Patent ID: 8911219

Claim:
A submersible, circulation system ( 1 ) for a body of water having a surface ( 22 ) and contained in a water tank ( 2 ) having side walls ( 4 ) and a floor ( 8 ), said circulation system including: a driving unit having a shell ( 7 ) extending along an axis ( 9 ) and including a pump ( 21 ) supported within the shell ( 7 ), said shell ( 7 ) having at least one inlet ( 13 ) and at least a first outlet ( 15 ) and being positionable on the floor ( 8 ) of the tank ( 2 ) with the first outlet ( 15 ) facing upwardly; wherein the pump ( 21 ) continuously draws an incoming flow ( 30 ) of water from outside of the driving unit ( 3 ) adjacent the floor ( 8 ) of the tank ( 2 ) through the inlet ( 13 ) of the driving unit ( 3 ) with at least a portion of the continuously incoming flow ( 30 ) being driven by said pump ( 21 ) out of said driving unit ( 3 ) through the upwardly facing outlet ( 15 ), said upwardly facing outlet ( 15 ) being an elongated slot positioned below the surface ( 22 ) of the body of water ( 20 ) and extending along the axis ( 9 ) of the shell ( 7 ) of the driving unit ( 3 ) and creating a thin, substantially planar discharge ( 12 ) of water therethrough below the surface ( 22 ) of the body of water ( 20 ) and directed upwardly toward the surface ( 22 ) of the body of water ( 20 ) and inducing water ( 18 ′) adjacent the outside of the shell ( 7 ) of the driving unit ( 3 ) along the axis ( 9 ) thereof to move upwardly therewith toward the surface ( 22 ) of the body of water ( 20 ) wherein the shell ( 7 ) of the driving unit ( 3 ) extends a first distance along said axis ( 9 ) between first and second end portions ( 11 , 11 ′) and said upwardly facing, elongated slot of the outlet ( 15 ) extends along said axis ( 9 ) a length substantially equal to said first distance.