METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ULTRA-FINE BUBBLES HAVING OXIDIZING RADICAL OR REDUCING RADICAL BY RESONANCE FOAMING AND VACUUM CAVITATION, AND ULTRA-FINE BUBBLE WATER MANUFACTURING DEVICE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method for manufacturing bubbled water, comprising: providing a first pump and a second pump to generate a reduced pressure state, the two pumps sandwiching a resonance ejector and a resonance bubble-forming device; taking in water from a water source and pressurizing the water to transfer the water to the resonance ejector by the first pump; transferring gas from a gas supply device to a resonance ejector; mixing the water transferred from the primary pump, and the gas transferred from the gas supply device in the resonance ejector, the resonance ejector being provided with a pressure gauge, a gas flowmeter, a resonance adjustment needle valve, and a resonance bubble-forming device; adjusting a ratio of water to gas to be supplied and a reduced pressure level using the resonance adjustment needle valve and the pressure gauge; subjecting the gas-liquid mixture to resonance bubble-forming in the resonance bubble-forming device to instantly generate primary bubbles of diameter of 10 μm-500 μm, whereby the mixture becomes cloudy; transferring the primary bubbles generated in the resonance ejector and the resonance bubble-forming device to a secondary pump; generating the reduced pressure state by the second pump, the reduced pressure state being generated by a stronger sucking capability of the second pump such that the second pump having a suction force that is capable of sucking more volume of water than the volume of water discharged from the primary pump sucks the discharged water; allowing the entire water system including and downstream of the resonance bubble-forming device to a pump's impeller to be under the reduced pressure state, which has been generated; expanding the primary bubbles transferred from the resonance bubble-forming device tens of times under the reduced pressure state; crushing the expanded primary bubbles by vacuum shearing caused by the high-speed rotation of the impeller of the secondary pump, and by a striking force caused by the instant change from the reduced pressure state to the pressurized state in a casing; generating secondary bubbles of diameter of 1 μm or less than 1 μm by vacuum cavitation that crushes the primary bubbles by double cavitation; and pressure-crushing the primary bubbles in a pressure-crushing device to make the secondary bubbles to be primary bubbles, which do not make water cloudy.

16. The method for manufacturing bubbled water of claim 15, wherein the gas is selected from air, oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, ozone gas, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas and a mixture thereof.

17. The method for manufacturing bubbled water of claim 15, wherein the gas is air and/or oxygen gas.

18. The method for manufacturing bubbled water of claim 15, wherein the gas is hydrogen gas.

19. An apparatus for the manufacturing of the bubbled water according to the method of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises: a resonance ejector including a resonance bubble-forming device and a supply device that supply gas to the resonance ejector; a first pump that sucks water from a water source and transfers the water to the resonance ejector, wherein the resonance ejector produces primary bubbles-containing water in the resonance bubble-forming device; a second pump for subjecting the primary bubbles-containing water to vacuum cavitation to produce secondary bubbles-containing water; a conducting pipe that is provided between the resonance bubble-forming device and the secondary pump; and a pressurizing device for producing bubbled water from the secondary bubbles-containing water.

20. The apparatus for the manufacturing of the bubbled water of claim 19, wherein further one or more pumps are provided at downstream of the second pump to make the vacuum cavitation repeated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a manufacturing apparatus of ultra-fine air-bubbled water (water including bubbles of air) by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a manufacturing apparatus of ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water (water including bubbles of hydrogen gas) by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a manufacturing apparatus of ultra-fine oxygen-bubbled water (water including bubbles of oxygen gas) by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water (water including bubbles of ozone gas) manufacturing apparatus by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

[0072] FIG. 5 shows ultra-fine nitrogen-bubbled water (water including bubbles of nitrogen gas) manufacturing apparatus of gas and/or carbon dioxide gas by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

[0073] FIG. 6 shows fine-bubbled water manufacturing apparatus by multistage resonance bubble-forming and multistage vacuum cavitation.

[0074] FIG. 7 shows the operations by the method of shearing and crushing using an aspirator air supply device.

[0075] FIG. 8 shows the operations by the method of depressurized resonance bubble-forming using an aspirator air supply device.

[0076] FIG. 9 shows the operations by the method of double crushing using depressured resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation crushing.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0077] 1. water source [0078] 2. suction pipe [0079] 3. power source [0080] 4. power supply lead wire [0081] 5. primary pump [0082] 6. primary pump motor [0083] 7. inlet port [0084] 8. low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter [0085] 9. resonance adjustment needle valve [0086] 10. resonance ejector [0087] 11. resonance adjustment pressure gauge [0088] 12. resonance bubble-forming device [0089] 13. primary fine-bubbled water supply pipe [0090] 14. secondary pump [0091] 15. secondary pump motor [0092] 16. ultra-fine bubble pressurizing device [0093] 17. apparatus support frame [0094] 18. caster [0095] 19. ultra-fine air-bubbled water storage tank [0096] 20. hydrogen gas supply device (hydrogen gas cylinder) [0097] 21. main valve [0098] 22. gas-pressure meter [0099] 23. pressure reducing valve [0100] 24. reduced pressure gas meter [0101] 25. gas flowmeter [0102] 26. gas needle valve [0103] 27. gas deodorization filtering device [0104] 28. cleaned gas conducting pipe [0105] 29. ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water storage tank [0106] 30. oxygen supply device (oxygen gas cylinder) [0107] 31. ultra-fine oxygen-bubbled water storage tank [0108] 32. ozone generation device [0109] 33. ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water storage tank [0110] 34. nitrogen gas supply device (nitrogen gas cylinder) [0111] 35. carbon dioxide gas supply device (carbon dioxide gas cylinder) [0112] 36. ultra-fine nitrogen- and/or carbon dioxide-bubbled water storage tank [0113] 37. tertiary pump (including successively installed fourth and fifth pipes) [0114] 38. tertiary pump motor (including successively installed fourth and fifth pump motors)

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Production of Ultra-Fine Air-Bubbled Water by Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation>

[0115] It is known that dissolved oxygen concentration in water is increased in air-nanosize-bubbled water, so that the water is effective in environmental cleanup. Also, nano-sized fine bubbles are capable of entering into a living body as is, and functions inside the body as an oxygen carrier, which stimulates respiration of the body's cells.

[0116] In addition, it is known that the ultra-fine bubbles of air having the size of 1 μm or less activate various enzyme activities in a living body, so as to accelerate the growth of the body, or make the body larger than the usual state of the body.

[0117] However, because the ultra-fine air-bubbles facilitate reactivity in oxidation conditions, they promote the growth of cellular tissues, and make the living body grow faster, so that those bubbles accelerate the growth of crops, and increase the yield of crops. It is known that the use of those bubbles increase economic effectiveness in hog raising, poultry farming, or fish farming because use of those bubbles accelerate the growth thereof, which reduces the feed to be fed.

[0118] The manufacturing of the ultra-fine air-bubbled water is carried out in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0119] In the apparatus, water is supplied through a suction pipe 2 from a water source 1, electric power is supplied through a power supply lead wire 4 from a power source 3, and air is supplied from an inlet port 7, so that primary fine bubbles are generated at a resonance ejector 10. The generated primary fine bubbles are subjected to vacuum cavitation at a secondary pump 14, so that ultra-fine bubbled water containing secondary fine bubbles is produced.

Operations of the Manufacturing Apparatus of the Ultra-Fine Air-Bubbled Water

[0120] (1) Water is sucked in from the water source 1 through the suction pipe 2 while the primary pump 5 is operated to suck water.

[0121] (2) Sucked water by the operation of the primary pump 5 is transferred to the resonance ejector 10.

[0122] (3) Air is sucked from the inlet port 7, and transferred to the resonance ejector 10 through a low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8.

[0123] (4) Water is jetted out inside the resonance ejector 10, air is mixed into the jetted water in the resonance ejector 10, the air suction side is depressurized, and a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11 operates.

[0124] (5) In the resonance ejector 10, the air taken from the inlet port 7 is adjusted with a resonance adjustment needle valve 9 while each level of the flow and pressure of the air is being checked with the low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8 and the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, so that the pressure of the air is reduced to the level that fits to resonance bubble-forming of the primary fine bubbles inside a resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0125] (6) The water containing fine bubbles that are generated by the resonance bubble-forming inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is transferred to the secondary pump 14 through a water-guide pipe 13.

[0126] (7) The secondary pump 14 is provided with higher water discharge capacity than the primary pump 5, so that a reduced pressure state is realized. The level of the reduced pressure in the resonance ejector and the water system including and downstream of the resonance ejector is indicated on the pressure gauge 11.

[0127] (8) In the secondary pump 14, the primary fine bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 expand under the reduced pressure. Moreover, inside the secondary pump 14, a depressurized site, is generated due to the difference between the discharge force of resonance bubble-forming device 12 and the suction force of secondary pump 14, the pressure of the depressurized site corresponding to the water vapor pressure (about 30 torr at 20° C.-30° C.), so that the fine bubbles expand tens of times, and are crushed by vacuum cavitation.

[0128] That is, due to the vacuum cavitation under a water vapor pressure, nano-sized fine bubbles are generated.

