NANO gas generator for production of a supersaturated gas-liquid mixture

Abstract

The invention provides a nano gas generator (10) for generation of a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles and to a method of generating nano gas. The nano gas generator according to the invention has at least one ceramic body (30) disposed in the interior of a housing (20). A ceramic body has an upper end (35), a lower end (33) and at least one circumferential side wall (34) in the form of a porous side wall. An interspace (40) is formed in the interior of the housing. The nano gas generator has at least 6 liquid inlets (70), each disposed in the side wall of the housing, through which liquid flows into the interspace.

Description

[0001] Nano gas generator for production of a supersaturated gas-liquid mixture

[0002] The invention provides a nano gas generator for production of a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles according to the preamble of Claim 1 and a method of generating nano gas according to Claim 12.

[0003] In medicine and technology, administration of gas in liquids, for example of hydrogen or carbon dioxide, has to date been effected with bubble sizes in the micrometre to millimetre range, i.e. with visible gas bubbles. By contrast, in nature, exchange of gas in all cells from microorganisms and plants to animal and human cells works via pores and channels at the invisible nanometre scale. The first attempts have therefore been made to use liquid-gas mixtures with nanosize gas bubbles, so-called nano gases, in medicine and technology as well.

[0004] DE 10 2019 003798 A1 discloses the generation of nano carbon dioxide bubbles in a photobioreactor with a hose system disposed in the reactor. The photobioreactor is used for generation of biomass, such as algae. Although the hose system permits reliable generation of nanosize gas bubbles, the hose system is difficult to maintain, especially in the case of larger- scale reactors, which makes scale-up difficult.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for generation of nano gas bubbles that overcomes the above disadvantages and which especially enables reliable generation of nanoscale gas bubbles, has good maintainability and has a construction suitable for scale-up.

[0006] The object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a nano gas generator for generation of a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles according to Claim 1 and a method of generating a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles according to Claim 12.

[0007] Further embodiments are the subject of the subsidiary claims or are described hereinafter.

[0008] What is proposed is a nano gas generator for generation of a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles, wherein the nano gas generator has a housing having a housing wall, a bottom end and a top end, where the housing wall connects the bottom end and the top end to one another and where the housing wall has a round internal diameter, preferably a circular internal diameter. The nano gas generator also has at least one ceramic body disposed within the housing, where the ceramic body has an upper end, a lower end and at least one side wall, where the lower end of the ceramic body is closed and the side wall has pores. The nano gas generator also has an interspace within the housing, preferably an annular gap which is formed by the inside of the housing and the outside of the ceramic body, and at least one liquid inlet, at least one gas inlet, at least one liquid outlet and at least one liquid drain via which the gas- enriched liquid is discharged, wherein the gas inlet is disposed on the top end of the ceramic body and the ceramic body has a cavity within for conduction of the gas to the porous side wall. The nano gas generator is especially notable in that there are 1 to 2 liquid inlets for every 4 to 6 cm of length of the housing, preferably 3 liquid inlets for every 10 cm of length of the housing.

[0009] The word “round” in this context encompasses various round shapes, such as circle, symmetric oval, asymmetrical oval and ellipse.

[0010] The lower end of the ceramic body is closed, such that no gas can flow out, i.e. is gastight. In a preferred variant, the ceramic body may include, for example, a sintered titanium oxide. This may also be a titanium oxide coating. Likewise conceivable is a multichannel internal structure.

[0011] The side wall of the ceramic body has pores and can therefore also be referred to as porous side wall.

[0012] The cavity in the interior of the ceramic body may, for example, be a tube or shaft for conduction of the gas to the porous side wall. For example, the ceramic body may take the form of a hollow cylinder closed at the bottom, as also described hereinafter.

[0013] The interspace within the housing which is formed by the inside of the housing and the outside of the ceramic body, in operation of the nano gas generator, contains the liquid which is to be enriched with gas. The interspace has preferably the form of an annular gap which promotes rinsing of the ceramic body with the liquid. The ratio of the diameter of the ceramic body to the diameter of the housing, in a preferred embodiment, may, for example, be between 0.70 and 0.73, preferably 0.715. For example, the size of the annular gap, i.e. the distance between the outside of the ceramic body and the inside of the housing, may be between > 3.00 mm and < 12.00 mm, preferably ± 5.00 mm.

