Fine Bubble Generation for Low-Solubility Gas Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for converting reactive nitrogen to ammonia are energy-intensive, and existing photocatalytic systems struggle to effectively dissolve gases with low solubility in water, such as nitrogen, limiting their efficiency in achieving a nitrogen-circulating society.
Innovation Solution
A production apparatus that generates fine bubbles of micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles of raw material gases in water, combined with a catalyst to promote the conversion of these gases to target components like ammonia, utilizing the properties of these bubbles to enhance gas-liquid interface and pressure, thereby increasing the solubility and availability of the raw material gases for conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pressurization of liquid raw material is used to increase gas solubility, then the amount of dissolved gas increases, but for gases with low solubility like nitrogen, the disposition remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the gas by generating fine bubbles (micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles) instead of using conventional large bubbles. This parameter change in bubble size dramatically increases the gas-liquid interface area and internal pressure, enabling sufficient dissolution of low-solubility gases like nitrogen without relying solely on liquid pressurization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional bubble generation to fine bubble generation, effectively changing the dimensional characteristics of the gas phase. By creating bubbles with diameters of 10 μm or less (particularly 1 μm or less for ultrafine-bubbles), the system exploits the dimensional reduction to achieve vastly improved gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency
2Productivity
If conventional photocatalytic reaction apparatus is used, then the structure is simple, but the reaction efficiency is low due to insufficient gas disposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fine bubble generation apparatus that changes the bubble size parameter to micro-bubble or ultrafine-bubble range. This parameter change enables sufficient gas disposition in water, thereby improving reaction efficiency without requiring complex apparatus modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gas phase into extremely fine bubbles (micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles) rather than using conventional large bubbles. This segmentation increases the total surface area of gas-liquid interface, enhancing mass transfer and reaction efficiency while maintaining apparatus simplicity
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
This approach allows for a sufficient amount of raw material gases to be disposed in water, facilitating efficient conversion to target components like ammonia, improving reaction efficiency and flexibility in apparatus design while maintaining high concentrations of the target components.
Implementation Method 1
generates, in water, fine bubbles of a raw material gas which contains bubbles of at least one of micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles
Implementation Method 2
fine bubbles of a raw material gas which contains bubbles of at least one of micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles
Implementation Method 3
a catalyst configured to promote generation reaction from the raw material gas to a target component in the water
Data Source
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AI summary
A production apparatus (100) includes: a bubble generation apparatus (1) to generate, in water, fine bubbles of a raw material gas which contains bubbles of at least one of micro-bubbles or ultrafine-bubbles; a catalyst (2) configured to promote generation reaction from the raw material gas to a target component in the water; a grasping mechanism (6) configured to grasp a state of the fine bubbles (9) in the water; and a control device (7) configured to control the bubble generation apparatus (1) based on a result of grasping by the grasping mechanism (6). The catalyst (2) contains a photocatalyst configured to promote the generation reaction when irradiated with light.