[0129] (9) The nano-sized secondary fine bubbles discharged from the secondary pump 14 are pressurized in a pressurizing device 16, which has a narrowed passage. This process further reduces the size of fine bubbles so as to change the fine bubbles to ultra-fine bubbles, which do not make the water cloudy, and the produced water is clear.

[0130] (10) Produced ultra-fine bubbled water is stored in an ultra-fine air-bubbled water storage tank 19, or is distributed through water pipes.

[0131] (11) The apparatus is mounted on apparatus support frame 17, and can be moved using casters 18 provided to the frame 17.

[0132] (12) Produced ultra-fine air-bubbled water generates oxidative radicals.

Production of Ultra-Fine Hydrogen-Bubbled Water by Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0133] Ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water is reductive, and it is said to be effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, preventing lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes, and preventing cancer.

[0134] The ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water is manufactured in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

[0135] In the apparatus, water is supplied through a water-guide pipe 2 from a water source 1, electric power is supplied through a power supply lead wire 4 from a power source 3, and hydrogen is supplied from a hydrogen supply source 28, so that the primary fine bubbles are produced through resonance bubble-forming by a resonance ejector 10. The generated primary fine bubbles are subjected to vacuum cavitation at a secondary pump 14 so as to be further crushed to generate secondary fine bubbles, whereby ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water containing the secondary fine bubbles is manufactured.

Operations of the Manufacturing Apparatus of the Ultra-Fine Hydrogen-Bubbled Water

[0136] (1) Water is sucked in from the water source 1 through the suction pipe 2 while a primary pump 5 is operated to suck water.

[0137] (2) The water sucked by the operation of the primary pump 5 is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, a low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, a resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and a resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0138] (3) Water is jetted out inside the resonance ejector 10 so that air is mixed into the jetted water in the resonance ejector 10, and the air suction side is depressurized.

[0139] (4) Hydrogen gas is supplied from a gas supply device 20. After a main valve 21 has been opened, the gas volume is checked with a gas-pressure meter 22, and the gas pressure is adjusted so as to achieve the target pressure while operating a pressure reducing valve 23 and checking a reduced pressure gas meter 24.

[0140] (5) In the gas supply, after the gas pressure is adjusted, the gas flow rate is adjusted by a resonance adjustment gas needle valve 26 while a gas flowmeter 25 is being checked.

[0141] (6) The hydrogen gas is passed through a deodorization filtering device 27 that is filled with activated carbon, and is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, the low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0142] (7) In the resonance ejector 10, the gas-liquid swirling in-flow water is shattered, the hydrogen gas pressure level is adjusted by the low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, and the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and resonance bubble-forming of primary fine hydrogen-bubbles (microbubbled hydrogen water) is carried out in a moment inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0143] (8) The microbubbled hydrogen water containing primary hydrogen-gas fine bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is transferred to a secondary pump 14 through a water-guide pipe 13.

[0144] (9) The secondary pump 14 is provided with higher water discharge capacity than the primary pump 5, so that the pressure is reduced to a vacuum state. The level of the reduced pressure corresponds to that of the water vapor pressure (about 30 torr at 20° C.-30° C.).

[0145] (10) In the water system including and downstream of the resonance bubble-forming device 12, the primary fine bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 expand under the reduced pressure. Moreover, the high-speed rotation of the secondary pump 14 generates a vacuum or a vacuum site, so that the fine hydrogen-bubbles of expand tens of times, and are crushed by vacuum cavitation. Under this phenomenon, due to the vacuum cavitation under water vapor pressure, nano-sized ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbles (secondary fine bubbles) are generated.

[0146] (11) The nano-sized secondary fine hydrogen-bubbles discharged from the secondary pump 14 are pressurized and crushed in pressurizing device 16, which has a narrowed passage. This process further reduces the size of fine bubbles so as to change the fine bubbles to ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbles, which do not make the water cloudy, and the produced water is clear.

[0147] (12) Produced ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water is stored in a prescribed storage tank 29, or is distributed through water pipes.

[0148] (13) The apparatus is mounted on an apparatus support frame 17, and can be moved using casters 18 provided to the frame 17.

[0149] (14) Produced ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water generates reductive radicals.

Production of Ultra-Fine Oxygen-Bubbled Water by Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0150] Fine oxygen-bubbled water is needed in the care of moribund patients, who need oxygen inhalation. Also, oxygen nanobubbles having the size of 1 μm or less generate hydroxy radicals within a living body, and increase metabolism activities including enzyme activities.

