Buoyant force pump

摘要

A buoyant force pump is disclosed. A material which is buoyant relative to a non-solid material is used to cause a movable surface to move thereby causing the non-solid material to be pumped. The device can be used to move non-solid material in hazardous conditions or materials in biological reactors. The pumps can be used for mixing ingredients external to the pump by repeatedly moving materials into and out of the pump. The pumps can also be used to gently move materials from an inlet to an outlet.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a. at least one buoyant material container configured to intermittently contain at least one buoyant material, said at least one buoyant material container comprising:
i. at least one movable surface; andii. at least one container opening; b. at least one housing comprising at least one housing opening, said at least one housing configured to:
i. partially confine at least one movable non-solid material within said at least one housing in contact with said at least one movable surface;ii. guide the motion of said at least one buoyant material container;iii. effect the release of said at least one buoyant material when said at least one container opening is effectively aligned with said at least one housing opening; and; wherein the guided motion of said at least one movable surface causes said at least one movable non-solid material to exit said at least one housing through said at least one housing opening.