Nanobubble Liquid Treatment for Continuous Microplastic Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing marine plastics and microplastics from water bodies are ineffective, particularly in continuously capturing microplastics down to the 1.0 mm range, and often require high energy consumption and chemical additives, with passive filtration systems failing to address the depth and efficiency needed to prevent further plastic degradation.
Innovation Solution
A multi-hulled filtration vessel employing a nanobubble infused dissolved air flotation process with self-cleaning screens and skimmers, capable of continuously removing microplastics down to 1.0 mm or less, utilizing nanobubbles to attract and agglomerate positively charged plastics, followed by skimming and flotation to the surface, reducing the need for chemicals and energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If passive filtration systems (boom mounted nets) are used to capture floating plastic waste, then large floating debris can be removed, but microplastics escape and cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive mechanical filtration (nets and booms) with an active dissolved air flotation system that uses nanobubbles to attach to and float microplastics to the surface. This substitution enables effective capture of microplastics that were previously too small to be captured by mechanical nets, directly resolving the contradiction between removing microplastics and maintaining filtration reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the water by saturating it with nanobubbles through pressurized air injection. This parameter change enables the flotation mechanism to capture microplastics based on their surface properties rather than size, allowing effective removal of particles as small as 1.0 mm that passive mechanical systems cannot capture.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional dissolved air flotation systems are used to remove microplastics, then microplastic removal efficiency improves, but energy consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nanobubbles (extremely small bubble size parameter) instead of conventional larger bubbles, which fundamentally changes the flotation dynamics. Nanobubbles provide sufficient attachment surface area while requiring much lower saturation pressures, enabling microplastic removal at significantly reduced energy consumption compared to conventional DAF systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nanobubbles that naturally dissolve and replenish over time, eliminating the need for expensive, complex equipment and continuous high-energy operation. The system uses simple pressurized air injection to maintain nanobubble saturation, replacing costly conventional DAF machinery with a more economical, sustainable approach.
3Productivity
If filtration vessels operate at elevated speeds to increase productivity, then microplastic removal volume increases, but treatment effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces speed-dependent mechanical filtration with a chemistry-based dissolved air flotation process. The nanobubble-microplastic attachment mechanism is not affected by vessel speed, allowing the system to maintain high treatment effectiveness while operating at elevated speeds for increased productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dissolved air flotation process operates continuously as water flows through the treatment zone, with nanobubbles constantly available to attach to microplastics. This continuous action ensures effective treatment regardless of vessel speed, enabling sustained high productivity without sacrificing treatment reliability.
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 system achieves high microplastic removal rates with reduced energy consumption and operational costs, effectively capturing microplastics to the surface for efficient removal, even at elevated speeds, while minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the nanobubbles having a negative charge adhere to the contaminants having a positive charge
Implementation Method 2
the nanobubble and contaminant agglomeration is urged to float towards a surface of the liquid flow
Implementation Method 3
a skimmer cassette assembly configured to remove the nanobubble and contaminant agglomeration from the liquid flow
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A liquid treatment system and methods for removing contaminants from a liquid flow is disclosed. The treatment system having a treatment zone, a nanobubble diffuser system and a skimmer cassette assembly configured to remove the nanobubble and contaminant agglomeration from the liquid flow. The nanobubble diffuser system configured to diffuse negatively charged nanobubbles into the liquid flow whereby the nanobubbles adhere to positively charged contaminants and the nanobubble and contaminant agglomeration is urged to float towards a surface of the liquid flow in the treatment zone and be removed by the skimmer cassette assembly. In some embodiments, larger bubble diffuse systems are provided to increase the rise rate of contaminants. In some embodiments, the treatment system is a floating vessel. In some embodiments, the treatment system is configured to remove microplastics down to a size of about 1 mm and less.