[0151] The manufacturing of ultra-fine oxygen-bubbled water is carried out in the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

[0152] In the apparatus, water is supplied through a water-guide pipe 2 from a water source 1, electric power is supplied through a power supply lead wire 4 from a power source 3, and oxygen is supplied from an oxygen supply source 18, so that the primary fine bubbles are produced through resonance bubble-forming by a resonance ejector 10. The generated primary fine bubbles are subjected to vacuum cavitation at a secondary pump 14 so as to be further crushed to generate secondary fine bubbles, so that ultra-fine oxygen-bubbled water containing secondary fine oxygen-bubbles is produced.

Operations of the Manufacturing Apparatus of the Ultra-Fine Oxygen-Bubbled Water

[0153] (1) Water is sucked in from a water source 1 through a suction pipe 2 while a primary pump 5 is operated to suck water.

[0154] (2) The water sucked by the operation of the primary pump 5 is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, a low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, a resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and a resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0155] (3) Water is jetted out inside the resonance ejector 10, so that air is mixed into the jetted water in the resonance ejector 10, and the air suction side is depressurized.

[0156] (4) Oxygen gas is supplied from a gas supply device 30. After a main valve 21 has been opened, the gas volume is checked with a gas-pressure meter 22, and the gas pressure is adjusted so as to achieve the target pressure while operating a pressure reducing valve 23 and checking a reduced pressure gas meter 24.

[0157] (5) In the gas supply, after the gas pressure is adjusted, the gas flow rate is adjusted with a resonance adjustment gas needle valve 26 while a gas flowmeter 25 is being checked.

[0158] (6) The oxygen gas is passed through a deodorization filtering device 27 that is filled with activated carbon, and is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, the low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0159] (7) In the resonance ejector 10, the gas-liquid swirling in-flow water is shattered, the hydrogen gas pressure level is adjusted by the low pressure flow gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, and the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and resonance bubble-forming of primary fine oxygen-bubbles (microbubbled oxygen water) is performed in a moment inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0160] (8) The water containing primary fine oxygen-bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is transferred to a secondary pump 14 through a water-guide pipe 13.

[0161] (9) The secondary pump 14 is provided with higher water discharge capacity than the primary pump 5, so that the pressure is reduced to a vacuum state. The reduced pressure corresponds to the water vapor pressure (about 30 torr at 20° C.-30° C.).

[0162] (10) In the secondary pump 14, the primary fine bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 expand under the reduced pressure. Moreover, the high-speed rotation of the secondary pump 14 generates a reduced pressure vacuum site, so that the fine oxygen-bubbles expand tens of times, and are crushed by vacuum cavitation.

[0163] (11) The nano-sized fine oxygen-bubbles discharged from the secondary pump 14 are pressurized in a pressurizing device 16, which has a narrowed passage. This process further reduces the size of the fine bubbles, and those fine bubbles float in water.

[0164] (12) Produced ultra-fine oxygen-bubbled water is stored in a predetermined storage tank 29, or is distributed through water pipes.

[0165] (13) The apparatus is mounted on an apparatus support frame 17, and can be moved using casters 18 provided to the frame 17.

[0166] (14) Produced ultra-fine bubble oxygen water generates oxidative radicals.

Production of Ultra-Fine Ozone-Bubbled Water by Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0167] Ozone's oxidation-reduction potential is 2070 mV, and ozone in a gas state is very dangerous. If ozone exists in the form of ozone-nanosize-bubbled water, the ozone can be used safely without so much damage to human bodies caused by, for example, inhaling ozone.

[0168] Because of ozone's bactericidal/antibacterial activities, it is said that ozone is used for disinfection of a hospital room and external disinfection of a living body instead of strong chemicals.

[0169] The manufacturing of ozone-nanobubbled water is carried out in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

[0170] In the apparatus, water is supplied through a water-guide pipe 2 from a water source 1, and electric power is supplied through a power supply lead wire 4 from a power source 3.

[0171] Regarding ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water, ozone is made in an ozone generation device 32 using oxygen supplied from an oxygen supply source 16, and then the generated ozone is transformed into primary ozone-microbubbles by an ejector ozone. The generated primary ozone-microbubbles are subjected to vacuum cavitation at a secondary pump to crush into the ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water.

Operations of the Manufacturing Apparatus of the Ultra-Fine Ozone-Bubbled Water

[0172] (1) Water is sucked in from a water source 1 through a suction pipe 2 while a primary pump 5 is operated to suck water.

[0173] (2) The water sucked by the operation of the primary pump 5 is transferred to the ejector 10

[0174] (3) Water is jetted out inside the ejector 10, and is depressurized.

[0175] (4) Oxygen gas is supplied from a gas supply device 30. After a main valve 21 has been opened, the gas volume is checked with a gas-pressure meter 22, and the gas pressure is adjusted so as to achieve the target pressure while operating a pressure reducing valve 23 and checking a reduced pressure gas meter 24.

