped, or hemispherical washers.