Microbubbles and nanobubbles have following effects.
| 1 | Biological activation |
| 2 | High cleaning and sterilization effect |
| 3 | Built-up edge peeling effect during aluminum processing |
| 4 | Improvement of the surface roughness of silicon wafers |
| 5 | High gas dissolution effect |
| 6 | Bactericidal effect |
| 7 | Freshness-preserving effect of fish, etc. |
| 8 | Decolorization effect |
| 9 | Floatation separation |
| 10 | Biofilm generation suppression |
| 11 | Resistance reduction |
| 12 | Charging and solution concentration |
| 13 | Miniaturization effect in nanoparticle manufacturing process |
| 14 | Liquid flow visualization |
| 15 | Relaxing effect |
| 16 | Unknown effects |
| 17 | Energy saving effect |
Various effects of fine bubbles
(1) Biological activation
Fine bubbles are involved in biological activation. This is one of the great effects that fine bubbles have.
It accelerate the growth of organisms and reduce mortality. It is used for plant cultivation and fish/shellfish farming, and has been greatly effective. It enables us to increase food production with a little energy. It is a great way to solve the problem of food shortage.
Supplying fine bubbles to microorganisms accelerates their growth. This activation of microorganisms enhances the treatment capacity of water purification and wastewater/sewage treatment. The treatment capacity can be increased by using fine bubbles in the wastewater treatment plant. Also In sake brewing, supplying fine bubbles to yeast makes sake delicious.
Currently, fine bubbles are also used to prevent spoilage and malodors of coolant in machine tools, and to separate lubricating oils.
*The mechanism of biological activation has not been scientifically elucidated, but research is ongoing, so hopefully it will be elucidated in the near future.
(2) High cleaning and sterilization effect
Another great effect of fine bubbles is a very high detergency. This cleaning mechanism is considered to be as follows.
In the cleaning of contaminants adhering to the surface of silicon wafers, when using an ultrapure water jet containing UFB (ultra-fine-bubbles/nanobubbles), the force and shock waves at the time of bubbles burst dramatically enhances the cleaning power.
Fine bubbles permeate the oil and permeate the boundary with the adhering surface, hence they have a degreasing effect of exfoliating and removing the oil. In addition, they can penetrate into the narrow space between the objects that are in close contact with each other and separate them because the nano-sized bubbles coalesce into microbubbles and act as wedges. This property enhances detergency. These apply to numerous area, for example, for home baths/showers, dishwashing, and machined parts’ cleaning.
It also has a high sterilization effect. Not only the bacteria attached to the surface, but also fine bubbles permeate the body of the shrimp and sterilize them, and nearly 90% of the bacteria have been successfully sterilized with fine bubbles using tap water and atmospheric air, for instance.
(3) Built-up edge peeling effect during aluminum processing
Fine bubbles can peel off the built-up edge of cutting tools during aluminum processing, increase the surface roughness of aluminum products, and reduce the defect rate.
The mechanism of peeling is considered to be due to the force and shock waves when the fine bubbles burst which is also described in the silicon wafer contamination cleaning. In addition, since the cutting edge becomes close to 800 ° C, it is considered that the fine bubble is peeling off the built-up edge due to rapid thermal expansion and rupture. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the built-up edge is difficult to form owing to the heat dissipation effect of the fine bubble.
In the automobile industry, aluminum parts are increasing in order to reduce the weight of automobiles. In the future, it is expected that fine bubbles will be permanently installed in machine tools in order to reduce the defective rate of aluminum products.
(4) Effect of improving the surface roughness of silicon wafers
Fine bubbles improve the surface roughness by always securing the cutting edge of the grinding wheel. Therefore, OK nozzles are used in various machining processes of silicon wafers. In the processes not suitable for metal ions, PTFE OK Nozzles are used.
(5) High gas dissolution effect
Fine bubbles are bubbles with a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, so they are easily dissolved in liquid. The smaller the bubble diameter, the easier it is to dissolve.
Do level can be increased efficiently, and ozone water, carbonated water, hydrogen water, nitrogen water, etc. can be made unexpectedly easily. In addition to increasing the dissolved gas, it becomes UFB (ultra fine bubble / nano bubble) water.
The loop flow OK Nozzle can efficiently increase the gas solubility. This is because the inside of the OK Nozzle is in a state like a “waterfall basin”, and the gas is quickly dissolved due to its vigorous gas-liquid mixing.
The effect of gas dissolution has achieved great results in many fields, including plant cultivation and fish/shellfish farming.
