Nano-bubble Generator and Treatments

Abstract

Bubble generator devices to produce a fluid stream comprising bubbles are described. Apparatuses that include any of the described bubble generator devices to treat waste and/or frac-water are also described.

1 . A generator device to produce a fluid stream comprising bubbles, the generator device comprising:
 a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port with the casing having a region that constricts fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;   a pair of feed ports that receive fluids supported by the casing;   at least one microporous sleeve member disposed in an longitudinal relationship with portions of the outer casing, and spaced from an inner surface of the outer casing, the at least one microporous sleeve member configured to contain microporous media disposed within a space defined between the at least one sleeve member and inner surface of the outer casing, with at least one of the pair of feed ports that receive the fluid coupled to deliver the fluid through the microporous media.   
     
     
         2 . The bubble generator of  claim 1  wherein the casing has a portion that is conical in cross-sectional shape and the at least one microporous sleeve member has a conical shape that generally follows the conical shape of the casing member. 
     
     
         3 . The bubble generator of  claim 1  wherein the casing comprises an first member that receives an inflow, the first member having a conical region to constrict the inflow and a cylindrical region, and a second member comprising a conical member confining the at least one microporous sleeve member and, and which second member is connected to the conical region of the first member. 
     
     
         4 . The bubble generator of  claim 1  wherein the casing has a first portion that is conical in cross-section and a second portion that is generally cylindrical in cross-section and the pair of microporous sleeve members have a cylindrical cross-section that generally follows the cylindrical shape of the casing member. 
     
     
         5 . The bubble generator of  claim 5  wherein the second portion has a first cylindrical member confining a first one of the pair of microporous sleeve members and a second cylindrical member connected to the first cylindrical member confining a second one of the pair of microporous sleeve members. 
     
     
         6 . The bubble generator of  claim 1  wherein the filter media is comprised of glass beads. 
     
     
         7 . The bubble generator of  claim 1  wherein porosity of the sidewalls of the sleeve members is less than 0.5 microns. 
     
     
         8 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A generator device to produce a fluid stream comprising bubbles, the generator device comprising:
 a first tube having a conical inner cross-section that has a narrow cross-section at a first end and a wider cross-section as a second end;   a second tube having a cylindrical cross-section substantially equal to that cross-section of the second end of the first tube and joined to that second end of the first tube;   a conical shaped member holding nano-porous media, the conical shaped member disposed adjacent the second tube, such that the second tube is within an interior region defined by at least a portion of the second tube; and   at least one inlet that is configured to receive a fluid and to deliver the fluid into the nano-porous media in the conical shaped member.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An arrangement comprising:
 a generator device to produce a fluid stream comprising bubbles, the generator device comprising:   a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port through which water comprising contaminates flows with the casing having a region that constricts fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;   a pair of feed ports that receive fluids supported by the casing;   a pair of microporous sleeve members disposed in an longitudinal relationship with the outer casing, and spaced from an inner surface of the outer casing, the pair of microporous sleeve members containing microporous media disposed within a space defined between the sleeve members, with at least one of the pair of feed ports that receive the fluid coupled to deliver the fluid through the microporous media; and   a vessel that receives treated frac-water from the vessel fed by a stream of carbon dioxide to precipitate out alkaline earth metals present in the treated frac-water.   
     
     
         18 . The arrangement of  claim 17  wherein the vessel is a first vessel and the arrangement further comprises:
 a second vessel coupled to the bubble generator device, the second vessel having a first inlet that is coupled via a fluid line to the outlet of the casing of the bubble generator device, a first outlet, a second inlet to receive frac-water, and a second outlet; 
 a pump coupled to the first outlet of the second vessel to receive water from the second vessel and to pump the received water into the inlet port of the casing of the bubble generator device. 
 
     
     
         19 . The arrangement of  claim 17  further comprising:
 apparatus for feeding carbon dioxide to the second vessel from a source of carbon dioxide and for feeding carbon dioxide generated from reactions involving the water in the first vessel. 
 
     
     
         20 . The arrangement of  claim 17  wherein the casing is generally conical in shape and the pair of microporous sleeve members form a conical shape that generally follows the conical shape of the casing member. 
     
     
         21 . The arrangement of  claim 17  wherein the casing is generally cylindrical in shape and the pair of microporous sleeve members form a cylindrical shape that generally follows the cylindrical shape of the casing member. 
     
     
         22 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The bubble generator of  claim 5  wherein the second portion has the first one of the pair of microporous sleeve members comprised of a pair of microporous sleeves and the second one of microporous sleeve members comprised of a pair of microporous sleeves. 
     
     
         28 . The bubble generator of  claim 15  wherein the outer casing is generally conical in shape and the member holding the nano-porous media is conical in shape that generally follows the conical shape of the outer casing. 
     
     
         29 . The bubble generator of  claim 15  wherein the casing terminates at the surface of the first tube. 
     
     
         30 . The bubble generator of  claim 15  a pair of flanges, a first flange coupled to the first tube and a second flange coupled to an end of the casing. 
     
     
         31 . The bubble generator of  claim 15  wherein the cross-sectional area of the casing at the second end of the conical pipe is less than the cross-sectional area at an distal end of the casing. 
     
     
         32 . The bubble generator of  claim 15  wherein the filter media is comprised of glass beads.