WO2014184585A2 - Creating and using controlled fine bubbles - Google Patents

Creating and using controlled fine bubbles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014184585A2
WO2014184585A2 PCT/GB2014/051521 GB2014051521W WO2014184585A2 WO 2014184585 A2 WO2014184585 A2 WO 2014184585A2 GB 2014051521 W GB2014051521 W GB 2014051521W WO 2014184585 A2 WO2014184585 A2 WO 2014184585A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fine bubble
fluid
fine
bubble generator
generators
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2014/051521
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2014184585A3 (en
Inventor
Wang Nang Wang
Robin Totterman
Original Assignee
Nano Tech Inc Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB201308919A external-priority patent/GB201308919D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB1316992.5A external-priority patent/GB201316992D0/en
Application filed by Nano Tech Inc Limited filed Critical Nano Tech Inc Limited
Priority to TW107129800A priority Critical patent/TWI705851B/en
Priority to TW103121594A priority patent/TWI642475B/en
Publication of WO2014184585A2 publication Critical patent/WO2014184585A2/en
Publication of WO2014184585A3 publication Critical patent/WO2014184585A3/en

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    • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/72—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by oxidation
    • C02F1/74—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by oxidation with air
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    • B01F23/2373—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids characterised by the physical or chemical properties of gases or vapours introduced in the liquid media for obtaining fine bubbles, i.e. bubbles with a size below 100 µm
    • B01F23/2375—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids characterised by the physical or chemical properties of gases or vapours introduced in the liquid media for obtaining fine bubbles, i.e. bubbles with a size below 100 µm for obtaining bubbles with a size below 1 µm
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    • B01F25/431—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
    • B01F25/43197—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor characterised by the mounting of the baffles or obstructions
    • B01F25/431972—Mounted on an axial support member, e.g. a rod or bar
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/40—Static mixers
    • B01F25/42—Static mixers in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions
    • B01F25/43—Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction
    • B01F25/433—Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
    • B01F25/4332—Mixers with a strong change of direction in the conduit for homogenizing the flow
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/40—Static mixers
    • B01F25/42—Static mixers in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions
    • B01F25/43—Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction
    • B01F25/433—Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
    • B01F25/4335—Mixers with a converging-diverging cross-section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/80—Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/81—Combinations of similar mixers, e.g. with rotary stirring devices in two or more receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/80—Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/82—Combinations of dissimilar mixers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/80—Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/82—Combinations of dissimilar mixers
    • B01F33/821—Combinations of dissimilar mixers with consecutive receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/80—Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/82—Combinations of dissimilar mixers
    • B01F33/824—Combinations of dissimilar mixers mixing simultaneously in two or more mixing receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
    • B01F35/56—General build-up of the mixers
    • B01F35/561—General build-up of the mixers the mixer being built-up from a plurality of modules or stacked plates comprising complete or partial elements of the mixer
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F5/00—Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F2025/91—Direction of flow or arrangement of feed and discharge openings
    • B01F2025/915—Reverse flow, i.e. flow changing substantially 180° in direction
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2303/00—Specific treatment goals
    • C02F2303/04—Disinfection
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2303/00—Specific treatment goals
    • C02F2303/26—Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a micro-nanobubble generation system, a method of generating fine bubbles, a washing device, a shower head, a method of cleaning semiconductors, methods of directing a fine bubble to a target destination, a targeting device for directing a fine bubble, a method for improving the efficiency of a boat, and a boat.
  • fine bubbles is used to refer to nanobubbles, microbubbles and mixtures of micro- and nano-bubbles, all being bubbles of gas that may occur within liquid volumes. More explicitly, fine bubbles include bubbles in the range from between 1 nm to around 999 ⁇ , though are often considered as having diameters up to around 50pm. "Ultrafine" bubbles are bubbles less than about 3 ⁇ . Nanobubbles are bubbles having diameters of less than 1 ⁇ but greater than 1 nm. Microbubbles are bubbles having diameters between 1 and 999 ⁇ , though are often considered as having diameters from about 1 ⁇ to about 50 ⁇ .
  • Micro-nanobubbles like fine bubbles, are bubbles having diameters between 1 nm to 999 ⁇ .
  • the present invention is not limited to the creating and control of a specific size of fine bubbles, and may also be used to create and control bubbles even smaller than nanobubbles, potentially including femtobubbles or zeptobubbles.
  • Micronanobubble diameters D are calculated as:
  • ⁇ is surface tension
  • ⁇ is the permittivity of the media
  • ⁇ 5 is the radius of a molecule of the surrounding liquid (approximated as a sphere)
  • e is the fundamental unit of charge
  • kS l are the allowed distances between adsorbed ions (i.e. between the centres of adjacent Wigner-Seitz cells) for the following such values of k:
  • k 2v3 ⁇ 4 4, 6, 4v3 ⁇ 4 8, 10, 6 3, 12, 8 3, 14, 16, 10V3, 18, 20, ...
  • PSD particle size distribution
  • DLS dynamic light scattering
  • NTA Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis
  • micronanobubble solution is one in which microbubbles and nanobubbles coexist (the term micronanobubble will also be used where the discussion is relevant to microbubbles and nanobubbles).
  • Micronanobubbles have five main useful properties. These are: • A negative electric surface charge density
  • Multipotency they may constitute any gas
  • This property of longevity is derivative of the fact that the micronanobubble surface is negatively charged and thus stabilizes against the collapsing effect of surface tension. Their low buoyancy means they do not float quickly to the surface of the surrounding medium.
  • the velocity that micronanobubbles rise through the solution has been related as proportional to their radius squared such that a 100 nm bubble is proposed to take at least two weeks to rise 1 cm whereas a 10 pm bubble would only take 2-3 minutes to rise that far. This means that they can be stored in solution for long periods of time without deteriorating.
  • 2010 research at Osaka University led to the creation of a high concentration of nanobubbles lasting for up to two weeks.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the how these two methods compare. Multipotency An even broader range of applications is made possible by varying the choice of gas which is not limited to air/oxygen.
  • ozone due to its very strong oxidizing effect, is made very effective in sterilization applications (enhanced further by the ability of micronanobubbles to infiltrate very small spaces and their sonoluminescence), carbon dioxide micronanobubbles can increase the rate of plant growth or be used effectively to extinguish fires, and hydrogen nanobubbles are proposed to have an anti- tumour effect.
  • inert gases such Nitrogen, Hydrogen, Argon, Helium etc may be used to prevent the oxidation of the wafer materials.
  • micronanobubbles are stable they may collapse upon collision. When they do they exhibit a remarkable phenomenon called sonoluminescence - the radiation of light and the emission of a powerful Shockwave.
  • the radiation spectrum depends strongly on the type of gas contained within the bubble, but in most cases the inferred temperature in the centre of the bubble at the point of collapse is of the order ⁇ 10 4 K. Combining this high temperature with the powerful Shockwave and potentially oxidizing properties of the contained gas makes micronanobubbles a very effective method for cleaning/sterilization purposes.
  • N. F. Bunkin, S. O. Yurchenko, N. V. Suyazov and A. V. Shkirin Structure of the nanobubble clusters of dissolved air in liquid media. J. Biol. Phys. 38 (2012) 121 -152. 2. N. F. Bunkin, B. W. Ninham, P. S. Ignatiev, V. A. Kozlov, A. V. Shkirin and A. V. Starosvetskij, Long-living nanobubbles of dissolved gas in aqueous solutions of salts and erythrocyte suspensions, J. Biophotonics 4 (201 1 ) 150-164.
  • the present invention has various aims, including:
  • micro-nanobubble generator system which comprises a plurality of micro-nanobubble generators. These may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.
  • the sequence of the fine bubble generators may be arranged in a compatible manner to offer the maximum benefit of each generator.
  • the fine bubble generating system preferably comprises at least three of the generators.
  • a pulsed mechanism can also be implemented to generate the fine bubbles in a time sequence separated from each other. ii) Using fine bubbles in a variety of applications. Summary of the invention
  • a fine bubble generation system comprising: a fluid input; a gas input, a fluid output; and a plurality of fine bubble generators; wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are disposed between the fluid input and the fluid output.
  • a method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid comprising the steps of: providing a fluid input; providing at least one gas input; providing a fluid output; providing a plurality of fine bubble generators between the fluid input and the fluid output; and passing fluid through the plurality of fine bubble generators.
  • a washing device comprising: a wash tap for dispensing water, and a fine bubble generator for generating fine bubbles within a water stream, the water stream feeding in use to the wash tap.
  • a shower head comprising a fine bubble generator.
  • a method of cleaning semiconductors comprising using a pulsed fine bubble multiple blade arrangement for dispensing fine bubble water in a pulsed manner.
  • a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume comprising the step of applying a positive electrical potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble electrostatically towards the target destination.
  • a targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume, comprising: a positive electrode probe having a positive electrode; means for applying a positive electrostatic charge to the positive electrode; and delivery means for delivering a fine bubble to the liquid volume.
  • a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume comprising the step of applying a magnetic potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble towards the target destination.
  • a method for improving the efficiency of a boat comprising the steps of providing a fine bubble generating device, and locating the device at a hull of a boat so that fine bubbles generated by the device are injected into water proximate the boat.
  • a boat comprising a fine bubble generating device located so as to inject fine bubbles into water proximate the boat in use.
  • Fig. 1 shows the effectiveness of oxygenation using nanobubbles
  • Fig. 2 schematically shows a prior art nanobubble generation system
  • Fig. 3 schematically shows a prior art nanobubble generation system
  • Figs. 4a-c schematically show fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in series;
  • Figs. 5a and 5b schematically show fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in parallel;
  • Fig. 6 schematically shows a fine bubble generation system in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel;
  • Fig. 7a and 7b schematically show a fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel;
  • Figs. 8a-v schematically show various fine bubble generators which may be used in the present invention.
  • Fig. 9 schematically shows various placements of a gas input for the fine bubble generator system
  • Figs. 10 and 1 1 show a fine bubble generating system to provide pulsating fine bubbles
  • Fig. 12 shows a graph of fine bubble number against time, where fine bubbles are generated in different time zones.
  • Figs. 13 and 14 schematically show a fine bubble generating system with the generators arranged in a combination of vertical up flow and horizontal flow;
  • Fig. 15 shows a graph showing the typical fine bubble density and size distribution of the system shown in Figs. 13 and 14,
  • Figs. 16a-c schematically show apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for generating fine bubble waters where only a low pressure water inlet is available
  • Figs. 17a-d schematically show a combined hand washer - dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 18 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a showerhead according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 19 schematically shows an end-on view of the showerhead of Fig. 18;
  • Figs. 20a-c schematically show cross-sectional views of a showerhead in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 21 schematically shows treatment of a pipe in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 22 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 23 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a yet further embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 24 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 25 schematically shows a sectional view of a boat with fine bubble lubrication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • This aspect of the invention relates to a fine bubble generation system and a method of generating fine bubbles.
  • Various systems for generating fine bubbles in a fluid are described, in particular using fine bubble generators connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.
  • the apparatus may be one of several types of micro-fine bubble generators known in the art (see Table 1 below), e.g. a generator that uses the Venturi principle to generate bubbles (“Venturi-type”), a generator that uses a swirling motion of the fluid to create bubbles (“swirl-type”), a generator that uses mixing to create bubbles (“mixer-type”), a generator that uses the principle of cavitation to create bubbles (“cavitation-type”), a generator that uses the principle of pressure dissolution to create bubbles (“pressurised dissolution type”), etc.
  • Table 1 lists the major pros and cons of each type of fine bubble generator.
  • any single fine bubble generator type is limited in its ability to generate fine bubbles of high concentration (density), good uniform size distribution, and long lifetime.
  • the increase in density of nanobubbles diminishes each time the output is fed back to the input, which may ultimately result in a maximum density of nanobubbles in the output liquid that is still relatively low.
  • the nanobubble flux i.e. the number of nanobubbles passing a fixed point per second attained at the fluid output by this technique may not be sufficient for many applications.
  • a first nanobubble generator 7 has a fluid input 5.
  • the first nanobubble generator may be of first type, for example, swirl type.
  • the output of the first nanobubble generator 7 is fed into the input of a second nanobubble generator 8.
  • These generators are typically connected using a "bayonet" fitting with a separate 0- ring.
  • the second nanobubble generator 8 may be of a second type, for example, Venturi type, which is different from the first type.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,563 B2 discloses an apparatus for generating microbubbles comprising a swirling flow generating vane nozzle and a vortex breakdown Venturi tube.
  • 2013/0034829A1 discloses an apparatus using the Venturi type tube and a porous gas disperser of ⁇ 1 m sized holes, so as the gas exits into the liquid it is already in bubble form.
  • Surface tension of the bubble over the holes is high however, so often the bubble is not released until it has reached a size much larger than the hole at which it was created, greatly reducing the efficacy of the disperser.
  • ⁇ 2 ⁇ / ⁇ , where ⁇ is the surface tension of the bubble, and r is the radius of the bubble, when a large bubble is formed, the air flow tends to fill the large bubble due to the smaller balance pressure at the expense of all the other smaller bubbles.
  • 2007/0095937 discloses an apparatus that uses a combination of a Venturi tube similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2013/0034829A1 combined with a pressure dissolution method to create more microbubbles. These prior art methods fall short of generating fine bubbles with a combination of high concentration (density), good uniform size distribution, and long lifetime.
  • the concentration of the fine bubble count are usually low with a single cycle bubble generating system.
  • US-B2-7874546 and EP-A1 -21 16589 have very complicated systems, and they provide very little improvement in the concentration of fine bubbles, and the size distribution is still very broad. They are not suitable for using large amount of gas inlet.
  • the present invention proposes a system using series fine bubble generators to increase the concentration of fine bubbles, using the parallel fine bubble system to increase the overall liquid flow, and integrating the series and parallel systems to increase both the concentration and total liquid flow of the fine bubbles.
  • This hybrid system increases the fine bubble count from the few hundreds per cubic centimetre to few hundred thousand per cubic centimetre.
  • the flow rate can increase from less than one gallon to a several tens of gallons per minute.
  • a few fine bubble generators can be connected in parallel, and such parallel connections will give rise to a much higher water flow containing the fine bubbles.
  • a first embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 4a.
