There is disclosed processes and systems for improving the efficiency of the separation of insoluble contaminants from a fluid in a floatation unit.

The invention relates to a stirred tank reactor for gas-liquid mass transfer in a slurry. The reactor includes a reactor tank (1) having a first volume (V.sub.1), a drive shaft (2) that extends vertically in the reactor tank, a motor (3) for rotating the drive shaft (2), a main impeller (4) which is a downward pumping axial flow impeller attached to the drive shaft (2) to create a main flow pattern in the reactor tank, and a gas inlet (5) arranged to supply gas into the reactor tank (1) to be dispersed to the liquid. The reactor includes a mechanical gas sparging apparatus (6) comprising a dispersion chamber (7) having a second volume (V.sub.2) which is substantially smaller than the first volume (V.sub.1) of the reactor tank (1), the dispersion chamber being arranged coaxial with the drive shaft (2), and the gas inlet (5) being arranged to feed gas into the dispersion chamber (7), and mixing means (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) arranged within the dispersion chamber (7) for mixing the gas into liquid by dispersing the gas to fine bubbles before the bubbles enter the main flow pattern. The mixing power per unit volume inside the dispersion chamber (7) is significantly larger than the mixing power elsewhere in the reactor.

Embodiments of the subject invention relate to a small modular self-contained surface plasma device for decontamination of air and surfaces within enclosed volumes. Embodiments of the subject invention relate to a method and apparatus using the technical process of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) surface plasma generation from ambient atmosphere for decontamination of air and surfaces within enclosed volumes. The primary application mode is for preservation of perishable commodities within industrial shipping containers through reduction of surface spoilage organisms and destruction of evolved gaseous ethylene that causes premature ripening. Additional implementations include deployment for oxidation of surfaces and/or container atmospheres in applications to diminish or eradicate pesticides, toxins, chemical residues, and other natural or introduced contaminants. Other embodiments envisioned include incorporation of device capabilities and or ancillary modules for feedback input (e.g. ozone sensor(s) to maintain steady state levels, self-tuning circuitry to adjust operating frequency), communication (e.g. among modules, RFID data loggers, Wi-Fi output), and programing (e.g. user input of container volume, transit time, ozone level, etc.).

There is disclosed processes and systems for improving the efficiency of the separation of insoluble contaminants from a fluid in a floatation unit.

The device (1) for bringing a gas and a liquid into contact includes an enclosure (E), first means (5) for introducing into the enclosure and circulating therein a gas stream (G), second means (6) for introducing into the enclosure and circulating therein a liquid stream (L) that circulates inside the enclosure (E) in the same direction as the gas stream (G), and means (4A) for mixing the gas stream (G) and the liquid stream (L). These mixing means (4A) are positioned inside the enclosure (E) in the path of the gas stream and liquid stream and are capable of locally deflecting upward, and/or of locally causing to rise, at least one portion of the gas stream and liquid stream, so as to locally create turbulences in the gas stream and in the liquid stream.

A device for generating gas bubbles in a liquid in a container includes a rotatable gas-permeable hollow shaft arranged in a container, gassing discs arranged on the hollow shaft and spacers arranged between the gassing discs, gassing discs and spacers being arranged alternately on the hollow shaft in gas-tight contact with one another, a feed line for a compressed gas into the interior of the shaft, spacer having a centered opening (O) for receiving the shaft and at least two chambers, the chambers being equally spaced around the centered opening, where the centered opening and the chambers at least partially overlap, where the centered opening and the chambers are in communication with one another at least in the overlap region, so that the compressed gas can flow from the shaft into in each case a chamber of the spacer and enter the gassing discs from the chamber of the spacer.

The device (1) for bringing a gas and a liquid into contact includes an enclosure (E), first means (5) for introducing into the enclosure and circulating therein a gas stream (G), second means (6) for introducing into the enclosure and circulating therein a liquid stream (L) that circulates inside the enclosure (E) in the same direction as the gas stream (G), and means (4A) for mixing the gas stream (G) and the liquid stream (L). These mixing means (4A) are positioned inside the enclosure (E) in the path of the gas stream and liquid stream and are capable of locally deflecting upward, and/or of locally causing to rise, at least one portion of the gas stream and liquid stream, so as to locally create turbulences in the gas stream and in the liquid stream.

A device for generating gas bubbles in a liquid in a container includes a rotatable gas-permeable hollow shaft arranged in a container, gassing discs arranged on the hollow shaft and spacers arranged between the gassing discs, gassing discs and spacers being arranged alternately on the hollow shaft in gas-tight contact with one another, a feed line for a compressed gas into the interior of the shaft, having a centered opening (O) for receiving said shaft and at least two chambers, said chambers being equally spaced around said centered opening, where said centered opening and said chambers at least partially overlap, where the centered opening and the chambers are in communication with one another at least in the overlap region, so that the compressed gas can flow from shaft into in each case a chamber of the spacer and enter the gassing discs from the chamber of the spacer.

Disclosed is a method and a device for producing a homogenous metastable supersaturated solution. The homogenous metastable supersaturated solution is comprised of a liquid phase solvent and one or more solutes wherein these individual solutes are gases under conditions of standard temperature and pressure (STP) in a normal atmospheric environment. When the device is used for creating oxygen saturated metastable solutions, the oxygen levels reached to at least 3 times the maximum level that can be detected by commercial dissolved oxygen probes. The device can be used to treat any medical condition that can benefit from the use of high oxygenated or any other highly saturated gas solutions. The device can be used for any non-medical need where a highly saturated gas in solution is needed.

The invention relates to a device for generating gas bubbles in a liquid in a container, including at least one rotatable hollow shaft arranged horizontally in at least one container; at least one gassing disc arranged vertically on the at least one hollow shaft; and at least one feed line for supplying at least one compressed gas to the interior of the at least one hollow shaft, said compressed gas being brought into the feed line and hollow shaft directly, without a liquid carrier.