# US 11,111,911 B2 · Degassing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,911 B2 - Document ID: US11111911B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/380,597 - Filed: 2019-04-10 - Published: 2019-08-01 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-14 - Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. - Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. - Inventors: Martin Richter; Axel Wille; Simone Strohmair; Christian Wald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111911B2 ## CPC - F04B 43/043: {Micropumps} - B01D 19/0005: {with one or more auxiliary substances} - B01D 19/0031: {by filtration} - B01D 19/0036: {Flash degasification (the other groups take precedence)} - B01D 19/0063: {Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K)} - B01D 19/0068: {General arrangements, e.g. flowsheets (B01D19/0063 takes precedence)} - B01D 53/22: by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) - B01D 63/06: Tubular membrane modules - F04B 19/006: {Micropumps (F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence)} - F04B 35/04: the means being electric - F04B 37/14: to obtain high vacuum - F04B 49/08: Regulating by delivery pressure - F04B 53/06: Venting - B01D 2053/221: {Devices} - B01D 2311/14: Pressure control - B01D 2311/2653: Degassing - B01D 2313/243: Pumps - F04B 2205/01: Pressure before the pump inlet - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The invention relates to an apparatus having a pressure chamber and a micropump in fluid connection with the pressure chamber. The pressure chamber includes a gas-carrying region and a liquid-carrying region. The micropump is configured to generate a pneumatic pressure within the gas-carrying region that is lower than a fluid pressure of a liquid flowing through the liquid-carrying region. According to the invention, a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable separating element separates, at least in sections, the gas-carrying region and the liquid-carrying region. According to the present invention, the micropump is disposed on the pressure chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus, comprising a pressure chamber and a micropump in fluid connection with the pressure chamber, wherein the pressure chamber comprises a gas-carrying region and a liquid-carrying region, wherein the micropump is configured to generate a pneumatic pressure within the gas-carrying region that is lower than a fluid pressure of liquid flowing through the liquid-carrying region, and wherein a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable separating element separates the gas-carrying region and the liquid-carrying region from each other at least in sections, wherein the micropump is disposed on the pressure chamber and the liquid-carrying region is a tube conduit running within the pressure chamber, wherein the tube conduit comprises, at least in sections, a material forming the gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable separating element, and wherein the micropump is configured to generate a negative pressure of −30 kPa to −55 kPa with respect to atmospheric pressure in the gas-carrying region of the pressure chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tube conduit is disposed in the pressure chamber in a spiral shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the micropump comprises a stroke volume per pump stroke of 50 μl or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the micropump is mounted on the pressure chamber by means of screws and/or clamps. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the micropump is mounted on the pressure chamber by means of adhesive or solder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a liquid-delivering pump by means of which liquid can be delivered through the liquid-carrying region or wherein the micropump is configured to deliver liquid through the liquid-carrying region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a pressure sensor fluidically coupled to the gas-carrying region and a control connected to the pressure sensor and the liquid-delivering pump, wherein the control is configured to control the liquid-delivering pump in dependence on a signal of the pressure sensor such that the delivery rate of the liquid-delivering pump is increased until the pressure within the gas-carrying region reaches a threshold and/or such that the delivery rate of the liquid-delivering pump is lowered at a pressure exceeding a threshold within the gas-carrying region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a pressure sensor fluidically coupled to the gas-carrying region and a control connected to the pressure sensor, wherein the control is configured to control the micropump in dependence on a signal of the pressure sensor such that the micropump is switched on when the pressure within the gas-carrying region of the pressure chamber rises above a threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a temperature regulation apparatus that is configured to cool the gas-carrying region and/or to heat the liquid-carrying region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a valve fluidically coupled to the gas-carrying region connected to a strip gas-carrying conduit in order to introduce a strip gas into the gas-carrying region of the pressure chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein optical or capacitive gas bubble detectors are provided within the pressure chamber or in flow direction of the liquid in front of the pressure chamber, which are configured to detect a gas bubble in the liquid and wherein the apparatus further comprises a control that is configured to switch on the micropump in dependence on a detected gas bubble. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-carrying region of the pressure chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet by means of which the apparatus can be interposed in a liquid-carrying conduit of a liquid-carrying system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Liquid-carrying system comprising an apparatus according to claim 1.