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US8919747
Super-micro bubble generation device
Abstract : Provided is a super-micro bubble generation device
providing super-micro bubbles using a simple method and having a
higher degree of freedom of installation so as to be suitable for
a place where the device is to meet functional requirements. A
super-micro bubble generation device is provided with a compressor
for delivering gas under pressure, and also with a bubble
generation medium for discharging the gas, which has been
delivered under pressure, as super-micro bubbles into liquid. The
bubble generation medium consists of a high-density compound which
is an electrically conductive substance. The super-micro bubble
generation device is also provided with a liquid jetting device
for jetting liquid in the direction substantially perpendicular to
the direction in which the bubble generation medium discharges the
super-micro bubbles, said liquid being the same kind of liquid as
the liquid into which the super-micro bubbles are discharged.
Inventors: Satoshi Anzai, Susumu Nishi
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an art of a super-micro bubble
generation device which can generate super-micro bubbles in
liquid.
BACKGROUND ART
In recent years, the art of utilizing super-micro bubbles of
several hundred nm to several dozen µm in size (diameter) has been
attracting attention. The super-micro bubbles are used in liquid
such as tap water, the water of lakes and marshes or rivers, or
marine water or the like. The said super-micro bubbles have the
property that the surface areas thereof are very large. The said
super-micro bubbles also have physiochemical property such as
self-pressure effect. Technology of utilizing the characteristics
of such micro bubbles in effluent purification, purification,
physical care in the bathtub, and the like has been developing.
One method for generating the super-micro bubbles having the said
properties has become public knowledge. That method has steps of,
spinning around motor in liquid; raising the flow rate by pump
pressure; inhaling the air; and stirring. As such, bubbles are
generated. The generated bubbles are then torn into super-micro
bubbles by a rotating wing or a cutting tool. Moreover, another
method for generating the super-micro bubbles has also become
public knowledge. In that method, a liquid jetting nozzle is
disposed around an air jetting nozzle, and bubbles jetted from the
air jetting nozzle are torn into super-micro bubbles by the force
of jet flow of the liquid jetting nozzle. Furthermore, another
method for generating the super-micro bubbles has also become
public knowledge. In that method, bubbles are generated by
stirring, and the generated bubbles go through the eyes of a mesh
membrane so as to fine down to super-micro bubbles (for example,
see Patent Literature 1).
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
By using the conventional method of spinning around motor in
liquid; raising the flow rate by pump pressure; inhaling the air;
stirring; and tearing into super-micro bubbles by the rotating
wing or the cutting tool, it is able to generate large amount of
super-micro bubbles. However, fast rotation of the rotating wing
or the cutting tool will cause corrosion due to cavitation or
abrasion of devices. These will lead to significant damage, and
thus, durability will become a problem. When the process liquid,
discharged water, or the lakes and marshes or rivers, or marine
water or the like with very poor quality is used, deterioration
will proceed because the liquid directly contact to the device.
Meanwhile, when the method of which the generated bubbles go
through the eyes of the mesh membrane so as to fine down to
super-micro bubbles is applied, the mesh membrane will become
depleted in the long run since the mesh membrane is made of
organic substance. Moreover, when the mesh membrane is provided at
right angle with liquid surface, the generated super-micro bubbles
will overlap with other super-micro bubbles and will coalesce in a
mass bubble. To avoid this, the mesh membrane should be provided
parallel to the liquid surface, that is, installation method is
limited.
Moreover, when the method of which the liquid jetting nozzle is
disposed around the air jetting nozzle and bubbles jetted from the
air jetting nozzle are torn into super-micro bubbles by the force
of jet flow of the liquid jetting nozzle is applied, it is
difficult to stabilize the particle size because there is
limitation in pore size of the nozzle.
Therefore, considering the above-mentioned problems, the object of
the present invention is to provide a super-micro bubble
generation device which can generate super-micro bubbles using a
simple method and can be installed by a method which provides a
higher degree of freedom of installation to enable the device to
be designed so as to be suitable for a place where the device is
to be installed and to meet functional requirements.
Means for Solving the Problems
The above-mentioned problems are solved by the following means.
Briefly stated, a super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention comprises: a compressor for delivering gas under
pressure, and a bubble generation medium for discharging the gas,
which has been delivered under pressure, as super-micro bubbles
into liquid, wherein the said bubble generation medium consists of
a high-density compound which is an electrically conductive
substance. The said super-micro bubble generation device further
comprises a liquid jetting device for jetting liquid in the
direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which
the bubble generation medium discharges the super-micro bubbles,
said liquid being the same kind of liquid as the liquid into which
the super-micro bubbles are discharged.