  • the fine bubble generation system in this embodiment a nanobubble generation system, comprises a fluid input 9 (e.g. a water tap) and a fluid output 10, with three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13, disposed between the fluid input 8 and the fluid output 10.
  • Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
  • the three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13, are connected in series. This means that the output of the first nanobubble generator 1 1 is connected to the input of the second nanobubble generator 12. Additionally, the output of the second nanobubble generator 12 is connected to the input of the third nanobubble generator 13.
  • the term "in series” can be understood to be analogous to connecting components of an electrical circuit in series. The generators are connected using an interference fit, so, unlike the prior art, no separate o-ring is required.
  • the connections 14, 15 between the nanobubble generator may comprise chambers, which may be held at a predetermined pressure, either high or low, to allow the subsequent nanobubble generator operate at its maximum efficiency.
  • the nanobubble generator 13 was a Venturi-type nanobubble generator
  • the preceding connection chamber 15 would be held at a pressure of around 0.2 MPa to allow the Venturi-type nanobubble generator to operate at its maximum efficiency.
  • the three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13 may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator to form a hybrid nanobubble generation system, e.g. nanobubble generator 11 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig.
  • nanobubble generator 12 may be a mixer-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8j below for example), and nanobubble generator 13 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8m below for example), and this arrangement is shown in Fig. 4b.
  • nanobubble generator 11 may comprise a swirl-type nanobubble generator module and nanobubble generators 12 and 13 may comprise mixer-type nanobubble generator modules, and this arrangement is shown in Fig. 4c.
  • all three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13 could comprise the same type of nanobubble generator module.
  • the choice of nanobubble generator type will depend on the intended application and the required condition to maximise the nanobubble generation efficiency.
  • nanobubble density i.e. the number of nanobubbles per cubic centimetre of fluid
  • hybrid systems comprising a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, a mixer-type nanobubble generator, and a swirl- type nanobubble generator have been shown to produce nanobubble densities of around 100,000 nanobubbles per cubic centimetre in water.
  • a second embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Figs. 5a and 5b.
  • the nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 16 and a fluid output 17, with three bubble generator modules 18, 19, 20 disposed between the fluid input 16 and the fluid output 17.
  • Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
  • the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 are connected in parallel. This means that the fluid input 16 splits and is fed into the inputs of each of the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20. Additionally (as shown in Fig. 5b), the outputs of each of the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may be manipulated and fed to the fluid output 17 through valves a, b, c, and d respectively located in output lines leading from generator 18 to output 17, generator 18 to generator 19, generator 19 to output 17 and generator 19 to generator 20. As can be seen from the embodiment shown in Figs. 5a and 5b, the term "in parallel" can be understood to be analogous to connecting components of an electrical circuit in parallel.
  • the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator, e.g. nanobubble generator 18 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, nanobubble generator 19 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator, and nanobubble generator 20 may be a cavitation-type nanobubble generator.
  • nanobubble generator 18 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator
  • nanobubble generator 19 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator
  • nanobubble generator 20 may be a cavitation-type nanobubble generator.
  • This is known as a hybrid nanobubble generator system.
  • all at least two, and possibly all of the nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may comprise the same type of nanobubble generator, e.g. all Venturi-type.
  • nanobubble flux i.e. the number of nanobubbles passing a fixed point at the output per second
  • FIG. 6 A third embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 6.
  • the nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 21 and a fluid output 22, with nine nanobubble generators 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 disposed between the fluid input 21 and the fluid output 22.
  • Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
  • the nanobubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel. This means that the fluid input 21 splits and is fed into the inputs of each of three nanobubble generator subsystems, similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4a, which each comprise three nanobubble generators connected in series. Additionally, the outputs of each of the three nanobubble generator subsystems are combined and fed to the fluid output 22.
  • the three nanobubble generators of each nanobubble generator subsystem may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator, e.g. in the top nanobubble generator subsystem, nanobubble generator 23 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, nanobubble generator 24 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator, and nanobubble generator 25 may be a mixer-type nanobubble generator.
  • nanobubble generator 23 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator
  • nanobubble generator 24 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator
  • nanobubble generator 25 may be a mixer-type nanobubble generator.
  • at least two or possibly all three nanobubble generators in the nanobubble generator subsystem 23, 24, 25 may comprise the same type of nanobubble generator, e.g. all Venturi-type. The same applies for the middle nanobubble generator subsystem 26, 27, 28 and the bottom nanobubble generator subsystem 29, 30, 31 shown in Fig. 6.
  • FIG. 7a and 7b A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Figs. 7a and 7b, Fig. 7b showing a more detailed view of the highly schematic Fig. 7a.
  • This embodiment shows a further example of how the nanobubble generators may be connected in a combination of series and parallel.
  • the nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 32 and a fluid output 33, with four nanobubble generators 34, 35, 36, 37 disposed between the fluid input 32 and the fluid output 33.
  • Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
  • the nanobubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel.
  • the first two nanobubble generators 34 and 35 are connected in parallel.
  • the fluid input 32 splits and is fed into the respective input of each nanobubble generator 34, 35.
  • the outputs of each nanobubble generator 34, 35 are recombined.
  • the second two nanobubble generators 36, 37 are connected in series.
  • the output of nanobubble generator 36 is fed into the input of nanobubble generator 37.
  • Fig. 7b shows that in this case, the two parallel generators 34 and 35 are both Venturi- type (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8n below for example) located within a common generator module, the second generator 36 is of the static mixer type such as that described with reference to Fig. 8j below for example, while third generator 37 is of the Venturi type such as that described with reference to Fig. 8q below for example.
  • Figs. 8a-v illustrate various different types of micro-nanobubble generator, some with a single type of generator and some with the combination of different types of generator.
  • Fig. 8a illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a screw swirl component 101 located approximately centrally within the internal chamber of the module.
  • a screw thread 109 coiled around the component 101 forces the through-flowing liquid-gas mixture to flow in a helical vortex.
  • Gas is introduced through an aspiration tube 105 in the wall of the module leading to the interior of the component and to a hydrophobic membrane, forming part of the exterior surface of the component, perforated with minute pores 102 which releases nanobubbles into the flow.
  • Fig. 8b illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a cylindrical swirl component without a gas feeding system.
  • Helical ridges 601 formed on the inner surface of the module's internal chamber induce a vortex flow parallel thereto.
  • Fig. 8c illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a cylindrical swirl component with a gas feeding system.
  • Helical ridges 601 formed on the inner surface of the module's internal chamber induce a vortex flow parallel thereto.
  • a hydrophobic membrane 602 perforated with minute pores, lining the chamber, constitutes a gas feeding system. The vortex flow minimizes the pressure field over the membrane, therefore gas feeding is maximized.
  • Gas may also be introduced through aspiration tube 603 through the wall of the module.
  • Fig. 8d illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a Coanda spherical swirl component 702 located within the module's internal chamber without a gas feeding system.
  • Coanda blades 704 located on the component have the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect within the flow over their surface.
  • the resulting vortex creates a very high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles.
  • Fig. 8e illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a Coanda spherical swirl component 702 located within the internal chamber of the module, with a gas feeding system.
  • the Coanda blades 704 have the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect within the flow over their surface.
  • the resulting vortex creates a very high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles.
  • a hydrophobic membrane 707 perforated with minute pores, located on component 702 constitutes a gas feeding system.
  • the vortex flow due to the Coanda effect minimizes the pressure field over the membrane, therefore gas feeding is maximized.
  • Gas may also be introduced through aspiration tube 703 passing through the module's wall.
  • Figs. 8f and 8g show schematic cross-sectional and plan views respectively of a swirl- type or "cyclone" generator module having a spherical swirl input component.
  • the flow is injected tangentially to the cylindrical internal chamber 201 therefore causing it to move in a helical vortex.
  • the gas inlet and fluid outlet are omitted for clarity.
  • the fluid outlet is shaped to as to provide a static mixing surface, for example by providing a toothed circumference to the internal wall of the outlet pipe.
  • Fig. 8h illustrates a swirl-type generator module having an elliptical swirl chamber 401 .
  • the ellipsoid cross section of the chamber forces the flow to move in a helical vortex of narrowing diameter.
  • This flow pattern has a pressure minimum on the inner surface of the chamber causing the bubbles to expand.
  • the radii of curvature of the flow outlets induce the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid.
  • Fig. 8i illustrates a cross-sectional view of the elliptical swirl chamber of Fig. 8h normal to the axis connecting the flow outlets. It highlights how the flow input is tangential to the swirl chamber 401.
  • Fig. 8j illustrates a static mixer-type generator module.
  • a plurality, in this case nine, of radially inwardly projecting mixing pins 501 projecting into the internal chamber of the module, create a turbulent flow that breaks microbubbles down into nanobubbles.
  • Gas is fed via aspiration tubes 503 located within the mixing pins 501 and delivered to hydrophobic, porous, spherical heads 502 of the pins that deliver gas as nanobubbles into the surrounding fluid.
  • Fig. 8k illustrates 3 axial cross sectional views of the mixing chamber through the planes x, y and z shown in Fig. 8j.
  • the mixing pins 501 are distributed about the chamber with a regular angular spacing of 120°. Each consecutive triplet of pins is rotated by an angle of 60° relative to the previous.
  • Fig. 81 illustrates a static mixer-type generator module similar to that shown in Figs. 8j-k, where the mixing pins 501 do not have aspiration tubes.
  • Fig. 8m illustrates a Venturi-type generator module without a gas feeding system.
  • the internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis.
  • a narrowing pipe diameter at pressure dissolution region 300 forces gas to dissolve into the liquid.
  • the flow accelerates within the narrowest section 301 which then allows the dissolved gas molecules to coalesce and form microbubbles due to the corresponding fall in pressure.
  • Fig. 8n illustrates a Venturi-type generator module with a gas feeding system.
  • the internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis.
  • a narrowing pipe diameter at pressure dissolution region 300 forces gas to dissolve into the liquid.
  • the flow accelerates within the narrowest section 301 which then allows the dissolved gas molecules to coalesce and form microbubbles due to the corresponding fall in pressure.
  • gas is fed via an aspiration tube 303 passing through the chamber wall to a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores, forming part of the interior wall of the chamber at its narrowest diameter, for feeding the gas to the flow therein as nanobubbles.
  • Fig. 8o illustrates a generator module having both a Venturi component and a Coanda flow divider component 304 located within the module's internal chamber in series, without any gas feeding system.
  • the internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis, and the Venturi component operates just as in Fig. 8m.
  • the Coanda flow divider 304 has the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid.
  • Fig. 8p illustrates a generator module having both a Venturi component and Coanda flow divider component 304 in series, with a gas feeding system with aspiration tube 303 leading to the exterior of the module on the latter.
  • the Venturi component operates as in Fig. 8m.
  • the Coanda flow divider 304 has the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid. Furthermore the Coanda effect minimizes the pressure field over a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores, partially covering divider 304, hence maximizing the nanobubble flux released therefrom.
  • Fig. 8q illustrates a Venturi-type generator module with a gas feeding system.
  • the pressure dissolution effect is just as described for Fig. 8m.
  • an additional feature of this embodiment is the curvature on the Venturi body 309 (i.e. the shaped internal wall of the module, which is appropriate to induce the Coanda effect in the flow thereover. This minimizes the pressure field over a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores covering a lower portion of the body 309, hence maximizing the nanobubble flux released therefrom.
  • Fig. 8r illustrates a cavitation-type generator module.
  • Flowing microbubbles enter the internal chamber of the module, which here is an empty space 901 , and cavitate due to the rise in pressure.
  • the Shockwaves this produces create oscillating shear forces in the surrounding fluid which forms further microbubbles.
  • This cavitation can cause damage to solid parts of the components through mechanical erosion, so the cavitation tube with nothing in it allows this process to happen with minimal damage to any protruding components.
  • Fig. 8s illustrates a cavitation-type generator module with a tapered outlet where the internal diameter of the module's internal chamber decreases in the direction of flow.
  • Fig. 8t illustrates a cavitation-type generator module with the flow outlet directed perpendicular to the chamber's major axis.
  • the microbubbles within the fluid collide with a wall 902 at the end of the chamber 901 opposite the inlet causing them to cavitate and produce further microbubbles.
  • Fig. 8u illustrates a generator module having a Venturi component in parallel with a recirculating mixer component, with gas feeding on the latter mechanism.
  • the Venturi mechanism and mixing mechanisms are generally similar to those described in Figs.
  • the Venturi component comprising baffles placed in the flow, so that the in-flow either enters the central region of reduced diameter, or between the baffles and the module wall (mixing zone 804), where the pins of the mixer component are located. Since the baffles meet the module wall at their lower end, thus closing off the mixing zone, the fluid within the mixing zone 804 is forced to recirculate back towards the flow inlet thus increasing the retention time of microbubbles within the mixing zone allowing more of them to become nanobubbles before being expelled via the outlet.
  • Fig. 8v illustrates a generator module having parallel-arranged Venturi and mixer components, with gas feeding on the mixing pins. Pressure dissolution occurs in the same way as described for Fig. 8m.
  • the microbubbles that form within the narrowest section 301 are rapidly broken down into nanobubbles by the mixing pins therein. Furthermore nanobubbles are released by the gas feeding system 303 as in Fig. 8j.
  • generator modules may be simply connected together e.g. by screwing (as shown, each module having a screw-thread at each end), or indeed by other pipe-connecting techniques, being capable of disconnection and reconnection as required.
  • FIG. 9 A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 9, which illustrates how in any of the aforementioned systems gas feeding may occur at any stage within the system.
  • gas feeding may occur before the pump as illustrated at 42, or after the pump as illustrated at 43.
  • Gas feeding may also occur after the microbubble and/or nanobubble generator(s) 41 , as illustrated at 44, before the fluid outlet 39.
  • Gas can be input in one of the marked locations 42, 43, 44, or multiple locations with no upper limit for how many locations at which gas is inputted.
  • FIG. 10 A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 10.
  • the micro- nanobubble generator system is equipped with a mechanical rotator having opposed nozzles 61 and 62 driving a valve member, water flow through the rotator creating the clockwise rotating of the valve member.
  • the valve member is located adjacent a surface formed with fluid inlet valve holes 63 and 64. Rotation of the valve member will open and close the fluid inlet valve holes 63 and 64, creating a pulsed micro- nanobubble fluid suitable for specific applications.
