Device and method for creating spherical particles of uniform size

• US 6,464,886 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universidad de Sevilla
• Original Assignee: Universidad de Sevilla
• Inventors: Ganan-Calvo, Alfonso
• Primary Examiner(s): Lovering, Richard D.
• Application Number:
  US09/799,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 261/18.1, 261/78.2, 264/12, 264/41, 239/8, 239/10, 239/369, 516/10, 516/6, 210/758, 210/620, 119/263
• US Class Current: 210/758
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/30 Injector mixers mixing by creating vortex flow B01F25/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3011 using a sheathing stream of a fluid surrounding a central stream of a different fluid, e.g. for reducing the cross-section of the central stream or to produce droplets from the central stream
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/02 designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, or having an outlet of particular shapeB05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0475 with means for deflecting the peripheral gas flow towards the central liquid flow B05B7/0458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/061 with several liquid outlets discharging one or several liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/065 an inner gas outlet being surrounded by an annular adjacent liquid outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/066 with an inner liquid outlet surrounded by at least one annular gas outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0884 the outlet orifices for jets constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid being aligned
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 67/10 Injectors peculiar thereto, e.g. valve less type
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/047 : injectors with air chambers, e.g. communicating with atmosphere for aerating the nozzles F02M69/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/08 : characterised by the fuel being carried by compressed air into main stream of combustion-air
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/106 : medium and fuel meeting at the burner outlet
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1409 : Handling samples, e.g. injecting samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1406 : Control of droplet point
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 : Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 : Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/888 : Shaping or removal of materials, e.g. etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/89 : Deposition of materials, e.g. coating, cvd, or ald
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/896 : Chemical synthesis, e.g. chemical bonding or breaking

Abstract

Spherical particles having a size on the order of 0.1 to 100 microns in size are created by systems and devices of several types. The device includes a source of a stream of gas which is forced through a liquid held under pressure in a pressure chamber with an exit opening therein. The stream of gas surrounded by the liquid in the pressure chamber flows out of an exit orifice of the chamber into a liquid thereby creating a monodispersion of bubbles with substantially uniform diameter. The bubbles are small in size and produced with a relatively small amount of energy relative to comparable systems. Small particles of liquid may also be produced. Applications of the technology range from oxygenating sewage with monodispersions of bubbles to inhalation therapy with monodisperse aerosol dispersions of pharmaceutically active drugs.

Claims

1. A method of forming bubbles in liquid sewage, comprising the steps of:

forcing a gas from a source opening into a first liquid; and

moving the first liquid, in a pressure chamber surrounding the source opening, out of an exit orifice in the pressure chamber wherein the gas is focused by the surrounding first liquid creating a stable cusp at an interface of the gas and the first liquid which cusp then creates a gas stream which flows out the exit orifice into a liquid sewage wherein the gas stream breaks up forming bubbles of the gas in the liquid sewage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bubbles have a size in a range of from about 0.1 micron to about 100 microns.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bubbles are characterized by having substantially the same diameter with a deviation in diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about ±

3% to about ±

30%.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bubbles are emitted at regularly spaced intervals from the exit orifice of the pressure chamber.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bubbles have a diameter in a range of from about 1 micron to about 20 microns and are comprised of a gas selected from the group consisting of air and oxygen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing molecules in the gas bubbles to diffuse into the liquid sewage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is air.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid is liquid sewage.

9. A method of providing oxygen to fish, comprising the steps of:

forcing a gas comprised of oxygen from a source opening into water;

moving the water, in a pressure chamber surrounding the source opening, out of an exit orifice in the pressure chamber wherein the gas is focused by the surrounding water creating a stable cusp at an interface of the gas and the water which cusp then creates a gas stream which flows out the exit orifice into water wherein the gas stream breaks up forming bubbles of the gas in the water;

allowing oxygen in the gas bubbles to diffuse into the water; and

bringing fish into contact with the water into which the oxygen has diffused.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bubbles have a size in a range of from about 0.1 micron to about 100 microns.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the bubbles are characterized by having substantially the same diameter with a deviation in diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about ±

3% to about ±

30%.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bubbles are emitted at regularly spaced intervals from the exit orifice of the pressure chamber.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the bubbles have a diameter in a range of from about 1 micron to about 20 microns and are comprised of a gas selected from the group consisting of air and oxygen.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the water contacting the fish is maintained at about 6 parts per million of oxygen or more.