With regard to the super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention, the said bubble generation medium is formed
into a conical shape. The gas from the said compressor passes
through the said bubble generation medium from a bottom face of
the cone toward a vertex, wherein the said liquid being the same
kind of liquid as the liquid into which the super-micro bubbles
are discharged is jetted toward the vertex of the cone of the said
bubble generation medium by the said liquid jetting device.
With regard to the super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention, an outer periphery of the said bubble
generation medium is covered with a covering material, wherein the
said covering material has the property of lowering the contact
angle at which the liquid meets the surface of the said covering
material.
Effect of the Invention
The present invention constructed as the above brings the
following effects.
According to the super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention, the bubble generation medium consisting of the
high-density compound would not deteriorate due to expansion and
contraction since the high-density compound is a solid substance
which does not have flexibility. Also, the high-density compound
would not become eroded due to temporal change since it is made of
inorganic material. Thus, the super-micro bubble generation device
is prevented from damage and degradation. Also, because the
generated super-micro bubbles separates from the bubble generation
medium as soon as they are generated, they would not coalesce in a
mass bubble. Thus, the super-micro bubbles can be generated by
using a simple method. Also, the super-micro bubble generation
device can be installed by a method which provides a higher degree
of freedom of installation to enable the device to be designed so
as to be suitable for a place where the device is to be installed
and to meet functional requirements. Moreover, since the said
high-density compound is an electrically conductive substance,
negatively charged ions tend to range on the surface of the
high-density compound. The bubbles generated from the said bubble
generation medium become negatively charged by receiving the
negatively charged ions from the surface of the high-density
compound. The bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble since
each bubble act repulsively due to this negative electric charge.
According to the super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention, the liquid is jetted toward the vertex of the
cone. Then, the liquid will flow along the curved surface of the
cone. In this way, it is able to make the size of the injection
hole smaller, and thus, lower pressure is needed for jetting the
liquid. The generated super-micro bubbles separate from the bubble
generation medium as soon as they are generated, and thus, the
super-micro bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble. As just
described, the super-micro bubbles can be generated by using a
simple method. Also, the super-micro bubble generation device can
be installed by a method which provides a higher degree of freedom
of installation to enable the device to be designed so as to be
suitable for a place where the device is to be installed and to
meet functional requirements. Also, since the said high-density
compound is an electrically conductive substance, bubbles
generated from the bubble generation medium are negatively
charged. The bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble since
each bubble act repulsively due to this negative electric charge.
According to the super-micro bubble generation device of the
present invention, the covering material has the property that
contact angle at which the liquid meets the surface of the
covering material is low. Accordingly, the surrounding liquid is
attracted to the covering material. Thus, a thin liquid film is
formed between the super-micro bubbles and the covering material.
This makes it easy to separate the super-micro bubbles from the
bubble generation medium. Thus, the super-micro bubbles would not
coalesce in a mass bubble. Moreover, there is an effect of
separating the super-micro bubbles by liquid flow by jetting
liquid toward the bubble generation medium coated with the
covering material from the liquid jetting device. There is also an
effect of separating the super-micro bubbles by making the contact
angle, at which the liquid interface meets the surface of the
covering material, smaller. Combination of these effects makes it
easy to separate super-micro bubbles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[FIG. 1] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic drawing showing the
overall configuration of a super-micro bubble generation device
which is one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(b) is
an enlarged cross-section view of a bubble generation medium.
[FIG. 2] It is an enlarged cross-section view of the bubble
generation medium: FIG. 2(a) shows the point when a super-micro
bubble is generated, FIG. 2(b) shows the point when the
super-micro bubble separates from the bubble generation medium,
and FIG. 2(c) shows the point when a next super-micro bubble is
generated.
[FIG. 3] It is an enlarged cross-section view of the bubble
generation medium coated with a coating material.
[FIG. 4] It is an enlarged cross-section view of the bubble
generation medium: FIG. 4(a) shows the point when a super-micro
bubble is generated, FIG. 4(b) shows the point when the
super-micro bubble separates from the bubble generation medium,
and FIG. 4(c) shows the point when a next super-micro bubble is
generated.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5(a) is a schematic drawing showing the
overall configuration of a super-micro bubble generation device
which is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5(b)
is an enlarged cross-section view of a bubble generation medium
in accordance with another embodiment.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6(a) is an oblique drawing showing the
overall configuration of a super-micro bubble generation device
which is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6(b)
is an oblique drawing showing the overall configuration of a
super-micro bubble generation device which is another embodiment
of the present invention. FIG. 6(c) is an oblique drawing
showing the overall configuration of a super-micro bubble
generation device which is another embodiment of the present
invention.
[FIG. 7] It is a cross-section view of the super-micro
bubble generation device in accordance with another embodiment
of the present invention.
THE MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, explanation will be given on the mode for carrying out the
invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and (b), a super-micro bubble generation
device 1 is provided with a compressor 2 as a compression machine
for delivering gas under pressure, and also with a bubble
generation medium 3 for discharging the gas, which has been
delivered under pressure, as super-micro bubbles into liquid. The
super-micro bubble generation device 1 is also provided with a
liquid jetting device 4 for jetting liquid being the same kind of
liquid as the liquid into which the super-micro bubbles are
discharged.
The compressor 2 is a device for delivering gas under pressure
into an internal space 3a of the bubble generation medium 3
through the intermediary of a gas supply line 11. The gas
delivered under pressure by the compressor 2 is not limited to
air. For example, the gas may be ozone gas or nitrogen gas. And
the said liquid may be such as fresh water or sea water of rivers
or lakes, water, or industrial wastewater. Furthermore, the said
liquid also may be solvent such as pharmaceutical products. In
that case, the pharmaceutical products are stirred or mixed by
using the said super-micro bubbles.
The gas delivered under pressure by the compressor 2 passes
through the gas supply line 11, and then the gas will be delivered
under pressure into the internal space 3a of the bubble generation
medium 3. The bubble generation medium 3 consists of a
high-density compound whose solid texture is made of molecular
structure consisting of ionic bonds. Moreover, the said
high-density compound is an electrically conductive substance, and
thus, bubbles generated from the bubble generation medium 3 are
negatively charged. In other words, the super-micro bubbles are
negatively charged by addition of free electrons on passing
through the bubble generation medium 3, which is the electrically
conductive substance. The bubbles would not coalesce in a mass
bubble since each bubble act repulsively due to this negative
electric charge. For instance, the said electrically conductive
substance is made of carbon-based material.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the bubble generation medium 3 is
porous having a lot of tiny pores 3b of several µm to several
dozen µm in diameter. Because of this constitution, the gas
delivered under pressure by the compressor 2 passes through the
said pores 3b. In other words, the super-micro bubbles are
discharged from the pores 3b into liquid by gas tension of the gas
delivered under pressure from compressor 2. Because of this
constitution, the bubble generation medium 3 consisting of the
high-density compound would not deteriorate due to expansion and
contraction since the high-density compound is a solid substance
which does not have flexibility. Also, the high-density compound
would not become eroded due to temporal change since it is made of
inorganic material. Thus, the super-micro bubble generation device
1 is prevented from damage and degradation.
Moreover, the bubble generation medium 3 consisting of the
high-density compound would not become worn even though liquid
flow injected from the liquid jetting device 4 hits the
high-density compound because it is activated. Thus, durability of
the bubble generation medium 3 has been improved.
The liquid jetting device 4 is a device for separating super-micro
bubbles generated from a surface site 3c of the bubble generation
medium 3 by the liquid flow. The liquid jetting device 4 jets
liquid being the same kind of liquid as the liquid into which the
super-micro bubbles are discharged. Because of this constitution,
the super-micro bubbles can be separated by the liquid flow
without influencing fluid composition. Moreover, it is able to
prevent different kind of liquid being mixed into the liquid.
As shown in FIG. 2(a), the said super-micro bubbles are discharged
from the tiny pores 3b. In that split second, as shown in FIG.
2(b), the liquid delivered under pressure by the liquid jetting
device 4 rapidly passes through the surface site 3c, from where
the super-micro bubbles are discharged, so as to separate the
super-micro bubbles from the surface site 3c.
Thus, as shown in FIG. 2(c), the super-micro bubbles discharged
from the surface site 3c separately move around in the liquid
without coalescing with subsequently generated super-micro bubbles
or other super-micro bubbles discharged from surrounding pores 3b.
Because of this constitution, super-micro bubbles can be generated
by using a simple method. Moreover, the super-micro bubble
generation device 1 can be installed by a method which provides a
higher degree of freedom of installation to enable the device to
be designed so as to be suitable for a place where the device is
to be installed and to meet functional requirements.