  • a pulsed micro-nanobubble fluid can also be produced using a solenoid valve to open and close the fluid supply. This is illustrated in Fig. 11.
  • Fig. 12 shows a graph of micro/nanobubble number versus time, wherein a number of nanobubbles are generated in a first time zone Z1 , and a number of microbubbles are generated in a second time zone Z2.
  • a further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 13.
  • the fluid in the nanobubble generating system is arranged to flow upwards from the fluid input 81 , through the cylindrical swirl flow module 83, static mixer module 84, and Venturi plus Coanda valve module 85.
  • the fluid with micro-nanobubbles then enters the cavitation chamber module 86, followed by a horizontal nanobubble generator system with a spherical swirl flow module 87 and Venturi type nanobubble generator module 88. Gas feeding occurs as illustrated as 89.
  • Fig. 14 illustrates a system for such configuration. Any of the abovementioned components modules may be connected in series in an upwards direction. In this case, the components are encased within a larger holding tank / reservoir, so that any microbubbles will have a longer induction time to evolve into nanobubbles. A further horizontal nanobubble generator system with the extra swirl and Venturi plus Coanda valve modules will increase the nanobubble density further.
  • Fig. 15 shows the typical nanobubble density and size distribution of such a system. The nanobubble size is very uniform within the range of 50-300 nm, and the density is calculated using Nanosight NS500 system as 2.5x10 8 /ml.
  • a further embodiment of the invention is where the micro-nanobubble generator system is partially or completely submerged inside the fluid.
  • the power of the system can be electric, compressed air, tap water, gravity, wind power, hydraulic or any other energy source.
  • it is designed to be powered by compressed air, which turns a rotor blade, in turn turning a propeller blade that is separated from the gas compartment to pump water into the apparatus.
  • the compressed air can escape via a passage to a hydrophobic membrane where it is then introduced into the liquid in the form of micro/nano bubbles.
  • sufficient pressure is made for creation of nanobubbles by compressed air, although the invention in general can be powered by any sufficient pressure source, be it from gravity, or specific pump, or even household water pressure.
  • the gas input may optionally be connected before the pump or after the pump.
  • the gas may be introduced both before and after the pump.
  • the gas input may comprise single or multiple holes of micrometre-order or nanometre-order size.
  • An extra gas input may be provided near the fluid output to increase the total gas input.
  • the gas input with the micrometre-order or nanometre-order holes may optionally comprise at least one hydrophobic material or hydrophobic coating.
  • a suitable hydrophobic material is a fluoro-silicone membrane.
  • the gas input may optionally be placed near the surface of fluid, with a strong Coanda effect, so that the fine bubbles do not have time to grow before being swept away.
  • microbubbles and nanobubbles can be generated simultaneously through a parallel arrangement of a microbubble generation system and a nanobubble generation system. Microbubbles and nanobubbles can exit from two different exits at the same time. A timer valve can also be employed to generate microbubbles and nanobubbles in a timed sequence. Microbubbles and nanobubbles may be present in the fluid in different time zones.
  • the fine bubbles can be generated in a pulsating fashion using a mechanical or electronic fluid pulsating controller to manipulate the input fluid or fluid output of the fine bubble generator system.
  • separate generator modules may be fitted together, e.g. by simple screwing, in a repeatable and reversible manner.
  • the liquid supplied to form bubbles may be water, IPA, fuel, or other liquid.
  • the gas supplied to form bubbles may be ozone, oxygen, hydrogen, air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, or other gas.
  • the pressure source for the liquid may be pump, river, gravity, or other.
  • the operational pressure has a minimum of about 0.08 M Pa, with a preferred range of about 0.2 M Pa to about 0.5 M Pa.
  • This aspect of the present invention thereby provides an additive manufacturing method wherein each component / module can be added into the micro- and nanobubble generation system in parallel or series or a combination thereof to manipulate the total bubble density, bubble size distribution, and total flux of the liquid containing the fine bubbles.
  • such a generation technique may be used to generate fine bubble waters where only a low pressure water inlet is available.
  • Figs. 16a-c An example of such a design, schematically shown in Figs. 16a-c, with Fig. 16a schematically showing a sectional view of the device, Fig. 16b schematically showing the cavitation chamber from a top view and Fig.
  • FIG. 16c schematically showing a sectional view of the cavitation chamber, has consecutive Venturi, swirl flow, static mixer and cavitation chambers built within the water flow system, and for convenience the bubble water flow direction is marked with arrows, e.g. 167.
  • the gas and liquid are mixed in a Venturi tube 160, which includes a gas inlet 164, then the mixed gas-liquid flows through a swirl mixing head 161 and static mixer 162 to create the fine bubbles.
  • the ultra-fine bubbles are then released through restrictor holes 168 in the bottom of the outer chamber 169.
  • the inlet tap water pressure can be as low as 0.08Mpa, there is no need for additional gas to be introduced, and an ambient air inlet is sufficient.
  • the counts of fine bubbles can be up to 100,000,000 per cubic centi
  • Fine bubble-rich water has application for washing or cleaning a variety of objects, including body skin, descaling / cleaning pipes and cleaning semiconductor wafers.
  • the current general method of bathing is to apply soap/detergent to the body surface and scrub in order to kill microbes, cleanse pores and exfoliate dead skin.
  • soap/detergent to the body surface and scrub in order to kill microbes, cleanse pores and exfoliate dead skin.
  • such chemicals as used here are relatively expensive and may cause skin irritation in certain instances.
  • a way of overcoming this problem is by applying fine bubbles to the skin surface. Due to the sonoluminescence properties of fine bubbles and the subsequent production of oxidizing radicals endemic to this natural process, washing may take place without the necessary use of chemicals and a minimum of mechanical scrubbing.
  • This aspect relates to a tap and/or hand washer and/or combined hand washer-dryer using fine bubbles.
  • the fine bubble water source can be combined with a dryer, e.g. in, or as part of a nanobubble hand sanitizer connected to, for example, a Dyson Airblade-type device.
  • a fine bubble DC motor could be integrated into the connection to the mains water supply, and the fine bubble water could then be used to disinfect your hands before drying them with 'bacteria free' hand dryer, or other similar product.
  • An embodiment is schematically shown in Figs.
  • the washer-dryer 90 is formed as a wash tap being generally "T"-shaped, with an upright stem 91 and a horizontally extending fluid outlet bar 92, horizontally spaced from the stem 91 by an arm 93.
  • the stem 91 contains a DC motor 94, powered by a power supply 95.
  • the DC motor 94 is controlled by a timer and micro-switch control device with a magnetic or other type of engaging device (this is a known device per se), and is operable to rotatably drive both an air transporting device impeller 96 and a water dynamic mixing pump head 97 located in respective chambers at the top of the stem, which together form an air-water mixing pump head, the chambers receiving air and water through a conduit 98 running through the stem.
  • This arrangement provides for efficient gas - water mixing.
  • the bar 92 houses the fine bubble generating device - a solid tube with the swirl head, static mixer, Venturi built in.
  • Fig. 17b illustrates that the outlets are restricted to form thin blades to allow the fine bubble water out.
  • the air chamber 99 is also a solid tubing with a restricted blade edge as the air outlet.
  • a motion sensor 101 is provided on the bar 92 to detect hand movement toward or away from the device and send an activation / deactivation signal to the motor.
  • the fine bubbles thus produced may then be released through the blades
  • the timer is operable to switch operation from the water supply to an air supply after a predetermined washing time, by firstly engaging the (water) pump head, and then switching the pump head to an air blade for generating high flow and high pressure air through the blades. This air is used to dry the user's hands.
  • At least one ultraviolet LED 100 may be installed inside the fine bubble generating device to sterilise the dispensed water, and titanium oxide can be added upstream via a dispenser to provide an extra sterilizing effect on the air and water.
  • titanium oxide can be added upstream via a dispenser to provide an extra sterilizing effect on the air and water.
  • This arrangement would also allow users to see the dirt more easily.
  • Fine bubbles present in the water act to scatter incident light, thus improving illumination.
  • the fine bubble water also has a bleaching effect which helps clean the water to prevent build up of plaque or limescale. This also reduces costs of cleaning the water supply pipes.
  • the fine bubbles can be generated in a pulsed mode through a solenoid valve, pressure sensor and pressure valve set up, simple timer on off valve, or mechanical oscillating device (described further below with reference to the shower head application).
  • Extra cleaning power can be achieved by the pulsed mode fine bubbles through pulse- induced high and low pressure impacts on the treated surface. This action maximises the removal rate of the contaminated surface by pressurised attack of the surface, then the sudden drop of the pressure acts like a vacuum suction to remove the contaminants. This is similar to the impact of tidal waves on the shore of a coastline.
  • the fine bubbles may comprise of more than 50% microbubbles (i.e. of diameters from 1 to 50 micrometres) with a smaller percentage of nano-bubbles. It can be seen that no other water outlet is required. Water can be released with a continuous or pulsed mode. The fine bubbles have a sterilization effect, and also when they collapse, a supersonic wave is created which enhances the cleaning.
  • US20070108640A1 integrated microbubble generating and hair washing apparatus and US20080189847A1 generator for micro-nano-bubble bathtub water have very complicated systems. They provide very little improvement in the concentration of micro- and nanobubbles, and the size distribution is still very broad.
  • Figs. 18 and 19 respectively show schematic cross-sectional and end-on views of a showerhead according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the showerhead comprises two fine bubble generators positioned in series, being a swirl-type 1 10 and Venturi-type 1 1 1 in the direction of water flow.
  • An air inlet is provided at the Venturi-type generator, and additional air inlets may be provided upstream also.
  • Downstream of the Venturi- generator, at the "rose" 1 12 of the showerhead elements 1 13 are provided projecting into the water flow from the internal side of the rose. These projecting elements act to break down any vortices created by the generation process and mix the flow.
  • Fig. 19 shows a possible water outlet configuration of the rose 1 12, with a plurality of individual outlets 1 14. The triangles are shown to demonstrate that there is a net zero vortex flow output from the shower, with each triangle providing a zero net vortex flow output.
  • This type of showerhead is quite simple, and can simply be fitted in place of a conventional showerhead as required.
  • FIG. 20 A more complex showerhead, capable of providing a pulsed water flow, is shown in Fig. 20. More particularly, Fig. 20a schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the showerhead in a substantially horizontal plane in normal use, while Figs. 20b and 20c respectively schematically show cross-sectional views of the showerhead in the orthogonal plane, offset by a 90 degree rotation.
  • a first fine bubble generator 1 15, of the Venturi-type is provided in the non-bifurcated portion of the water channel 1 16, which is arranged orthogonally to the plane of the shower head rose 1 17 and within an outer casing 1 18.
  • the Venturi-type generator is provided with an air inlet hole 119.
  • the channel bifurcates into two radially-opposing pipes 120 arranged horizontally to the plane of the shower head rose 1 17.
  • a coanda valve 121 is provided in the channel 1 16 at the point of bifurcation.
  • each pipe 120 At the distal end of each pipe 120 is a right-angled bend, with a series swirl-type 122 + Venturi-type 123 fine bubble generator 124 located therein, forming a hybrid modular generation system. Water exiting from this generator therefore travels - at least initially - tangentially to the circumference of the rose. The bends are directioned such that the water exits from each pipe in the same rotational direction.
  • the channel carries a spindle 127, which rotatably carries a pulsing switch plate 126 substantially parallel to the plane of the shower head rose. The tangential action of the water exiting from the pipes acts to rotate the pulsing switch plate. Both the switch plate and the rose are provided with a plurality of holes 125 at approximately the same radius.
  • An alternative embodiment could employ a solenoidal valve to pulsate the flow of fine bubble water.
  • a yet further embodiment could use an electronically programmed accumulator to pulsate the flow of fine bubble water.
  • a similar pulsed method of fine bubble delivery may be used for cleaning
  • the device is similar to the hand-washer and dryer of Fig. 17, except that an array of such individual devices may be used for the wafer cleaning, including opposingly arranged devices to wash both sides of a wafer loaded therebetween, and with the fine bubble fluid being ejected at a more horizontal angle than the handwasher.
  • a pulsed fine bubble multiple blade arrangement (not shown) is an optimal device for semiconductor wafer cleaning. In order to have high ultrasonic wave generated from the fine bubbles, higher concentration of microbubbles are required in the fine bubbles liquid. Fine bubbles are controlled to consist of higher concentration of microbubbles and lower concentration of nanobubbles.
  • This aspect relates to a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, and a targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume.
  • a targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume.
  • Such targeting techniques may be used for various applications, including drug delivery, surface cleaning etc.
  • the current general method of treatments for killing bacteria, or to target infected areas is to treat the healthy and diseased areas indiscriminately.
  • a way of overcoming this problem is by delivering the drug, radiation, disinfectant, or other medicines to a specifically targeted site.
  • MRSA or ECOLI for example in a specific area can be effectively treated by delivering fine bubbles to the affected area. This is through the superoxidation radicals generated by the explosion of fine bubbles, or by delivering a drug surrounded by the fine bubbles. This possibility is considered in more detail below. Additionally, fine bubbles may have a long-term effect on the environment, impacting on water treatment, cleaning, semiconductor industries etc.
  • Contaminant formation especially in areas with very hard water, may cause clogging of pipes and other water-contacting surfaces. Fine bubble-rich water can be flushed through the pipe, and the eventual nanobubble collapse can generate a supersonic wave, breaking up the surface contaminant.
  • This aim is achieved by recognising that the surface of a fine bubble is generally electrostatically charged, and directing the fine bubble using this charge.
  • the fine bubbles' charges are usually negative, with the charge density reaching more than 100,000 ions for the fine bubble of the size range from 100- 500 nm generated with the above-described systems.
  • the present inventive method makes use of Coulomb's law and a positive-biased electrode can be used to guide the fine bubbles to the target area.
  • the drugs or medicines may be surrounded and confined by the fine bubbles due to the electrostatic charge, and the confined drug, with its surrounding fine bubbles, may be directed to the target area using a positive electrode in the same way as for individual fine bubbles.
  • a container at least partially retaining a liquid volume in this case a pipe 131 (e.g. a metal pipe), used for guiding a water flow, is to be treated with nanobubble-containing water, for example to remove contaminant deposits from a target destination, i.e. the pipe's internal wall surface 132.
  • a nanobubble delivery device 133 is provided upstream in the water flow.
