Systems, methods, and generators for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions

Abstract

Method and generator for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions; the method includes: providing a container for containing a liquid; dispensing a medium into the liquid, wherein the medium is provided to the container under ambient conditions; using an electrode to generate an electric field near the container to facilitate the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein the electrode and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to prevent electrolysis from occurring within the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets. In particular but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions without using electrolysis. The present disclosure also relates to systems and methods for treating biogas and wastewater. In particular but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to treating biogas and wastewater from anaerobic decomposition by forming nanobubbles and gas hydrates. The present disclosure also relates to the treatment of multi-component mixtures. Background Art

[0002] It is clear from the large number of applications of nanobubbles found in industry the value of nanobubbles to industry. The high metastability of nanobubbles in liquids has led to their wide use in gas storage on the scale of months. In addition, the high surface area: volume ratio of nanobubbles means that they can be used in surface cleaning applications, as nanobubbles are able to attach to insoluble dirt on surfaces. Nanobubbles are also widely used in wastewater treatment by flotation, and also in biogas applications including the control of agricultural methane emissions.

[0003] Such applications have inspired a great deal of research into the various physical properties of nanobubbles and their production methods. For example, the cavitation effect (a sudden change in pressure in a liquid that causes the formation of low-pressure cavities) has been used to generate nanobubbles.

[0004] It has been found that these methods are costly in terms of energy requirements and the physical apparatus required. In addition, some methods require additives in the process, which can contaminate the liquid and also result in relatively low gas solubility.

[0005] U.S. Published Patent Application 2018141837 relates to a Nanobubble and Hydroxyl Radical Generator (NBHRG) and a treatment system for purifying water using the NBHRG without using chemicals. Published PCT Patent Application WO2005084786 relates to water containing oxygen nanobubbles and a method for preparing the same. U.S. Published Patent Application US20100147701 relates to a method and apparatus for applying an alternating electric field through a liquid to enhance disinfection properties. Published PCT Patent Application WO2017156410 relates to a method and apparatus for generating nanobubbles, in which gas is supplied to the apparatus at a certain pressure such that the gas is forced through a porous sidewall and nanobubbles are formed on the outer surface of a gas-permeable member. These techniques are based on methods using water electrolysis and hydrodynamic cavitation. Water electrolysis is a process of decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen and the generated gases form nanobubbles; hydrodynamic cavitation is a process of vaporization, bubble generation, and bubble implosion, which occurs in a flowing liquid due to a decrease and subsequent increase in local pressure. Methods involving electrolysis require direct liquid-electrical contact or discharge of water and electrodes, or the introduction of another ion source. Alternatively, methods that do not use electrolysis (such as hydrodynamic cavitation) are considered less efficient in generating sustainable nanobubbles and can lead to a reduction in the solubilization effect.

[0006] So far, various methods related to the preparation of nanobubbles are known. However, these methods generally introduce electrolysis or foreign substances (e.g., ions) into the water in which nanobubbles are generated, which may cause contamination. Published PCT Patent Application WO2014148397 uses water electrolysis to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the generated gases form nanobubbles. Published PCT Patent Application WO2005084786 employs ultrasonic irradiation and further uses additive ions to stabilize the nanobubbles. U.S. Published Patent Application US20070189972 relates to a method for forming nanobubbles by applying a physical stimulus to microbubbles contained in a liquid to cause the microbubbles to suddenly contract and form nanobubbles. In addition, this method also involves the use of additive ions. Operating to form a relatively large number of nanobubbles without microbubbles is simple and energy-efficient, and can produce a high gas solubility.

[0007] Published European Patent Application EP2986975 relates to methods and systems for controlling nanobubble and nanoparticle dynamics in conical nanopores.

[0008] Anaerobic Digestion (AD) converts biodegradable feedstocks (such as animal manure, sewage, food waste, etc.) into three main products: biogas, digestate, and water. Due to the wide application of biogas in industry, especially in the generation of heat or electricity, the extraction of biogas is highly desirable. However, pollutants including H 2 S are highly corrosive and inhibit combustion. Therefore, before the effective utilization of biogas, a considerable degree of purification of biogas is required. In addition, it is generally believed that disposing of the waste generated from anaerobic digestion without fully extracting biogas (such as methane and carbon dioxide) will have a negative impact on the environment, such as contributing to greenhouse gas emissions globally. Existing purification methods (such as pressure swing absorption, cryogenic separation, chemical scrubbing, and membrane technology) usually have high capital and operating costs. In addition, existing purification methods are usually cost-effective only for large-scale biogas production, which means that small-scale, localized solutions are economically unfeasible.

[0009] The precipitate remaining after biogas extraction, i.e., digestate, can be used for fertilizers, compost, etc. However, the wastewater remaining after biogas and digestate extraction usually contains pollutants or other undesirable contaminants, which requires the treatment of the discharged water.

[0010] There is a need for a method, system, and device for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets that can address at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art. There is also a need for a method and system for treating biogas and wastewater that can address at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art. In addition, there is a need for a method and system for treating multi-component mixtures. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, a method for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions is provided; the method includes:

[0012] Providing a container for containing a liquid;

[0013] Dispensing a medium into the liquid, wherein the medium is provided to the container under ambient conditions;

[0014] Generating an electric field near the container using an electrode to promote the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein the electrode and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to prevent electrolysis in the container.

[0015] For example, the ambient conditions include a temperature in the range of 0°C to 30°C.

[0016] For example, the ambient conditions include from 0 N / m 2 to 2×10 5 N / m 2Pressure within a range.

[0017] Advantageously, the method may further include providing a magnetic field in the vicinity of the container.

[0018] Even more advantageously, the magnetic field includes a magnetic flux density within a range of 0.5 kGs -2 A -1 to 2 kGs -2 A -1 within a range.

[0019] In one aspect, the medium is a gas medium. Advantageously, the gas medium includes a mixture of two or more gases. Preferably, at least one gas is enriched.

[0020] In another aspect, the medium is a liquid medium. Advantageously, the liquid medium includes a mixture of two or more liquid components. Preferably, at least one liquid component is enriched.

[0021] In one aspect, the liquid is an aqueous liquid.

[0022] In a further aspect, the liquid includes deionized water.

[0023] In an exemplary aspect, the electric field is an electrostatic field.

[0024] In another aspect, a cooling member is provided for cooling the contents in the container. Advantageously, the cooling member circulates a coolant in the vicinity of the container.

[0025] In one aspect, the method includes evacuating the container.

[0026] In a further aspect, the method includes agitating the contents in the container. Advantageously, the agitation is provided by a rocking motion.

[0027] In an exemplary arrangement, the method includes sensing temperature; and / or sensing pressure.

[0028] In one example, the volume of the liquid is about 20 cm 3 . Advantageously, a pressure of up to 100 bar is applied to the container. Preferably, a DC voltage of about 30 V is applied to the electrodes.

[0029] In one aspect, an acoustic signal is applied to release nanobubbles or nanodroplets from the liquid.

[0030] In another aspect, a magnetic signal is applied to release nanobubbles or nanodroplets from the liquid.

[0031] In one aspect, the container is cooled to a predetermined level to facilitate storage of the nanobubbles or nanodroplets within the bulk of the liquid. Advantageously, the bulk of the liquid is frozen.

[0032] In an exemplary aspect, a method of generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions is provided; the method includes:

[0033] Providing a container for containing a liquid;

[0034] Dispensing a medium within the liquid, wherein the medium is provided to the container under ambient conditions;

[0035] Generating an electric field in the vicinity of the container to facilitate the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein, no electrolysis occurs within the container.

[0036] The present disclosure also relates to a generator for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions; the generator includes:

[0037] A container for containing a liquid;

[0038] A source for supplying a medium to the container for dispensing within the liquid, wherein the medium is provided to the container under ambient conditions;

[0039] An electrode for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the container to facilitate the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein, the electrode and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to avoid electrolysis.

[0040] Advantageously, the electrode may include a foil operably connected to a voltage source, and the foil may be laminated such that the foil and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact.

[0041] Further advantageously, the foil is folded in a helical restraint configuration.

[0042] Advantageously, the generator may include a plurality of electrodes arranged in a cascaded arrangement, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is disposed at an angle with respect to the wall of the container.

[0043] Advantageously, at least one magnet may be located in the vicinity of the generator.

[0044] Further advantageously, the magnet provides a magnetic flux density in the approximate range of 0.5 kgs -2 A -1 to 2 kgs -2 A -1 approximate range.

[0045] In one aspect, the source includes a gas source for supplying a gas medium.

[0046] In another aspect, the source includes a liquid source for supplying a liquid medium.

[0047] In a further aspect, the electrodes are configured to provide an electrostatic field.

[0048] In an exemplary arrangement, the generator further includes a cooling member for cooling the contents in the container. Advantageously, the cooling member is configured to circulate a coolant in the vicinity of the container. In one example, at least a portion of the generator defines a channel for accommodating the coolant therein.

[0049] In another aspect, a vacuum member is provided for evacuating the container.

[0050] In a further aspect, a stirring member is provided for stirring the contents in the container.

[0051] Advantageously, the stirring member includes a mechanical stirrer.

[0052] In one aspect, the electrodes include a cathode and an anode.

[0053] In another aspect, direct electrical contact between the cathode and the anode and the contents of the container is restricted to prevent electrolysis from occurring within the container.

[0054] In one aspect, the cathode and the anode are coated with or covered by an electrically insulating coating or material.

[0055] In another aspect, the cathode and the anode are arranged in a parallel configuration to provide an electric field whose strength is inversely proportional to the distance between the cathode and the anode.

[0056] In a further aspect, the electrodes include a plurality of anodes and a plurality of cathodes.

[0057] In another aspect, the electrodes include a mesh configuration. Advantageously, the electrodes include a plurality of mesh elements.

[0058] In an exemplary arrangement, the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes are arranged in a parallel configuration.

[0059] In one aspect, each mesh element includes a hole for receiving a portion of a conveying mechanism therein.

[0060] In another aspect, the conveying mechanism includes an elongated tubular member for extending through the holes of the mesh elements. Advantageously, the tubular member is operably mounted on a base member.

[0061] In one aspect, the delivery mechanism includes a plurality of outlets to facilitate the distribution of the medium within the container. Advantageously, the outlets are sized to accommodate the medium passing therethrough but prevent the entry of liquid from the container.

[0062] In another aspect, the electrodes are arranged to consist of a series of concentric elements.

[0063] In one aspect, the concentric elements can be configured such that each element consists of a cathode and an anode in contact.

[0064] In a further aspect, an enricher is provided for enriching the medium.

[0065] In one aspect, a storage container is provided for storing the nanobubbles or nanodroplets in a temperature-controlled environment.

[0066] In another aspect, the nanobubbles or nanodroplets are frozen to facilitate storage.

[0067] The present disclosure also relates to a system for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein the system includes:

[0068] A generator, the generator including:

[0069] A container for containing a liquid;

[0070] A source for supplying a medium to the container for distribution in the liquid;

[0071] Electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the container to facilitate the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein the electrodes and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to avoid electrolysis; and

[0072] A control circuit configured to control the generator.

[0073] According to one aspect; there is a method of treating wastewater, the method comprising the steps of:

[0074] Providing a container for receiving wastewater and a gas, wherein the gas includes one or more constituent gas components;

[0075] Directing a first gas component of the wastewater and the gas to the container;

[0076] Reducing the temperature of the contents in the container from a first temperature to a second temperature to facilitate the formation of a clathrate hydrate comprising the wastewater and the first gas component;

[0077] Raise the temperature of the contents in the container relative to the second temperature to promote melting of the clathrate hydrate; and

[0078] Remove clean water and / or the first gas component from the container.

[0079] In one aspect, the method further includes generating nanobubbles of the first gas component.

[0080] In another aspect, directing the first gas component to the container includes controllably releasing nanobubbles of the first gas component from the container. Advantageously, the container includes a nanobubble generator. Preferably, controllably releasing the nanobubbles of the first gas component includes applying a signal to a liquid storing the nanobubbles. In one exemplary embodiment, the signal includes at least one of an acoustic signal or an electromagnetic signal.

[0081] In one aspect, the method further includes removing residues from the container.

[0082] In another aspect, the method further includes removing a second gas component of the gas from the generator. In one example, the first gas component includes carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. In one example, the second gas component includes methane.

[0083] According to another aspect; there is provided a system for treating wastewater, the system comprising:

[0084] A container for receiving wastewater and a gas, wherein the gas includes one or more constituent gas components;

[0085] A member for directing the wastewater and the first gas component of the gas to the container;

[0086] A temperature control member configured to:

[0087] Lower the temperature of the contents in the container from a first temperature to a second temperature to promote the formation of a clathrate hydrate including the wastewater and the first gas component; and

[0088] Raise the temperature of the container relative to the second temperature to promote melting of the clathrate hydrate; and

[0089] A member for removing clean water and / or the first gas component from the container.

[0090] According to another aspect; there is provided a system for treating a multi-component mixture, the system comprising:

[0091] A container for receiving a first medium and a second medium;

[0092] A source for supplying a first medium to the container and a source for supplying a second medium to the container;

[0093] A temperature control member for controlling the temperature of the contents in the container, wherein the temperature control member is configured to control the temperature of the contents in the container to facilitate the formation of a hydrate comprising the first medium and the second medium, and wherein the temperature control member is configured to control the temperature to facilitate the melting of the hydrate to provide a first treated medium and a second treated medium.

[0094] In one aspect; the first medium comprises a gas, wherein the gas comprises one or more constituent gas components. Advantageously, the hydrate formed in the container is a clathrate hydrate.

[0095] In another aspect, the system further comprises a nanobubble generator for generating nanobubbles of a first gas component of the gas, and further comprises at least one conduit for connecting the container of the nanobubble generator and the container.

[0096] In one aspect, a method for treating a multi-component mixture is provided, the method comprising:

[0097] Providing a first medium to a container;

[0098] Providing a second medium to the container;

[0099] Controlling the temperature of the contents in the container to facilitate the formation of a hydrate comprising the first medium and the second medium, and

[0100] Controlling the temperature of the contents in the container to facilitate the melting of the hydrate to provide a first treated medium and a second treated medium.

[0101] In one aspect, the first medium comprises a gas, wherein the gas comprises one or more constituent gas components.

[0102] Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for releasing nanobubbles or nanodroplets from a liquid; the method comprising controllably releasing the nanobubbles or nanodroplets by applying a signal to the liquid storing the nanobubbles or nanodroplets; wherein the signal comprises at least one of an acoustic signal or an electromagnetic signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0103] The present teachings will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0104] Figure 1 A process diagram for a detailed description of a system for performing a method of generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets according to the present disclosure is described;

[0105] Figure 2 describes an embodiment of a generator that forms part of a system, including a cross-section of the generator; Figure 1 ;

[0106] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an exemplary embodiment of an electrode;

[0107] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing another exemplary embodiment of an electrode;

[0108] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a further exemplary embodiment of an electrode;

[0109] Figure 6 is a flowchart that details exemplary steps for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets;

[0110] Figure 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the surface area of nanobubbles and the enhancement of their stability at different applied electric field strengths;

[0111] Figure 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the size of nanobubbles and their lifetime;

[0112] Figure 9 is a graph showing the variation of the current of a DC power supply over a 24-hour period;

[0113] Figure 10 is another system for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets that also complies with this teaching;

[0114] Figure 11 is a diagram of a system for treating biogas and wastewater according to an embodiment of this teaching;

[0115] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps of a method for treating biogas and wastewater using a system that Figure 11 ;

[0116] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps of a method for treating wastewater;

[0117] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps of a method for treating a multi-component mixture;

[0118] Figure 15 is a diagram of a device for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets according to an embodiment that complies with this disclosure;

[0119] Figure 16is a diagram of an electrode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0120] Figure 17a and Figure 17b provides a view of a molecular dynamics simulation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0121] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to exemplary methods, generators, and systems for treating biogas and wastewater from anaerobic decomposition by forming nanobubbles and natural gas hydrates. It will be understood that the exemplary methods, generators, and systems are provided to assist in understanding the teachings and should not be construed as limiting in any way. Additionally, elements or components described with reference to any of the figures may be interchanged with elements or components of other figures or other equivalent elements without departing from the spirit of the teachings. It will be understood that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals may be repeated in the figures where considered appropriate to indicate corresponding or similar elements.

[0122] Referring to the drawings and first to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 and Figure 2 show a system 100 for generating nano-elements according to the present disclosure, which may be nanobubbles or nano-droplets. The system 100 includes a generator 101 in which the nano-elements are generated. The generator 101 includes an internal hollow region defining a container 102 that houses a liquid 103 therein. In this exemplary embodiment, the liquid 103 may be deionized water or other aqueous solution. A medium in the form of a gas or a liquid is supplied to the container 102 to be dispensed within the liquid 103. Electrodes 104 are provided, as best shown in Figure 2 to generate an electric field in the vicinity of the container 102 to facilitate the generation of nano-elements in the container. The electrodes 104 and the liquid 103 are not in direct electrical contact to avoid electrolysis within the container 102. In this exemplary embodiment, the electrodes 104 are covered or coated with an insulating material or coating; or the like.

[0123] A cooling member such as a refrigerator or an isothermal bath 105 is provided to cool the contents within the container 102. The isothermal bath 105 is configured to circulate a coolant through at least a portion of the generator 101 that is near the container 102. In this exemplary embodiment, the generator 101 has a double wall in which a channel 106 for accommodating a coolant flow is provided. The coolant is introduced into the channel 106 through an inlet pipe 107. The coolant then returns to the isothermal bath 105 via an outlet pipe 108. Those skilled in the art will understand that there are a variety of cooling reagents that can be used as the coolant. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the coolant is provided as a mixture of water and ethylene glycol. Alternatively, the coolant can be an antifreeze. The isothermal bath 105 is operable to supply a coolant within a temperature range of 263 - 343K.

[0124] The generator 102 also includes a sealing member for sealing the container 102. The sealing member can include a closure cap 109 and a sealing gasket 110 for operably engaging the sidewall of the generator 102. In this exemplary embodiment, the sealing gasket 110 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene. A vacuum member for evacuating the container 102 can be provided, which can be provided as a vacuum pump 111 for example. A stirring member for stirring the contents within the container can be provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the stirring member includes a mechanical stirrer (not shown) that can be configured to provide a rocking motion.

[0125] A data acquisition system 112 can be used to monitor parameters associated with the generator 102. A temperature sensor 113 is provided to sense the temperature associated with the contents within the container 102. In this exemplary arrangement, the temperature sensor includes a thermocouple. A pressure sensor 114 is provided to sense the pressure associated with the generator 102. In one example, a platinum resistance thermometer (thermocouple) is used to monitor the temperature associated with the generator 102. The temperature monitored by the temperature sensor 113 and the pressure monitored by the pressure sensor 114 are recorded at regular intervals using the data acquisition system 112.