[0176] (5) After the gas pressure is adjusted, the gas flow rate is adjusted with a resonance adjustment gas needle valve 26 while a gas flowmeter 25 is being checked.

[0177] (6) The oxygen gas whose flowrate has been adjusted is passed through a deodorization filtering device 27 that is filled with activated carbon and an ozone generation device 32, and is transferred to a resonance ejector 10 that is provided with a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, a low pressure flow gas flowmeter 8, a resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and a resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0178] (7) In the resonance ejector 10, the gas-liquid swirling in-flow water is shattered, the hydrogen gas pressure level is adjusted with the low pressure flow gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, and the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and resonance bubble-forming of primary fine ozone-bubbles (ozone-microbubbled water) is carried out in a moment inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0179] (8) The ozone-microbubbled water that is produced inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is transferred to a secondary pump 14 through a water-guide pipe 13.

[0180] (9) The secondary pump 14 is provided with higher water discharge capacity than the primary pump 5, so that the pressure is reduced. The level of the reduced pressure is indicated on a reduced pressure gauge meter 11.

[0181] (10) In the water system including and downstream of the resonance bubble-forming device 12, the primary fine ozone-bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is sucked by the rotation of the secondary pump 14 to generate a vacuum site, so that the microbubbles of ozone expand tens of times, and are crushed by vacuum cavitation generated by the high-speed rotation of the secondary pump 14.

[0182] Under this phenomenon, due to the vacuum cavitation under water vapor pressure, nano-sized ultra-fine ozone-bubbles of (secondary fine ozone-bubbles) are generated.

[0183] (11) The ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water discharged from the secondary pump 14 has not been cloudy anymore, and then is pressurized to be crushed in a pressurizing device 16, which has a narrowed passage. This process further reduces the size of the fine bubbles.

[0184] (12) Produced ultra-fine ozone-bubbled water is stored in a predetermined storage tank 33, or is distributed through water pipes.

[0185] (13) The apparatus is mounted on an apparatus support frame 17, and can be moved using casters 18 provided to the frame 17.

Production of Ultra-Fine Bubbled-Water of Nitrogen Gas, or Carbon Dioxide Gas, or the Mixture Thereof by Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0186] In order for keeping freshness of vegetables, meat, fish, or for transporting them over a long distance, it is effective to use fine nitrogen-, carbon dioxide- or the mixture thereof-bubbled water along with cooling them.

[0187] The fine-bubbled water containing such gas makes it possible to transport a living body in the state of their having a nap, or in asphyxia, so that the deterioration of freshness thereof is prevented.

[0188] Manufacturing of fine bubbled-water of nitrogen gas, or carbon dioxide gas, or the mixture thereof is carried out in the apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

[0189] In the apparatus, water is supplied through a water-guide pipe 2 from a water source 1, electric power is supplied through a power supply lead wire 4 from a power source 3, and nitrogen gas is supplied from a nitrogen supply source 34, or carbon dioxide gas is supplied from a carbon dioxide supply source 34, so that primary fine nitrogen-microbubbled water or carbon dioxide-microbubbled water is produced at a resonance ejector by primary bubble-forming.

[0190] The generated primary fine bubbles are subjected to vacuum cavitation in a secondary pump to carry out secondary bubble-forming, whereby ultra-fine nitrogen-bubbled water, ultra-fine carbon dioxide-bubbled water, or ultra-fine nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide mixed gas-bubbled water containing the secondary fine bubbles is produced.

[0191] Operations of the Manufacturing Apparatus of the Ultra-Fine Bubbled Water of Nitrogen Gas And/Or Carbon Dioxide Gas

[0192] (1) Water is sucked in from a water source 1 through a suction pipe 2 while a primary pump 5 is operated to suck water.

[0193] (2) The water sucked by the operation of the primary pump 5 is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, a low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, a resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and a resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0194] (3) Water is jetted out inside the resonance ejector 10, air is mixed into the jetted water in the resonance ejector 10, and the air suction side is depressurized.

[0195] (4) Nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, or the mixture thereof is supplied from a nitrogen gas supply device 34 and/or a carbon dioxide gas supply device 35. After a main valve 21 has been opened, the gas volume is checked by a gas-pressure meter 22, and the gas pressure is adjusted so as to achieve the predetermined pressure while operating a pressure reducing valve 23 and checking a reduced pressure gas meter 24.

[0196] (5) After the gas pressure is adjusted, the gas flow rate is adjusted with a resonance adjustment gas needle valve 26 while a gas flowmeter 25 is being checked.