  • the delivery device 133 comprises a channel, in this case a metal tube or needle, which is fluidly connected to an output of a separate nanobubble generator 134, by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing.
  • dc electrical power supply 135 for example a battery, cell or other dc device
  • nanobubbles are generated by generator 134 and transported via the delivery device 133 to the pipe's water.
  • the negative electrostatic charge of the delivery device aids expulsion of the similarly negatively-charged nanobubbles from the device.
  • the expelled nanobubbles are electrostatically attracted towards the pipe wall surface 132, and may thus treat the surface.
  • magnets may also be used as the method of manipulating the fine bubbles.
  • any container could be treated in this way, for example an industrial metal container, with the container being positively biased. While in Fig. 21 the container to be treated itself acts as a positive electrode, there may instead be a dedicated targeting device used to direct fine bubbles as required.
  • Fig. 22 schematically shows such a targeting device for directing nanobubbles within a liquid volume according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • the device comprises a dc power supply 139 which is electrically connected, for example by flexible insulated wires, to relatively movable electrode probes 140 and 141.
  • supply 139 provides a positive bias to an electrode 136 of positive electrode probe 140, and a negative bias to electrode 138, which forms a nanobubble delivery fluid channel, of negative electrode probe 141.
  • Positive electrode 136 is partially covered with an insulating sheath 137, so that only a distal end of the electrode 136 is exposed to surrounded liquid in use. This provides more accurate direction of nanobubbles, since only the exposed end of electrode 136 will act as a target destination.
  • Negative electrode probe 141 is fluidly connected to the output of a nanobubble generator 134 by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing.
  • Negative electrode 138 is formed as a needle or tube through which nanobubble-containing liquid may flow for delivery to the liquid volume.
  • locking means may be provided to retain the probes in desired locations within the liquid volume, or in a fixed positional relationship.
  • the power supply 139 could conveniently be located outside the liquid volume, and the probes submerged within it.
  • Fig. 23 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment.
  • This device has similarities to that of Fig. 22, but here the positive electrode probe 142 and negative electrode probe 143 are formed together as a single probe unit, so that they are permanently fixed in their relative positions, with the positive electrode 136 held externally to the delivery channel negative electrode 138.
  • the probe unit is again relatively movable to the power supply 139, for example by being connected thereto with flexible insulated wires.
  • This embodiment enables a simplified structure compared to the previous, with only a single probe unit that may be located where required within the liquid volume.
  • locking means (not shown) may be provided to retain the probe unit in the desired location within the liquid volume.
  • Fig. 24 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment.
  • the positive electrode 146 extends through the interior of delivery channel negative electrode 145.
  • the distal end of electrode 146 extends past the negative electrode 145, and is not covered by insulating sheath 147, which encloses the remainder of the electrode 146 within the negative electrode 145.
  • the power supply 144 is housed within probe unit 148, which is also fluidly connected by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing to the output of a nanobubble generator 134. This embodiment provides a compact and highly focussed targeting device.
  • the dc power supply could be located in a single unit with either the positive or negative electrode probes, or within a combined probe unit, or located separately.
  • a positive potential probe can be inserted to the targeted site to guide the fine bubbles to treat that specific area. This is through the superoxidation radicals generated by the explosion of fine bubbles, or by the designed drug surrounded by the fine bubbles through their surface charge.
  • the drug or medicines can be surrounded by the fine bubbles and directed the same way as fine bubbles.
  • the positive biased electrode can be used to guide the fine bubbles and drugs confined by the fine bubbles to the targeted area.
  • MRSA or ECOLI for example in the specific area can be effectively treated by inserting the positive electrode in the targeted site.
  • the treatment tool may be designed as two electrodes, one with positive bias and one with negative bias, the positive biased electrode being a solid electrode, but the negative charge biased electrode being a needle or small tubing in which the fine bubbles are transported through.
  • the positive biased electrode attaching to the treated area, the fine bubbles or drugs carried by the fine bubbles can be guided to the targeted area.
  • the drug delivery and / or controlled collapse of bubbles can be achieved by using ultrasonic waves, thermal collapse induced by IR lasers, charge neutralization method using electrolyte or current injection into the fine bubble liquid etc.
  • the fine bubbles with negative charge on their surfaces attach themselves to the organic compound or living organs, and can be guided towards the targeted treatment site using the electrode with positive charge or simple fine tubes.
  • the controlled collapse of the fine bubbles can have significant damage on the targeted areas: if the fine bubbles do not have surface attached compounds, the simple gas carried inside the bubble such as ozone, 0 2 , H 2 , or other reactive gases can be used to create large amount OH radicals for sterilization, the extreme high heat generated from the collapse of the fine bubbles also can damage or kill the pathogens or cancer cells in the treated area; in the case of the fine bubbles with a specific compound attached to their surface, then the collapse of the fine bubbles will also release the compounds to the targeted area for treatment.
  • Fig. 25 schematically shows an embodiment of such a system.
  • a fine bubble generating device 151 is situated at the hull of the boat 150, so that it may inject fine bubbles into the water at the front of the boat.
  • the generating device could for example comprise a hybrid modular device as described previously, or alternatively a motor- driven dynamic mixing fine bubble generating system as is known generally in the art.
  • the device could be built into the hull, or else attached separately. The fine bubbles generated flow under the boat during its travel.
  • the fine bubbles also function as a self-cleaning mechanism for the boat, to prevent extra scale build-up on the hull.

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Abstract

A fine bubble generator system comprises a fluid input; a fluid output; at least one gas input; and a plurality of fine bubble generators; wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are disposed between the fluid input and the fluid output. Applications for fine bubbles including cleaning, showerheads, drug delivery and boat lubrication are disclosed.

Description

Creating and using Controlled Fine Bubbles
The present invention relates to a micro-nanobubble generation system, a method of generating fine bubbles, a washing device, a shower head, a method of cleaning semiconductors, methods of directing a fine bubble to a target destination, a targeting device for directing a fine bubble, a method for improving the efficiency of a boat, and a boat.
Background
In the present specification, the term "fine bubbles" is used to refer to nanobubbles, microbubbles and mixtures of micro- and nano-bubbles, all being bubbles of gas that may occur within liquid volumes. More explicitly, fine bubbles include bubbles in the range from between 1 nm to around 999 μηπ, though are often considered as having diameters up to around 50pm. "Ultrafine" bubbles are bubbles less than about 3 μηι. Nanobubbles are bubbles having diameters of less than 1 μηι but greater than 1 nm. Microbubbles are bubbles having diameters between 1 and 999 μιη, though are often considered as having diameters from about 1 μηι to about 50 μιη. Micro-nanobubbles (MNB), like fine bubbles, are bubbles having diameters between 1 nm to 999 μιη. The present invention is not limited to the creating and control of a specific size of fine bubbles, and may also be used to create and control bubbles even smaller than nanobubbles, potentially including femtobubbles or zeptobubbles.
In the following discussion, these various terms are used somewhat interchangeably, particularly MNBs and fine bubbles.
When a fine bubble collapses in an ambient liquid, the inertial forces combined with mass conservation lead to bubble wall velocities that become supersonic, causing rapid heating of the bubble interior. The collapse of a single bubble is so violent that light is emitted as single-bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL). The measured temperature using the emitted spectrum indicated the temperature in a cavitating bubble cloud is around 25000 Kelvin (see, for example, M.P. Brenner et al, Single-bubble sonoluminescence, Review of Modern Physics, 74, 425 (2002), and S. Hilgenfeldt et al, A simple explanation of light Emission in sonoluminescence, Nature, 398, 402 (1999)). With thousands of fine bubbles present in the liquid, the energy created during the collapse of these bubbles is so great that the they are worth harvesting and putting into good applications (see, for example, F.Y. Ushikubo et al, Evidence of the existence and the stability of nano-bubbles in water, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 361 , 31 (2010)). The released energy from the collapsed micro-nanobubbles could transform the neighbouring water to form radicals with strong oxidising power. Fine bubbles containing air or oxygen could be chemical-free and environmentally- friendly cleaning and sterilizing media. The buoyancy of micro-nanobubbles decreases as the bubble size decreases. The smaller bubbles hence have a longer lifetime within the liquid. The charge density increases as the bubble size decreases, and these negative charges prevent the nano-bubbles from forming clusters.
Micronanobubble diameters D are calculated as:
_ 3σε<54&4
2ne2
Where σ is surface tension, ε is the permittivity of the media, <5( is the radius of a molecule of the surrounding liquid (approximated as a sphere), e is the fundamental unit of charge and kSl are the allowed distances between adsorbed ions (i.e. between the centres of adjacent Wigner-Seitz cells) for the following such values of k:
k = 2v¾ 4, 6, 4v¾ 8, 10, 6 3, 12, 8 3, 14, 16, 10V3, 18, 20, ...
Owing to the fact that micronanobubbles are in constant Brownian motion their particle size distribution (PSD) can be measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. More recently Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) has also become a popular method for measuring micronanobubble PSD as well as their concentration.
Over time the diameter of a microbubble or a nanobubble will shrink due to the surface tension which acts to minimize the area of its surface. This takes place by diffusion of the gas contained within the bubble into the surrounding liquid.
Properties of fine bubbles
A micronanobubble solution is one in which microbubbles and nanobubbles coexist (the term micronanobubble will also be used where the discussion is relevant to microbubbles and nanobubbles).
Micronanobubbles have five main useful properties. These are: • A negative electric surface charge density
• Longevity - they are physically stable and persist for a long time
• Very low (almost neutral) buoyancy
• Multipotency - they may constitute any gas
• Sonoluminescence upon collapse
Negative charge
It is currently held that the property of negative surface charge density comes about due to ions, derived from inorganic salts dissolved in the surrounding media, which adsorb onto the gas-liquid interface and stabilize against the collapsing effect of surface tension. If the bubbles are placed in a uniform electric field it is straightforward to show that their charge density p is related to their diameter Db as Db <x p~1/3 and thus is greater at smaller diameters. This is clearly illustrated in the figure below where the smaller bubbles experience greater translational displacement in the x-direction.
The ability to manoeuvre the bubbles in this fashion is advantageous for example in the application of nanobubbles to drug delivery systems, where IV drugs associated with nanobubbles may be guided to their target location. Longevity and low buoyancy
This property of longevity is derivative of the fact that the micronanobubble surface is negatively charged and thus stabilizes against the collapsing effect of surface tension. Their low buoyancy means they do not float quickly to the surface of the surrounding medium. In fact the velocity that micronanobubbles rise through the solution has been related as proportional to their radius squared such that a 100 nm bubble is proposed to take at least two weeks to rise 1 cm whereas a 10 pm bubble would only take 2-3 minutes to rise that far. This means that they can be stored in solution for long periods of time without deteriorating. In 2010 research at Osaka University led to the creation of a high concentration of nanobubbles lasting for up to two weeks. This makes them able to oxygenate water more efficiently than conventional methods since they do not quickly rise to the surface and escape to the atmosphere, but remain in solution for long periods of time constantly supplying oxygen by diffusion into the surrounding water. Fig. 1 illustrates the how these two methods compare. Multipotency An even broader range of applications is made possible by varying the choice of gas which is not limited to air/oxygen. For example ozone, due to its very strong oxidizing effect, is made very effective in sterilization applications (enhanced further by the ability of micronanobubbles to infiltrate very small spaces and their sonoluminescence), carbon dioxide micronanobubbles can increase the rate of plant growth or be used effectively to extinguish fires, and hydrogen nanobubbles are proposed to have an anti- tumour effect. For the cleaning of wafers such as Si and GaAs etc, inert gases such Nitrogen, Hydrogen, Argon, Helium etc may be used to prevent the oxidation of the wafer materials.
Sonoluminescence
Though micronanobubbles are stable they may collapse upon collision. When they do they exhibit a remarkable phenomenon called sonoluminescence - the radiation of light and the emission of a powerful Shockwave. The radiation spectrum depends strongly on the type of gas contained within the bubble, but in most cases the inferred temperature in the centre of the bubble at the point of collapse is of the order ~104 K. Combining this high temperature with the powerful Shockwave and potentially oxidizing properties of the contained gas makes micronanobubbles a very effective method for cleaning/sterilization purposes.
As prior art may be mentioned:
CN-A-201010558037, EP-B1 -2139968, US-A1 -20120270177, EP-A1 -2421983, US-A1 - 201 10241230, US-B2-8201811 , US-A1 -20070095937, US-A1 -20070286795, US-B2- 7874546, US-A1 -20070108640, US-A1 -20120086137, US-A1 -20120128749, US-B2- 7997563, US-A1 -20060054205, US-A1 -20080189847, US-A1 -201 10168210, US-A1 - 20090001017, EP-A1 -2116589, US-A1 -2013/0034829 and US-A1 -2007/0095937.
1. N. F. Bunkin, S. O. Yurchenko, N. V. Suyazov and A. V. Shkirin, Structure of the nanobubble clusters of dissolved air in liquid media. J. Biol. Phys. 38 (2012) 121 -152. 2. N. F. Bunkin, B. W. Ninham, P. S. Ignatiev, V. A. Kozlov, A. V. Shkirin and A. V. Starosvetskij, Long-living nanobubbles of dissolved gas in aqueous solutions of salts and erythrocyte suspensions, J. Biophotonics 4 (201 1 ) 150-164.
3. E. Ruckenstein, Nano dispersions of bubbles and oil drops in water, Colloids Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects, 423 (2013) 1 12-1 14 4. K. Ohgaki, N.Q. Khanh, Y. Joden, A. Tsuji and T. Nakagawa, Physicochemical approach to nanobubble solutions. Chem. Eng. Sci. 65 (2010) 1296-1300
5. R. Asada, K, Kageyama, H. Tanaka, H. Matsui, M. Kimura, Y. Saitoh and N. Miwa, Antitumor effects of nano-bubble hydrogen-dissolved water are enhanced by coexistent platinum colloid and the combined hyperthermia with apoptosis-like cell death, Oncology Reports 24: 1463 1470, (2010)
6. M.P. Brenner, S. Hilgenfeldt and D. Lohse, Single-bubble sonoluminsescence, Reviews of Modern Physics 74 (2002) Other publications concerning nanobubbles include:
1. http://www.gizmag.com/nannobubbles-cancer-rice-university/25879/
2. http://discovermagazine.com/2013/jan-feb/28-injectable-nano-bubbles-prevent- suffocation#.UXhPOIKhUxo
3. http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticlelD=3151
4. http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/02/nanobubbles-stability-solved- supersaturation
5. http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/nanobubble.html
6. http://www.lsbu.ac.Uk/water/electrolysis.html#intro Known nanobubble generators have been produced by / are disclosed in:
1. Asupu
2. COA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/nano- bubbles-generator.html
3. http://www.hondakiko.co.jp/english/microbubble/
The present invention has various aims, including:
i) providing a system which creates micro-nanobubbles with greater density and flux than prior art systems. The present invention is also capable of creating microbubbles or nanobubbles with very narrow bubble size distribution. This aim is achieved by creating a micro-nanobubble generator system which comprises a plurality of micro-nanobubble generators. These may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.