[0126] The generator 102 also includes a source 115 of a medium. In this exemplary embodiment, the source 115 includes three discrete gas sources that are selectively controlled to supply a suitable gas or combination of gases to the container 102. Although Figure 1Three gas sources are shown as propane, methane, and hydrogen, but those skilled in the art will understand that any suitable gas source may be used and the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the exemplary gases described. The generator 102 is controlled by a control circuit 116. The control circuit 116 communicates with the source 115, the vacuum pump 111, the temperature sensor 113, the pressure sensor 114, the data acquisition system 112, and the isothermal bath 105. The backpressure valve 117 facilitates the controlled introduction of the medium from the source 115 into the container 102 without loss of the liquid 103 from the container 102. The inlet conduit 118 provides a path for the medium from the source 115 to the container 102. A flow meter 119 is provided to meter the flow of the medium to the container 102.

[0127] In use, the introduction of gas from the gas source 115 to the container 102 is controlled by a series of ball valves 120 and will be described further in more detail below. The control of the gas source 115 includes changing the series of ball valves 120 described above to convey gas or gas combinations to the vacuum pump 111 or the dump 121 as needed. If the backpressure valve 117 is closed, the backpressure cylinder 122 contains the gas flow.

[0128] Figure 2 A cross-section of the generator 101 including the double walls of the container 102 is described in detail, in which the liquid 103 and the medium are loaded. In this exemplary embodiment, the liquid 103 is deionized water and has a volume of 20 cm 3 . Those skilled in the art will understand that the liquid 103 may include any suitable aqueous solution, and deionized water is provided as an example. As Figure 3 best shown in, the electrodes 104 include a cathode 123 and an anode 124, and in this exemplary embodiment, the cathode and the anode extend to the bottom of the volume 102 in a parallel arrangement, and the cathode and the anode generate an electrostatic field applied to the contents of the container 102. The action of the electric field causes the formation and accumulation of nanobubbles of the gas medium or nanodroplets of the liquid medium inside the liquid 103. A DC current is applied to the electrodes 104, generating a potential difference of up to 60 volts. In one manifestation of the present disclosure, the inventors envision a larger voltage scaled up in proportion to other parameters used, such as the volume of the liquid 103 and the medium introduced into the container 102.

[0129] Importantly, an advantageous feature of the present disclosure is that in all embodiments of electrode 104, there is no direct electrical contact with the liquid-gas mixture, and the electrode is coated or covered with an insulating coating or material or the like. Such an insulating coating can be, for example, a dielectric paint or other suitable material. Thus, the present disclosure is different from the hitherto known electrolysis-based methods. The extraction of nanobubbles is facilitated, controllable, and on-demand by applying an acoustic signal (such as an acoustic pulse) to the contents of container 102 containing nanobubbles. After a determined period of time during which the acoustic signal is applied, the nanobubbles or nanodroplets are completely extracted from the liquid 103, such that container 102 mainly contains liquid 103. This extraction method is not only simple and controllable enough, but it also enables extraction to be carried out well before the metastability period of the nanobubbles, which can extend to several months. Additionally, the facile, controllable, and on-demand release of nanobubbles can be achieved using a magnetic field. The magnetic field can be provided by a permanent magnet, however the inventors envision other means, such as electromagnetic pulses or a series of pulses. Further, as described with reference to Figure 9 this method of extracting nanobubbles of a gas or nanodroplets of a liquid medium is energy-efficient.

[0130] Figure 3 The first-generation embodiment of electrode 104A is described, which consists of a cathode 123 and an anode 124 that are arranged in parallel and placed at the base 126 of container 102. Finite element studies conducted by the inventors found that in this embodiment, only 30% of the liquid 103 in container 102 is exposed to the electric field. Therefore, two additional embodiments were developed.

[0131] Figure 4 The second-generation embodiment of electrode 104B, which consists of concentric elements 127, is described. Each concentric element 127 also includes a cathode 123 and an anode 124, which are arranged in parallel and in contact at any given point on the concentric element 127. Both the cathode 123 and the anode 124 lead to their respective electrical contacts through a central hole 128. Compared with the Figure 3 first embodiment shown, this embodiment enables a greater degree of exposure of the liquid 103 to the electric field, and the liquid 103 is conveyed into the cavity between the concentric elements 127.

[0132] Figure 5A third-generation embodiment of electrode 104C is described, where electrode 104C includes a plurality of cathodes 123 and a plurality of anodes 124, and the plurality of cathodes and anodes are arranged in a parallel configuration and connected to a plurality of mesh elements 129. Each mesh element 129 includes a hole 130 for receiving a portion of a delivery mechanism 131 that is used to deliver a gas medium or a liquid medium to a container 102. The delivery mechanism 131 includes an elongated tubular member 132. The size of the elongated tubular member 132 is designed such that it extends through the hole 130 of the mesh element 129. In the present exemplary embodiment, the elongated tubular member 132 is operably mounted on a base member 133. Both the elongated tubular member 132 and the base member 133 can be made of any suitable insulating material, such as a certain polymer. The delivery mechanism 131 includes a plurality of outlets 134 to facilitate the distribution of the medium within the container 102. The size of these outlets 134 is designed such that the medium can be accommodated, but the liquid 103 is prevented from entering the internal volume defined by the elongated tubular member 132 or the base member 133.

[0133] The outlets 134 on the base member 133 are positioned relative to the mesh element 129 such that the medium introduced into the container 102 from a source 115 is not restricted by the material wire of the mesh element 129 around the bottom of the container 102. Cross-section 136 depicts the arrangement of the outlets 134 relative to the mesh element 129. In the present exemplary embodiment, the outlets 134 extend radially from the tubular member 132 on the base member 133. Both the cathodes 123 and the anodes 124 are respectively connected to their own collector buses on opposite sides of the conductive grid 31 to avoid unwanted short circuits. Compared with the previous embodiments, this embodiment of the electrode 104 increases both the liquid level exposed to the electric field and the electric field intensity by a factor of 10, and thus, the inventors envision that this embodiment can be further scaled up for industrial applications.

[0134] The metastable gas solubility levels obtainable from this method are significantly higher than those hitherto known as shown in Table 1. It has been found that by this method, the gas solubility of methane is 22.5 times that of the actual Henry's law, while the gas solubility of oxygen is 2.5 times that of Henry's law. For carbon dioxide, it has been found that the actual Henry's law coefficient has increased by a factor of 15. The inventors envision that this has a clear application in the gas storage industry. The inventors also envision that this has an important use in reducing industrial carbon emissions.

[0135] Table 1 - Methane stored in water in the form of bubbles

[0136]

[0137] In addition, the method can also be applied to a mixture of phases (multiple gases or multiple liquids) in contact with a mother liquor, referred to as liquid 103 in this disclosure. One possible implementation is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, but this implementation should not be understood as limiting its scope. The Henry's Law coefficient solubility of carbon dioxide (in milligrams per liter) is 30 times that of methane. Applying an electric field to such a mixture as in the method of the present invention will increase the solubility of carbon dioxide by 12 times, so that a significantly larger portion of carbon dioxide than methane will diffuse into the liquid, thereby purifying the methane to a level in the range of 97-98%. For example, this has important applications in the biogas industry to control agricultural methane production, or in treating biogas in anaerobic decomposition tanks (for example, in the wastewater treatment industry). It is also possible to remove gases such as H that may inhibit combustion. 2 The corrosive contaminants of S make it feasible to use biogas in heat and / or electricity production (for example in a combined heat and power cycle).

[0138] Methods for producing nanobubbles without electrolysis have historically been considered energy inefficient, however the present disclosure is significantly more energy efficient than any prior art disclosures. From this perspective, the skilled person will appreciate that the present disclosure is of great value to the industry.

[0139] Now refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 A flowchart 150 is shown that details exemplary steps for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets according to the present disclosure. In step 154, a liquid is loaded into the container 102. In step 156, a medium such as a gas medium or a liquid medium is dispensed into the liquid 103 in the container 102. In step 158, an electric field is generated near the container 102 using the electrode 104 to promote the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets. In step 159, the electrode 104 and the liquid 103 are not in direct electrical contact to prevent electrolysis from occurring in the container 102.

[0140] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary arrangement according to the present disclosure that may be used to implement the steps of flowchart 150 is shown. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular generator 101 described herein, which is provided merely as an example. Generator 101 is provided as having a volume of 340 cm 3A stainless steel (SS-316) equilibrium vessel 102, and experiments were carried out using a maximum design pressure of 24 MPa. The temperature of the vessel 102 was controlled by flowing a mixture of water and ethylene glycol as a coolant in the isothermal bath 105. The temperature of the isothermal bath 105 can be adjusted in the range of 263 - 343 K. A platinum resistance thermometer (Pt-100) with a precision of 0.1 K was used to measure the temperature of the vessel 102. The use of a double-wall generator helps to control the temperature while the coolant does not contaminate the water 103. The thermometer was calibrated with a reference platinum resistance thermometer. The pressure associated with the vessel 102 was monitored by a sensor 114 with an uncertainty of ±0.010 MPa. An adjustable-speed rocking device was used to apply mechanical stirring in the vessel 102. The system 100 was also equipped with a data acquisition program 112 to record the temperature and pressure at different time intervals. It will be understood that the exemplary values described herein are provided only as examples, and alternative values may be used.

[0141] The cathode 123 and anode 124 of the electrode 104 are operatively connected to a DC power supply with a potential of 30 V. An electric field is applied to the water 103. The water 103 is loaded in the first step, and then the vessel 102 is sealed using the closed lid 109 and the sealing gasket 110. The generator 101 is loaded with 100 bar of gas, and the pressure is recorded during the formation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the exemplary values described. For example, it is envisioned that the voltage of the DC power supply can be set to any desired value.

[0142] Before starting the process, the vessel 102 was washed, cleaned, and completely dried using an air stream; this was to clean the vessel 102 that would load the liquid and introduce the medium to avoid any contamination. Subsequently, nitrogen gas at a pressure of 1 MPa was injected to check the vessel 102 for leaks. The leak test was to ensure the accuracy of the pressure readings during the nanobubble formation process. In the next step, the inert gas was purged, and a vacuum pump 111 was used for about 30 minutes to evacuate the trapped gas from the vessel 102. The use of the inert gas and the second cleaning step of gas evacuation removed any unwanted gas molecules within the volume defined by the vessel 102. The volume was 20 cm 3Deionized water 3 is loaded into container 102; it has been found that this volume of water 103 provides a good level of reproducible performance. The pressure associated with container 102 is increased by injecting a selected gas from source 115 until the desired pressure is reached. In this exemplary experiment, approximately 100 bar of gas is loaded into container 102. In the presence of mechanical stirring, water 103 reaches saturation after approximately 2 hours of gas-water contact. A rocking device (not shown) with an adjustable speed is used to increase the mechanical stirring in container 102. This mechanical stirring makes the water turbulent to achieve better water-gas contact, thereby resulting in a higher bubble formation rate. Then a DC current (0 - 60V) is applied while recording the pressure and temperature per second. It will be understood that the exemplary values described herein are provided only as examples and alternative values may be used.

[0143] Molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the mechanism of nanobubble formation in an externally applied electric field and to characterize its stability conditions. Nanobubbles can be seen from the molecular dynamics of hydrate decomposition in an electric field. The present inventors studied the stability of nanobubbles under an externally applied electric field, as Figure 7 shown, and the results indicate that the hydrate has higher stability at higher field intensities.

[0144] After methane nanobubbles were formed, the solution was stored for three months under ambient conditions (pressure, temperature) and characterized using dynamic light scattering. The results show that during aging, the nanobubbles coalesced together, causing the bubble size to increase, but this increase was not sufficient to force the nanobubbles out of the aqueous medium, as Figure 8 shown.

[0145] The formation energy of nanobubbles during the 24-hour formation process can be calculated based on the stored energy within container 102, where the combination of electrode 104 and water 103 can simulate a capacitor with a capacitance of approximately 3 nF. During nanobubble formation, the dielectric value of water 103 changes, which can be considered as capacitor leakage. To compensate for this leakage, additional energy must be added to system 100. Therefore, to calculate the total energy, the applied current is recorded by data acquisition system 112 during this formation process. Figure 9 The graph of shows the variation of current over time. The observed current is very low, but the average value of this oscillation over 24 hours is 22 nA, which means that 1.9 millicoulombs of charge needs to be added to the capacitor to maintain the same energy level. Therefore, the total energy for forming nanobubbles in 24 hours will be:

[0146]

[0147] This is a very small energy supply for only 20 ml of liquid 103, indicating a significant level of energy efficiency. This can be understood by comparison with, for example, the systems currently available in the wastewater industry. The energy consumption of the present system 100 is 0.3Whr / m 3 of water 103. This is much lower than the energy consumption achievable with advanced systems in the wastewater industry currently (40Whr / m 3 ). In addition, the aeration level in the wastewater industry currently reaches a dissolved oxygen limit of about 0.5 mg / l, while the method of the present disclosure reaches a level of 25 - 30 mg / l. In addition, the aeration level achieved in the present disclosure is metastable over a time scale of several months. It will be understood that the exemplary values described herein are provided only as examples, and alternative values may be used.

[0148] The key parameters in the method according to this teaching are:

[0149] The field strength (E = V / d in the Figure 3 electrode design)

[0150] where V is the applied voltage; and

[0151] d is the distance between the cathode and the anode in the electrode design.

[0152] When using the first-generation electrode 104A, a voltage of 30V is applied to generate a relatively high field strength. Those skilled in the art will understand that the applied voltage is not intended to be limited to 60V since other values can be applied. The distance d between the cathode and the anode is 5 mm. Thus, the maximum applied electric field is 12000 V / m. This d value may be different in the Figure 4 second-generation electrode 104B and Figure 5 third-generation electrode 104C, and thus the field strength will change accordingly. The distribution mainly varies with the electrode geometry and design.

[0153] Generally speaking, reducing the kinetic energy of the molecules makes the nanobubbles more relaxed and makes the bubble formation process faster. On the other hand, extremely low temperatures can cause some unwanted reactions, such as the formation of hydrates in the case of methane or water freezing. Therefore, the inventors selected methane at 15 °C (lower than 13 °C for the methane hydrate form), and oxygen at 2 °C.

[0154] To accelerate the formation of nanobubbles, the inventors realized that more gas molecules needed to come into contact with the water 103. This is achieved by increasing the gas pressure inside the container 102. In this exemplary arrangement, the container 102 is loaded with 100 bar of gas. The inventors realized that this pressure could be greatly reduced by changing the scavenging system or by using an enricher to increase the pre-saturation step.

[0155] Reference Figure 10 , which shows another system 200 for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets also in accordance with the present teachings. The system 200 is substantially similar to the system 100, and like elements are indicated by like reference numerals. The main difference between the system 200 and the system 100 is that the system 200 includes an enricher 205 for enriching the gas medium. The inventors realized that performance could be optimized by increasing gas absorption if the increased gas absorption would result in a higher metastable gas capacity that would persist for months or even longer after in situ removal and depressurization. That is, the T, P, and E-field strength in the DoX factor design of 2 3 For example, a regression fit of two dependent variables can be studied in a series of 8 experiments using 40 bar and 160 bar, 1 °C and 35 °C, and (estimated) electric field strengths of about 5000 V / m and 20000 V / m. The two dependent variables are: the dissolved gas level in the perfusion under E-electric field and P conditions, and secondly, the dissolved gas level (mg / l) after removal from the pressure vessel 102 and storage at ambient pressure in the laboratory for several hours.

[0156] The storage container 210 can be used to store nanobubbles / nanodroplets. In the system 200, the storage container 210 is at 3 - 4 °C, which slows down the reverse nanobubble cavitation and agglomeration to the micron size (and escape to the gas phase). However, for long-term storage (in months) or for the transportation of liquids containing nanobubbles, the water containing nanobubbles is directly frozen after being taken out from the container 102 to store the nanobubbles in water for a long time. Subsequently, it is thawed for subsequent use.

[0157] It is noteworthy that freezing the liquid (containing nanobubbles) while still in the container 102 under high pressure will enable long-term preservation of a virtually higher level of gas solubility. For example, it is possible to obtain a high level (thousands of mg / l) of, for example, O 2 (DO has reached 1400 mg / l at about 100 bar in the laboratory), and then the ice can be stored in a freezer at ambient pressure for several days; the gas will leak out of the ice, but at a very slow rate. If the ice can be stored in an inexpensive, commercial pressure vessel barrel of about 25 bar (e.g., plastic, aluminum), which is commonly / conventionally used in the process industry for intermediate pressurized storage during transportation, the ice can be stored in this container in an ordinary industrial / consumer freezer in a very economical way for long-term storage and transportation at a significantly elevated gas level, and then used elsewhere when thawed in a higher-rated pressure vessel.

[0158] Acoustic and / or magnetic field exposure can be used to extract nanobubbles or nanodroplets to provide a controlled, on-demand release. By exposing the storage container 210 to an acoustic pulse of about 10 - 50 N, it can be seen that nanobubbles of gas or nanodroplets of liquid leave the liquid mostly within hours rather than weeks or months, otherwise the nanobubbles or nanodroplets of liquid would undergo metastabilization over months. The inventors also realized that a magnetic field can be used to provide a controlled release of nanobubbles or nanodroplets from water. The magnetic field can be provided using a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic pulse or a series of such pulses. The field strength can be on the order of milliteslas or higher.

[0159] Differential absorption of species in an aqueous nanophase fluid (whether droplets or gas, depending in part on the prevailing temperature and pressure relative to their respective species-specific critical points) is an important fundamental feature that can be controlled to improve the utilization of the nanophase as a reagent in a species separation process.

[0160] The development of nanophase-enhanced gas-liquid absorption operations (or indeed liquid-liquid extraction operations) has multiple applications / interest in classical gas-in-liquid absorption in packed towers for various purposes and applications such as air quality compliance regarding gas emissions. Advantageously, due to the additional accommodation of the nanophase, the equation y i = H i x i (where H i is the Henry's law constant, HLC) the usual gas-liquid equilibrium constant can be replaced by where is the enhanced actual HLC. (This will be understood as a practical and effective working approximation considering that the time scale of this metastability exceeds several months and is much shorter than the unit operation residence time). Thus, the inventors preserve the corpus of process engineering design analysis of unit operations that depends on "equilibrium" conditions.

[0161] Designing and studying more efficient multi-component gas separation / enrichment operations than currently commercially available will be straightforward through the significantly increased surface area to volume ratio in the nano-phase, coupled with more favorable actual equilibrium conditions. While this concept of the present disclosure can be applied to pure-gas stripping, it has higher value for the differential absorption of multi-component gas mixtures in the gas phase as well as dissolved in immiscible liquid phases (e.g., biogas purification and flue gas treatment as described below). In certain embodiments, an on-line gas chromatography system can be used to confirm the gas enrichment level nearly in real-time for process control purposes (i.e., ratio control of gas components). Related molecular dynamics simulations reveal the microscopic mechanism of the absorption of multi-component gas mixtures in liquids, which will enable further optimization of the process.

