Air cloud particle suspension dredge

摘要

A dredging system agitates the bottom sediment of a waterway to remove particles and oxygenate the water. The system diffuses air through a grid mounted on a waterway floor, raising particle clouds. The particle clouds are transported downstream by water currents while releasing dissolved oxygen throughout the water column. The method of particle removal and oxygenation is used in shallow depths, less than thirty-three feet (2 bars) with minimum favorable water currents of one-half to one knot. The grid is used for diffusion of air to alleviate hypoxic environments in depths less than sixty-six feet (5 bars).

主权项

1. A method of waterway particle removal and aeration, comprising the steps of:
a. mounting an air grid having a current sensor attached thereto above a waterway floor, wherein the air grid and the current sensor are in communication with an air compressor, wherein the current sensor measures a current speed and initiates air flow from the air compressor through a plurality of air nozzles on an underside of the air grid once a predetermined current speed has been detected; and b. injecting pressurized air from the air grid into the waterway floor, wherein as air is injected into the waterway floor, a waterway floor sediment is agitated and suspended into the waterway, and wherein the sediment is transported downstream by a waterway current.