Apparatus for dissolving gas into a liquid

Abstract

An apparatus for dissolving a gas into a liquid includes a liquid inlet for supplying liquid into the apparatus, a gas inlet for supplying gas into the liquid within the apparatus and a venturi arranged to dissolve the gas into the liquid passing through the venturi. The apparatus also includes an outlet for the liquid and dissolved gas downstream of the venturi. At least part of the liquid inlet, at least part of the gas inlet, at least part of the venturi and at least part of the outlet are integrally formed in a single piece of material.

1 . An apparatus for dissolving a gas into a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
 a liquid inlet for supplying the liquid into the apparatus;   a liquid inlet pump in fluid communication with and upstream of the liquid inlet, wherein the liquid inlet pump is arranged to pump the liquid through the apparatus and deliver a flow rate of between 0.01 mL/min and 100 L/min;   a gas inlet for supplying gas into the liquid within the apparatus, the gas inlet being in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the liquid inlet;   a mixing chamber in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the gas inlet and the liquid inlet, the mixing chamber comprising one or more obstacles and/or a tortuous path to induce turbulence into the liquid flowing therethrough and break-up the gas into a plurality of gas bubbles;   at least one venturi in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the mixing chamber, wherein the at least one venturi is arranged to dissolve the gas into the liquid passing through the at least one venturi; and   an outlet for the liquid and dissolved gas in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the at least one venturi;   wherein at least part of the liquid inlet, at least part of the gas inlet, at least part of the at least one venturi, and at least part of the outlet are integrally formed in a unitary piece of material.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet comprises an oxygen inlet for supplying oxygen into the liquid within the apparatus, and the apparatus is arranged to produce oxygenated liquid with a concentration of dissolved oxygen of greater than 20 mg/I. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be operated at a temperature of between approximately 20 degrees Celsius and approximately 45 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a heater arranged to heat the liquid and/or the gas. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises one or more of: water, whole blood, cell suspensions, cell media, phosphate buffered saline, physiological solutions, a gel, contact lens solution, anti-septic liquids, buffers and milk. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the cells in the cell suspension or for use with the cell media comprise one or more of insect cells, anaerobic and/or aerobic bacteria,  Escherichia coli , fungi and animal cells. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one venturi comprises a plurality of venturis in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the liquid inlet and the gas inlet. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 one or more of the liquid inlet, the gas inlet, the at least one venturi, and the outlet are integrally formed in the unitary piece of material as an open channel in a face of the unitary piece of material;   the apparatus further comprises a blank face of material, the face of the unitary piece of material and the blank face of material being arranged together in contact such that the open channel in the integrally formed piece of material and the blank face of material form the one or more of the liquid inlet, the gas inlet, the at least one venturi, and the outlet.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the unitary piece of material has a width dimension of less than 30 cm. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the unitary piece of material comprises stainless steel or polymer. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising an inlet pump in fluid communication with and upstream of the liquid inlet, wherein the inlet pump is arranged to pump the liquid through the apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the inlet pump is arranged to deliver a flow rate of between 0.1 ml/min and 50 I/min. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the inlet pump is arranged to deliver a pressure of between 0.1 and 5 bar. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure of the liquid in the apparatus, and/or an oxygen sensor arranged to measure a concentration of dissolved oxygen in the liquid, and/or a flow rate sensor arranged to measure a flow rate of the liquid through the apparatus, and/or a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature of the liquid in the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged to provide feedback to a heater arranged to heat the liquid and/or the gas, and/or the flow rate sensor is arranged to provide feedback to the liquid inlet pump, and/or the oxygen sensor is arranged to provide feedback to one or more of: an oxygen supply, the liquid inlet pump, and the heater. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising a controller arranged to receive one or more of a pressure measurement output from the pressure sensor, a dissolved oxygen concentration output from the oxygen sensor, a flow rate measurement output from the flow rate sensor, and/or a temperature measurement output from the temperature sensor, and to send feedback control signals to one or more of: the oxygen supply, the liquid inlet pump, and the heater respectively. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 an apparatus for dissolving a gas into a liquid comprising, the apparatus comprising:   a liquid inlet for supplying the liquid into the apparatus;   a liquid inlet pump in fluid communication with and upstream of the liquid inlet, wherein the pump is arranged to pump the liquid through the apparatus and deliver a flow rate of between 0.01 mL/min and 100 L/min;   a gas inlet for supplying gas into the liquid within the apparatus, the gas inlet being in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the liquid inlet;   a mixing chamber in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the gas inlet and the liquid inlet, the mixing chamber comprising one or more obstacles and/or a tortuous path to induce turbulence into the liquid flowing therethrough and break-up the gas into a plurality of gas bubbles;   at least one venturi in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the mixing chamber, wherein the at least one venturi is arranged to dissolve the gas into the liquid passing through the at least one venturi; and   an outlet for the liquid and dissolved gas in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the at least one venturi;   wherein at least part of the liquid inlet, at least part of the gas inlet, at least part of the at least one venturi and at least part of the outlet are formed in an integrally formed piece of material;   wherein the system further comprises a downstream consuming device, wherein the outlet of the apparatus is in fluid communication with the downstream consuming device such that liquid and dissolved gas can be supplied to the downstream consuming device.   
     
     
         18 . A system comprising an apparatus for dissolving a gas into a liquid comprising, the apparatus comprising:
 a liquid inlet for supplying the liquid into the apparatus;   a liquid inlet pump in fluid communication with and upstream of the liquid inlet, wherein the liquid inlet pump is arranged to pump the liquid through the apparatus and deliver a flow rate of between 0.01 mL/min and 100 L/min;   a gas inlet for supplying gas into the liquid within the apparatus, the gas inlet being in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the liquid inlet;   a mixing chamber in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the gas inlet and the liquid inlet, the mixing chamber comprising one or more obstacles and/or a tortuous path to induce turbulence into the liquid flowing therethrough and break-up the gas into a plurality of gas bubbles;   at least one venturi in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the mixing chamber, wherein the at least one venturi is arranged to dissolve the gas into the liquid passing through the at least one venturi; and   an outlet for the liquid and dissolved gas in fluid communication with, and downstream of, the at least one venturi;   wherein at least part of the liquid inlet, at least part of the gas inlet, at least part of the at least one venturi, and at least part of the outlet are integrally formed in a unitary piece of material; and   wherein the system further comprises a holding volume in fluid communication with and downstream of the outlet of the apparatus.