[0162] In certain embodiments, this principle can be further applied to distillation methods, whether for single or multiple components. Similarly, for nano-bubble enhanced gas-liquid operations, due to the additional accommodation in the nano-phase, the 'NB-shifted equilibrium' can be used where is the enhanced actual HLC. In preliminary process-simulation results using this shifted equilibrium relationship, lower energy consumption (about 40%) and significantly enhanced gas-phase enrichment of the most volatile component (MVC) have been obtained compared to conventional distillation.

[0163] Here, in a preliminary 'pre-NB' operation, depending on the flue gas composition, a pressure-swing-adsorption (PSA) type method can be applied to remove higher CO 2 concentrations, especially when %CO 2 is higher than about 10 - 12%, because CO 2 is typically present in the flue gas emissions from steel and cement plants as well as power stations or CHP plants (whether in biogas or any other industry). Now, once PSA has been used for flue gas treatment with high CO 2 i.e., for the 'heavy lifting', 'low-hanging fruit', or 'economically / operationally beneficial marginal CO 2 removal treatment' of CO 2 removal, there is hope for NB-supported differential flue gas stripping / removal.

[0164] In an advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure, passing (residual) flue gas directly through water, for example via an ejector or a Venturi - type nozzle, will result in the enrichment of the flue gas, where some initial micro - bubbles are formed and then active nano - bubbles / droplets are formed as described above. O 2 and N 2 As supercritical non - condensable gases will all disappear and, in terms of water concentration, will slightly exceed (not more than about 2.5 times) the HLC level. This may greatly increase the solubility limits of other (pollutant) gases.

[0165] In another embodiment for removing gas components from flue gas, a two - way liquid / gas compartment separated by a plane containing carbon nanotubes (or any other hydrophobic porous - solid mesh that impedes the passage of water from one side to the other) can be used. Initially, the "empty" side of the two - way box can include a vacuum applied by a vacuum pump, such that the absolute pressure on this side is about 0.3 - 0.5 bar (bara). Preferably, the pressure on this side of the two - way box is less than 1 bara. Liquid water (loaded with NB or nano - droplets) is on the other side of the two - way box. Then (pollutant, hydrophobic) gases (such as CO, CO2, methane, ammonia, etc.) are transferred through the carbon nanotubes to the gas side because the chemical potential of the above - mentioned gases drives them through the gas phase, and the carbon nanotubes do not permit the passage of water to any appreciable extent.

[0166] In an embodiment similar to the above - mentioned embodiment for removing gas components from flue gas, direct air capture (DAC) can be achieved. Unless required, the PSA - type method steps as described above are not particularly required as a preparatory step. It is envisioned that, in addition to "ambient air", nano - bubble generation and hydrophobic or carbon - nanotube filtration based on preventing / denying the passage of water can also be used in further embodiments. More specifically, "ambient air" or DAC here refers to indoor or outdoor air, but critically, it is at or near ambient pressure. However, it is envisioned that this can also be applied to (seasonal or year - round) agricultural air with elevated methane levels or ammonia, etc., such as indoor battery agriculture, and DAC in cities and their surrounding areas, especially beyond dedicated CCS - type systems for point emitters as described above. Further applications of these embodiments can include, but are not limited to, crop growth, irrigation, hydroponics, fish farms, and aquaculture. It can be understood that DAC is further considered highly desirable as part of efforts to mitigate climate change and address pollution, especially in urban and industrial environments. Therefore, any such improvement to DAC methods and systems is widely understood to be advantageous.

[0167] Advantageously, for a mixture of immiscible liquids, the formula x i,k = K i,j,k xi,j (where K i,j,k is the liquid-liquid partition coefficient of species j in liquid phase i relative to k) of the liquid-liquid equilibrium-partition relationship can be represented by (where is the increased actual partition coefficient due to additional preferential accommodation in one phase) instead. In experiments with immiscible liquids, it has been observed that the generation of nano-droplets to varying degrees in each liquid phase enables significant enrichment of species in one liquid phase. This is a significant advantageous aspect of the present disclosure and an important unit operation in the chemical industry. Advantageously, in certain embodiments, the multi-component petroleum nano-droplets can be used as a means to enrich the species concentration of petroleum fractions in water using the above-described nano-droplet formation method. In simulations using , significant enrichment of petroleum nano-droplets in water has been observed. It is envisioned that this application may be very useful for rejuvenating mature oil wells.

[0168] Another advantageous application of the exemplary generators, systems, and methods for generating nanobubbles is in an agricultural environment. Specifically but not exclusively, the exemplary generators, systems, and methods for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets can be used to enhance seed germination rates. Enhancing seed germination rates has many benefits for crop growth productivity in agriculture, animal feed, and biofuel production. As discussed, in various embodiments using the exemplary generators, systems, and methods, a large amount of water containing the desired gas can be obtained. In some embodiments, the gas can be oxygen. Advantageously, using the exemplary generators, systems, and methods, the dissolved oxygen level that water can contain can be as high as 25 - 30 mg / l. For example, experiments were conducted to test the utility of highly oxygenated water in enhancing the germination rate of watercress seeds. Five to six watercress seeds were placed in a 24-well tray; approximately 70 ml of peat moss was placed in each well. Approximately 15 ml of deionized water was provided to each well of the first tray, and 15 ml of deionized water with approximately 15 mg / l dissolved oxygen (primarily in the form of nanobubbles) was provided to each well of the second tray. After 7 days, the two trays were compared, and it was found that the seed germination growth rate was approximately 35% higher in the tray with deionized water containing nanobubbles compared to the tray with deionized water without nanobubbles. Thus, another advantageous aspect of the present generators, systems, and methods for generating nanobubbles is their utility in promoting crop growth. It will be understood that the example of watercress seed germination is provided only as an example and should not be construed as limiting in any way, shape, or form. The use of the liquid containing nanobubbles produced according to the present disclosure can be applied to various liquids and gases and can be applied at different scales depending on the needs of the user. For example, it is envisioned that the containers for the liquids and gases in which nanobubbles are to be generated can be adapted for industrial scale in addition to private use. Advantageously, the liquid water to be enriched with DO can be placed in direct contact with atmospheric air, and subsequently, the nanobubble generation process can be carried out. This can be achieved by retrofitting open water (settling) tanks and reservoirs to a large "grid" scale.

[0169] Advantageously and similar to the above-described embodiments regarding gas - liquid absorption and liquid - liquid extraction, the equation Z k = K j,k x j ((where K j,k is the solid - liquid partition coefficient of species j in the solid phase relative to k) for the solid - liquid equilibrium - partitioning relationship can be given by (where, is the enhanced actual partition coefficient, which is due to the additional preferential accommodation in the liquid phase as nano-bubbles or nano-droplets) instead. In experiments, the generation of nano-droplets or nano-bubbles to varying degrees in the liquid phase has been observed to achieve a significant enrichment of species in the liquid phase. Solid-liquid leaching is a very important unit operation in the mining and extraction industries. It can be based on the systems and methods best described in Figure 11 and Figure 12 respectively, and the wastewater with enhanced minerals and dissolved ionic species generated is treated / cleaned by forming hydrates. As mentioned above, if necessary, the residual water can be further cleaned by O 2 -nano-bubble enhanced active precipitates.

[0170] In a further advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure, a stoichiometric excess of H 2 can be placed in the anaerobic digester in the form of nano-bubbles to generate "grid-quality" pure biogas, such as biomethane, without subsequent purification. As will be discussed below, nano-bubble generation can also be used in the AD step itself for H 2 S and CO 2 absorption. Therefore, the need for post-biogas purification is largely redundant, which provides a further improvement to existing anaerobic digesters. The additional hydrogen in the AD step enables the production of more pure biogas / biomethane, and there is less CO 2 and H 2 S. Using H 2 in the form of nano-bubbles enables a higher level of methane purity, which means less biomethane enrichment is required (which can still be carried out according to the Figure 11 and Figure 12 described systems and methods).

[0171] Now refer to Figure 11 , which shows a process flow diagram of an exemplary system 1100 for treating multi-component mixtures. In this exemplary embodiment, system 1100 may include the exemplary generator 101 in the previous figures. However, it is envisioned that other nano-bubble or nano-droplet sources are feasible, and in various embodiments, in-situ generation of nano-phase components is optional and advantageous. In this exemplary embodiment, system 1100 can be used to treat biogas and wastewater generated from anaerobic digesters through nano-bubble and gas hydrate formation. However, the exemplary system 1100 is not limited to use in the context of anaerobic digestion, and other uses can be envisioned.

[0172] The operation of the system 1100 will now be described by way of an exemplary method of treating wastewater from an anaerobic digester. However, it is noted that wastewater is an example of a first medium, and a gas such as biogas is an example of a second medium. Additionally, the source of the first medium and / or the second medium need not be an anaerobic digester, as will be understood when considering, for example, the various embodiments described above.

[0173] The wastewater can be introduced into the generator 101 via the first inlet 1105, and the biogas can be introduced into the generator 101 via the second inlet 1110. Optionally, the wastewater can be directed through a sand filter 1115 before reaching the generator 101 in order to minimize the volume of particulate matter or other undesirable materials, other than the wastewater itself, reaching the generator 101. Once the biogas and / or the wastewater have been provided to the generator 101, the biogas purification process can be initiated. In the present exemplary embodiment, the biogas purification process is a nanobubble generation process such as Figure 6 as shown. Advantageously, a biogas purification process such as Figure 6 the biogas purification process shown can be completed in one pass, that is, methane of up to about 98% purity can be obtained, and thus the purification process need not be repeated. In the present exemplary embodiment, the microorganism can convert H 2 S, causing sulfur to precipitate; iron is added to form FeSO 4 . CO 2 has been purified by forming CO 2 nanobubbles, and the CH 4 can be transported from the generator 101 to the gas storage unit 1125 via the first outlet 1120. In the present exemplary embodiment, the gas storage unit 1125 includes a plurality of gas storage containers. After the biogas purification, the wastewater and the CO 2 nanobubbles can be released from the generator 101. In the present exemplary embodiment, as described above, the CO 2 can be controllably released from the solvated nanobubble form in the generator 101 by applying an acoustic or electromagnetic signal. The wastewater and the CO 2 can be directed via the first outlet 1135 to the secondary treatment container 1130. Instead of directing the wastewater to the generator 101, an outlet (not shown) can be provided at the generator 101 that is connected to a conduit that directs the wastewater to the secondary treatment container 1130. The outlet can be connected to the conduit by a faucet or a controllable release mechanism such as a valve mechanism (not shown).

[0174] It will be understood that although the present drawing shows three replicas of the secondary treatment container 1130, this is presented only for illustrative purposes to clarify the three-stage process that occurs in the secondary treatment container 1130. The three-stage process will now be described.

[0175] In the first stage, wastewater and CO 2 are loaded into the secondary treatment container 1130. In this exemplary embodiment, the wastewater and CO 2 are loaded into the treatment container 1130 at room temperature.

[0176] In the second stage, the secondary treatment container 1130 is cooled to a temperature lower than the loading temperature of the first stage. In the second stage, clathrate hydrates are formed from CO 2 and the wastewater. The formation of the clathrate hydrates significantly purifies the wastewater. The residual contaminants that have been separated from the water can then be directed out of the secondary treatment container 1130, leaving CO 2 and clean water.

[0177] In the third stage, the temperature of the secondary treatment container 1130 can then be raised to facilitate the melting of the clathrate hydrates. The clean water can then be directed out of the secondary treatment container 1130 via the second outlet 1140. In one embodiment, the clean water can be directed to a water retention container (not shown), such as but not limited to a water storage tank or silo. This water retention container can be used for temporary or long-term water storage. In another embodiment, the clean water can be directed to a public or private water supply. CO 2 can be directed via the third outlet 1145 to the gas storage container of the gas storage unit 1125.

[0178] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method 1200 for treating a multi-component mixture using an exemplary system 1100 Figure 11 . First, 1210, the steps of Figure 6 are performed. In one embodiment, all of the liquid provided to the generator 101 in step 1210 comprises wastewater. In an alternative embodiment, the liquid provided to the generator 101 in step 1210 comprises partially wastewater and partially another liquid other than wastewater. In another embodiment, the liquid provided to the generator 101 does not include any wastewater, and the wastewater is provided directly from the anaerobic digester or another source to the secondary treatment container 1130. Generally, wastewater will be received from the anaerobic digester, however it will be understood that other wastewater sources such as but not limited to sewage are equally viable. For example, to use Figure 11 and Figure 12The wastewater purified by the system and / or method may include, but is not limited to: seawater, frack-water, reverse osmosis wastewater, agricultural wastewater, slaughterhouse and tannery wastewater, mining wastewater, and wastewater from cement and construction. In addition, the gas source does not necessarily come from the anaerobic digester. By way of example only, the gas may come from landfills, mining, construction, industry, vehicles, or other environments. In fact, the embodiments of the anaerobic digester are provided only as examples; the use of nanobubbles or nanodroplets of a guest species such as gas to form hydrates with wastewater components and treat the wastewater can be applied to various wastewater treatment scenarios. In fact, the integrated purification of multi-component gas and wastewater streams is expected to be widely applied in various different scale environments, from small-scale agricultural or household uses to large-scale industrial applications such as chemical treatment or production plants. As mentioned above, the medium provided to the generator 101 may be a mixture of two or more gases. In the present exemplary embodiment, the gas medium provided to the generator 101 in step 1210 includes at least methane and carbon dioxide. More importantly, as mentioned above, nanodroplets can also be formed using the generator 101. Therefore, the nanodroplets can be used for Figure 12 the above process and Figure 11 in the system 1100. The gas components other than methane may include, but are not limited to, propane, ethane, butane, pentane, hexane, etc., and, when needed, their isomers such as isobutane. In embodiments where the multi-component mixture involves multiple liquids, hydrates can be formed that include liquids and not necessarily gases.

[0179] The formation of nanobubbles (or nanodroplets or some combination) of the second gas substantially purifies the first gas. In the present exemplary embodiment, the formation of nanobubbles of the second gas can purify the first gas to approximately 98%. Once the purification of the first gas is completed according to the exemplary steps present in step 1210, the purified first gas can be removed 1220 from the generator 101. In the present exemplary embodiment, the purified first gas can be directed to the gas storage unit 1125. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first gas component is methane.

[0180] In the present exemplary embodiment, the medium supplied 156 to the container of the generator 101 is a multi-component gas. It can be according to Figure 6In step 1210 of , the multicomponent gas is separated, and optionally, the purified first gas component is led out of the container of the generator 101. After removing 1220 the purified first gas, the second gas component of the medium (which is now in the form of solvated nanobubbles due to step 1210) can be controllably released 1230 from the generator 101. In addition to the second gas component of the medium, a second medium (which is wastewater in this exemplary embodiment) can be led to the secondary treatment container 1130. The wastewater can be led from the generator 101 container or directly from a source. The source of the wastewater can be the same as or different from the source of the first medium. In this exemplary embodiment, the sources of the wastewater and the first medium are anaerobic digestion ponds. In this exemplary embodiment, the controllable release of the second gas component from its nanobubble form can be performed according to the aforementioned release method, wherein an acoustic or electromagnetic signal is applied to the generator 101. In this exemplary embodiment, the second gas component forming the nanobubbles can be carbon dioxide, and the purified component led out of the container of the generator 101 can be methane.

[0181] After step 1230, the nanobubbles of the second gas and the wastewater can then be led 1240 to the secondary treatment container 1130 maintained at a first temperature T 1 In this exemplary embodiment, the first temperature T 1 is room temperature, or within an approximate range of It will be understood that the temperatures in this example are given in the SI base unit of Kelvin (K).

[0182] Then the temperature of the secondary treatment container 1130 can be reduced 1250 to a temperature T 2 < T 1 In this exemplary embodiment, the temperature T 2 is within an approximate range of 273K to 283K. Subsequently, the formation 1260 of clathrate hydrates from the second gas and the wastewater is initiated, thereby substantially purifying the wastewater. Clathrate hydrates are non-stoichiometric crystalline inclusion compounds in which a hydrogen-bonded water host lattice encloses small guest molecules in cavities. Hydrates have become very important in the treatment of (heavily polluted) water because they are able to form stoichiometrically pure crystals with the introduced gas, thereby separating from residual sludge by flotation. For effective hydrate crystallization, close contact between the gas and water is required. Obviously, the development of the nanophase (whether in the form of bubbles or droplets, or in some combination) will increase the concentration of the aqueous solution (especially for liquid nanodroplets) and the contact area. For example, in a study to date on propane nanodroplets and approximately 4% wt (solid) wastewater, the hydrate formation rate in a pressure vessel system is approximately twice that without the nanophase, CO 2The hydrate formation rate of methane has increased by several times. In the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of nano-droplets, the inventors also witnessed a significantly increased hydrate formation rate due to the supersaturation of the aqueous-phase guest.

[0183] Remove 1270 the residual dirt that is now separated from the wastewater due to the formation of gas hydrates from the secondary treatment container 1130. In certain embodiments, the residual dirt can be repositioned into the waste retention unit. The residual dirt can then be used industrially or elsewhere, such as as a raw material.

[0184] After removing the residual dirt from the secondary treatment container 1130, raise 1280 the temperature of the secondary treatment container 1130. In the present exemplary embodiment, the temperature of the secondary treatment container 1130 returns to room temperature, or within the approximate range of. By raising the temperature relative to T 2 raising the temperature enables the clathrate hydrate to melt. Then one or both of the second gas and the clean water can be removed 1290 from the secondary treatment container 1130.

[0185] Figure 11 and Figure 12 The systems and / or methods of and can respectively have a variety of applications either combinatorially or individually. Advantageously, there are various small-scale applications that are significantly more economically viable compared to the prior art. By way of example only, Figure 11 and Figure 12 The systems and / or methods of and can respectively be used in agricultural environments including small-scale agricultural environments such as farms with a small number of livestock or late-cut silage / locations. In such embodiments, in addition to wastewater treatment, the method of purifying biomethane or other gases according to the above methods and systems can also facilitate the self-sufficient production of biomethane or other gases to support household and dairy operations, transportation (e.g., cars, tractors, etc.).

[0186] Refer to Figure 13 Flowchart 1300, which shows exemplary steps of a wastewater treatment method according to the present teachings. In step 1305, provide a container for receiving wastewater and a gas; wherein the gas includes one or more component gas components. In step 1310, direct the wastewater and the first gas component of the gas into the container. In step 1315, lower the temperature of the contents of the container from a first temperature to a second temperature to promote the formation of a clathrate hydrate containing the wastewater and the first gas component. In step 1320, raise the temperature of the contents of the container relative to the second temperature to promote the melting of the clathrate hydrate. In step 1325, remove the clean water and / or the first gas component from the container.

[0187] Referring to Figure 14 flowchart 1400 of, which illustrates exemplary steps of a method for treating a multi-component mixture. In step 1405, a first medium is provided into a container. In step 1410, a second medium is provided into the container. In step 1415, the temperature of the contents in the container is controlled to promote the formation of a hydrate comprising the first medium and the second medium. In step 1420, the temperature of the contents in the container is controlled to promote the melting of the hydrate to provide a first treated medium and a second treated medium.

[0188] In another advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure, a method and apparatus are provided that facilitate the generation of nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions. The method may include Figure 6 the steps of, but wherein the container is under ambient conditions. In this exemplary embodiment, 'ambient conditions' refers to the values of the environmental parameters in the immediate vicinity of the apparatus. The ambient condition parameters may refer to a plurality of different parameters, but in this example specifically refer to temperature and pressure. For example, the ambient conditions may include, but are not limited to, a temperature in an approximate range of 273.15 K (0 °C) to 303.15 K (30 °C). For example, the ambient conditions may include, but are not limited to, a pressure in an approximate range of 0 N / m 2 (0 bar) to 2×10 5 N / m 2 (2 bar). Providing nanobubble / nanodroplet generation at relatively low pressures and temperatures has many advantages. On the one hand, the costs associated with providing high temperatures and / or pressures are significantly reduced. In addition, the generation of nanobubbles / nanodroplets becomes more accessible.

[0189] Now referring to Figure 15, an exemplary electrode device 1500 is provided, which can facilitate the generation of nanobubbles / droplets under ambient conditions. The electrode device 1500 includes a container 1510 having a first inlet 1520 and a first outlet 1530. The first inlet is configured to facilitate the entry of air (or any other gas) under ambient pressure, and the first outlet facilitates the discharge of air / gas under ambient pressure. Advantageously, this can prevent pressure buildup in the container 1510. The container 1510 further includes a second inlet 1540, which is configured to facilitate the entry of a liquid such as but not limited to water. In this exemplary embodiment, the electrode device 1500 includes a series of electrodes 1550 configured in a cascaded arrangement within the container 1510. When water passes through the electrodes 1550 and cascades down from the top of the container 1510 to the bottom of the container 1510, the electric field provided by the electrodes facilitates the generation of nanobubbles. The container 1510 further includes a second outlet 1560, which is located at or near the bottom of the container 1510 to facilitate the discharge of nanobubbles and liquid. Advantageously, this configuration facilitates the continuous flow of liquid through the container 1510, thereby facilitating the continuous generation of nanobubbles.

[0190] As in the previous embodiments described in this disclosure, the electrodes 1550 and the liquid do not come into direct contact to prevent electrolysis. For example, the electrodes 1550 can be coated with an electrically insulating coating or laminated. The electrodes 1550 can include Figure 3 or Figure 4 the design or other designs. For example, the electrodes 1550 can include laminated tin foil. To support the directional flow of the liquid in a cascaded manner, each electrode 1550 can be disposed on a substrate 1570. In addition, each electrode / substrate arrangement can be tilted at a predetermined angle as needed. The number of electrodes 1550 can also be selected as needed; eight electrodes are provided only as an example.

[0191] It will be understood that Figure 15 the device is provided only as an example. Other containers with different volumes and / or geometries, as well as different electrode designs and configurations, can be provided to achieve the generation of nanobubbles / droplets under ambient conditions.

[0192] In terms of the optimal deployment pattern of the "tin foil" covered by a waterproof material (laminated with an insulator to eliminate any direct electrical contact with the polar liquid and related electrolysis), this can be linear and rigid, or can be in a shape such as Figure 16Wound in the spiral confinement mode shown, in which the spacing between "folds" is (sub)millimeters. The insulating layer 1610 can be constructed and positioned between the anode 1620 and the cathode 1630 in the spiral confinement mode. This results in a tight water channel between these "folds" and also a higher electric field strength in these foil-to-foil spaces. As previously described, the solvent (e.g., water) and gas (or a few liquids) can be flowing or static, and nano-bubbles and / or droplets are generated. Advantageously, for pure or multi-component minority phases (gas or liquid), this can be achieved at any (local) pressure, high pressure (gauge), low pressure (gauge), or ambient pressure (zero gauge). It will be understood that the tin foil can be formed of aluminum and / or another conductive material.

[0193] In another "practice" with relatively low cost, laminated foil strips can be placed in a static / flowing water body in communication with air, such as but not limited to fish tanks, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, kitchen sinks, etc., and then a DC (or AC) electric field can be turned on. Subsequently, air nano-bubbles are generated in the water. A spiral arrangement can also be made and placed in ponds, lakes, fish farms, (activated sludge) sedimentation tanks for water treatment, (rainwater) water containers for plant irrigation or fish farms, etc.

[0194] In some embodiments, a magnetic field can be provided in the vicinity of a container such as container 1500. The inventors have found that providing a magnetic field in the vicinity of the container can enhance the generation of nano-bubbles. The magnet can promote molecular diffusion by weakening hydrogen bonds and thereby facilitate easier water oxidation. Thus, one or more magnets (not shown) can be provided in the vicinity of the nano-bubble generator. In the present exemplary embodiment, the magnetic flux density provided by the magnet is in the approximate range of 0.5 kgs -2 A -1 (0.5 T) to 2 kgs -2 A -1 (2 T).

[0195] It will be understood that there are many applications of the methods and devices of the present disclosure for generating nano-bubbles / droplets under ambient conditions. Gas separation (and other gas-NB) applications include: (i) air enrichment (as an alternative to the very costly O 2 / N 2(ii) simply obtaining a higher concentration of air nanobubbles in water to obtain more water with a high oxygen content or "nanobubbles", especially for crop growth, irrigation, water treatment by activated sludge, fish farms, phytology, cell culture fermentation, reducing the viscosity of solutions (such as milk), and helping to avoid biofouling in heat exchangers, (iii) biogas enrichment, (iv) increasing the hydrogen-NB concentration in anaerobic decomposition itself (to obtain purer biogas), (v) helping to increase the hydrogen-NB level in liquid-phase hydrogenation reactions, (vi) increasing the dissolved O used for algae / algal growth 2 (during or for algae growth itself and / or for advanced photobioreactors), (vii) dissolved CO for the beverage industry 2 and N2 - carbonation and bottling (and also for the fermentation / brewing of alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, the dissolved O 2 ).

[0196] The final NB concentration varies with time and field exposure. In the disclosed embodiments of ambient and low-pressure NB generation, such as those shown above for the continuous-flow example in Figure 15 , the number of circulation loops, the number of electrodes, and the slope of the electrodes can be varied to produce from 10^7 to 10^10 bubbles per milliliter (however, these figures are merely illustrative, and the number of nanobubbles produced can also vary outside this range). Figure 15 Another advantage of the cascade configuration of

[0197] is that it helps to extend the field exposure time of the medium in the container while facilitating continuous flow operation. The electric field strength also has an effect on the concentration and size of the bubbles. A higher field strength forms smaller nanobubbles with a higher concentration per unit volume. The field strength varies with the applied voltage and electrode design and components. In the case of using an AC voltage, the selected frequency will also have an impact. Therefore, using an alternating electric field is also an important option for generating nanobubbles (NB).

[0198] As described above, this ambient and low-pressure method can also be used to form liquid nanodroplets in water. Acting with cyclopentane / water and oil / water mixtures at low and ambient pressures can facilitate the formation of liquid nanodroplets. Therefore, the above Figure 15 can equally show non-aqueous liquids mixed with water.

[0199] If a multi-component liquid is mixed in a mother solvent in the form of nanodroplets at ambient pressure, due to the different tendencies of the species to form nanodroplets, this will also achieve liquid-species separation. This can contribute to oil recovery and gas hydrate formation.

[0200] In all the above descriptions, water as the'mother liquid' solvent can be replaced by another (dipolar) solvent that responds to an electric field.

[0201] Now referring to Figure 17a , there is shown an image of a large-scale molecular dynamics simulation of (gaseous) CO 2 in contact with water. In particular Figure 17a there is provided a diagram of the entire system, which has two planar CO 2 -water interfaces 1710, 1720, where the CO 2 is located on the 'north side' and'south side' of a central water 'band' 1730. Clearly visible is the dense (liquid-like) CO 2 adsorption film at the surface of the water. Inside the water region (see the enlarged view shown in Figure 17b ), grey represents (water-water) hydrogen bonds, and the gas molecules within this region 1730 are gas molecules dissolved (molecularly) in water through conventional Henry's law solvation.

[0202] The simulation box is 25×50×25 nm and contains 259200 water molecules and 95333 CO 2 molecules. The bulk gas pressure of the liquid water (far from the interface) is approximately 100 bar.

[0203] Figure 17b There is provided a 'zoomed-in' magnification of one of the interfaces of Figure 17a , where the thickness of the adsorption film of several molecular layers is largely independent of the pressure (whether 100 bar or ambient pressure). The ambient pressure simulation (1 bar, absolute pressure) still has an interfacial accumulation almost as thick as in Figure 17b , which explains the ambient and low-pressure enhancement of the actual Henry's law constant enhancement. This relatively small dependence of the pressure on the adsorption interface film thickness demonstrates that at lower (local) pressures, compared to what would be expected at higher pressures, the ambient pressure increases the amount (mass) of adsorbed gas, where there are more molecules far from the interface in the bulk gas phase.

[0204] Since the inventors observed that for pure CO 2 , the actual CO 2 Henry's law constant increases by about 12 times, direct air capture (DAC) may be feasible, thus providing a very advantageous CO 2 management method and system. For example, laminated tin foil encapsulated in inexpensive 'penny magnets' can be provided in a helical restraint configuration, and this laminated tin foil is dropped into shallow ponds and sedimentation basins. In the said shallow ponds and sedimentation basins, carbon in the air (and of course, the air itself) may preferentially be absorbed as nanobubbles (NBs). This oxygen-rich and carbon-rich water is beneficial for plant growth and irrigation, and likewise, carbon can be removed from the air, thus bringing significant environmental benefits.

