Nanofluid Production Apparatus and Method

Abstract

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for generating a large amount of nanofluid continuously and stably with a relatively simple, inexpensive and easy-to-use structure, and for efficiently performing an intra-apparatus cleaning operation to substantially reduce the nanofluid manufacturing cost. A nanofluid generating apparatus 1 for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprises a gas-liquid mixing chamber 7 , comprising a turbulence generating mechanism for forcibly mixing supplied gas and liquid by generating turbulence, and a nano-outlet 20 for discharging the gas-liquid mixture fluid to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to generate nanofluid; a gas-liquid supply apparatus 21, 23 , . . . for supplying gas and liquid to the gas-liquid mixing chamber 7 ; a pressurization pump for applying pressure to the gas and liquid; and a control unit CR for controlling operations of the pressurization pump 4 and the gas-liquid supply apparatus. The control unit CR controls the gas-liquid supply apparatus and the pressurization pump 4 to switch between a nanofluid generation mode and a cleaning mode for cleaning the inside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 7.

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, having: a turbulence generating mechanism for forcibly mixing supplied gas and liquid by generating turbulence, and a nano-outlet for discharging the gas-liquid mixture fluid to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to generate nanofluid;   a gas-liquid supply apparatus for supplying gas and liquid into the gas-liquid mixing chamber through a supply channel in communication with the gas-liquid mixing chamber;   a pressurization means for applying pressure to the gas and liquid to be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber; and   a control section for controlling operations of the pressurization means and the gas-liquid supply apparatus,   wherein the control section controls at least one of the gas-liquid supply apparatus and the pressurization means to switch between a nanofluid generation mode and a cleaning mode for sterilizing, disinfecting or cleaning (hereafter, collectively referred to as “cleaning”) the inside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber and channels in communication with the gas-liquid mixing chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 during the cleaning mode, the control section controls the pressurization means such that a pressure in the gas-liquid mixing chamber is lower than the atmospheric pressure or a pressure applied during the nanofluid generation mode, and simultaneously controls the gas-liquid supply apparatus such that the gas-liquid supply apparatus supplies gas and/or liquid for cleaning into the gas-liquid mixing chamber.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 the gas-liquid supply apparatus comprises a cleaning fluid generating means for generating gas and/or liquid for cleaning during the cleaning mode.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein
 the cleaning fluid generating means is an ozonizer for generating ozone.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 the control section activates the ozonizer during the nanofluid generation mode as well to generate nanofluid containing ozone, and simultaneously controls the ozonizer such that different amounts of ozone are generated during the nanofluid generation mode and during the cleaning mode.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an ozone filter for collecting the ozone used for cleaning the inside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a beverage generating apparatus, wherein the gas-liquid supply apparatus supplies gas and liquid which are raw material components of a beverage into the gas-liquid mixing chamber to generate the beverage containing nanobubbles. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a therapeutic fluid generating apparatus, wherein the gas-liquid supply apparatus supplies gas and liquid for preventing or treating dermatosis into the gas-liquid mixing chamber to generate therapeutic fluid containing nanobubbles. 
   
   
       9 . A method for generating nanofluid containing nanobubbles, wherein the nanobubbles are gas bubbles with diameter less than 1 μm, comprising the steps of:
 with a gas-liquid supply apparatus, supplying gas and liquid into a gas-liquid mixing chamber comprising a turbulence generating mechanism and a nano-outlet;   with a pressurization means, pressurizing the gas and liquid to be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber;   with a turbulence generating mechanism, forcibly mixing the gas and liquid supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber by generating turbulence;   with a nano-outlet, discharging the gas-liquid mixture fluid under pressure to outside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber to generate nanofluid; and   with the control section, controlling at least one of the gas-liquid supply apparatus and the pressurization means to perform sterilizing, disinfecting or cleaning (hereafter, collectively referred to as “cleaning”) the inside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber and channels in communication with the gas-liquid mixing chamber.