Patent ID: 7141203

Claim:
A method of forming a diffuser assembly for finely dispersing a flow of one or more gases or liquids comprising the steps of: providing a diffuser element formed of a porous ceramic material, the diffuser element having: a first side, a second side, and a perimeter rim portion that extends between the first side and the second side; providing a decomposable separator; providing a former for use in forming internal threads and a feed tube; positioning the diffuser element, the decomposable separator and the former in a mold having a cavity that defines the outer dimensions of a base portion of the diffuser assembly, the diffuser element being positioned such that the second side contacts a wall of the cavity, the decomposable separator being positioned such that it contacts the first side of the diffuser element, and the former being positioned such that an end portion of the former that forms the feed tube contacts the decomposable separator; injecting a slurry that is capable of being hardened and fired to form a dense ceramic material into the cavity such that the slurry covers the decomposable separator, surrounds at least a portion of the internal thread forming portion of the former, and fills a portion the cavity that forms a peripheral undercut shoulder portion surrounding the perimeter rim portion of the diffuser element; allowing the slurry to at least partially harden to form a green part; removing the green part from the mold cavity and the former from the green part; and firing the green part to form the dense ceramic base and to decompose and bum out the decomposable separator and thereby form a chamber between a floor portion of the base, the undercut shoulder portion and the first side of the diffuser element into which a flow of one or more gases or liquids can be directed through the feed tube.