[0205] Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the operation of the system has been described with reference to specific values provided only as examples (such as pressure, temperature, voltage, volume), and it will be understood that alternative values can be used. For example, these values can change when the experimental setup is scaled or modified within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that the fact that additives and / or electrolytes are not used in the present exemplary embodiment is actually only an example. In this way, it will be understood that the present teachings are limited only to the extent considered necessary in accordance with the appended claims.

[0206] Similarly, when used in the specification, the words "comprises / comprising" are used to indicate the presence of the stated formations, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more additional formations, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0207] It will be understood that although the exemplary features of the apparatus for generating nanobubbles / nanodroplets and treating biogas and wastewater have been described, such an arrangement should not be construed as limiting the present invention to these features. The method for generating nanobubbles / nanodroplets and treating biogas and wastewater can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware or a combination thereof. In one mode, the method is implemented as an executable program in software and is executed by one or more dedicated or general-purpose digital computers, such as a personal computer (PC; IBM-compatible, Apple-compatible or others), a personal digital assistant, a workstation, a minicomputer or a mainframe computer. The steps of the method can be implemented by a server or a computer in which a software module resides or partially resides.

[0208] Generally speaking, in terms of the hardware architecture, as those skilled in the art will fully understand, such a computer will include a processor, a memory, and one or more input and / or output (I / O) devices (or peripherals) that are communicatively coupled via a local interface. The local interface can be, for example but not limited to, one or more buses or other wired or wireless connections known in the art. The local interface can have additional elements, such as controllers, buffers (caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers, to enable communication. In addition, the local interface can include address, control, and / or data connections to enable proper communication between other computer components.

[0209] The processor can be programmed to perform the functions of a method for controlling a generator of nanobubbles / nanodroplets and more generally for processing biogas and wastewater. The processor is a software device for executing software, in particular software stored in a memory. The processor can be any custom or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with a computer, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, or any device generally used for executing software instructions.

[0210] The memory is associated with the processor and can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM), such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) and non-volatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard disk drive, magnetic tape, CDROM, etc.). In addition, the memory can incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and / or other types of storage media. The memory can have a distributed architecture where various components are remote from each other within the memory, but the memory can be accessed by the processor.

[0211] The software in the memory can include one or more separate programs. A separate program includes an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing a logical function in order to implement the functions of a module. In the examples described so far, the software in the memory includes one or more components of the method and can be executed on a suitable operating system (O / S).

[0212] The present disclosure can include components provided as a source program, an executable program (object code), a script, or any other entity including a set of instructions to be executed. When it is a source program, the program needs to be translated by a compiler, an assembler, an interpreter, etc., which may or may not be included in the memory, in order to operate properly in conjunction with the O / S. In addition, the methods implemented according to this teaching can be represented as (a) an object-oriented programming language having classes of data and methods, or (b) a procedural programming language having routines, subroutines, and / or functions, such as but not limited to C, C++, Pascal, Basic, Fortran, Cobol, Perl, Java, and Ada.

[0213] When implementing the method in software, it should be noted that such software can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in conjunction with any computer-related system or method. In the context of this teaching, a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or apparatus that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in conjunction with a computer-related system or method. Such an arrangement can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other systems that can obtain and execute instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In the context of this disclosure, a "computer-readable medium" can be any device that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer-readable medium can be, by way of example and not limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Any process description or block in the figures should be understood to represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing a specific logical function or step in the process, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0214] The foregoing detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the exact forms disclosed. Although specific examples of the present disclosure have been described above for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, although the processes and blocks have been described in a specific order, different implementations can execute routines in an alternative order or employ a system with blocks in an alternative order, and some process or block diagrams can be deleted, supplemented, added, moved, separated, combined, and / or modified to provide different combinations or sub-combinations. Each of these processes or blocks can be implemented in a variety of alternative ways. In addition, although the above processes or blocks are sometimes shown as being executed in sequence, these processes or blocks can alternatively be executed or implemented in parallel, or at different times. The results of the above processes or blocks can also be stored in non-persistent memory as a way to increase throughput and reduce processing requirements.

Claims

1. A method for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions, the method comprises: providing a container for containing a liquid; distributing a medium in the liquid, wherein the medium is provided to the container under ambient conditions; generating an electrostatic field near the container using an electrode to generate nanobubbles or nanodroplets, wherein the nanobubbles or nanodroplets are generated due to the electrostatic field applied to the liquid and the medium; wherein the electrode and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to prevent electrolysis from occurring within the container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the ambient conditions include a temperature in the range of 0 °C to 30 °C.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The environmental conditions include a pressure within the range of 0 N / m 2 to 2×10 5 N / m 2 .

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises providing a magnetic field near the container.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The magnetic field includes a magnetic flux density in the range of 0.5 kgs -2 A -1 to 2 kgs -2 A -1 range.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the medium is a gas medium.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, the gas medium comprises: a mixture of two or more gases.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein, the gas medium comprises: a mixture of two or more gases; wherein at least one gas is enriched.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the medium is a liquid medium.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, the liquid medium comprises: a mixture of two or more liquid components.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, the liquid medium comprises: a mixture of two or more liquid components; wherein at least one liquid is enriched.

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the liquid is an aqueous liquid.

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the liquid comprises deionized water.

14. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises applying a cooling member to cool the contents in the container.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, the cooling member circulates a coolant near the container.

16. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises emptying the container.

17. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises stirring the contents in the container.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, the stirring is provided by a rocking motion.

19. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises sensing temperature; and / or sensing pressure.

20. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The volume of the liquid is 20 cm 3 .

21. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, a pressure of up to 100 bar is applied to the container.

22. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, a DC voltage of 30 V is applied to the electrode.

23. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, an acoustic signal is applied to release the nanobubbles or nanodroplets from the liquid.

24. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, A magnetic signal is applied to release the nanobubbles or nanodroplets from the liquid.

25. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the container is cooled to a predetermined level to facilitate storage of the nanobubbles or nanodroplets within the bulk of the liquid.

26. A generator for generating nanobubbles or nanodroplets under ambient conditions, the generator comprising: a container for containing a liquid; a source for supplying a medium to the container for distribution in the liquid, wherein the medium is supplied to the container under ambient conditions; an electrode for generating an electrostatic field in the vicinity of the container to generate nanobubbles or nanodroplets, wherein the nanobubbles or nanodroplets are generated due to the electrostatic field applied to the liquid and the medium; wherein the electrode and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact to avoid electrolysis.

27. The generator according to claim 26, wherein, the source includes a gas source for supplying a gas medium.

28. The generator according to claim 26, wherein, the source includes a liquid source for supplying a liquid medium.

29. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, the electrode includes a foil operatively connected to a voltage source, and wherein the foil is laminated such that the foil and the liquid are not in direct electrical contact.

30. The generator according to claim 29, wherein, the foil is folded in a helical restraint configuration.

31. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a cascaded arrangement, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is disposed at an angle with respect to the wall of the container.

32. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, at least one magnet is located in the vicinity of the generator.

33. The generator according to claim 32, wherein the magnet provides a magnetic flux density in the range of 0.5 kgs -2 A -1 to 2 kgs -2 A -1 range.

34. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, the generator further includes a cooling member for cooling the contents of the container.

35. The generator according to claim 34, wherein, the cooling member is configured to circulate a coolant in the vicinity of the container.

36. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, at least a portion of the generator defines a channel for accommodating a coolant therein.

37. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28 further includes a vacuum member for evacuating the container.

38. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28 further includes a stirring member for stirring the contents of the container.

39. The generator according to claim 38, wherein, the stirring member includes a mechanical stirrer.

40. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, the electrode includes a cathode and an anode.

41. The generator according to claim 40, wherein, direct electrical contact between the cathode and the anode and the contents of the container is restricted to prevent electrolysis within the container.

42. The generator according to claim 41, wherein, The cathode and the anode are coated with an electrically insulating coating.

43. The generator according to claim 40, wherein, the cathode and the anode are arranged in a parallel configuration to provide an electric field whose intensity is inversely proportional to the distance between the cathode and the anode.

44. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, the electrodes include a plurality of anodes and a plurality of cathodes.

45. The generator according to claim 44, wherein, the electrodes include a mesh configuration.

46. The generator according to claim 44, wherein, the electrodes include a plurality of mesh elements.

47. The generator according to claim 46, wherein, the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes are arranged in a parallel configuration.

48. The generator according to claim 47, wherein, each mesh element includes holes for receiving a portion of a conveying mechanism therein.

49. The generator according to claim 48, wherein, the conveying mechanism includes an elongated tubular member for extending through the holes of the mesh elements.

50. The generator according to claim 49, wherein, the tubular member is operatively mounted on a base member.

51. The generator according to any one of claims 48 to 50, wherein, the conveying mechanism includes a plurality of outlets to facilitate the distribution of the medium within the container.

52. The generator according to claim 51, wherein, the outlets are sized to accommodate the medium passing therethrough but prevent the entry of liquid in the container.

53. The generator according to claim 26, wherein, the electrodes are arranged to consist of a series of concentric elements.

54. The generator according to claim 53, wherein, the concentric elements are configured such that each element consists of a contacting cathode and anode.

55. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, further comprising an enricher for enriching the medium.

56. The generator according to any one of claims 26 to 28, further comprising a storage container for storing the nanobubbles or nanodroplets in a temperature-controlled environment.

57. The generator according to claim 56, wherein, the nanobubbles or nanodroplets are frozen for ease of storage.

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