Device and method for generating micro bubbles in a liquid using hydrodynamic cavitation
First Claim
1. A method of generating micro bubbles in a liquid comprising the steps of:
- providing a flow-through channel containing at least two local constrictions of flow therein, the at least two local constrictions include a first and second local constrictions of flow;
passing the liquid at a velocity of at least at least 12 m/sec through the first local constriction of flow to create a first hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the first local constriction of flow;
introducing a gas into the liquid in the first local constriction of flow, thereby creating gas-filled cavitation bubbles;
collapsing the gas-filled cavitation bubbles formed in the first hydrodynamic cavitation field to dissolve the gas into the liquid, thereby forming a gas-saturated liquid;
passing the gas-saturated liquid through the second local constriction of flow to create a second hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the second local constriction of flow; and
extracting the dissolved gas from the gas-saturated liquid, thereby generating micro bubbles in the liquid.
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Abstract
A device and method for generating micro bubbles in a liquid. The method comprises the steps of: providing a flow-through channel containing at least two local constrictions of flow therein; passing the liquid at a velocity of at least at least 12 m/sec through a first local constriction of flow to create a first hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the first local constriction of flow; introducing a gas into the liquid in the first local constriction of flow, thereby creating gas-filled cavitation bubbles; collapsing the gas-filled cavitation bubbles formed in the first hydrodynamic cavitation field to dissolve the gas into the liquid, thereby forming a gas-saturated liquid; passing the gas-saturated liquid through a second local constriction of flow to create a second hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the second local constriction of flow; and extracting the dissolved gas from the gas-saturated liquid, thereby generating micro bubbles in the liquid.
72 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of generating micro bubbles in a liquid comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow-through channel containing at least two local constrictions of flow therein, the at least two local constrictions include a first and second local constrictions of flow;
passing the liquid at a velocity of at least at least 12 m/sec through the first local constriction of flow to create a first hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the first local constriction of flow;
introducing a gas into the liquid in the first local constriction of flow, thereby creating gas-filled cavitation bubbles;
collapsing the gas-filled cavitation bubbles formed in the first hydrodynamic cavitation field to dissolve the gas into the liquid, thereby forming a gas-saturated liquid;
passing the gas-saturated liquid through the second local constriction of flow to create a second hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the second local constriction of flow; and
extracting the dissolved gas from the gas-saturated liquid, thereby generating micro bubbles in the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of generating micro bubbles in a liquid, comprising the steps of:
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feeding the liquid into a flow-through channel at a first flow-rate, the flow-through channel including at least two cavitation generators, where a first cavitation generator is located upstream of a second cavitation generator;
introducing a gas into the first cavitation generator at a second flow rate;
flowing the liquid and the gas into the first cavitation generator at a velocity of at least 12 m/sec, thereby generating cavitation bubbles in the liquid in a first hydrodynamic cavitation field located downstream from the first cavitation generator;
at least partially squeezing the cavitation bubbles in an elevated static pressure zone, thereby dissolving the gas into the liquid; and
flowing the liquid containing the dissolved gas into the second cavitation generator at the minimum velocity, thereby extracting the dissolved gas from the liquid and generating micro bubbles in a second hydrodynamic cavitation field located downstream from the second cavitation generator;
wherein the micro bubbles are one or both of, smaller in size, and more uniform, than the cavitation bubbles. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of generating micro bubbles in a liquid comprising the steps of:
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feeding the liquid through a flow-through channel internally containing at least two local constrictions of flow, the at least two local constrictions of flow including a first local constriction of flow and a second local constriction of flow positioned downstream from the first local constriction of flow;
passing the liquid at a velocity of at least 12 m/sec through the first local constriction of flow to create a first hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the first local constriction of flow;
creating cavitation bubbles in the first hydrodynamic cavitation field;
introducing gas into the flow-through chamber in the upstream local constriction of flow;
upon reaching an elevated static pressure zone created by the second local constriction of flow, collapsing the cavitation bubbles created in the first hydrodynamic cavitation field to dissolve the gas into the liquid, thereby forming a gas-saturated liquid;
maintaining a ratio of the liquid volumetric flow rate to the gas volumetric flow rate at a minimum ratio of at least about 10 to, at least in part, control the collapse of the cavitation bubbles;
passing the gas-saturated liquid flow at a velocity of at least 16 m/sec through the second local constriction of flow to create a second hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the second local constriction of flow; and
upon reaching a vacuum zone created in the second hydrodynamic cavitation field, extracting the dissolved gas from the gas-saturated liquid to generate micro bubbles in the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification