Nanofluid Production Apparatus and Method

Abstract

The present invention provides a nanofluid generating apparatus and method of use thereof that is capable of efficiently generating nanofluid by having relatively simple and inexpensive construction, being capable of continuously and stably generating nanofluid, being easy to handle, dramatically reducing manufacturing costs, and being able to generate and select nanofluids according to various usages. An apparatus for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising: a gas-liquid mixing chamber 7 for forcibly mixing supplied gas and liquid by generating turbulence therein; a pressurization means 4 for applying pressure to the gas and liquid to be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber 7 ; a nano-outlet 20 for discharging pressurized gas-liquid mixture fluid to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 7 to thereby generate nanofluid; and a filter mechanism F for removing nanofluid containing gas bubbles with diameter equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the generated nanofluid.

1 . An apparatus for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising:
 a gas-liquid mixing chamber for forcibly mixing supplied gas and liquid by generating turbulence therein;   a pressurization means for applying pressure to the gas and liquid to be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber;   a nano-outlet for discharging pressurized gas-liquid mixture fluid to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to thereby generate nanofluid; and   a filter mechanism for removing nanofluid containing gas bubbles with diameter equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the generated nanofluid.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a circulation channel for introducing part or all of the nanofluid removed by the filter mechanism into the gas-liquid mixing chamber for circulation.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a storage tank for storing the nanofluid discharged from the nano-outlet.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the filter mechanism is composed of a plurality of filter mechanisms respectively designed to remove nanofluid containing gas bubbles with different diameters, wherein the apparatus further comprises a supply channel for supplying at least part of the nanofluid removed by the plurality of filter mechanisms to an external apparatus.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the filter mechanism removes nanofluid containing gas bubbles with diameters greater than a reference value determined based on diameters of micro-scale components (such as molecules or cells) of an object of treatment, or gap dimensions among a plurality of components,
 wherein the apparatus further comprises a treatment water supply channel for supplying to a treatment apparatus the nanofluid which passed through the filter mechanism and contains gas bubbles with diameter equal to or smaller than the reference value, wherein the treatment apparatus treats the object by immersing the object in the nanofluid or exposing the object to nanofluid-sprayed atmosphere. 
   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a depressurizing means for reducing a pressure of the nanofluid discharged from the nano-outlet and supplying the depressurized nanofluid to the filter mechanism.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 some or all component members of the apparatus, including the gas-liquid mixing chamber, are disassembleable and cleanable, and when assembled, each of the disassembleable members is incorporated into the apparatus with a mechanical strength equivalent to or greater than that of non-disassembleable members of the apparatus.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein
 the nano-outlet is disassembleable along a nano-channel in communication with the gas-liquid mixing chamber.   
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising:
 a gas-liquid mixing chamber for forcibly mixing supplied gas and liquid by generating turbulence therein;   a pressurization means for applying pressure to the gas and liquid to be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber;   a nano-outlet for discharging pressurized gas-liquid mixture fluid to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to thereby generate nanofluid; and   a circulation channel for introducing part or all of the generated nanofluid into the gas-liquid mixing chamber for circulation.   
   
   
       10 . A method for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising the steps of:
 supplying gas and liquid to a gas-liquid mixing chamber;
 with a pressurization means, pressurizing the gas and liquid before or after the step of supplying gas and liquid; 
 with a turbulence generating mechanism provided in the gas-liquid mixing chamber, forcibly mixing the supplied and pressurized gas and liquid in the gas-liquid mixing chamber by generating turbulence; and 
 discharging pressurized gas-liquid mixture fluid from a nano-outlet provided in an exit side of the gas-liquid mixing chamber, to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to thereby generate nanofluid. 
   
   
   
       11 . A method for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising the steps of:
 pressurizing liquid with a pressurization means and supplying the pressurized liquid to a gas-liquid mixing chamber;
 drawing gas in with a pressure difference between the upstream and downstream of the pressurization means upon actuation thereof and introducing the gas into the liquid; 
 introducing pressurized gas-liquid mixture fluid into the gas-liquid mixing chamber, and generating turbulence in the gas-liquid mixture fluid by guiding the gas-liquid mixture fluid into repeated bouncing into random directions with a turbulence generating means provided in the gas-liquid mixing chamber; and 
 releasing the gas-liquid mixture fluid from a nano-outlet provided in an exit side of the gas-liquid mixing chamber, to thereby generate the nanofluid containing the nanobubbles. 
   
   
   
       12 . The method as in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 filtering with a filter mechanism to separate and remove nanofluid containing gas bubbles with diameter equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the generated nanofluid.   
   
   
       13 . The method as in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 filtering with a filter mechanism to separate and remove nanofluid containing gas bubbles with diameter equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the generated nanofluid.