[0014] During operation, the nano gas generator is connected to at least one gas feed, at least one liquid feed and at least one liquid drain. The at least one gas feed conducts gas from a gas source, for example a gas bottle, to the generator and is connected to the gas inlet. The at least one liquid feed conducts the liquid to the generator and is connected to the liquid inlet(s). The gas-saturated liquid is discharged from the housing via the at least one liquid drain.

[0015] In the event of scale-up, the number of liquid inlets can be adjusted depending on the length of the housing, i.e. depending on the distance between the top end and bottom end of the housing. In this respect, there are 1 to 2 liquid inlets for every 4 to 6 cm of length of the housing.

[0016] Preferably, there are 3 liquid inlets for every 10 cm of length of the housing.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the nano gas generator has at least 6 liquid inlets, more preferably 6 to 12 liquid inlets, each disposed in the side wall of the housing. Each liquid inlet is configured as a special nozzle. Every 2 to 3 special nozzles are operated in parallel with a peristaltic pump and charged with liquid in parallel. This parallel operation of every 2 to 3 special nozzles leads to optimal vortexing of the liquid in the interspace.

[0018] As well as extensions of the housing and the ceramic tubes, scale-up can also be effected via a series connection and / or parallel connection of the apparatus of the invention. In a first variant, it is conceivable that two or more housings with one ceramic tube each are connected in series or parallel. In a specific second variant, it is also conceivable that there are two or more ceramic tubes arranged within a housing, through which gas is introduced in parallel into the liquid in the housing.

[0019] In addition, a scale-up can also be detected by increasing the gas pressure or, in yet another variant, by installing ultrasound transducers. It is of course also conceivable that two or more of the scale-up variants proposed are combined with one another. In particular, it is conceivable that an increase in the gas pressure can reduce the number of nozzles. In particular, it would be possible to reduce the number of nozzles to one tenth at ten times the gas pressure. A scale-up is understood in any case to mean an execution of the apparatus of the invention in the form of a larger reactor. In this way, the present invention can be implemented either on a laboratory scale or else conceivably in reactors in the order of magnitude of several cubic metres.

[0020] The word “nanobubble” refers to a bubble having a diameter of less than 1 micrometre. A microbubble, which is larger than a nanobubble, is a bubble having a diameter of greater than or equal to one micrometre and less than 50 micrometres. A macrobubble is a bubble having a diameter of greater than or equal to 50 micrometres.

[0021] Liquids mean substances or substance mixtures that are in the liquid state under operating conditions. Gases mean substances and substance mixtures that are in the gaseous state under operating conditions. Particularly suitable liquids are, for example, water and aqueous solutions, hydrocarbons and organic solutions, such as mineral, animal and vegetable oils, benzines and alcohols. Particular preference is given to water and aqueous solutions. Examples of gases that are suitable in accordance with the invention are oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrogen dioxide or NOX, hydrogen or mixtures thereof. In principle, all gases and mixtures thereof are suitable for the process.

[0022] Preference is given to using the nano gas generator according to the invention and the method according to the invention in order to enrich gases or gas mixtures such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen or nitrogen dioxide / NOxin water and aqueous solutions.

[0023] One specific use for which the nano gas generator is suitable is that of enabling an essential nutrient supply of plants and / or protists, especially algae, for example via the supply of nano- 002, O2, N2, NOX, H2 in metabolism-specific combinations for plants, algae or other protists. A great advantage here is that of being able to meter and control each individual substance in gas form exactly and a controlled manner via sensors without overdosage and losses, undersupply or deficiency.

[0024] The housing of the nano gas generator preferably has a basic cylindrical shape at least in the middle portion. The housing may be designed, for example, as a typical bioreactor, with a lower vessel made of glass, metal or plastic and a lid on top. The lid is preferably bonded gastight to the container. It is also conceivable that at least the inside of the housing is in the form of a swirl tube. This form can assist the vortexing of the liquid in the interior and have the effect that the nanobubbles that exit from the ceramic body are better detached from the surface of the ceramic body. It is also conceivable here that a culture of the organisms to be supplied is present directly in the housing. The organisms may be cultured, for example, in the liquid in the interior. It is also conceivable that exclusively enriched liquids are produced in the nano gas generator housing and these are then transferred to a separate culture vessel via the liquid outlet. It is also conceivable here that the enriched liquid is nebulized and sprayed onto corresponding cultures, for example as preservation gas.

