Gas solubility gradient for nanobubble generation

Abstract

Provided herein are nanobubble generators that involve a split-manipulate-recombine configuration to produce a high concentration of nanobubbles in a continuous manner. One such nanobubble generator includes (a) an inlet configured to receive a liquid stream comprising dissolved gas; (b) means in communication with the liquid stream configured to manipulate the liquid stream to form a first liquid substream and a second liquid substream in which the solubility of gas in the first liquid substream is different from the solubility of gas in the second liquid substream; (c) a mixer in communication with the first and second liquid substreams configured to combine the first and second liquid substreams to form a discharge stream comprising nanobubbles in a liquid carrier; and (d) an outlet configured to discharge the discharge stream, wherein the discharge stream comprises at least 106 nanobubbles per cm3.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.