Abstract: A process of mass transfer is described which utilises latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator includes at least one inlet port (57) in communication with at least two outlets (61) via a nozzle region and two outlet conduits (58, 62), the two outlet conduits being separated from each other by a splitter region. Each outlet conduit includes a resonance chamber (60) in fluid communication with the conduit. The resonance chambers contribute to controlling the oscillation of the device. The fluidic oscillator is operatable in an acoustic switching mode.

Abstract: Uses of a method of producing small bubbles of gas in a liquid include gas transfer in airlift bioreactors and anaerobic digesters, and particle separation. The method uses a source of the gas under pressure, a conduit opening into a liquid and oscillating the gas passing along the conduit. The oscillation is effected by fluidic oscillator, comprising a diverter that divides the supply into respect outputs, each output being controlled by a control port, wherein the control ports are interconnected by a closed loop. Separation of algae from water involves delivering a laminar flow of microbubbles in the range 10 to 100 ?m diameter. Such bubbles also deliver a laminar flow in bioreactors that delivers enhanced liquid flow despite the small bubbles, which improves mixing and also enhances efficiency of gas exchange and retention of the bubbles in the reactor.

Abstract: A process of mass transfer is described which utilises latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

Abstract: A process of mass transfer is described which utilizes latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

Abstract: Apparatus (200) for the treatment of one or more substrates comprising a treatment chamber configured to receive a liquid medium and one or more substrates; a supply of a treatment gas comprising ozone; and one or more conduits to convey said treatment gas to a bubble generator (41) wherein said bubble generator is operable to form bubbles of said treatment gas in said liquid medium, wherein the apparatus comprises a multiplicity of solid particles (46). A method of treating one or more substrates, the method comprising agitating said one or more substrates in a treatment formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid particles, a liquid medium and bubbles of ozone.

Abstract: A process of mass transfer is described which utilises latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production of a product gas (eg hydrogen and ozone) comprises: a supply of reactant gas (eg oxygen and steam) (14); a pair of electrodes (24) with a space between them of less than 1 mm (28); a conduit to lead the reactant gas from the source through the space between the electrodes; a power source (26) to apply a voltage across the electrodes to dissociate the reactant gas and ultimately permit formation of product gas; and a conduit (40) to supply the product gas to an outlet. A sterilization unit for water treatment employs such apparatus and includes a fluidic oscillator to oscillate the flow of oxygen and/or ozone, and wherein said outlet comprises a plurality of orifices (42) to be submerged in said water and for the purpose of forming micro bubbles of ozone. An analyzer for detecting large organic molecules in eg air can employ the ozone generator to breakdown the large molecule into simpler and easier-to-detect-and-identify molecules.

Abstract: A method of producing small bubbles (90) of gas in a liquid comprises a source (16) of the gas under pressure, a conduit (64a) opening into a liquid and oscillating the gas passing along the conduit at a frequency between 1 and 100 Hz. The oscillation is effected by fluidic oscillator (10) comprising a diverter that divides the supply into respect outputs (A, B), each output being controlled by a control port, wherein the control ports are interconnected by a closed loop (22). There may be at least two of said conduits (62a, 64a), each output port being connected to one or the other of said conduits, in which one phase of the oscillating gas is employed to drive liquid across the conduit (64a) after formation of a bubble in the other phase of oscillation, whereby the bubble is detached by the force of said driven liquid.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production of a product gas (eg hydrogen and ozone) comprises: a supply of reactant gas (eg oxygen and steam) (14); a pair of electrodes (24) with a space between them of less than 1 mm (28); a conduit to lead the reactant gas from the source through the space between the electrodes; a power source (26) to apply a voltage across the electrodes to dis sociate the reactant gas and ultimately permit formation of product gas; and a conduit (40) to supply the product gas to an outlet. sterilisation unit for water treatment employs such apparatus and includes a fluidic oscillator to oscillate the flow of oxygen and/or ozone, and wherein said outlet comprises a plurality of orifices (42) to be submerged in said water and for the purpose of forming micro bubbles of ozone. An analyser for detecting large organic molecules in eg air can employ the ozone generator to breakdown the large molecule into simpler and easier-to-detect-and-identify molecules.

Abstract: A method of producing small bubbles (90) of gas in a liquid comprises a source (16) of the gas under pressure, a conduit (64a) opening into a liquid and oscillating the gas passing along the conduit at a frequency between 1 and 100 Hz. The oscillation is effected by fluidic oscillator (10) comprising a diverter that divides the supply into respect outputs (A, B), each output being controlled by a control port, wherein the control ports are interconnected by a closed loop (22). There may be at least two of said conduits (62a, 64a), each output port being connected to one or the other of said conduits, in which one phase of the oscillating gas is employed to drive liquid across the conduit (64a) after formation of a bubble in the other phase of oscillation, whereby the bubble is detached by the force of said driven liquid.