[0025] A ceramic body preferably has an average pore size of < 0.5 pm, preferably an average pore size between 10 nm and 200 nm. It is also conceivable here that, for the generation of particularly small nanobubbles, ceramic bodies having pore sizes of less than 10 nm are used. The ceramic bodies may take the form, for example, of a filter cartridge.

[0026] The ceramic body is preferably at least partly cylindrical and more preferably has a circular diameter. In one execution variant, the ceramic body is cylindrical and is in a concentric arrangement in the housing with a centre axis of the housing. It is also conceivable that the nano gas generator has two or more ceramic bodies disposed in the housing. In that case too, each of the ceramic bodies has an upper end, a lower end and at least one circumferential side wall between the upper and lower ends. The lower end of the ceramic body is closed such that no gas can flow out, i.e. is gastight. The side wall of the ceramic body has pores and takes the form of a porous side wall. The ceramic body has a cavity within, i.e. a tube or a shaft, for conduction of the gas to the porous side wall.

[0027] In any case, the ceramic body / bodies may be in a rigid, fixed and immobile arrangement in the housing.

[0028] In one execution variant, it is also conceivable that the housing includes two or more ceramic bodies. This may be advantageous, for example, in the scale-up of the device. In addition, the arrangement of two or more ceramic bodies in the housing may have the effect that the liquid is more intensely vortexed in the interspace between the inner wall of the housing and the outer wall of the ceramic body. Such vortexing can then have the effect that the gas bubbles that pass from the ceramic body into the liquid break away earlier from the surface of the ceramic body and therefore have a smaller size.

[0029] In any case, when the ceramic body is in a concentric arrangement with a centre axis of the housing, it is favourable here when the nano gas generator has exactly one ceramic body, or when all ceramic bodies are arranged along a circle which is concentric with the centre axis of the housing when the nano gas generator has two or more ceramic bodies. In this way, the interspace is likewise in concentric form with respect to the centre axis of the housing, which promotes circumferential flow of liquid. Vortexes are therefore formed predominantly in the region of the surface of the ceramic bodies.

[0030] The ceramic body may have a porous coating, where the porous coating is preferably selected from metal oxide coatings such as aluminium oxide, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, manganese and combinations thereof; the porous coating is more preferably a titanium dioxide coating. It is also conceivable that the ceramic body has a coating of silicone rubber.

[0031] The ceramic body may consist of natural raw materials, such as aluminosilicates, for example of fired aluminosilicates. Fired aluminosilicates preferably have an ultrafine and porous structure having a pore size of 0.3 pm to 0.9 pm.

[0032] The nano gas generator may have an ultrasound generator coupled mechanically to the ceramic body. The ultrasound generator serves to optionally subject the gas-enriched liquid to ultrasound in order to maximally suppress the formation of growing micro gas bubbles (ultrasound degassing). Moreover, the ultrasound generator assists in detachment of the bubbles from the surface of the ceramic body and hence passage thereof into the liquid disposed in the interspace.

[0033] The ultrasound generator may be an ultrasound vibrator, where the ultrasound vibrator comprises a tubular element composed of a metallic magnet body and an electrically conductive coil wound around a surface of the tubular element.

[0034] The liquid inlets may be in a spiral arrangement with ascending height in the vessel wall. The nano gas generator preferably has at least 2 to 3 circuits of the liquid inlets in the side wall of the housing. Within the circuits, the liquid inlets are each offset by 45° to 120°, preferably by 90° to 120°, with respect to the adjacent liquid inlet.

[0035] The liquid inlets may be provided with special nozzles screwed laterally, for example, into the outer wall of the housing. The special nozzles can be used to inject liquid, for example water at varying pressure and varying flow rate, toward the outer walls of the ceramic bodies. The dimensions of the special nozzles are preferably such that, depending on the pressure, flow rate and distance from the surface, they generate an optimal flow vortex at the ceramic body surface, in order to immediately detach the constantly penetrating nanobubbles and to stop them from increasing in size / agglomerating.

[0036] A special nozzle is understood here to mean a nozzle having flow characteristics and flow rate specifically matched to the respective dimensions of the housing and interspace. Special nozzles may, for example, be full-cone nozzles, or full-cone nozzles with a swirl insert. Depending on the width of the interspace, i.e. the distance between the ceramic body and the housing, the special nozzle is then set up so as to achieve a minimum volume flow rate between 5 l / min and 8 l / min. The special nozzles can also inject the liquid tangentially into the housing.

