Microbubble Generator for Enhanced Plasma Treatment of Liquid

Abstract

A system for the plasma treatment of a liquid is described. The system includes a storage chamber containing a liquid and a head-space, a gas source connected to a sparger positioned within the liquid, a pair of electrodes positioned within the liquid and substantially above the sparger, a microbubble generator positioned within the liquid, and a conduit between the head-space and the microbubble generator, such that gas from the head space can travel through the conduit to the microbubble generator. Also described is a method of plasma treating a liquid. The method includes the steps of positioning a liquid in a storage chamber at a volume that provides a head-space in the storage chamber, feeding a gas to a sparger that is positioned within the liquid to form a first set of bubbles in the liquid, passing the first set of bubbles between a pair of electrodes positioned within the liquid and substantially above the sparger, generating a plasma discharge between the electrodes, and feeding the gas in the head-space into a microbubble generator positioned within the liquid to form a second set of bubbles in the liquid, wherein the second set of bubbles are in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns in diameter.

1 . A system for the plasma treatment of a liquid, comprising:
 a storage chamber containing a liquid and a head-space;   a gas source connected to a sparger positioned within the liquid;   a pair of electrodes positioned within the liquid and substantially above the sparger;   a microbubble generator positioned within the liquid; and   a conduit between the head-space and the microbubble generator, such that gas from the head space can travel through the conduit to the microbubble generator.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage chamber includes a vent valve. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage chamber includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit between the head-space and the microbubble generator includes a compressor pump. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sparger includes pores of at least 1 mm in size for the gas from the gas source to flow through. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microbubble generator includes pores in the range of 0.1 to 5 micron in size for the gas from the head-space to flow through. 
     
     
         7 . A system for the plasma treatment of a liquid, comprising:
 a first storage chamber containing a first volume of liquid and a head-space;   a gas source connected to a sparger positioned within the first volume of liquid;   a pair of electrodes positioned within the first volume of liquid and substantially above the sparger;   a second storage chamber containing a second volume of liquid;   a microbubble generator positioned within the second volume of liquid; and   a conduit between the head-space of the first storage chamber and the microbubble generator, such that gas from the head space of the first storage chamber can travel through the conduit to the microbubble generator.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first storage chamber includes a vent valve. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first storage chamber includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the second storage chamber includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the conduit between the head-space of the first storage chamber and the microbubble generator includes a compressor pump. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the sparger includes pores of at least 1 mm in size for the gas from the gas source to flow through. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the microbubble generator includes pores in the range of 0.1 to 5 micron in size for the gas from the head-space of the first storage chamber to flow through. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a conduit between the first volume of liquid and the second volume of liquid. 
     
     
         15 . A system for the plasma treatment of a liquid, comprising:
 a first storage chamber containing a first volume of liquid and a head-space;   a gas source conduit connected to a sparger positioned within the first volume of liquid;   a pair of electrodes positioned within the first volume of liquid and substantially above the sparger;   a second storage chamber containing a second volume of liquid and a head-space;   a microbubble generator positioned within the second volume of liquid;   a conduit between the head-space of the first storage chamber and the microbubble generator, such that gas from the head space of the first storage chamber can travel through the conduit to the microbubble generator; and   a conduit between the head-space of the second storage chamber and the gas source conduit to the sparger, such that gas from the head space of the second storage chamber can travel through the conduit to the gas source conduit.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first storage chamber includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second storage chamber includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the conduit between the head-space of the first storage chamber and the microbubble generator includes a compressor pump. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the conduit between the head-space of the second storage chamber and the gas source conduit includes a compressor pump. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the sparger includes pores of at least 1 mm in size for gas to flow through. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the microbubble generator includes pores in the range of 0.1 to 5 micron in size for the gas from the head-space of the first storage chamber to flow through. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a conduit between the first volume of liquid and the second volume of liquid. 
     
     
         23 . A method of plasma treating a liquid, comprising:
 positioning a liquid in a storage chamber at a volume that provides a head-space in the storage chamber;   feeding a gas to a sparger that is positioned within the liquid to form a first set of bubbles in the liquid;   passing the first set of bubbles between a pair of electrodes positioned within the liquid and substantially above the sparger;   generating a plasma discharge between the electrodes; and   feeding the gas in the head-space into a microbubble generator positioned within the liquid to form a second set of bubbles in the liquid;   wherein the second set of bubbles are in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns in diameter.   
     
     
         24 . A method of plasma treating a liquid, comprising:
 positioning a first volume of liquid in a first storage chamber at a volume that provides a head-space in the first storage chamber;   feeding a gas to a sparger that is positioned within the first volume of liquid to form a first set of bubbles in the first volume of liquid;   passing the first set of bubbles between a pair of electrodes positioned within the first volume of liquid and substantially above the sparger;   generating a plasma discharge between the electrodes; and   feeding the gas in the head-space of the first storage chamber into a microbubble generator positioned within a second volume of liquid in a second storage chamber to form a second set of bubbles in the second volume of liquid;   wherein the second set of bubbles are in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns in diameter.   
     
     
         25 . A method of plasma treating a liquid, comprising:
 positioning a first volume of liquid in a first storage chamber at a volume that provides a head-space in the first storage chamber;   positioning a second volume of liquid in a second storage chamber at a volume that provides a head-space in the second storage chamber;   feeding a gas to a sparger that is positioned within the first volume of liquid to form a first set of bubbles in the first volume of liquid;   passing the first set of bubbles between a pair of electrodes positioned within the first volume of liquid and substantially above the sparger;   generating a plasma discharge between the electrodes;   feeding the gas in the head-space of the first storage chamber into a microbubble generator positioned within the second volume of liquid in the second storage chamber to form a second set of bubbles in the second volume of liquid, wherein the second set of bubbles are in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns in diameter; and   feeding the gas in the head-space of the second storage chamber into the flow of gas entering the sparger.