Fine bubble generation device

• Main Authors: BRIAN CLARKSON, ROBERT LONGMAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.04.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; ELECTRICITY; METALLURGY; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

A device 1 for generating fine bubbles, comprising a substrate 3 having holes 5 there through, each hole comprising a gas inlet 7 and a gas outlet 9, wherein the width of the gas outlet 9 is greater than the width of the gas inlet 7. Preferably, the gas inlet width ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 of the gas outlet width with the gas inlet width ideally being 2 to 10µm and the gas outlet width being 5 to 100µm. Preferably the bubbles created by the device have a size between 50 to 100µm. There may be an active surface towards the gas outlet of the hole which may comprise a hydrophilic material. A hydrophobic material may be present on the surface towards the gas outlet and coating an inner surface of the holes. A method wherein the device is immersed in a liquid and gas is supplied to the device is also disclosed. The device may be used in a catholyte regeneration system for a redox fuel cell, for treating sewage, for aiding the growth of yeast, carbonating a beverage or for removing oil from oil bearing reserves.