[0037] The liquid can be introduced either more or less radially through the liquid inlets or tangentially to the internal diameter of the housing. In one conceivable execution variant, for example, all liquid inlets may be in a systematically tangential arrangement so as to create a co-rotating vortex flow in the annular gap that which brings about additional bubble detachment from the ceramic surface.

[0038] The invention further provides a method of producing nano gas bubbles. The method comprises the steps of

[0039] • providing a nano gas generator according to the invention, • filling the nano gas generator with a liquid, preferably water, such that at least % of the interspace is filled with liquid,

[0040] • charging the nano gas generator with a gas which is conveyed into a ceramic body via at least one gas feed and

[0041] • transporting a gas-saturated liquid generated away from the nano gas generator via a liquid drain.

[0042] The nano gas generator may be connected to at least one liquid pump, where the liquid pump is connected to at least one liquid feed and / or to a liquid drain, and the liquid pump at the liquid drain preferably pumps an increasingly gas-enriched liquid out of the interspace into a nano gas-liquid reservoir. The at least one liquid pump connected to at least the liquid feed and the at least one liquid pump connected to a liquid drain may also be the same liquid pump.

[0043] The gas may be conveyed into the ceramic body at a delivery pressure of 0.2 to 10 bar, preferably 1 to 3 bar, more preferably 1 to 2 bar, via a gas pump or pressurized bottle with a reduction valve.

[0044] The liquid may be conveyed to the liquid inlets at a delivery pressure of 0.5 to 10 bar, preferably 1 to 3 bar, more preferably 1 to 2 bar, via a liquid pump or pressure vessel.

[0045] The gas may be selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrogen dioxide / NOx, hydrogen and combinations thereof. The gas is preferably oxygen, carbon dioxide, HHO (electrolysis gas), nitrogen or hydrogen. Also conceivable are mixtures of the gases mentioned.

[0046] The gas, for example carbon dioxide or hydrogen, is introduced, for example from a separate gas source, under pressure control, into a nano gas generator filled with a liquid at a delivery pressure of 0.2 bar to 10 bar, preferably of 1.0 bar to 3.0 bar, up to a maximum of 10 bar. The gas stream can be conveyed at pressure intervals.

[0047] Preference is given to generating nano gas bubbles in an order of magnitude of 1 nm to 200 nm, which emerge from the pores of the ceramic body. The liquid flowing around the ceramic body takes up the gas bubbles. The formation of microbubbles can besuppressed by subjecting the liquid to ultrasound.

[0048] In one embodiment, the ceramic body takes the form of a ceramic filter cartridge and is present, for example, in an impervious stainless steel housing or a PVC tube. The ceramic filter cartridge is closed at its lower end, such that the gas is forced radially from the inside outward through the porous side walls. The nano gas passes into the liquid-filled interspace between the housing and ceramic body once it has become detached from the outer ceramic body surface or is detached by the liquid flow.

[0049] The increasingly gas-enriched liquid, such as water, is preferably pumped out of the housing by way of a liquid pump. The gas-enriched liquid may be pumped into a storage vessel and (intermediately) stored therein.

[0050] The nanobubbles may have an average diameter of less than 500 nm or less than 200 nm or be in the range from about 10 nm to about 500 nm (for example from about 75 nm to about 200 nm). In some embodiments, the composition contains nanobubbles that are stable in the liquid carrier at ambient pressure and temperature for at least one week or for at least three weeks.

[0051] The nano gas generator according to the invention may take the form of a ceramic bubbler and is used for production of supersaturated gas solution with nanobubbles.

[0052] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the wording of the claims and from the description of working examples that follows, with reference to the drawings. The figures show:

[0053] Fig. 1 a schematic diagram of a section through an embodiment of a nano gas generator of the invention,

[0054] Fig. 2 schematic view of the embodiment of the nano gas generator from Fig. 1 with viewing direction along the axis A-A,

[0055] Fig. 3 a schematic diagram of a nano gas generator as in Fig. 1 , where the nano gas generator has an ultrasound transducer,

[0056] Fig. 4 a schematic structure of a nano gas generator in use,

[0057] Fig. 5 a schematic diagram of a section through a variant of the nano gas generator according to the invention,

[0058] Fig. 6 a schematic view of the embodiment from Fig. 1 with viewing direction along the axis A-A.

