Dissolved Gas Flotation Nozzle Profiled Fins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dissolved gas flotation (DAF) nozzles face inefficiencies in micro-bubble production and water treatment quality, particularly at high capacities, leading to incomplete bubble collapse and poor water quality.
Innovation Solution
The development of a dissolved gas flotation pressure reduction nozzle with an integrally moulded plastics component featuring profiled fins and a control plate, designed to enhance turbulence and micro-bubble formation, using materials suitable for potable water treatment, and a manufacturing method involving internal tooling elements for precise moulding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional DAF nozzles are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but micro-bubble production is insufficient and water treatment quality deteriorates at high capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is divided into multiple functional components: a control plate with multiple orifices for water flow control, an impingement plate with a specific surface for bubble formation, and integrally moulded profiled fins for turbulence generation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, resulting in enhanced micro-bubble production while maintaining manufacturability through integral moulding of the plastics component.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the nozzle are designed with different properties: the control plate has precisely sized orifices for flow control, the impingement plate provides a specific contact surface for bubble formation, and the profiled fins create localized turbulence zones. This local optimization of properties throughout the nozzle structure enables superior micro-bubble production across the entire device.
2Productivity
If conventional DAF nozzles operate at high capacity, then water treatment throughput increases, but bubble collapse becomes incomplete and water quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The profiled fins are designed to create dynamic turbulence that adapts to flow conditions. The fins generate rotational and chaotic flow patterns that enhance bubble formation and collapse mechanisms, ensuring consistent micro-bubble production and complete bubble collapse even at high water treatment capacities, thereby maintaining reliable water quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle utilizes hydraulic principles through the control plate orifices to regulate water flow and pressure. The impingement plate creates a hydraulic jump effect that enhances gas release and micro-bubble formation. These pneumatic and hydraulic mechanisms work together to maintain optimal bubble collapse and water quality consistency across varying throughput conditions.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in the nozzle, then assembly flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity and potential leak points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The profiled fins, impingement plate, and discharge spout are integrally moulded as a single plastics component, eliminating multiple assembly joints and potential leak points. This merging of components simplifies manufacturing through integral moulding while enhancing seal integrity and reliability. The control plate remains as a separate metal component for precise orifice control, but the overall assembly has fewer connection points.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nozzle design increases micro-bubble production and uniformity, improving the DAF process efficiency and water quality, while being suitable for treating seawater and simple to manufacture, with the second embodiment addressing issues of non-collapsed flow through a baffle and angled fin profiles.
Implementation Method 1
A reduction in pressure occurs as the water passes from the socket 42 through the orifices (not shown) into the pipe 49 of the control plate 46
Implementation Method 2
This provides a contact surface for water exiting from the control plate to assist with micro-bubble formation
Implementation Method 3
The fins increase turbulence of the water/gas mixture which enhances micro-bubble production and uniformity
Implementation Method 4
assists in reduction of velocity/momentum of the water/gas mixture
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A dissolved gas flotation pressure reduction nozzle (60) comprises : an integrally moulded plastics component (61) comprising a discharge spout (62), an impingement plate (64) and one or more fins (66) extending from the impingement plate (64) in the radially outwards and downstream directions; and a control plate (75) upstream of the impingement plate (64).