[0197] (6) The nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, or the mixture thereof is passed through a deodorization filtering device 27 that is filled with activated carbon, and is transferred to the resonance ejector 10 that is provided with the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, the low pressure flow gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0198] (7) In the resonance ejector 10, the gas-liquid swirling in-flow water is shattered, the hydrogen gas pressure level is adjusted with the low-pressure flow-gas flowmeter 8, the resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, and the resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and resonance bubble-forming of primary fine bubbles (microbubbles) of nitrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas is carried out in a moment inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12.

[0199] (8) The water containing primary fine bubbles of nitrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 is transferred to a secondary pump 14 through a water-guide pipe 13.

[0200] (9) The secondary pump 14 is provided with higher water discharge capacity than the primary pump 5, so that the pressure is reduced to a vacuum state. The level of the reduced pressure corresponds to the level of the water vapor pressure (about 30 torr at 20° C.-30° C.).

[0201] (10) In the secondary pump 14, the primary fine bubbles generated inside the resonance bubble-forming device 12 expand under the reduced pressure. Moreover, the high-speed rotation of the secondary pump 14 generates a vacuum or a vacuum site, so that the fine bubbles expand tens of times, and are crushed by vacuum cavitation. Under this phenomenon, due to the vacuum cavitation under water vapor pressure, nano-sized ultra-fine bubbles of nitrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas (secondary fine bubbles) are generated.

[0202] (11) The nano-sized secondary fine bubbles of nitrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas discharged from the secondary pump 14 are pressurized and crushed in a pressurizing device 16, which has a narrowed passage. This process further reduces the size of fine bubbles so as to change the fine bubbles to ultra-fine bubbles, which do not make the water, and the produced water is clear.

[0203] (12) Produced ultra-fine bubble nitrogen water, ultra-fine bubble carbon dioxide gas water, or ultra-fine bubble nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas is stored in a predetermined storage tank 29, or is distributed through water pipes.

[0204] (13) The apparatus is mounted on an apparatus support frame 17, and can be moved using casters 18 provided to the frame 17.

Production of Ultra-Fine Bubbled Water by Multistage Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0205] It is expected that the academic and business areas including medicine, zoology, botany, life science, inorganic chemistry, electronics, atomic physics, various manufacturing operations, and cleaning business will need further finer fine bubbles in the future. Based on this assumption, the technologies to shred fine bubbles so as to make the fine bubbles smaller will be proposed below.

[0206] Multistage resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation apparatus is shown in FIG. 6, in which the apparatus employing resonance bubble-forming technology and vacuum cavitation pump is added to the ultra-fine bubble manufacturing apparatus using air, hydrogen, oxygen, ozone, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas by resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation.

Ultra-Fine Bubbled Water Manufacturing Apparatus by Multistage Resonance Bubble-Forming and Vacuum Cavitation

[0207] This apparatus has basically the same structure as the apparatus disclosed above at the front part of the apparatus, that is, hat uses various gases.

[0208] For any gas mentioned above, the apparatus has some parts of basically the same structure as the apparatus disclosed above, i.e., from the primary pump 5 that supplies sucked water from the water source to the secondary pump: that is, they includes a pipe 28 that supplies a variety of gases, a resonance ejector 10 in which water discharged from the primary pump is mixed with the variety of gases and the water containing the gases is depressurized, the ejector 10 is provided with a resonance adjustment pressure gauge 11, a low pressure flow gas flowmeter 8, a resonance adjustment needle valve 9, and a resonance bubble-forming device 12. Further, fine bubbles formed by resonance bubble-forming are crushed in a secondary pump by vacuum cavitation.

[0209] A resonance bubble-forming device and a tertiary pump 37 are installed behind the secondary pump, which can generate smaller ultra-fine bubbles by vacuum cavitation. If necessary, fourth, fifth, and the other additional pumps can be installed so as to generate finer bubbles further, which will meet the future needs for ultra-fine bubbles.

Effects of Invention

[0210] The technique and apparatus according to the present invention provide the following effects.

[0211] The dissolved oxygen concentration is increased in the ultra-fine air-bubbled water to generate oxidative radicals, so that the oxidative water is effective in environmental cleanup.

[0212] Also, the nano-sized fine bubbles can enter into a living body as is, so that the fine bubbles function as a carrier of oxygen so as to ease respiration of the body's cells due to oxidative radicals.

[0213] Oxidative radicals promote enzyme activities within a living body, which facilitates growth of the living body.

