A fluid handling structure for a lithographic apparatus configured to contain immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space: at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction of the space; and at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction of the at least gas knife opening relative to the space. The gas knife opening and the gas supply opening both provide substantially pure CO.sub.2 gas so as to provide a substantially pure CO.sub.2 gas environment adjacent to, and radially outward of, the space.

A method includes receiving, in a first vessel, a flow of fluid from a second vessel, wherein the flow of fluid is generated by pressurizing a head space over the fluid in the second vessel; capturing the flow of fluid from the second vessel at an upper end of a de-bubbling slide in the first vessel; and directing the flow of fluid along a flow surface of de-bubbling slide to a lower portion of the first vessel, such that bubbles and dissolved gases in the fluid exit the fluid on the flow surface of the de-bubbling slide.

Provided are techniques that include operating a spiral contactor. The techniques include receiving, by a spiral contactor, a first fluid, and receiving a second fluid, wherein the first fluid is different than the second fluid. The techniques also include exchanging the first fluid and the second fluid using the spiral contactor, and outputting a deoxygenated fluid from the spiral contactor, wherein the deoxygenated fluid has a lower oxygen concentration than the first fluid.

A fluid handling structure for a lithographic apparatus configured to contain immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space: at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction of the space; and at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction of the at least gas knife opening relative to the space. The gas knife opening and the gas supply opening both provide substantially pure CO.sub.2 gas so as to provide a substantially pure CO.sub.2 gas environment adjacent to, and radially outward of, the space.

A de-bubbling slide is configured to fit in a dispensing vessel and capture, with a receiving element, a flow of fluid into the dispensing vessel from a fluid inlet. The receiving element of the de-bubbling slide directs the flow of fluid to a flow surface of the de-bubbling slide from which gas dissolved in the flow of fluid, or bubbles in the flow of fluid, escape from the fluid. Openings in an upper surface of the de-bubbling slide allow the escaped gas to exit the de-bubbling slide.

A cyclone type liquid-vapor separator includes a chamber including: an internal space wherein the treatment liquid introduced into the internal space is depressurized and evaporated; a vapor outlet formed on a top of the chamber and through which vapors generated through the evaporation is discharged; and a concentrated liquid outlet formed on a bottom of the chamber and through which the concentrated treatment liquid is discharged; an inlet part coupled to a side surface of the chamber in a tangent line direction of an inner peripheral surface of the chamber, the treatment liquid introduced into the chamber is turned in the form of vortexes along the inner peripheral surface of the chamber, and at least one partition wall disposed in an area between the inlet part and the vapor outlet of the internal space of the chamber and protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the chamber to prevent mist contained in the vapors from moving upwardly.

A blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit, a dialyzer capable of purifying the blood flowing through the blood circuit, a blood pump provided to an arterial blood circuit and that delivers the blood in the blood circuit, and an air-trap chamber capable of collecting air in the blood flowing through the blood circuit. A peristaltic pump (a substitution-fluid-infusion device) that is capable of infusing a substitution fluid is connected to the air-trap chamber. A substitution fluid layer is formable on a blood layer in the air-trap chamber. The air-trap chamber is provided with a blood-interface-detecting device that is capable of detecting an interface between the blood layer and the substitution fluid layer that are formed in the air-trap chamber. A lack of substitution fluid in the air-trap chamber is detectable on the basis of the interface between the blood layer and the substitution fluid layer that is detected by the blood-interface-detecting device.

A separation apparatus for separating constituents from effluent. The separation apparatus includes a gas diffuser, a hopper, and a tank. The gas diffuser includes an inlet inner tube for receiving effluent from a well. The hopper is disposed at least partially below the gas diffuser, and the tank is connected to the hopper. The gas diffuser is configured so that gas in the effluent is released from the effluent and into the atmosphere before the effluent enters the hopper. The hopper is configured so that liquid effluent in the hopper spills over a top portion of the hopper and into the tank.

A cyclone type liquid-vapor separator includes a chamber including: an internal space wherein the treatment liquid introduced into the internal space is depressurized and evaporated; a vapor outlet formed on a top of the chamber and through which vapors generated through the evaporation is discharged; and a concentrated liquid outlet formed on a bottom of the chamber and through which the concentrated treatment liquid is discharged; an inlet part coupled to a side surface of the chamber in a tangent line direction of an inner peripheral surface of the chamber, the treatment liquid introduced into the chamber is turned in the form of vortexes along the inner peripheral surface of the chamber; and at least one partition wall disposed in an area between the inlet part and the vapor outlet of the internal space of the chamber and protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the chamber to prevent mist contained in the vapors from moving upwardly.

The ventilation pipe 60 having the openings at both the ceiling side and the bottom side is provided in the area where the rectification boards 50a to 50f are arranged, thereby nitrogen released from water (nitrogen released from water based on that gas dissolved in water is substituted by oxygen) can be moved to the ceiling side of the retainer body through the ventilation pipe 60. Thereby, nitrogen can be effectively exhausted from the exhaust opening 30a, thus it can be restrained that nitrogen is accumulated in the retainer body 10. Accordingly, it can be restrained that oxygen concentration (partial pressure) in the retainer body 10 decreases. Since oxygen quantity dissolved in water is increased, gas dissolved in water can be effectively substituted.