(6) Bactericidal effect
Fine bubble water of ozone gas has stronger bactericidal power than water in which ozone is simply dissolved. It has been confirmed that Escherichia coli stops breeding and the number of bacteria decreases when the density is high even with fine bubbles of air. Also, there was a report saying
“Inspection of underground seawater at a flatfish farm in Jeju Island, South Korea, measures the total number of bacteria in lava seawater before and after passing through an OK nozzle that generates microbubbles to confirm the bactericidal and sterilizing action against pathogens in the water. As a result, 3 individuals / 1 ml and 120 individuals / 100 ml were found in the source water of lava seawater before passing through the nozzle, and in the treated water after passing through the nozzle, only 0 individuals / 1 ml and 60 individuals / 100 ml were found. “
The results of this experimental data are considered to be sterilized by sterilization with oxygen fine bubbles and cavitation inside the loop flow type OK nozzle.
(7) Effect of maintaining freshness of fish, etc.
If you put fish in nitrogen bubble water in which oxygen dissolved in water with nitrogen fine bubbles is replaced with nitrogen, it will last several times longer than usual.
(8) Decolorization effect
Colored water can be decolorized with fine bubbles and microorganisms. However, it takes some time because it is processed by microorganisms.
For processing in a short time, use ozone fine bubbles. Making ozone into fine bubbles enhances the decolorization effect and makes the decolorization device compact. Asahiyama Zoo’s hippopotamus pool water is decolorized by supplying ozone to the OK Nozzle.
(9) Floating separation
The microbubbles are negatively charged, and dust, plastic, oil, etc. can be floated and separated by their adhesion, adsorption force, and buoyancy.
In addition, in aquariums for ornamental fish, land-based aquaculture, etc., proteins can be adsorbed on bubbles and and separated by floating , so that they can be used as protein skimmers. The OK nozzle is also used in Sunshine Ikebukuro (aquarium).
(10) Biofilm generation suppression effect
The fine bubbles of air can suppress the generation of biofilm generated on the inner surface of the tank containing water.
In the large aquarium of fish and shellfish, the effect is that cleaning of the wall surface has become easier.
In aluminum processing factories for automobile parts, etc., it is also used to remove fine powder from aluminum processing that adheres to the inner wall of the coolant tank together with biofilm.
The water-based chiller has the effect of maintaining efficiency because it can suppress the generation of biofilm.
(11) Effect of resistance reduction
Fine bubbles have the effect of reducing the resistance in the pipe. Therefore, the cost of fluid transportation can be reduced.
In addition, fuel can be saved because the bottom resistance can be reduced. The flatter the bottom of the ship, the higher the resistance reduction effect, so it is suitable for ships used in rivers and lakes. This not only saves fuel, but also purifies the river at the same time, so there is an advantage in installing a fine bubble generating nozzle on the ship from the standpoint of purification.
(12) Charging and concentration of solution
Since the fine bubbles are charged, ionized liquid fertilizer and the like can be concentrated. In strawberry elevated cultivation, when fine bubbles are used, the amount of normal liquid fertilizer is large, so it is reduced. In Ariake Nori culture, even if the color fades, it will not fade if fine bubbles are added to the seaweed net of the seaweed fishing ground. The main cause of discoloration of seaweed is lack of nutrients.
This effect can also be used in chemical manufacturing.
(13) Miniaturization effect in nanoparticle manufacturing process
When plasma is generated in high-density fine bubble water having a peak diameter of about 10 μm in microbubble diameter, metal nanoparticles of 10 nm or less can be generated. It has been reported that water containing gold nanoparticles of 10 nm or less is transparent rather than pink. Uses 3L / min OK nozzle.
(14) Liquid flow visualization
By putting microbubbles in the flow of the liquid, the behavior of the liquid can be visualized. Industrially, it has begun to be used experimentally as a means of analyzing the movement of lubricating oil, and medically, as a means of liquid flow analysis in a filtration device of an artificial dialyzer. The result is used in the design.
(15) Relaxing effect
The feeling of relaxation is when fine bubbles are used in the bath. There is a feeling of relaxation even in a normal bath. This is a relaxing feeling as the hot water warms the body and improves blood flow. Hot water with fine bubbles will improve blood circulation, so you can relax and feel like a you are in a hot spring.
(16) Unknown effect
Since research on fine bubbles is being conducted in many fields, “the effects and power of fine bubbles” will still be discovered.
For example : ・ Hemostatic effect? ・ Analgesic effect? ・ Improvement of learning ability?
(17) Energy saving effect
Fine bubbles are beginning to be used in many fields, the effects of which have been mentioned above, but most of the effects are to bring energy saving effects.
Due to the microbial activity effect, when fine bubbles are used in wastewater treatment, the amount of electricity used becomes less than half of normal aeration. Sludge is also reduced. In plant cultivation and fish farming, the amount of oxygen used also becomes less than half and production is increased to achieve the same Do level.
This is how the energy saving effect turns out to be one of the great feature of fine bubble.