Also, the bubble generation medium 3 may be coated with a coating
material 5 which is a covering material. The coating material 5 is
an inorganic material which has the property that contact angle at
which the liquid interface meets the surface of the coating
material 5 is low (for example, if the liquid is water, the
coating material 5 may be made of superhydrophilic material). In
this embodiment, the coating material 5 is made of silica glass.
The contact angle signifies wetting force of materials. The value
of wetting force will rise as contact angle becomes lower.
However, the coating material 5 is not limited to material which
is made of silica glass.
The coating material 5 is applied to the surface site 3c of the
bubble generation medium 3 so as to cover its surface. The silica
glass that makes up the coating material 5 has the property of
lowering the contact angle at which the liquid interface meets the
surface of the coating material 5, and thus the coating material 5
attracts surrounding liquid instead of shedding. In other words,
the liquid spreads on the surface of the coating material 5 as
thin film rather than forming droplets. Also, the coating material
5 is porous having a lot of tiny pores 5a of several µm to several
dozen µm in diameter. The pores 5a are communicated with the pores
3b of the bubble generation medium 3.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the said super-micro bubbles are
discharged from the pores 5a of the coating material 5 into liquid
after passing through the pores 3b of the bubble generation medium
3. Here, the coating material 5 has the property that contact
angle at which the liquid interface meets the surface of the
coating material 5 is low. Because of this, the wetting force of
the coating material 5 is high. The surrounding liquid is
attracted to the coating material 5. Thus, a thin liquid film is
formed between the super-micro bubbles and the coating material 5.
This makes it easy to separate the super-micro bubbles from the
bubble generation medium 3. Thus, the super-micro bubbles would
not coalesce in a mass bubble.
Moreover, there is an effect of separating the super-micro bubbles
by liquid flow by jetting liquid toward the bubble generation
medium 3 coated with the coating material 5 from the liquid
jetting device 4. There is also an effect of separating the
super-micro bubbles by making the contact angle, at which the
liquid interface meets the surface of the coating material 5,
smaller. Combination of these effects makes it easy to separate
super-micro bubbles.
As shown in FIG. 4(a), the super-micro bubbles are generated from
the pores 5a after passing through the pores 3b. The super-micro
bubbles are easily separated from the surface of the coating
material 5 because the thin liquid film is formed on the surface
of the coating material 5 whereby the super-micro bubbles are
generated. In other words, the super-micro bubbles can be easily
separated because the liquid film lies between the super-micro
bubbles and the coating material 5.
Also, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the super-micro bubbles are generated
from the pores 5a. In that split second, the liquid delivered
under pressure by the liquid jetting device 4 rapidly passes
through the surface of the coating material 5. Thus, the
super-micro bubbles are separated from the surface site 3c of the
bubble generation medium 3.
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4(c), the super-micro bubbles
which dwell on the surface of the coating material 5 will
separately move around in the liquid without coalescing with
subsequently generated super-micro bubbles or other super-micro
bubbles discharged from surrounding pores 5a. Because of this
constitution, the super-micro bubbles can be generated by using a
simple method. Also, the super-micro bubble generation device 1
can be installed by a method which provides a higher degree of
freedom of installation to enable the device to be designed so as
to be suitable for a place where the device is to be installed and
to meet functional requirements.
Next, explanation will be given on the configuration of the bubble
generation medium 3.
As shown in FIG. 5(a), the bubble generation medium 3 is formed
into a tabular shape. The super-micro bubbles are generated from
the surface site 3c, whose plate area is wider than any other
plate face of the bubble generation medium 3. Because the bubble
generation medium 3 is formed into a tabular shape with wide
surface area, the super-micro bubbles can be generated
effectively. Also, because the super-micro bubbles separates from
the bubble generation medium 3 as soon as they are generated, they
would not coalesce in a mass bubble.
Also, the liquid jetting device 4 is a device for jetting liquid
in the direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in
which the bubble generation medium 3 discharges the super-micro
bubbles, that is, jetting liquid in the direction parallel to the
surface site 3c, which is the widest of all of plate faces of the
generation medium 3. The direction of jetting liquid is sufficient
if the said direction is substantially perpendicular to the
direction in which the super-micro bubbles are discharged, that
is, the said direction may be any direction shown in FIG. 5(a) as
arrow a, arrow b, arrow c, or arrow d. For example, the liquid
jetting device 4 has an injection hole 4a for jetting liquid flow
toward the surface site 3c of the plate face of the bubble
generation medium 3. The said liquid flow, whose width is as same
as that of the surface site 3c of the plate face of the bubble
generation medium 3, is jetted in the direction parallel to the
plate face.