The sequence of the fine bubble generators may be arranged in a compatible manner to offer the maximum benefit of each generator. The fine bubble generating system preferably comprises at least three of the generators. A pulsed mechanism can also be implemented to generate the fine bubbles in a time sequence separated from each other. ii) Using fine bubbles in a variety of applications. Summary of the invention
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fine bubble generation system comprising: a fluid input; a gas input, a fluid output; and a plurality of fine bubble generators; wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are disposed between the fluid input and the fluid output.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid comprising the steps of: providing a fluid input; providing at least one gas input; providing a fluid output; providing a plurality of fine bubble generators between the fluid input and the fluid output; and passing fluid through the plurality of fine bubble generators.
These aspects provide the capability of creating fine bubbles with controlled distribution of microbubbles and nanobubbles.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a washing device comprising: a wash tap for dispensing water, and a fine bubble generator for generating fine bubbles within a water stream, the water stream feeding in use to the wash tap.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a shower head comprising a fine bubble generator. In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cleaning semiconductors, comprising using a pulsed fine bubble multiple blade arrangement for dispensing fine bubble water in a pulsed manner.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, comprising the step of applying a positive electrical potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble electrostatically towards the target destination.
In accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention there is provided a targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume, comprising: a positive electrode probe having a positive electrode; means for applying a positive electrostatic charge to the positive electrode; and delivery means for delivering a fine bubble to the liquid volume. In accordance with an eighth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, comprising the step of applying a magnetic potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble towards the target destination. In accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for improving the efficiency of a boat, comprising the steps of providing a fine bubble generating device, and locating the device at a hull of a boat so that fine bubbles generated by the device are injected into water proximate the boat. In accordance with a tenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a boat comprising a fine bubble generating device located so as to inject fine bubbles into water proximate the boat in use.
Other aspects are as set out in the accompanying claims.
Detailed description
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows the effectiveness of oxygenation using nanobubbles;
Fig. 2 schematically shows a prior art nanobubble generation system;
Fig. 3 schematically shows a prior art nanobubble generation system;
Figs. 4a-c schematically show fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in series;
Figs. 5a and 5b schematically show fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in parallel; Fig. 6 schematically shows a fine bubble generation system in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel;
Fig. 7a and 7b schematically show a fine bubble generation systems in accordance with the present invention, in which the fine bubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel;
Figs. 8a-v schematically show various fine bubble generators which may be used in the present invention;
Fig. 9 schematically shows various placements of a gas input for the fine bubble generator system;
Figs. 10 and 1 1 show a fine bubble generating system to provide pulsating fine bubbles; Fig. 12 shows a graph of fine bubble number against time, where fine bubbles are generated in different time zones.
Figs. 13 and 14 schematically show a fine bubble generating system with the generators arranged in a combination of vertical up flow and horizontal flow;
Fig. 15 shows a graph showing the typical fine bubble density and size distribution of the system shown in Figs. 13 and 14,
Figs. 16a-c schematically show apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for generating fine bubble waters where only a low pressure water inlet is available,
Figs. 17a-d schematically show a combined hand washer - dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 18 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a showerhead according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 19 schematically shows an end-on view of the showerhead of Fig. 18;
Figs. 20a-c schematically show cross-sectional views of a showerhead in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 21 schematically shows treatment of a pipe in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 22 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 23 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a yet further embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 24 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 25 schematically shows a sectional view of a boat with fine bubble lubrication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. i) Fine bubble generation systems
This aspect of the invention relates to a fine bubble generation system and a method of generating fine bubbles. Various systems for generating fine bubbles in a fluid are described, in particular using fine bubble generators connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. A hybrid fine bubble generator for high density fine bubbles
Conventionally, fine bubbles are formed in fluids using a single bubble generating apparatus or at most two bubble generating apparatus. The apparatus may be one of several types of micro-fine bubble generators known in the art (see Table 1 below), e.g. a generator that uses the Venturi principle to generate bubbles ("Venturi-type"), a generator that uses a swirling motion of the fluid to create bubbles ("swirl-type"), a generator that uses mixing to create bubbles ("mixer-type"), a generator that uses the principle of cavitation to create bubbles ("cavitation-type"), a generator that uses the principle of pressure dissolution to create bubbles ("pressurised dissolution type"), etc. Table 1 lists the major pros and cons of each type of fine bubble generator.
Table 1
Figure imgf000011_0001
As shown in the table, any single fine bubble generator type is limited in its ability to generate fine bubbles of high concentration (density), good uniform size distribution, and long lifetime.
As examples of prior art nanobubble generators, there may be mentioned US 7,874,546, US 7,997,563, US 2013/0034829A1 , US 2007/0095937A1 and EP21 16589, which each disclose nanobubble generating apparatuses using a single or at most two nanobubble generators. To increase the density, the output from a generator may be fed back into the input of the generator. The generator then generates bubbles in a liquid which already contains a number of nanobubbles, and so the overall density of nanobubbles is increased. This prior art process is shown schematically in Fig. 2. A nanobubble generator 1 has a fluid input 2 and a fluid output 3. A feedback step 4 may be repeated a number of times.
However, the increase in density of nanobubbles diminishes each time the output is fed back to the input, which may ultimately result in a maximum density of nanobubbles in the output liquid that is still relatively low. Additionally, the nanobubble flux (i.e. the number of nanobubbles passing a fixed point per second) attained at the fluid output by this technique may not be sufficient for many applications.
Whichever type of generator is used there will be a limit to the maximum density of nanobubbles that may be created by that generator. Often, there may be applications for fluids containing nanobubbles where it is desirable to produce a greater density of nanobubbles with highly uniform size distribution and high flux than this maximum of individual generator.
Another prior art process, using two nanobubble generators, is shown schematically in Fig. 3. A first nanobubble generator 7 has a fluid input 5. The first nanobubble generator may be of first type, for example, swirl type. The output of the first nanobubble generator 7 is fed into the input of a second nanobubble generator 8. These generators are typically connected using a "bayonet" fitting with a separate 0- ring. The second nanobubble generator 8 may be of a second type, for example, Venturi type, which is different from the first type. U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,563 B2 discloses an apparatus for generating microbubbles comprising a swirling flow generating vane nozzle and a vortex breakdown Venturi tube. U.S. Pat. No. 2013/0034829A1 discloses an apparatus using the Venturi type tube and a porous gas disperser of <1 m sized holes, so as the gas exits into the liquid it is already in bubble form. Surface tension of the bubble over the holes is high however, so often the bubble is not released until it has reached a size much larger than the hole at which it was created, greatly reducing the efficacy of the disperser. Following the Young-Laplace relation ΔΡ=2σ/Γ, where σ is the surface tension of the bubble, and r is the radius of the bubble, when a large bubble is formed, the air flow tends to fill the large bubble due to the smaller balance pressure at the expense of all the other smaller bubbles. U.S. Pat. No. 2007/0095937 discloses an apparatus that uses a combination of a Venturi tube similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2013/0034829A1 combined with a pressure dissolution method to create more microbubbles. These prior art methods fall short of generating fine bubbles with a combination of high concentration (density), good uniform size distribution, and long lifetime.
As can be seen therefore, current problems with existing systems for generating fine bubbles include:
a) The concentration of the fine bubble count are usually low with a single cycle bubble generating system.
b) Any single method of fine bubble generation produces also very low volume of liquid flow with low bubble count.
c) An inability to generate high concentration fine bubbles with low pressure water inlet and high gas inlet.
As an example, US-B2-7874546 and EP-A1 -21 16589 have very complicated systems, and they provide very little improvement in the concentration of fine bubbles, and the size distribution is still very broad. They are not suitable for using large amount of gas inlet.
An aim of the present invention is to solve some of the abovementioned shortcomings associated with prior art nanobubble generators. The present invention proposes a system using series fine bubble generators to increase the concentration of fine bubbles, using the parallel fine bubble system to increase the overall liquid flow, and integrating the series and parallel systems to increase both the concentration and total liquid flow of the fine bubbles. This hybrid system increases the fine bubble count from the few hundreds per cubic centimetre to few hundred thousand per cubic centimetre. The flow rate can increase from less than one gallon to a several tens of gallons per minute.
This can be achieved by having a few fine bubble generators connected in series, but with a low pressure connected zone to ensure the outlet from each generator can reach its optimum efficiency. Such series connections will give rise to a much higher fine bubble concentrations and much uniform bubble size distributions.
A few fine bubble generators can be connected in parallel, and such parallel connections will give rise to a much higher water flow containing the fine bubbles.
The integration of the above parallel and series configurations achieves both high water flow and higher concentration of fine bubbles with uniform distribution. It will have a long term effect on environment - water treatment, cleaning, semiconductor industries etc.
A first embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 4a. The fine bubble generation system, in this embodiment a nanobubble generation system, comprises a fluid input 9 (e.g. a water tap) and a fluid output 10, with three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13, disposed between the fluid input 8 and the fluid output 10. Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
In this embodiment, the three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13, are connected in series. This means that the output of the first nanobubble generator 1 1 is connected to the input of the second nanobubble generator 12. Additionally, the output of the second nanobubble generator 12 is connected to the input of the third nanobubble generator 13. As can be seen from the embodiment shown in Fig. 4a, the term "in series" can be understood to be analogous to connecting components of an electrical circuit in series. The generators are connected using an interference fit, so, unlike the prior art, no separate o-ring is required.
The connections 14, 15 between the nanobubble generator may comprise chambers, which may be held at a predetermined pressure, either high or low, to allow the subsequent nanobubble generator operate at its maximum efficiency. For example, if the nanobubble generator 13 was a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, the preceding connection chamber 15 would be held at a pressure of around 0.2 MPa to allow the Venturi-type nanobubble generator to operate at its maximum efficiency. The three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13 may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator to form a hybrid nanobubble generation system, e.g. nanobubble generator 11 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8c below for example), nanobubble generator 12 may be a mixer-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8j below for example), and nanobubble generator 13 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8m below for example), and this arrangement is shown in Fig. 4b. In an alternative arrangement, there may be more than one of the same type of generator present, e.g. nanobubble generator 11 may comprise a swirl-type nanobubble generator module and nanobubble generators 12 and 13 may comprise mixer-type nanobubble generator modules, and this arrangement is shown in Fig. 4c. Alternatively, all three nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13 could comprise the same type of nanobubble generator module. The choice of nanobubble generator type will depend on the intended application and the required condition to maximise the nanobubble generation efficiency.
Connecting the nanobubble generators 1 1 , 12, 13 in series allows the nanobubble density (i.e. the number of nanobubbles per cubic centimetre of fluid) to be greatly increased compared to prior art systems. Experimentally, hybrid systems comprising a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, a mixer-type nanobubble generator, and a swirl- type nanobubble generator have been shown to produce nanobubble densities of around 100,000 nanobubbles per cubic centimetre in water.
A second embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Figs. 5a and 5b. The nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 16 and a fluid output 17, with three bubble generator modules 18, 19, 20 disposed between the fluid input 16 and the fluid output 17. Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
In this embodiment, the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 are connected in parallel. This means that the fluid input 16 splits and is fed into the inputs of each of the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20. Additionally (as shown in Fig. 5b), the outputs of each of the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may be manipulated and fed to the fluid output 17 through valves a, b, c, and d respectively located in output lines leading from generator 18 to output 17, generator 18 to generator 19, generator 19 to output 17 and generator 19 to generator 20. As can be seen from the embodiment shown in Figs. 5a and 5b, the term "in parallel" can be understood to be analogous to connecting components of an electrical circuit in parallel.
As in the first embodiment, the three nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator, e.g. nanobubble generator 18 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, nanobubble generator 19 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator, and nanobubble generator 20 may be a cavitation-type nanobubble generator. This is known as a hybrid nanobubble generator system. Alternatively, all at least two, and possibly all of the nanobubble generators 18, 19, 20 may comprise the same type of nanobubble generator, e.g. all Venturi-type.
Connecting the nanobubble generators in parallel allows the nanobubble flux (i.e. the number of nanobubbles passing a fixed point at the output per second) to be increased compared to prior art systems.
Although the embodiments of Figs. 4a-c and 5a-b show three nanobubble generators connected in accordance with the present invention, it should be noted that this is merely exemplary. A third embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 6. The nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 21 and a fluid output 22, with nine nanobubble generators 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 disposed between the fluid input 21 and the fluid output 22. Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
In this embodiment, the nanobubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel. This means that the fluid input 21 splits and is fed into the inputs of each of three nanobubble generator subsystems, similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4a, which each comprise three nanobubble generators connected in series. Additionally, the outputs of each of the three nanobubble generator subsystems are combined and fed to the fluid output 22.
As in the first embodiment, the three nanobubble generators of each nanobubble generator subsystem may each comprise a different type of nanobubble generator, e.g. in the top nanobubble generator subsystem, nanobubble generator 23 may be a Venturi-type nanobubble generator, nanobubble generator 24 may be a swirl-type nanobubble generator, and nanobubble generator 25 may be a mixer-type nanobubble generator. Alternatively, at least two or possibly all three nanobubble generators in the nanobubble generator subsystem 23, 24, 25 may comprise the same type of nanobubble generator, e.g. all Venturi-type. The same applies for the middle nanobubble generator subsystem 26, 27, 28 and the bottom nanobubble generator subsystem 29, 30, 31 shown in Fig. 6.