[0214] Ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water exhibits reductive activities and generates anti-oxidative radicals, so that the water can be effective in treatment of atopic dermatitis, and in prevention of lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes and cancer. Ozone's oxidation-reduction potential is 2070 mV, and therefore if ozone exists in the form of gas, ozone is very dangerous. Ozone in the form of ozone-nanosize-bubbled water is used safely without damage to human bodies caused by, for example, inhaling ozone.

[0215] Because of ozone's bactericidal/antibacterial activities, ozone is used for disinfection of a hospital room and external disinfection of a living body instead of strong chemicals. The ultra-fine bubbled water of nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide gas is used for keeping freshness of perishable foods.

[0216] In order for keeping freshness of vegetables, meat, fish, when, for example, they are transported over a long distance, use of fine-bubbled water of nitrogen gas, or carbon dioxide gas, or the mixture thereof along with cooling the products is needed.

[0217] The fine-bubbled water containing such a gas makes it possible to transport a living body in the state of their having a nap, or in asphyxia, so that the deterioration of freshness thereof is prevented.

EXAMPLES

[0218] Configurations and functions of the apparatus provided by the present invention will be explained in conjunction with the experimental studies conducted for the embodiments of the invention.

Example 1

How the Difference of the Treatments for Generating Fine Bubbles by Using Crushing of Air, Resonance Bubble-Forming, and Vacuum Cavitation Affects the Gas Dissolution Rate and the Cloudiness in Terms of the Liquids to Which Each Treatment is Applied

Purpose of the Experiment

[0219] Previous studies on fine bubbles generation have been carried out based on the idea that air and liquid are mixed, the mixture of the air and liquid is sheared so as to form fine bubbles, and the afore-said process to generate fine bubbles is repeated. The technologies of bubble forming by shearing has been developed in line with this idea, and the emphasis of the technology development has been placed on developing efficient methods of shearing to generate bubbles.

[0220] This experimentation has demonstrated the effectiveness of the method of the present invention that uses resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation in manufacturing fine bubbles, which are finer than those made by prior art. The present invention includes the following features such that the resonance caused by the processes of depressurizing and pressurizing the mixture of the air and liquid as well as shearing thereof promote to generate uniform-sized bubbles; the bubbles first generated are subjected to a vacuum, so that the bubbles expand; and the expanded bubbles are crushed by vacuum cavitation whereby the bubbles become finer.

[0221] 1) Test method

[0222] The following three methods were used to comparatively study the state of gas dissolution in water.

[0223] (1) Shearing and crushing by aspirator

[0224] (2) Depressurized resonance bubble-forming

[0225] (3) Double crushing by depressurized resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation

[0226] 2) Outline of each device used

[0227] Each structure of the devices used for the methods of shearing and crushing, depressurized resonance bubble-forming, and vacuum cavitation is shown in FIGS. 7-9. In each device, a water faucet of tap water was used so as to perform the function of a primary pump, shearing and crushing were carried out by an aspirator, and depressurized resonance bubble-forming, and double crushing by depressurized resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation were carried out. The pump used for double crushing in the vacuum cavitation corresponds to the secondary pump of the present invention.

[0228] FIG. 7 shows a shearing and crushing method by an aspirator air supply device. In the shearing and crushing method, bubbles are crushed by gas-liquid swirling crushing of an aspirator. The device is provided with an aspirator and a gas/water separation device. Tap water jets out from a faucet due to the function of an aspirator, which allows air to be sucked from an inlet port. The sucked air becomes large bubbles in a gas/water separation device, and the bubbles are sent out from the device by a water pressure pressurizing device.

[0229] When air is sucked from the inlet port, and is jetted out from an injection part due to this jet of the water, shearing of air occurs at the injection part A, and fine bubbles of large and small sizes flow out from the drain port of the injection part A. This is one of the methods of shearing of air to be used along with cavitation when manufacturing fine bubbles. Gas-liquid shearing and crushing by cavitation generated by a high-speed stirring device can also generate similar fine bubbles.

[0230] The shearing and crushing method is used in manufacturing microbubbles in many cases. In this method, the size of the generated bubbles does not become uniform, so that water is repeatedly passed through a crushing device so as to accumulate similar-sized fine bubbles.

[0231] FIG. 8 shows a depressurized resonance bubble-forming method by an aspirator air supply device. In performing depressurized resonance bubble-forming, a needle valve and a pressure gauge are mounted on the suction part of the device; the sucked air is depressurized, so that a gas/water separation device acquires a function of a resonance device; a resonance occurs, like a pipe is blown, based on the volume of jetting-out water, depressurized supply air, and the conditions of a water pressure pressurizing part; and almost all the sucked air becomes bubbles in a moment throughout an entire resonance device to make the water cloudy. Dispersed bubbles that make the water cloudy are uniform-sized microbubbles.

