Gas injection systems for optimizing nanobubble formation in a disinfecting solution

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are presented for optimizing the formation of gas nanobubbles in a disinfecting solution. In an example system for treating contaminated water, a centrifugal pump draws the water from a reservoir and circulates the water in and through a circuit of elements including a mixing chamber in the pump, a pressure vessel, a backflow valve, a Venturi injector, and a pair of nozzles immersed in the reservoir. The system injects ozone-rich gas into the fluid to produce an aqueous solution containing a volume of gas nanobubbles. The nozzles release the gas nanobubbles into the reservoir, creating highly reactive compounds that destroy organic compounds and other contaminants in the water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of removing pollutants from a fluid, comprising:
 circulating a fluid in and through a circuit of elements comprising a reservoir, a pump comprising a mixing chamber, a pressure vessel, and one or more nozzles immersed in the reservoir;   dissolving a volume of gas into the fluid from a gas supply in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; and   spraying the fluid through the one or more nozzles and into the reservoir, wherein the one or more nozzles is sized and shaped to release from the fluid at least a portion of the dissolved volume of gas into the reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process of circulating the fluid continues until at least one of (a) a desired portion of the dissolved volume of gas is released from the fluid or (b) a desired quantity of pollutants is removed from the fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid further comprises:
 delivering a first quantity of gas from the gas supply to the mixing chamber, such that at least a part of the first quantity of gas becomes dissolved into the fluid.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 converting ambient air with an oxygen concentrator into an oxygen-enriched gas;   converting at least a first portion of the oxygen-enriched gas with an ozone generator into an ozone-rich gas, wherein the process of dissolving the volume of gas comprises injecting at least one of the oxygen-enriched gas or the ozone-rich gas into the mixing chamber.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 holding the fluid in the pressure vessel under an internal pressure and for a selected duration, such that the pressure vessel facilitates the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the pressure vessel further comprises a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a gas vent, the method further comprising:
 inhibiting the fluid from entering the gas vent with a deflector;   receiving the fluid through one or more perforations defined by a diverter pipe in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, such that the diverter pipe facilitates the process of holding the fluid in the pressure vessel; and   locating the fluid outlet relative to the diverter pipe, such that the fluid outlet location facilitates the process of holding the fluid in the pressure vessel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a backflow pressure in the fluid with a backflow valve, such that the backflow valve facilitates the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the process of generating the backflow pressure cooperates with the one or more nozzles to facilitate the release of the portion of the dissolved volume of gas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 holding the fluid in the pressure vessel under an internal pressure and for a selected duration; and   generating a backflow pressure in the fluid with a backflow valve, such that the generated backflow pressure cooperates with the internal pressure to facilitate the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit of elements further comprises a Venturi injector in fluid communication with the gas supply, and wherein the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid further comprises:
 delivering a supplemental quantity of gas from the gas supply to the Venturi injector.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the process of delivering the supplemental quantity of gas further comprises:
 creating a pressure differential within a lengthwise chamber of the Venturi injector, wherein the lengthwise chamber is sized and shaped to draw at least a portion of the supplemental quantity of gas into the Venturi injector.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit of elements further comprises a recirculation pipe controlled by a recirculation valve for recirculating a select portion of the fluid from the circuit to an inlet pipe located upstream relative to the mixing chamber, the method further comprising:
 controlling the circulation of fluid through the recirculation pipe facilitates the process of dissolving the volume of gas into the fluid.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more nozzles comprises a nozzle body defining at least one flow passage and at least one outlet, the method further comprising:
 shaping the at least one flow passage to converge in size toward the at least one outlet, such that the converging shape facilitates the release of the portion of the dissolved volume of gas.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more nozzles comprises a pair of nozzles spaced apart from one another and immersed in the reservoir to a depth, the method further comprising:
 selecting the depth to facilitate the release of the portion of the dissolved volume of gas.