Vacuum degassing using electroactive material

A method of at least partially degassing a gas-containing liquid, the method comprising:

• accommodating the gas-containing liquid in a liquid accommodation volume for degassing;
• generating a negative pressure, compared to the liquid accommodation volume, in a negative pressure chamber;
• and
• actuating the gas-containing liquid and a gas permeable membrane, which separates the liquid accommodation volume from the negative pressure chamber, by ultrasound generated by an ultrasound source comprising an electroactive material to thereby force at least part of gas of the gas-containing liquid to move through the gas permeable membrane by a combination of the negative pressure and the ultrasound, wherein the ultrasound source is integrally formed with the gas permeable membrane.

A degasser for at least partially degassing a gas-containing liquid, the degasser comprising:

• a liquid accommodation volume comprising at least one liquid channel through which the gas-containing liquid is drivable during degassing;
• a negative pressure chamber in which a negative pressure, compared to the liquid accommodation volume, is to be generated;
• a gas permeable membrane separating the liquid accommodation volume from the negative pressure chamber and arranged so that ultrasound forces at least part of gas of the gas-containing liquid to move through the gas permeable membrane by a combination of the negative pressure and the ultrasound;
• an ultrasound source comprising an electroactive material and configured to generate ultrasound for actuating the gas-containing liquid and the gas permeable membrane, wherein the ultrasound source is integrally formed with the gas permeable membrane;
• and
• a support structure on which the gas permeable membrane is mounted,
• wherein the support structure at least partially bounds the at least one liquid channel and the gas permeable membrane at least partially bounds the at least one liquid channel.

A degasser for at least partially degassing a gas-containing liquid, the degasser comprising:

• a liquid accommodation volume for accommodating the gas-containing liquid during degassing;
• a negative pressure chamber in which a negative pressure, compared to the liquid accommodation volume, is to be generated;
• a gas permeable membrane separating the liquid accommodation volume from the negative pressure chamber and arranged so that ultrasound forces at least part of gas of the gas-containing liquid to move through the gas permeable membrane by a combination of the negative pressure and the ultrasound;
• and
• an ultrasound source comprising an electroactive polymer and configured to generate ultrasound for actuating the gas-containing liquid and the gas permeable membrane, wherein the ultrasound source is integrally formed with the gas permeable membrane.