Because of this constitution, as shown in FIG. 2, the generated
super-micro bubbles separate from the bubble generation medium 3
as soon as they are generated, and thus, the super-micro bubbles
would not coalesce in a mass bubble. As just described, the
super-micro bubbles can be generated by using a simple method.
Also, the super-micro bubble generation device 1 can be installed
by a method which provides a higher degree of freedom of
installation to enable the device to be designed so as to be
suitable for a place where the device is to be installed and to
meet functional requirements.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the super-micro bubble generation
device 1 in accordance with another embodiment is formed into a
hollow polygonal shape. In this embodiment, the bubble generation
medium 3 is formed into a hollow square pillar shape. Because of
this constitution, gas is discharged from each surface site 3c of
the square pillar equivalently. The surface sites 3c corresponds
to longitudinally side walls of the square pillar shape. Thus, the
super-micro bubbles can be generated effectively.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the liquid is jetted in the same
direction parallel to two side walls, which comprise opposing side
walls of the square pillar shaped bubble generation medium 3, that
is, along the surface of the two side walls in the same direction
(direction of arrow A and arrow B). The liquid is also jetted in
the same direction parallel to the other two side walls, that is,
in the direction opposite to arrow A and arrow B (direction of
arrow C and arrow D).
Furthermore, the liquid jetting direction is not limited to such
directions shown in this embodiment. For example, the liquid may
be jetted in the same direction parallel to all of the side walls.
Alternatively, the liquid may be jetted in the same direction
parallel to three of the side walls and in the opposite direction
parallel to the other side wall.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the super-micro bubble generation
device 1 in accordance with another embodiment includes the bubble
generation medium 3 which is formed into a hollow columnar shape.
The gas which has been delivered under pressure passes through the
gas supply line 11, and then the gas will be delivered in the
columnar shaped internal space 3a which is provided in the central
part of the bubble generation medium 3. Because of this
constitution, the gas is discharged from the surface site 3c,
which is the side wall of the column, equivalently in every
direction. Thus, the super-micro bubbles can be generated
effectively.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the liquid jetting device 4 is
provided on the periphery of the gas supply line 11. An injection
hole 4a of the liquid jetting device 4 is formed into a circular
shape having a diameter slightly larger than that of the periphery
of the bubble generation medium 3. The liquid jetting device 4
jets zonal liquid flow along the surface site 3c in the direction
same as gas supplying direction. The surface site 3c corresponds
to longitudinally side wall of the bubble generation medium 3. In
this way, the generated super-micro bubbles separate from the
bubble generation medium 3 as soon as they are generated, and
thus, the super-micro bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble.
As just described, the super-micro bubble generation device 1 can
be installed by a method which provides a higher degree of freedom
of installation to enable the device to be designed so as to be
suitable for a place where the device is to be installed and to
meet functional requirements.
Furthermore, the liquid jetting direction is not limited to such
directions shown in this embodiment. For example, the liquid may
be jetted in a direction opposite to the gas supplying direction.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the super-micro bubble generation
device 1 in accordance with another embodiment includes the bubble
generation medium 3 which is formed into a conical shape. The
internal space 3a is provided on the principal axis part of
section of the said conical shape. The gas delivered under
pressure by compressor 2 passes through the gas supply line 11,
and then the gas will be delivered under pressure into the
internal space 3a of the bubble generation medium 3. Because of
this constitution, the gas is discharged from the surface site 3c,
which is the side wall of the cone, equivalently in every
direction. Thus, the super-micro bubbles can be generated
effectively.
Moreover, the liquid jetting device 4 is facing the bubble
generation medium 3. In other words, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the
injection hole 4a of the liquid jetting device 4 is disposed on
the extension line that extends from a vertex 3d of the cone of
the bubble generation medium 3. The liquid jetting device 4 is a
device for jetting liquid toward the vertex 3d of the cone. As
just described, since the liquid is jetted toward the vertex 3d of
the cone, the liquid will flow radially along the surface site 3c,
which is the side wall of the bubble generation medium 3. In other
words, the liquid is jetted in the direction substantially
perpendicular to the direction in which the bubble generation
medium 3 discharges the super-micro bubbles.