[0059] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an inventive nano gas generator 10. What can be seen therein is a schematic section through a nano gas generator 10. The nano gas generator 10 has a housing 20. The housing 20 has a housing wall 21 having an outer face 22 and an inner face 23. The housing 20 shown here has a circular internal diameter. This internal diameter extends along the inner face 23. In this respect, the housing 10 has a cylindrical shape. The housing 10 also has an upper end 24 and a lower end 25, and a side wall. The side wall here may be curved such that it forms a tube. At the upper end 24 of the housing 10 is disposed a gas inlet 50. At the lower end 25 of the housing 10 is disposed a liquid outlet 60. There are several liquid inlets 70 formed in the side wall 26.

[0060] A ceramic body 30 is disposed in the housing 20. The ceramic body 30 has a cylindrical shape with a side wall 34, an upper end 35 and a lower end 33. The interior of the ceramic body 30 is hollow, and so the ceramic body 30 has an inner face 31 and an outer face 32. The upper end 35 of the ceramic body 30 is fixed at the upper end 24 of the housing 20. The lower end 33 of the ceramic body 30 is closed. In other words, the ceramic body 30 has the shape of a hollow cylinder and is closed at least at one end. Gas is introduced into the ceramic body 30 via the gas inlet 50 of the nano gas generator 10. The gas which is directed into the ceramic body 30 through the gas inlet 50 is subsequently forced radially from the inside outward through the porous side wall 34 of the ceramic body 30. The ceramic body 30 may either be a coated or uncoated ceramic body 30. If the ceramic body 30 is coated, preference is given to a coated ceramic body as described above.

[0061] An interspace 40 is formed between the ceramic body 30 and the inside 23 of the housing 10. The interspace 40 has the shape of an annular gap. The interspace is filled with liquid via the liquid inlets 70. The liquid here is that which is to be enriched with the gas, which is directed into the ceramic body 30 through the gas inlet 50. The nano gas passes into the liquid in the interspace 40 after it has become detached from the outer surface 32 of the ceramic body 30.

[0062] Fig. 2 shows the working example from Fig. 1 in a top view in which the nano gas generator 10 is viewed in the direction of the central axis A, looking at the upper end 24 of the housing 10. In Fig. 2, the upper end 24 of the housing 10 itself is rendered transparently, in order that the arrangement of the ceramic body 30 within the housing 10 is apparent. In this representation, it is particularly apparent that the housing 10 has a round diameter, especially a round internal diameter. The ceramic body 30 also has a round diameter. The ceramic body 30 in this example is in a central and concentric arrangement relative to the central axis of the housing 10. The liquid inlets 70 are in a ring arrangement around the circumference of the housing 10.

[0063] In this respect, it can be seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 that the housing 10 has several liquid inlets 70. The liquid inlets 70 here are in a spiral arrangement along the outside 22 of the housing 20. The housing 10 may, for example, have six or more liquid inlets 70. It can be seen here in the top view shown in Fig. 2 that the liquid inlets 70 are distributed in a ring around the circumference of the outer face and, in the schematic longitudinal section fig. 1, that the liquid inlets 70 are also disposed at different heights. It will be apparent that the representations in Figures 1 and 2 are merely intended to illustrate the principle and that both the number and the specific arrangement of the liquid inlets 70 may vary within the scope of what is described herein. The liquid inlets 70 may be implemented in the form of bores in the housing into which the above-described special nozzles are inserted. In any case, in the example shown, there are at least six bores in the housing 10. The working example shown in Fig. 3 corresponds essentially to the working example shown in Figures 1 and 2, and identical reference numerals in this respect also mean the same as already set out above. But the working example additionally has an ultrasound transducer 80 shown in schematic form. This is guided into the interspace through a bore in the housing and can generate an ultrasound signal in the interspace. The effect thereof allows gas bubbles that are pressed through the ceramic body 30 into the interspace 40 to become detached more easily and quickly from the surface of the ceramic body 30. In this way, the growth of the gas bubbles that form on the surface of the ceramic body is inhibited, and the gas bubbles become detached while they are relatively small and can still be referred to as nanobubbles. A bore for passage of the ultrasound transducer 80 has been formed in the upper third of the housing 10. The ultrasound transducer 80 may be mechanically coupled to the ceramic body 30.

