The present invention discloses a system for introducing a gas into a contained media such as a pond or lake. Water is removed from the media, gas introduced, and then the water removed to the contained media.

A method is provided for producing fine-bubble water by resonance foaming and vacuum cavitation, and a device for manufacturing each of ultra-fine-bubble water of hydrogen gas having a reducing radical function, ultra-fine-bubble water of air and oxygen gas having an oxidizing radical function, ozone ultra-fine-bubble water having a sterilization function enabled by ozone, and fine-bubble water of nitrogen/carbon dioxide gas for increasing the ability to preserve the freshness of raw agricultural products, livestock products, and marine products.

A passive gas exchange transfer apparatus for exchanging carbon dioxide from a flue gas to a water supply is disclosed. The apparatus includes several upper rods and several lower rods to hold a membrane in place. The membrane provides increased surface area for the gas and the water to meet. The upper rods may be the source of the water supply, and the lower rods may be the source of the gas. The upper rods may disperse the water onto one side of the membrane, and the lower rods may disperse the gas onto the other side. The two may therefore meet at the surface created by the membrane as gravity draws the water downward, and convection draws the gas upward.

In agriculture, one of the most important issues is the extent to which the yield of high-quality crops can be increased while saving labor and reducing costs. However, there are many problems in that so-called injuries of crops due to continuous cropping and other causes seriously reduce productivity. The present invention provides an apparatus and a method that provides a method of feeding plants CO.sub.2 on foliage or O.sub.2 on roots by way of injecting a gas into a liquid such that the bubbles formed are of a size that allows them to remain suspended in the liquid for up to two days without dissolving into the liquid thus allowing the system to use the liquid with the suspended bubbles as a foliar or root spray or as a liquid for use in a hydroponic growing system.

Provided is a water carbonation unit including: at least one water feed and at least one pressurised carbon-dioxide feed; a merging duct extending between a first, closed end and a second end, the at least one water feed and at least one carbon-dioxide feed opening into said duct at said first end; said second end opening into a mixing chamber linked to a carbonated water outlet; the carbonated water outlet configured to restrict outflow of carbonated water from the chamber to thereby maintain pressure within the chamber while carbonated water flows out of the carbonated water outlet.

A portable carbonating dispenser utilizes an onboard supply of carbonation gas and a carbonation control module for permitting a user to carbonate base liquid stored in an onboard base liquid container. The carbonation control module may include a user actuated button for selectively activating the carbonation. The base liquid container may include an extended portion for increasing the exposure of base liquid to carbonation gas. A vertical viewing window enables a user to view carbonation and the level of base liquid in the container. An isolation component may be useful to isolate an additive cartridge from carbonation pressure during carbonation in applications where the dispenser utilizes additive cartridges. Safety venting and locking features may be provided on the mode selector to prevent a user from accidentally pressurizing the cartridge space. A refill station may be provided to refill the portable carbonating dispenser.

The gas dissolution device includes a dissolution vessel storing a part of culture solution in a culture vessel, a gas supply pipe connected to a carbon dioxide cylinder and supplying carbon dioxide through an end inserted into the dissolution vessel, a gas discharger provided at the gas supply pipe and turning the carbon dioxide into microbubbles, and a mass flow controller controlling a flowrate of the carbon dioxide flowing in the gas supply pipe. Here, a water depth from the gas discharger to a liquid level of the culture solution in the dissolution vessel is set deeper than a water depth of the culture solution in the culture vessel.

A method of producing a carbonated beverage comprising a blend of water and syrup having a predetermined final carbonation level. The method includes the steps of: introducing CO.sub.2 into a flowing stream of a product blend comprising water, syrup and dissolved oxygen, such that CO.sub.2 is dissolved in the product blend; deaerating the CO.sub.2-containing product blend by introducing the blend into a vented atmospheric vessel, the interior of which is at ambient pressure with a headspace maintained above the surface of the liquid within the vessel, whereby dissolved oxygen is released from the product blend and vented from the vessel; pumping the deaerated product blend from the vessel, wherein the deaerated blend includes dissolved CO.sub.2 at an intermediate carbonation level less than the final carbonation level; and carbonating the deaerated product blend to the final carbonation level downstream of the vented vessel to produce a carbonated beverage for subsequent packaging. A system for performing the method is also provided, as well as a method of producing a beverage using nitrogen deaeration.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for modification of a food product such as a foam topping that can be used to modify a beverage or food product. In particular, described herein are methods for modifying a beverage or food product by applying to and draining, dissolving, and/or dispersing a portion of a foam food product in the beverage or food product. In addition, methods for modifying the texture of a foam food product are disclosed herein. Also described are compositions comprising gas mixtures for modifying the texture of a foam food product and a beverage or food product.

A beverage dispensing device and methods for dispensing beverages are provided. In one embodiment, the beverage dispensing device includes a housing, a carbonation assembly, a carriage assembly, and one or more flavorant containers. The beverage dispensing device can also include a controller with a UI to allow a user to customize aspects of a beverage. These customizable aspects can include fluid volume, carbonation level, flavorant type, and/or flavorant amount. Based on the customized aspects of the beverage, the beverage dispensing device can dispense an amount of carbonated or uncarbonated water, and can dispense a type and amount of flavorant. Illustrative embodiments of flavorant containers are also provided.