In this way, it is able to make the size of the injection hole 4a
smaller, and thus, lower pressure is needed for jetting the
liquid. The generated super-micro bubbles separate from the bubble
generation medium 3 as soon as they are generated, and thus, the
super-micro bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble. As just
described, the super-micro bubbles can be generated by using a
simple method. Also, the super-micro bubble generation device 1
can be installed by a method which provides a higher degree of
freedom of installation to enable the device to be designed so as
to be suitable for a place where the device is to be installed and
to meet functional requirements.
Also, as shown in FIG. 6(c), a gas supplying inlet port of the gas
supply line 11 may be provided in the direction perpendicular to
the height direction of the cone of the bubble generation medium
3. Because of this constitution, it is able to make an effective
use of space downstream of the liquid flow. Although the gas
supplying inlet port of the gas supply line 11 in this embodiment
is provided upside of the bubble generation medium 3, the position
of the gas supplying inlet port is not limited to this. For
example, the gas supplying inlet port may be provided in the
horizontal direction.
Moreover, a bubble guide groove 55, which is formed around the
bubble generation medium 3, is provided downstream of the liquid
flow jetted from the liquid jetting device 4. As shown in FIG. 7,
the bubble guide groove 55 is formed into an arc-like shape in the
cross section view, located downstream of the liquid flow. The
bubble guide grove 55 guides the direction of super-micro bubbles
movement. The micro bubbles move from the surface site 3c of the
bubble generation medium 3 by the liquid flow jetted from the
liquid jetting device 4. Because of existence the bubble guide
groove 55, the super-micro bubbles which are separated from the
bubble generation medium 3 will impinge on the bubble guide groove
55. After impingement, the super-micro bubbles will move along the
bubble guide groove 55. Thus, it is able to preserve a distance
between each super-micro bubble. Accordingly, the super-micro
bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble.
Moreover, the bubble generation medium 3 and the liquid jetting
device 4, which comprise the super-micro bubble generation device
1, may be configured in a unified manner. If constituted in this
manner, positional relationship between the generation medium 3
and the injection hole 4a of the liquid jetting device 4 is
maintained constant consistently. Accordingly, it is able to save
many steps for adjusting position thereof. Moreover, a wall
surface facing the liquid jetting device 4 may be inclined in an
arc-like shape when seen from a side. Because of this
constitution, the direction of super-micro bubbles movement can be
guided. The super-micro bubbles move along the surface site 3c of
the plate face of the bubble generation medium 3 by the jetted
liquid flow from the liquid jetting device 4. In this way, it is
able to preserve a distance between each super-micro bubble. As
such, the super-micro bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble.
Moreover, the bubble generation medium 3 may be formed into a
tabular shape, wherein several gas supply lines 11 are provided in
parallel inside the bubble generation medium 3. In this case, the
gas passes through the gas supply lines 11, and is delivered under
pressure into the internal space 3a of the bubble generation
medium 3. The gas supply lines 11 are branched inside the bubble
generation medium 3. The said branched gas supply lines 11 are
arranged in parallel. The super-micro bubbles are generated from
the surface site 3c of the bubble generation medium 3 by gas
pressure from the gas supply lines 11. Keeping wide interval
between each gas supply line 11 which is arranged in parallel
respectively makes it harder for super-micro bubbles to coalesce
in a mass bubble.
However, the numbers or shape of the liquid jetting device is not
limited to the state described in this embodiment. For example,
more than three liquid jetting devices may be provided.
Furthermore, the shape or material of the gas supply line 11 is
not limited to the state described in this embodiment. For
example, the gas supply line 11 may be a metallic pipe or a
plastic pipe.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The super-micro bubble generation device of the present invention
is industrially useful because it can generate super-micro bubbles
using a simple method and can be installed by a method which
provides a higher degree of freedom of installation to enable the
device to be designed so as to be suitable for a place where the
device is to be installed and to meet functional requirements. In
this way, the generated super-micro bubbles separate from the
bubble generation medium 3 as soon as they are generated, and
thus, the super-micro bubbles would not coalesce in a mass bubble.
As just described, the super-micro bubbles can be generated by
using a simple method. Also, the super-micro bubble generation
device 1 can be installed by a method which provides a higher
degree of freedom of installation to enable the device to be
designed so as to be suitable for a place where the device is to
be installed and to meet functional requirements.