[0064] It can be seen in Fig. 4 that the nano gas generator 10 can be connected to a storage vessel 90 for the storage of the liquid enriched with nano gas. The enriched liquid passes from the interspace 40 through the liquid outlet 60 into the storage vessel 90. For further enrichment, the liquid can be pumped from the storage vessel 90 with the aid of a peristaltic pump 100 via a corresponding liquid feed 120 back to the liquid inlets 70, and so the liquid can be enriched with the nano gas over several passes. If no further enrichment is desired, the liquid can also be withdrawn directly from the storage vessel 90 or else directly from the nano gas generator for further use. It is also conceivable here that the liquid from the nano gas generator is directed through a culture vessel, for example a culture vessel in which algae are being cultured.

[0065] Figure 5 and 6 show a further execution variant of the nano gas generator 10 in which several ceramic bodies 30 are disposed in the housing 20. Here too, each of the ceramic bodies 30 has a cylindrical shape with a side wall 34, an upper end 35 and a lower end 33. The interior of each ceramic body 30 is hollow, and so the ceramic body 30 has an inner face 31 and an outer face 32. The upper end 35 of the ceramic body 30 is fixed at the upper end 24 of the housing 20. The lower end 33 of the ceramic body 30 is closed. In other words, the ceramic body 30 here too has the shape of a hollow cylinder and is closed at least at one end.

[0066] As in the example shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 as well, the housing 20 in this embodiment has an outer face 22 and an inner face 23. The housing 20 shown here also has a circular internal diameter. This internal diameter extends along the inner face 23. In this respect, the housing 10 has a cylindrical shape. The housing 10 also has an upper end 24 and a lower end 25, and a side wall 26. The side wall 26 may be curved here such that it forms a tube. A gas inlet 50 is disposed in the upper end 24 of the housing 10. A liquid outlet 60 is disposed in the lower end 25 of the housing 10. Several liquid inlets 70 are formed in the side wall 26.

[0067] It can be seen that the upper end 24 of the housing 20 in this working example is formed such that the gas supply can be distributed over all the ceramic bodies 30. For this purpose, each of the ceramic bodies 30 has a dedicated gas inlet 50’. In the example shown, a distributor space 51 is shown by way of example in the region of the upper end 24 of the housing 20. Other embodiments are of course also conceivable, provided that the gas is directed via the gas inlet 50 into the interior of the ceramic body 30. In this respect, gas is introduced into the ceramic body 30 here too through the gas inlet 50 of the nano gas generator 10. The gas which is directed into the ceramic body 30 through the gas inlet 50 is subsequently forced radially from the inside outward through the porous side wall 34 of the ceramic body 30. The ceramic body 30 may be either a coated or an uncoated ceramic body 30. If the ceramic body 30 is coated, it is preferably a coated ceramic body, as described above.

[0068] It can be seen in particular in Fig. 6 that the ceramic body 30 in this working example is arranged in the housing 20 such that, with appropriate movement of the liquid in the interspace 40, there is vortexing of the liquid between the ceramic body 30 and between the ceramic bodies 30 and the housing wall 21. These vortexes can promote the detachment of the forming nano gas bubbles from the surface of the ceramic body 30.

[0069] The invention is not limited to one of the embodiments described above, but is modifiable in various ways.

[0070] All the features and advantages that are apparent from the claims, description and drawing, including construction details, spatial arrangements and method steps, may be essential to the invention either on their own or in a wide variety of different combinations.