A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Figs. 7a and 7b, Fig. 7b showing a more detailed view of the highly schematic Fig. 7a. This embodiment shows a further example of how the nanobubble generators may be connected in a combination of series and parallel. The nanobubble generation system shown comprises a fluid input 32 and a fluid output 33, with four nanobubble generators 34, 35, 36, 37 disposed between the fluid input 32 and the fluid output 33. Each nanobubble generator has a respective input and output.
In this embodiment, the nanobubble generators are connected in a combination of series and parallel. The first two nanobubble generators 34 and 35 are connected in parallel. As can be seen, the fluid input 32 splits and is fed into the respective input of each nanobubble generator 34, 35. The outputs of each nanobubble generator 34, 35 are recombined. The second two nanobubble generators 36, 37 are connected in series. The output of nanobubble generator 36 is fed into the input of nanobubble generator 37. Fig. 7b shows that in this case, the two parallel generators 34 and 35 are both Venturi- type (such as that described with reference to Fig. 8n below for example) located within a common generator module, the second generator 36 is of the static mixer type such as that described with reference to Fig. 8j below for example, while third generator 37 is of the Venturi type such as that described with reference to Fig. 8q below for example.
Connecting the nanobubble generators in a combination of series and parallel allows the nanobubble concentration and the nanobubble flux to be adjusted to suit the intended application. Figs. 8a-v illustrate various different types of micro-nanobubble generator, some with a single type of generator and some with the combination of different types of generator.
Fig. 8a illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a screw swirl component 101 located approximately centrally within the internal chamber of the module. A screw thread 109 coiled around the component 101 forces the through-flowing liquid-gas mixture to flow in a helical vortex. Gas is introduced through an aspiration tube 105 in the wall of the module leading to the interior of the component and to a hydrophobic membrane, forming part of the exterior surface of the component, perforated with minute pores 102 which releases nanobubbles into the flow.
Fig. 8b illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a cylindrical swirl component without a gas feeding system. Helical ridges 601 formed on the inner surface of the module's internal chamber induce a vortex flow parallel thereto.
Fig. 8c illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a cylindrical swirl component with a gas feeding system. Helical ridges 601 formed on the inner surface of the module's internal chamber induce a vortex flow parallel thereto. A hydrophobic membrane 602 perforated with minute pores, lining the chamber, constitutes a gas feeding system. The vortex flow minimizes the pressure field over the membrane, therefore gas feeding is maximized. Gas may also be introduced through aspiration tube 603 through the wall of the module.
Fig. 8d illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a Coanda spherical swirl component 702 located within the module's internal chamber without a gas feeding system. Coanda blades 704 located on the component have the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect within the flow over their surface. The resulting vortex creates a very high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles.
Fig. 8e illustrates a swirl-type generator module having a Coanda spherical swirl component 702 located within the internal chamber of the module, with a gas feeding system. The Coanda blades 704 have the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect within the flow over their surface. The resulting vortex creates a very high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles. A hydrophobic membrane 707 perforated with minute pores, located on component 702 constitutes a gas feeding system. The vortex flow due to the Coanda effect minimizes the pressure field over the membrane, therefore gas feeding is maximized. Gas may also be introduced through aspiration tube 703 passing through the module's wall.
Figs. 8f and 8g show schematic cross-sectional and plan views respectively of a swirl- type or "cyclone" generator module having a spherical swirl input component. The flow is injected tangentially to the cylindrical internal chamber 201 therefore causing it to move in a helical vortex. Here, the gas inlet and fluid outlet are omitted for clarity. Preferably, the fluid outlet is shaped to as to provide a static mixing surface, for example by providing a toothed circumference to the internal wall of the outlet pipe.
Fig. 8h illustrates a swirl-type generator module having an elliptical swirl chamber 401 . The ellipsoid cross section of the chamber forces the flow to move in a helical vortex of narrowing diameter. This flow pattern has a pressure minimum on the inner surface of the chamber causing the bubbles to expand. The radii of curvature of the flow outlets induce the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid. Fig. 8i illustrates a cross-sectional view of the elliptical swirl chamber of Fig. 8h normal to the axis connecting the flow outlets. It highlights how the flow input is tangential to the swirl chamber 401.
Fig. 8j illustrates a static mixer-type generator module. A plurality, in this case nine, of radially inwardly projecting mixing pins 501 , projecting into the internal chamber of the module, create a turbulent flow that breaks microbubbles down into nanobubbles. Gas is fed via aspiration tubes 503 located within the mixing pins 501 and delivered to hydrophobic, porous, spherical heads 502 of the pins that deliver gas as nanobubbles into the surrounding fluid.
Fig. 8k illustrates 3 axial cross sectional views of the mixing chamber through the planes x, y and z shown in Fig. 8j. The mixing pins 501 are distributed about the chamber with a regular angular spacing of 120°. Each consecutive triplet of pins is rotated by an angle of 60° relative to the previous. Fig. 81 illustrates a static mixer-type generator module similar to that shown in Figs. 8j-k, where the mixing pins 501 do not have aspiration tubes.
Fig. 8m illustrates a Venturi-type generator module without a gas feeding system. The internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis. A narrowing pipe diameter at pressure dissolution region 300 forces gas to dissolve into the liquid. The flow accelerates within the narrowest section 301 which then allows the dissolved gas molecules to coalesce and form microbubbles due to the corresponding fall in pressure.
Fig. 8n illustrates a Venturi-type generator module with a gas feeding system. The internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis. A narrowing pipe diameter at pressure dissolution region 300 forces gas to dissolve into the liquid. The flow accelerates within the narrowest section 301 which then allows the dissolved gas molecules to coalesce and form microbubbles due to the corresponding fall in pressure. Additionally gas is fed via an aspiration tube 303 passing through the chamber wall to a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores, forming part of the interior wall of the chamber at its narrowest diameter, for feeding the gas to the flow therein as nanobubbles.
Fig. 8o illustrates a generator module having both a Venturi component and a Coanda flow divider component 304 located within the module's internal chamber in series, without any gas feeding system. The internal chamber of the module is formed with a variable pipe diameter along its flow axis, and the Venturi component operates just as in Fig. 8m. The Coanda flow divider 304 has the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid.
Fig. 8p illustrates a generator module having both a Venturi component and Coanda flow divider component 304 in series, with a gas feeding system with aspiration tube 303 leading to the exterior of the module on the latter. The Venturi component operates as in Fig. 8m. The Coanda flow divider 304 has the appropriate radii of curvature for inducing the Coanda effect in the flow thereover and hence a high occurrence of cavitation for producing further microbubbles and nanobubbles in the expelled fluid. Furthermore the Coanda effect minimizes the pressure field over a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores, partially covering divider 304, hence maximizing the nanobubble flux released therefrom.
Fig. 8q illustrates a Venturi-type generator module with a gas feeding system. The pressure dissolution effect is just as described for Fig. 8m. However, an additional feature of this embodiment is the curvature on the Venturi body 309 (i.e. the shaped internal wall of the module, which is appropriate to induce the Coanda effect in the flow thereover. This minimizes the pressure field over a hydrophobic membrane 302 perforated with minute pores covering a lower portion of the body 309, hence maximizing the nanobubble flux released therefrom.
Fig. 8r illustrates a cavitation-type generator module. Flowing microbubbles enter the internal chamber of the module, which here is an empty space 901 , and cavitate due to the rise in pressure. The Shockwaves this produces create oscillating shear forces in the surrounding fluid which forms further microbubbles. This cavitation can cause damage to solid parts of the components through mechanical erosion, so the cavitation tube with nothing in it allows this process to happen with minimal damage to any protruding components. Fig. 8s illustrates a cavitation-type generator module with a tapered outlet where the internal diameter of the module's internal chamber decreases in the direction of flow. The tapered outlet increases the pressure within the cavitation chamber thus requiring the microbubbles and nanobubbles to become smaller. Fig. 8t illustrates a cavitation-type generator module with the flow outlet directed perpendicular to the chamber's major axis. The microbubbles within the fluid collide with a wall 902 at the end of the chamber 901 opposite the inlet causing them to cavitate and produce further microbubbles. Fig. 8u illustrates a generator module having a Venturi component in parallel with a recirculating mixer component, with gas feeding on the latter mechanism. The Venturi mechanism and mixing mechanisms are generally similar to those described in Figs. 8m and 8j respectively, with the Venturi component comprising baffles placed in the flow, so that the in-flow either enters the central region of reduced diameter, or between the baffles and the module wall (mixing zone 804), where the pins of the mixer component are located. Since the baffles meet the module wall at their lower end, thus closing off the mixing zone, the fluid within the mixing zone 804 is forced to recirculate back towards the flow inlet thus increasing the retention time of microbubbles within the mixing zone allowing more of them to become nanobubbles before being expelled via the outlet.
Fig. 8v illustrates a generator module having parallel-arranged Venturi and mixer components, with gas feeding on the mixing pins. Pressure dissolution occurs in the same way as described for Fig. 8m. The microbubbles that form within the narrowest section 301 are rapidly broken down into nanobubbles by the mixing pins therein. Furthermore nanobubbles are released by the gas feeding system 303 as in Fig. 8j.
It will be noted that all of the above-described generator modules may be simply connected together e.g. by screwing (as shown, each module having a screw-thread at each end), or indeed by other pipe-connecting techniques, being capable of disconnection and reconnection as required.
A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 9, which illustrates how in any of the aforementioned systems gas feeding may occur at any stage within the system. Where a pump 40 is used subsequent to the fluid input 38, gas feeding may occur before the pump as illustrated at 42, or after the pump as illustrated at 43. Gas feeding may also occur after the microbubble and/or nanobubble generator(s) 41 , as illustrated at 44, before the fluid outlet 39. Gas can be input in one of the marked locations 42, 43, 44, or multiple locations with no upper limit for how many locations at which gas is inputted.
A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 10. Here, the micro- nanobubble generator system is equipped with a mechanical rotator having opposed nozzles 61 and 62 driving a valve member, water flow through the rotator creating the clockwise rotating of the valve member. The valve member is located adjacent a surface formed with fluid inlet valve holes 63 and 64. Rotation of the valve member will open and close the fluid inlet valve holes 63 and 64, creating a pulsed micro- nanobubble fluid suitable for specific applications. A pulsed micro-nanobubble fluid can also be produced using a solenoid valve to open and close the fluid supply. This is illustrated in Fig. 11. If the micro-nanobubble generator system 73, 74, and 75 is designed to generate microbubbles, and 76, 77, 78 for nanobubbles, then time separated microbubbles and nanobubbles can be generated. Fig. 12 shows a graph of micro/nanobubble number versus time, wherein a number of nanobubbles are generated in a first time zone Z1 , and a number of microbubbles are generated in a second time zone Z2.
A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 13. The fluid in the nanobubble generating system is arranged to flow upwards from the fluid input 81 , through the cylindrical swirl flow module 83, static mixer module 84, and Venturi plus Coanda valve module 85. The fluid with micro-nanobubbles then enters the cavitation chamber module 86, followed by a horizontal nanobubble generator system with a spherical swirl flow module 87 and Venturi type nanobubble generator module 88. Gas feeding occurs as illustrated as 89.
Fig. 14 illustrates a system for such configuration. Any of the abovementioned components modules may be connected in series in an upwards direction. In this case, the components are encased within a larger holding tank / reservoir, so that any microbubbles will have a longer induction time to evolve into nanobubbles. A further horizontal nanobubble generator system with the extra swirl and Venturi plus Coanda valve modules will increase the nanobubble density further. Fig. 15 shows the typical nanobubble density and size distribution of such a system. The nanobubble size is very uniform within the range of 50-300 nm, and the density is calculated using Nanosight NS500 system as 2.5x108 /ml.
A further embodiment of the invention is where the micro-nanobubble generator system is partially or completely submerged inside the fluid. The power of the system can be electric, compressed air, tap water, gravity, wind power, hydraulic or any other energy source. In a preferred embodiment, it is designed to be powered by compressed air, which turns a rotor blade, in turn turning a propeller blade that is separated from the gas compartment to pump water into the apparatus. The compressed air can escape via a passage to a hydrophobic membrane where it is then introduced into the liquid in the form of micro/nano bubbles. In this case sufficient pressure is made for creation of nanobubbles by compressed air, although the invention in general can be powered by any sufficient pressure source, be it from gravity, or specific pump, or even household water pressure.
It should be noted that:
- The gas input may optionally be connected before the pump or after the pump. Advantageously, the gas may be introduced both before and after the pump. The gas input may comprise single or multiple holes of micrometre-order or nanometre-order size. An extra gas input may be provided near the fluid output to increase the total gas input.
- The gas input with the micrometre-order or nanometre-order holes may optionally comprise at least one hydrophobic material or hydrophobic coating. One example of a suitable hydrophobic material is a fluoro-silicone membrane.
- The gas input may optionally be placed near the surface of fluid, with a strong Coanda effect, so that the fine bubbles do not have time to grow before being swept away.
- The microbubbles and nanobubbles can be generated simultaneously through a parallel arrangement of a microbubble generation system and a nanobubble generation system. Microbubbles and nanobubbles can exit from two different exits at the same time. A timer valve can also be employed to generate microbubbles and nanobubbles in a timed sequence. Microbubbles and nanobubbles may be present in the fluid in different time zones.
- The fine bubbles can be generated in a pulsating fashion using a mechanical or electronic fluid pulsating controller to manipulate the input fluid or fluid output of the fine bubble generator system.
- Conveniently, separate generator modules may be fitted together, e.g. by simple screwing, in a repeatable and reversible manner.
- The liquid supplied to form bubbles may be water, IPA, fuel, or other liquid.
- The gas supplied to form bubbles may be ozone, oxygen, hydrogen, air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, or other gas.
- The pressure source for the liquid may be pump, river, gravity, or other.
- The operational pressure: has a minimum of about 0.08 M Pa, with a preferred range of about 0.2 M Pa to about 0.5 M Pa.
This aspect of the present invention thereby provides an additive manufacturing method wherein each component / module can be added into the micro- and nanobubble generation system in parallel or series or a combination thereof to manipulate the total bubble density, bubble size distribution, and total flux of the liquid containing the fine bubbles.
Generating fine bubble water through a low pressure water inlet
In a particular embodiment, such a generation technique may be used to generate fine bubble waters where only a low pressure water inlet is available.
