Method of Treating a Liquid with Nanobubbles

Abstract

A method of treating a liquid by creating nanobubbles of a desired gas within a target liquid and allowing the desired gas to react with a target component of the target liquid. The desired gas can be selected to be reactive with the target component, and a desired liquid can be formed after the desired gas reacts with the target component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a liquid comprising:
 a. creating nanobubbles of the desired gas within the liquid;   b. flocculating;   c. allowing the desired gas to chemically react with a target component of the liquid; and   d. forming, subsequent to the allowing, at least a precipitate and a desired liquid,
 wherein the nanobubbles of the desired gas optionally have a charge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired gas chemically reacts with the target component to form a potable component. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired gas chemically reacts with the target component to form a chemically stable component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the liquid prior to the creating nanobubbles of the desired gas within the liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the desired liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target component comprises:
 a. a monovalent salt;   b. a divalent salt;   c. a chloride;   d. a nitrate or nitrite;   e. a halide;   f. a phosphate;   g. a sulfate;   h. a volatile organic chemical (VOC);   i. mercury; or   j. a metal.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired gas comprises:
 a. ammonia;   b. ozone;   c. chlorine or an oxide   d. sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide;   e. a carbonate or an oxide; or   f. carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising charging a precursor of the desired liquid with an opposite charge of the charge of the nanobubbles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising shaking with one or more shakers to remove particles and/or clumps in the liquid to yield the desired liquid or a precursor thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising hydrocycloning the precursor with one or more hydrocyclone separators to yield a refinement of the precursor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising separating at least the precipitate and coagulated flocculants from the refinement to yield the desired liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of claim  141  wherein the desired liquid is potable. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the refinement comprises at least 95% turbidity removal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flocculating comprises using polyaluminum chloride and sodium oleate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flocculating comprises using at least a polymer and a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recovering, subsequent at least to the flocculating and the allowing, one or more flocculating and/or coagulating agents used in the flocculating. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the recovering further comprises agitating the liquid to form a suspension where ferromagnetic particles and suspended solids exist separately. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the recovering further comprises removing the ferromagnetic particles and the suspended solids. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flocculating occurs during the creating. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flocculating occurs subsequent to the creating.