[0071] List of reference numerals

[0072] A Axis

[0073] 10 Nano gas generator

[0074] 20 Housing

[0075] 21 Housing wall

[0076] 22 Outer face

[0077] 23 Inner face

[0078] 24 Upper end

[0079] 25 Lower end

[0080] 30 Ceramic body

[0081] 31 Inner face

[0082] 32 Outer face

[0083] 33 Lower end

[0084] 34 Side wall

[0085] 35 Upper end

[0086] 40 Interspace

[0087] 50 Gas inlet

[0088] 50’ Gas inlet

[0089] 51 Distributor

[0090] 60 Liquid outlet

[0091] 70 Liquid inlet

[0092] 80 Ultrasound transducer

[0093] 90 Collecting vessel

[0094] 100 Pump

[0095] 110 Gas vessel

[0096] 120 Liquid feed

Claims

Claims1. Nano gas generator (10) for generation of a supersaturated liquid-gas mixture with nano gas bubbles, comprising• a housing (20) having a housing wall (21), a bottom end (25) and a top end (24), wherein the housing wall (21) connects the bottom end (25) and the top end (24) to one another and the housing wall (21) has a round internal diameter, preferably a circular internal diameter,• at least one ceramic body (30) disposed within the housing (20), wherein the ceramic body (30) has an upper end (35), a lower end (33) and at least one side wall (34), the lower end (33) of the ceramic body (30) is closed and the side wall (34) has pores,• an interspace (40) within the housing (20), preferably an annular gap which is formed by the inside (23) of the housing (20) and the outside (32) of the ceramic body (30),• at least one liquid inlet (70),• at least one gas inlet (50, 50'),• at least one liquid outlet (60),• wherein the gas inlet (50, 50') is disposed on the top end (35) of the ceramic body (30) and the ceramic body (30) has a cavity within for conduction of the gas to the porous side wall (34),• at least one liquid drain (60) via which the gas-enriched liquid is discharged, characterized in that there are 1 to 2 liquid inlets (70) for every 4 to 6 cm of length of the housing, preferably 3 liquid inlets (70) for every 10 cm of length of the housing.

2. Nano gas generator according to Claim 1, characterized in that the generator has at least 6 liquid inlets, preferably 6 to 12 liquid inlets, each disposed in the side wall of the housing, where each liquid inlet is configured as a special nozzle and every 2 special nozzles are operated in parallel and charged with liquid in parallel.

3. Nano gas generator according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing has a basic cylinder shape.

4. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceramic body has an average pore size of not more than 0.5 pm, preferably an average pore size between 10 nm and 200 nm.

5. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceramic body has a porous coating, said porous coating preferably being selected from metal oxide coatings and silicone rubber coatings, said metal oxide coating preferably being selected from aluminium oxide, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, manganese and combinations thereof, and said porous coating more preferably being a titanium dioxide coating.

6. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceramic body is cylindrical.

7. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceramic body is in a rigid, fixed and immobile arrangement in the housing.

8. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing has two or more ceramic bodies.

9. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceramic body is in a concentric arrangement with a centre axis of the housing when the nano gas generator has exactly one ceramic body, or in that all ceramic bodies are arranged along a circle which is concentric with the centre axis of the housing when the nano gas generator has two or more ceramic bodies.

10. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nano gas generator has an ultrasound generator mechanically coupled to the ceramic body.

11. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid inlets are in a spiral arrangement with increasing height in the vessel wall, where there are at least 2 circuits of the liquid inlets in the sidewall of the housing, and where the liquid inlets within the circuits are each offset by 45° to 120°, preferably by 90° to 120°, relative to the respectively adjacent liquid inlet.

12. Nano gas generator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that all liquid inlets are in a systematic tangential arrangement so as to create a co-rotating vortex flow in the annular gap that brings about additional detachment of bubbles from the ceramic surface.

13. Method of producing nano gas bubbles, comprising the steps of• providing a nano gas generator according to any of Claims 1 to 12,• purging the nano gas generator with the respective working gas, such that the available air volume / gas volume in the arrangement is fully displaced,• filling the nano gas generator with a liquid, preferably water, such that at least % of the interspace is filled with liquid,• charging the nano gas generator with a gas which is conveyed into a ceramic body via at least one gas feed and• transporting a gas-saturated liquid generated away from the nano gas generator via a liquid drain.

14. Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that the nano gas generator is connected to at least one liquid pump, preferably peristaltic pump, where the liquid pump is connected to at least one liquid feed and / or to a liquid drain, and the liquid pump at the liquid drain preferably pumps an increasingly gas-enriched liquid out of the interspace into a nano gas-liquid reservoir.

15. Method according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the gas is conveyed into the ceramic body via a gas pump or pressure vessel at a delivery pressure of 0.2 to 10 bar, preferably 1 to 3 bar, more preferably 1-2 bar.

16. Method according to any of Claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the liquid is conveyed to liquid inlets via a liquid pump at a delivery pressure of 0.5 to 10 bar, preferably 1 to 3 bar, more preferably 1 to 2 bar.

17. Method according to any of Claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the gas is oxygen, carbon dioxide, HHO (electrolysis gas), nitrogen, hydrogen, or a mixture of two or more of said gases.

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