Currently, fine bubble generating systems require an extra water pump for effective system operation. In accordance with the present invention, a particular hybrid approach is provided integrating cavitation, Venturi effect, swirl method, and a mixer method which enhances the fine bubble generating efficiency, and which allows high concentration fine bubbles to be generated with a much lower inlet water pressure than previously possible. An example of such a design, schematically shown in Figs. 16a-c, with Fig. 16a schematically showing a sectional view of the device, Fig. 16b schematically showing the cavitation chamber from a top view and Fig. 16c schematically showing a sectional view of the cavitation chamber, has consecutive Venturi, swirl flow, static mixer and cavitation chambers built within the water flow system, and for convenience the bubble water flow direction is marked with arrows, e.g. 167. The gas and liquid are mixed in a Venturi tube 160, which includes a gas inlet 164, then the mixed gas-liquid flows through a swirl mixing head 161 and static mixer 162 to create the fine bubbles. The subsequent cavitation overflow chamber 163, which includes overflow holes 165 on the top fringe 166, allows the fine bubbles to convert into "ultra-fine" bubbles, which are then released from the overflow holes. The ultra-fine bubbles are then released through restrictor holes 168 in the bottom of the outer chamber 169. The inlet tap water pressure can be as low as 0.08Mpa, there is no need for additional gas to be introduced, and an ambient air inlet is sufficient. The counts of fine bubbles can be up to 100,000,000 per cubic centimetre.
Specific Applications
In accordance with the present invention, various applications for such bubbles are envisaged, and some of these are set out in detail. These applications include:
Method / process for improving boat lubrication;
- Method of using fine bubbles for descaling; Method of using fine bubbles for cleaning of semiconductors;
Method / process for hygienic hand washing/drying;
Method / process for reducing algae;
Method / apparatus for targeting fine bubbles; and
- Method / process for creating fine bubble water.
Washing applications
Fine bubble-rich water has application for washing or cleaning a variety of objects, including body skin, descaling / cleaning pipes and cleaning semiconductor wafers.
A method of washing using fine bubbles
The current general method of bathing is to apply soap/detergent to the body surface and scrub in order to kill microbes, cleanse pores and exfoliate dead skin. However, such chemicals as used here are relatively expensive and may cause skin irritation in certain instances.
A way of overcoming this problem is by applying fine bubbles to the skin surface. Due to the sonoluminescence properties of fine bubbles and the subsequent production of oxidizing radicals endemic to this natural process, washing may take place without the necessary use of chemicals and a minimum of mechanical scrubbing.
Handwasher / dryer
This aspect relates to a tap and/or hand washer and/or combined hand washer-dryer using fine bubbles.
Currently, Dyson are leaders in air dryers for hands, and sanitisation equipment. They have recently launched the Airblade Tap, a combined water tap and hand dryer. Other combined devices are also well-known. In accordance with the invention, it is proposed to use fine bubble water to improve hand washing. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fine bubble water source can be combined with a dryer, e.g. in, or as part of a nanobubble hand sanitizer connected to, for example, a Dyson Airblade-type device. A fine bubble DC motor could be integrated into the connection to the mains water supply, and the fine bubble water could then be used to disinfect your hands before drying them with 'bacteria free' hand dryer, or other similar product. An embodiment is schematically shown in Figs. 17a-d, with Fig. 17a schematically showing a sectional view, Fig. 17b schematically showing a sectional view through the fluid outlet bar, Fig. 17c schematically showing a side view and Fig. 17d showing a perspective view. As shown best in Fig. 17d, the washer-dryer 90 is formed as a wash tap being generally "T"-shaped, with an upright stem 91 and a horizontally extending fluid outlet bar 92, horizontally spaced from the stem 91 by an arm 93. The stem 91 contains a DC motor 94, powered by a power supply 95. The DC motor 94 is controlled by a timer and micro-switch control device with a magnetic or other type of engaging device (this is a known device per se), and is operable to rotatably drive both an air transporting device impeller 96 and a water dynamic mixing pump head 97 located in respective chambers at the top of the stem, which together form an air-water mixing pump head, the chambers receiving air and water through a conduit 98 running through the stem. This arrangement provides for efficient gas - water mixing. The bar 92 houses the fine bubble generating device - a solid tube with the swirl head, static mixer, Venturi built in. In more detail, it houses a pressurised air chamber 99 and a fine bubble device chamber 102, with restricted area thin water and air outlet blades 103 located at the base of the bar 92. Fig. 17b illustrates that the outlets are restricted to form thin blades to allow the fine bubble water out. The air chamber 99 is also a solid tubing with a restricted blade edge as the air outlet. A motion sensor 101 is provided on the bar 92 to detect hand movement toward or away from the device and send an activation / deactivation signal to the motor.
The fine bubbles thus produced may then be released through the blades
The timer is operable to switch operation from the water supply to an air supply after a predetermined washing time, by firstly engaging the (water) pump head, and then switching the pump head to an air blade for generating high flow and high pressure air through the blades. This air is used to dry the user's hands.
Optionally, at least one ultraviolet LED 100 may be installed inside the fine bubble generating device to sterilise the dispensed water, and titanium oxide can be added upstream via a dispenser to provide an extra sterilizing effect on the air and water. This arrangement would also allow users to see the dirt more easily. Fine bubbles present in the water act to scatter incident light, thus improving illumination. The fine bubble water also has a bleaching effect which helps clean the water to prevent build up of plaque or limescale. This also reduces costs of cleaning the water supply pipes.
The fine bubbles can be generated in a pulsed mode through a solenoid valve, pressure sensor and pressure valve set up, simple timer on off valve, or mechanical oscillating device (described further below with reference to the shower head application). Extra cleaning power can be achieved by the pulsed mode fine bubbles through pulse- induced high and low pressure impacts on the treated surface. This action maximises the removal rate of the contaminated surface by pressurised attack of the surface, then the sudden drop of the pressure acts like a vacuum suction to remove the contaminants. This is similar to the impact of tidal waves on the shore of a coastline.
For extra cleaning efficiency, the fine bubbles may comprise of more than 50% microbubbles (i.e. of diameters from 1 to 50 micrometres) with a smaller percentage of nano-bubbles. It can be seen that no other water outlet is required. Water can be released with a continuous or pulsed mode. The fine bubbles have a sterilization effect, and also when they collapse, a supersonic wave is created which enhances the cleaning.
A showerhead fine bubble generator for high density fine bubbles
As has already been seen, current problems with existing systems for generating fine bubbles include:
i) The concentration of the micro- and nano-bubble count are usually low with a single cycle bubble generating system;
ii) Any single method of micro- and nano-bubble generation produces also very low volume of liquid flow with low bubble count; and
iii) An inability to generate high concentration micro- nano bubbles with low pressure water inlet.
As examples, US20070108640A1 integrated microbubble generating and hair washing apparatus, and US20080189847A1 generator for micro-nano-bubble bathtub water have very complicated systems. They provide very little improvement in the concentration of micro- and nanobubbles, and the size distribution is still very broad.
Figs. 18 and 19 respectively show schematic cross-sectional and end-on views of a showerhead according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As can be seen from these figures, the showerhead comprises two fine bubble generators positioned in series, being a swirl-type 1 10 and Venturi-type 1 1 1 in the direction of water flow. An air inlet is provided at the Venturi-type generator, and additional air inlets may be provided upstream also. Downstream of the Venturi- generator, at the "rose" 1 12 of the showerhead, elements 1 13 are provided projecting into the water flow from the internal side of the rose. These projecting elements act to break down any vortices created by the generation process and mix the flow. Fig. 19 shows a possible water outlet configuration of the rose 1 12, with a plurality of individual outlets 1 14. The triangles are shown to demonstrate that there is a net zero vortex flow output from the shower, with each triangle providing a zero net vortex flow output. This type of showerhead is quite simple, and can simply be fitted in place of a conventional showerhead as required.
A more complex showerhead, capable of providing a pulsed water flow, is shown in Fig. 20. More particularly, Fig. 20a schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the showerhead in a substantially horizontal plane in normal use, while Figs. 20b and 20c respectively schematically show cross-sectional views of the showerhead in the orthogonal plane, offset by a 90 degree rotation.
Here, the path for the water stream is bifurcated, so that a single water inlet leads along a channel to two outlets. A first fine bubble generator 1 15, of the Venturi-type, is provided in the non-bifurcated portion of the water channel 1 16, which is arranged orthogonally to the plane of the shower head rose 1 17 and within an outer casing 1 18. The Venturi-type generator is provided with an air inlet hole 119. At the lower end of this portion, the channel bifurcates into two radially-opposing pipes 120 arranged horizontally to the plane of the shower head rose 1 17. A coanda valve 121 is provided in the channel 1 16 at the point of bifurcation. At the distal end of each pipe 120 is a right-angled bend, with a series swirl-type 122 + Venturi-type 123 fine bubble generator 124 located therein, forming a hybrid modular generation system. Water exiting from this generator therefore travels - at least initially - tangentially to the circumference of the rose. The bends are directioned such that the water exits from each pipe in the same rotational direction. The channel carries a spindle 127, which rotatably carries a pulsing switch plate 126 substantially parallel to the plane of the shower head rose. The tangential action of the water exiting from the pipes acts to rotate the pulsing switch plate. Both the switch plate and the rose are provided with a plurality of holes 125 at approximately the same radius. As the switch plate rotates, the respective holes periodically move into and out of alignment. Water is only able to exit the showerhead when the holes are aligned at a predetermined angle of rotation. Therefore, the water flow is periodically pulsed. This arrangement is operable to deliver water containing fine bubbles of diameters of around a few tens of nm to a few tens of pm, at a concentration of around 109 /ml in a pulsated flow.
An alternative embodiment (not shown), could employ a solenoidal valve to pulsate the flow of fine bubble water. A yet further embodiment (not shown) could use an electronically programmed accumulator to pulsate the flow of fine bubble water.
Washing of semiconductor wafers
A similar pulsed method of fine bubble delivery may be used for cleaning
semiconductors. The device is similar to the hand-washer and dryer of Fig. 17, except that an array of such individual devices may be used for the wafer cleaning, including opposingly arranged devices to wash both sides of a wafer loaded therebetween, and with the fine bubble fluid being ejected at a more horizontal angle than the handwasher. A pulsed fine bubble multiple blade arrangement (not shown) is an optimal device for semiconductor wafer cleaning. In order to have high ultrasonic wave generated from the fine bubbles, higher concentration of microbubbles are required in the fine bubbles liquid. Fine bubbles are controlled to consist of higher concentration of microbubbles and lower concentration of nanobubbles.
Targeted micro-nanobubble application
This aspect relates to a method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, and a targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume. Such targeting techniques may be used for various applications, including drug delivery, surface cleaning etc.
Uses of fine bubbles
The current general method of treatments for killing bacteria, or to target infected areas, is to treat the healthy and diseased areas indiscriminately. A way of overcoming this problem is by delivering the drug, radiation, disinfectant, or other medicines to a specifically targeted site. MRSA or ECOLI for example in a specific area can be effectively treated by delivering fine bubbles to the affected area. This is through the superoxidation radicals generated by the explosion of fine bubbles, or by delivering a drug surrounded by the fine bubbles. This possibility is considered in more detail below. Additionally, fine bubbles may have a long-term effect on the environment, impacting on water treatment, cleaning, semiconductor industries etc.
Contaminant formation, especially in areas with very hard water, may cause clogging of pipes and other water-contacting surfaces. Fine bubble-rich water can be flushed through the pipe, and the eventual nanobubble collapse can generate a supersonic wave, breaking up the surface contaminant.
However, while fine bubbles show much potential throughout industry and medicine, there remains a problem in that it is difficult to direct fine bubbles to the required area with any degree of control.
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome this problem. This aim is achieved by recognising that the surface of a fine bubble is generally electrostatically charged, and directing the fine bubble using this charge.
By way of explanation, the fine bubbles' charges are usually negative, with the charge density reaching more than 100,000 ions for the fine bubble of the size range from 100- 500 nm generated with the above-described systems. The present inventive method makes use of Coulomb's law and a positive-biased electrode can be used to guide the fine bubbles to the target area. In the case of drug delivery mentioned above, the drugs or medicines may be surrounded and confined by the fine bubbles due to the electrostatic charge, and the confined drug, with its surrounding fine bubbles, may be directed to the target area using a positive electrode in the same way as for individual fine bubbles.
An embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 21. Here, a container at least partially retaining a liquid volume, in this case a pipe 131 (e.g. a metal pipe), used for guiding a water flow, is to be treated with nanobubble-containing water, for example to remove contaminant deposits from a target destination, i.e. the pipe's internal wall surface 132. A nanobubble delivery device 133 is provided upstream in the water flow. The delivery device 133 comprises a channel, in this case a metal tube or needle, which is fluidly connected to an output of a separate nanobubble generator 134, by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing. A direct current (dc) electrical power supply 135, for example a battery, cell or other dc device, is electrically connected to the pipe 131 (preferably to the pipe internal surface 132) and to delivery device 133 to maintain a potential difference therebetween, with the pipe 131 being held at a positive electrical potential, and the delivery device 133 at a negative electrical potential. In use, nanobubbles are generated by generator 134 and transported via the delivery device 133 to the pipe's water. The negative electrostatic charge of the delivery device aids expulsion of the similarly negatively-charged nanobubbles from the device. The expelled nanobubbles are electrostatically attracted towards the pipe wall surface 132, and may thus treat the surface. In the case of a water pipe, contact plaque / deposit formation, especially in the area with very hard water causes the pipes to clog. With the nanobubble water flushed through the pipe with the pipe surface positively biased, the nanobubble can collapse, thus generating a supersonic wave to enable the breaking up of the surface plaque / deposits.
Alternatively, magnets may also be used as the method of manipulating the fine bubbles.
Although a pipe is shown in Fig. 21 , any container could be treated in this way, for example an industrial metal container, with the container being positively biased. While in Fig. 21 the container to be treated itself acts as a positive electrode, there may instead be a dedicated targeting device used to direct fine bubbles as required. Fig. 22 schematically shows such a targeting device for directing nanobubbles within a liquid volume according to an embodiment of the invention. The device comprises a dc power supply 139 which is electrically connected, for example by flexible insulated wires, to relatively movable electrode probes 140 and 141. More particularly, supply 139 provides a positive bias to an electrode 136 of positive electrode probe 140, and a negative bias to electrode 138, which forms a nanobubble delivery fluid channel, of negative electrode probe 141. Positive electrode 136 is partially covered with an insulating sheath 137, so that only a distal end of the electrode 136 is exposed to surrounded liquid in use. This provides more accurate direction of nanobubbles, since only the exposed end of electrode 136 will act as a target destination. Negative electrode probe 141 is fluidly connected to the output of a nanobubble generator 134 by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing. Negative electrode 138 is formed as a needle or tube through which nanobubble-containing liquid may flow for delivery to the liquid volume. With this embodiment, there is great flexibility as to the positioning of the probes. If required, locking means (not shown) may be provided to retain the probes in desired locations within the liquid volume, or in a fixed positional relationship. In use, the power supply 139 could conveniently be located outside the liquid volume, and the probes submerged within it.
Fig. 23 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment. This device has similarities to that of Fig. 22, but here the positive electrode probe 142 and negative electrode probe 143 are formed together as a single probe unit, so that they are permanently fixed in their relative positions, with the positive electrode 136 held externally to the delivery channel negative electrode 138. The probe unit is again relatively movable to the power supply 139, for example by being connected thereto with flexible insulated wires. This embodiment enables a simplified structure compared to the previous, with only a single probe unit that may be located where required within the liquid volume. Here again, locking means (not shown) may be provided to retain the probe unit in the desired location within the liquid volume. Fig. 24 schematically shows a targeting device in accordance with a further embodiment. This device is similar to that of Fig. 23, however here, the positive electrode 146 extends through the interior of delivery channel negative electrode 145. The distal end of electrode 146 extends past the negative electrode 145, and is not covered by insulating sheath 147, which encloses the remainder of the electrode 146 within the negative electrode 145. In this embodiment, the power supply 144 is housed within probe unit 148, which is also fluidly connected by rigid or flexible pipework or tubing to the output of a nanobubble generator 134. This embodiment provides a compact and highly focussed targeting device.
Other possibilities and alternatives within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the dc power supply could be located in a single unit with either the positive or negative electrode probes, or within a combined probe unit, or located separately.
Drug delivery / direct treatment
As mentioned above, a positive potential probe can be inserted to the targeted site to guide the fine bubbles to treat that specific area. This is through the superoxidation radicals generated by the explosion of fine bubbles, or by the designed drug surrounded by the fine bubbles through their surface charge. The drug or medicines can be surrounded by the fine bubbles and directed the same way as fine bubbles.
The positive biased electrode can be used to guide the fine bubbles and drugs confined by the fine bubbles to the targeted area.
In this way, MRSA or ECOLI for example in the specific area can be effectively treated by inserting the positive electrode in the targeted site.
As set out above (e.g. Figs. 22 to 24), the treatment tool may be designed as two electrodes, one with positive bias and one with negative bias, the positive biased electrode being a solid electrode, but the negative charge biased electrode being a needle or small tubing in which the fine bubbles are transported through. Using this device, with the positive biased electrode attaching to the treated area, the fine bubbles or drugs carried by the fine bubbles can be guided to the targeted area. The drug delivery and / or controlled collapse of bubbles can be achieved by using ultrasonic waves, thermal collapse induced by IR lasers, charge neutralization method using electrolyte or current injection into the fine bubble liquid etc. The fine bubbles with negative charge on their surfaces attach themselves to the organic compound or living organs, and can be guided towards the targeted treatment site using the electrode with positive charge or simple fine tubes. The controlled collapse of the fine bubbles can have significant damage on the targeted areas: if the fine bubbles do not have surface attached compounds, the simple gas carried inside the bubble such as ozone, 02, H2, or other reactive gases can be used to create large amount OH radicals for sterilization, the extreme high heat generated from the collapse of the fine bubbles also can damage or kill the pathogens or cancer cells in the treated area; in the case of the fine bubbles with a specific compound attached to their surface, then the collapse of the fine bubbles will also release the compounds to the targeted area for treatment.
Method / apparatus for improving boat lubrication
It is now recognised that a stream of fine bubble-enriched water could be used to improve the performance of boats, by creating a relatively low friction interface between the boat and the water it sits on for energy efficient movement, reducing drag in the water.
Fig. 25 schematically shows an embodiment of such a system. A fine bubble generating device 151 is situated at the hull of the boat 150, so that it may inject fine bubbles into the water at the front of the boat. The generating device could for example comprise a hybrid modular device as described previously, or alternatively a motor- driven dynamic mixing fine bubble generating system as is known generally in the art. The device could be built into the hull, or else attached separately. The fine bubbles generated flow under the boat during its travel.
The fine bubbles also function as a self-cleaning mechanism for the boat, to prevent extra scale build-up on the hull.
The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed above, and other possibilities will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims
1. A fine bubble generator system comprising:
a fluid input;
a fluid output;
at least one gas input; and
a plurality of fine bubble generators; wherein
the plurality of fine bubble generators are disposed between the fluid input and the fluid output.
2. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 1 where the plurality of fine bubble generators comprise at least three of the following fine bubble generators: swirl type, static mixer type, pressurised dissolution type, cavitation type, and Venturi type.
3. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in series.
4. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in parallel.
5. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in series and at least two of the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in parallel.
6. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a Venturi-type fine bubble generator.
7. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a swirl-type fine bubble generator.
8. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a cavitation-type fine bubble generator.
9. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a pressurised dissolution fine bubble generator.
10. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a static mixer-type fine bubble generator.
1 1 . A fine bubble generator system according to claim 10, wherein the static mixer type fine bubble generator comprises one of: a spherical swirl mixer, a cylindrical swirl mixer, and a static mixer.
12. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein a pump is connected between the fluid input and the plurality of fine bubble generators.
13. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 12, wherein a gas input is placed before the pump.
14. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a gas input is placed after the pump.
15. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one gas input comprises micro-pores or nano-pores.
16. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid input flows upwards, downwards, in a horizontal manner, or a combination of all three.
17. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein an extra gas input is placed near the fluid output for enhanced gas injection volume.
18. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid output is controlled to flow in a pulsated fashion by mechanical or electronic means.
19. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid output is controlled in a fashion that microbubbles and nanobubbles are generated in different time zones.
20. A fine bubble generator system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fine bubble generator system is immersed in a fluid.
21 . A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid comprising the steps of:
providing a fluid input;
providing at least one gas input;
providing a fluid output;
providing a plurality of fine bubble generators between the fluid input and the fluid output; and
passing fluid through the plurality of fine bubble generators.
22. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 21 where the plurality of fine bubble generators comprise at least three of the following fine bubble generators: swirl type, static mixer type, pressurised dissolution type, cavitation type, and Venturi type.
23. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 21 , wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in series.
24. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 21 , wherein the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in parallel.
25. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 21 , wherein at least two of the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in series and at least two of the plurality of fine bubble generators are connected in parallel.
26. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a Venturi-type fine bubble generator.
27. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
26, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a swirl-type fine bubble generator.
28. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
27, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a cavitation-type fine bubble generator.
29. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a pressurised dissolution fine bubble generator.
30. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 29, wherein at least one of the plurality of fine bubble generators is a static mixer-type fine bubble generator.
31 . A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 30, wherein the static mixer type fine bubble generator comprises one of: a spherical swirl mixer, a cylindrical swirl mixer, and a static mixer.
32. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 31 , wherein a pump is connected between the fluid input and the plurality of fine bubble generators.
33. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 32, wherein a gas input is placed before the pump.
34. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to claim 32 or 33, wherein a gas input is placed after the pump.
35. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 34, wherein at least one gas input comprises micro-pores or nano-pores.
36. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
35, wherein the fluid input flows upwards, downwards, in a horizontal manner, or a combination of all three.
37. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
36, wherein an extra gas input is placed near the fluid output for enhanced gas injection volume.
38. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to 37, wherein the fluid output is controlled to flow in a pulsated fashion by mechanical or electronic means.
39. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
38, wherein the fluid output is controlled in a fashion that microbubbles and nanobubbles are generated in different time zones.
40. A method of generating fine bubbles in a fluid according to any of claims 21 to
39, wherein the fine bubble generators are immersed in a fluid.
41 . A fine bubble generator system according to any of claims 1 to 20, comprising Venturi and cavitation-type fine bubble generators connected in series.
42. A fine bubble generator system according to claim 41 , wherein the Venturi and cavitation-type generators comprise water overflow holes.
43. A fine bubble generator system according to either of claims 41 and 42, comprising consecutive Venturi, swirl flow, static mixer and cavitation-type generators.
44. A fine bubble generator system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3a to 14 or 16.
45. A washing device comprising:
a wash tap for dispensing water, and
a fine bubble generator for generating fine bubbles within a water stream, the water stream feeding in use to the wash tap.
46. A washing device according to claim 45, wherein the fine bubble generator is located within the wash tap.
47. A washing device according to either of claims 45 and 46, comprising an ultraviolet LED for sterilising the dispensed water.
48. A washing device according to any of claims 45 to 47, further comprising a titanium oxide dispenser, for releasing titanium oxide into the water stream.
49. A washing device according to any of claims 45 to 48, for washing hands.
50. A washing device according to any of claims 45 to 48, for washing semiconductors.
51 . A shower head comprising a fine bubble generator.
52. A shower head according to claim 51 , wherein the fine bubble generator comprises a swirl-type generator.
53. A shower head according to either of claims 51 and 52, comprising an additional fine bubble generator located in series with the first generator.
54. A shower head according to claim 53, wherein the additional fine bubble generator comprises a Venturi-type generator.
55. A shower head according to any of claims 51 to 54, comprising means for breaking vortices in water flow exiting from the generator.
56. A shower head according to claim 55, wherein the vortex breaking means comprises a projection on a surface of the shower head.
57. A shower head according to any of claims 51 to 54, comprising means for pulsing the water exiting the shower head.
58. A shower head according to claim 57, wherein the pulsing means comprises a plate rotatably mounted within the shower head.
59. A shower head according to claim 58, wherein the plate comprises a hole, arranged to align with a hole provided in the shower head at a predetermined angle of rotation.
60. A shower head according to either of claims 58 and 59, comprising a bifurcated water channel, arranged such that water exiting the channel in use impels the plate to rotate.
61 . A shower head according to claim 60, comprises a fine bubble generator proximate each exit of the bifurcated channel.
62. A shower head according to claim 57, wherein the pulsing means comprises a solenoidal valve.
63. A shower head according to claim 57, wherein the pulsing means comprises an electronically programmed accumulator.
64. A method of cleaning semiconductors, comprising using a pulsed fine bubble multiple blade arrangement for dispensing fine bubble water in a pulsed manner.
65. A method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, comprising the step of applying a positive electrical potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble electrostatically towards the target destination.
66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the target destination comprises a wall of a container, the container at least partially retaining the liquid volume.
67. A method according to claim 66, wherein the container comprises a pipe.
68. A method according to claim 65, comprising the initial step of providing a targeting device, the targeting device comprising a positive electrode probe which acts as the target destination in use.
69. A method according to claim 68, wherein the targeting device comprises:
means for applying a positive electrostatic charge to an electrode of the positive electrode probe; and
delivery means for delivering a fine bubble to the liquid volume.
70. A targeting device for directing a fine bubble within a liquid volume, comprising: a positive electrode probe having a positive electrode;
means for applying a positive electrostatic charge to the positive electrode; and delivery means for delivering a fine bubble to the liquid volume.
71 . A targeting device according to claim 70, further comprising a negative electrode and means for applying a negative electrostatic charge to the negative electrode.
72. A targeting device according to claim 71 , wherein the delivery means comprises the negative electrode.
73. A targeting device according to any of claims 70 to 72, wherein the delivery means comprises a fluid channel, fluidly connected in use to an output of a fine bubble generator.
74. A targeting device according to any of claims 70 to 73, wherein the delivery means and positive electrode probe are relatively movable.
75. A targeting device according to claim 74, comprising locking means for selectively restraining the delivery means and positive electrode probe in a fixed positional relationship.
76. A targeting device according to any of claims 70 to 72, wherein the delivery means and positive electrode probe are permanently fixed in their relative positions.
77. A targeting device according to claim 76, wherein the positive electrode extends through the interior of the delivery means.
78. A targeting device according to claim 76, wherein the positive electrode is held externally to the delivery means.
79. A targeting device according to any of claims 70 to 68, wherein the positive electrode probe comprises an insulating sheath which partially covers the probe.
80. A targeting device according to any of claims 70 to 79, for use in a human or animal body.
81 . A drug delivery device comprising the targeting device of claim 80 and means for introducing a drug into the liquid volume.
82. A method of directing a fine bubble to a target destination within a liquid volume, comprising the step of applying a magnetic potential to the target destination, to attract the fine bubble towards the target destination.
83. A method for improving the efficiency of a boat, comprising the steps of providing a fine bubble generating device, and locating the device at a hull of a boat so that fine bubbles generated by the device are injected into water proximate the boat.
84. A boat comprising a fine bubble generating device located so as to inject fine bubbles into water proximate the boat in use.
85. A washing device substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 17a-d.
86. A showerhead substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 18 and 19, or Figs. 20a-c.
87. A targeting device substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 21 - 24.
PCT/GB2014/051521 2013-05-16 2014-05-16 Creating and using controlled fine bubbles WO2014184585A2 (en)

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TW107129800A TWI705851B (en) 2013-06-24 2014-06-23 Cleaning device, shower head and method of cleaning semiconductor, designating device for guiding fine bubbles in fluid volume, method of guideing fine bubbles from fluid volume to object destination, method for improving efficiency of boat and boat including fine bubble generator
TW103121594A TWI642475B (en) 2013-06-24 2014-06-23 Fine bubbles generrator system and method generating fine bubbles in a fluid

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GB1308919.8 2013-05-16
GB201308919A GB201308919D0 (en) 2013-05-16 2013-05-16 Controlling the creation of nanobubbles and uses of nanobubbles
GB1311159.6 2013-06-24
GB201311159A GB201311159D0 (en) 2013-05-16 2013-06-24 Nanobubble hand washer & dryer
GBGB1316992.5A GB201316992D0 (en) 2013-09-24 2013-09-24 Micronanobubble shower device and system
GB1316992.5 2013-09-24
GB1319275.2A GB2514202A (en) 2013-05-16 2013-10-31 Micro-nanobubble generation systems
GB1319275.2 2013-10-31

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