[0232] FIG. 9 shows a double crushing method in which the depressurized resonance bubble-forming method of FIG. 8 and a vacuum cavitation are carried out by the same device. After uniform-sized bubbles have been formed, the vacuum cavitation is carried out by using a pump that sucks more larger volume of water than the water volume supplied from the resonance device.

[0233] The water discharged after the double crushing method has been carried out contain a large quantity of gas, but the water is colorless and transparent without becoming cloudy.

[0234] Normally, the microbubbles of 1 μm-200 μm cause a Tyndall phenomenon, so that diffused reflection of light occurs, which makes water cloudy. However, it is known that nano-sized fine bubbles having the size of 1 μm or less do not cause the diffused reflection of light, and does not make water cloudy.

[0235] 3) Measuring method: A flow meter of water, a precision flow meter of gas, a pressure gauge, and a 1 liter measuring cylinder are used to collect and measure remaining gas, and observe the cloudiness of water.

[0236] The flow rate of the tap water used was 30 liters per minute.

Points in Measuring

[0237] (1) When the shearing and crushing of the aspirator in FIG. 7 was carried out, the flow rate of water, the flow rate of injected air, and the volume of collected gas were measured.

[0238] (2) When the depressurized resonance bubble-forming shown in FIG. 8 was carried out, the flow rate of water, the flow rate of injected air, and the volume of collected gas were measured.

[0239] (3) When the depressurized resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation crushing were carried out, the flow rate of water, the flow rate of injected air, and the volume of collected gas were measured.

[0240] The aspirator and the pressurizing device were made of glass so that the change of water conditions was observed.

[0241] 4) Test results

[0242] The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison between treatment methods of shearing and crushing, resonance bubble-forming, and resonance bubble-forming and vacuum cavitation Shearing Resonance and Resonance bubble-forming and Test parameters crushing bubble-forming vacuum cavitation Water flow rate 10.0 9.0 9.0 (L/min) Gas injection volume 2,000 1,000 1,000 (ml/min) Undissolved gas 1,800 300 300 volume (ml/min) Dissolved gas volume 200 700 700 (ml/min) Additive gas ratio 2.0 7.7 7.7 (volume %) Gas dissolution rate 2.5-3.8 9.2-9.5 9.2-9.5 (volume %) Depressurization at −0.01 MPa −0.09 MPa −0.09 MPa injection part A Cloudiness level of Half cloudy Completely Colorless and water cloudy transparent

Outline of Results

[0243] Although the flow rate of tap water was 30 liters per minute, the flow rate was decreased to 10 liters per minute when the water passed through the aspirator because the aspirator functioned as a weir. When the water was depressurized and was subjected to resonance, the flow rate was further decreased to 9 liters per minute.

[0244] In case that the shearing and crushing method was used, two liters of air was sucked into the water having the flow rate of 10 liters per minute, 1.8 liters of air was discharged out from the water system as large bubbles, and 200 milliliters of air remained in the water as fine bubbles. Because the volume ratio of air contained in usual water of 20° C.-25° C. is 1.5%-1.8%, the dissolved gas ratio (volume %) was 2.5%-3.8%. The depressurization at the injection part A at this time was about −0.01 MPa. The cloudiness level of water was half cloudy, and the size of the fine bubbles was not uniform. Therefore, it was found that the water needed to be subjected to circulation treatment so as to accumulate fine bubbles.

[0245] In case that the resonance bubble-forming method was used, the water passing through the aspirator was depressurized using the pressure gauge and the needle valve, and the water jetting out of the aspirator was pressurized at the resonance device, where the water flow rate had been decreased to 9 liters per minute. When the volume of the air sucked into the jet water was adjusted to 1 liter per minute, the depressurization at the injection part A was adjusted to −0.09 MPa, and the liquid was subjected to resonance, so that the entire liquid became cloudy, and large amounts of microbubbles were formed in a moment. About 300 milliliters of air were discharged out of the water system as large bubbles, and 700 milliliters of the air remained in the water as fine bubbles. Accordingly, the dissolved gas ratio (volume %) including fine bubbles contained in the water was 9.2%-9.5%, and the liquid became cloudy due to light scattering caused by a Tyndall phenomenon.

[0246] In case that both the resonance bubble-forming method and vacuum cavitation method were used, the process of the resonance bubble-forming generated the same results as those generated by the above-described resonance bubble-forming device, but adding the vacuum cavitation made the fine bubbles finer, so that the light scattering caused by the Tyndall phenomenon did not occur, and the liquid became colorless and transparent. It is known that if the size of fine bubbles is 1 μm or less, light scattering caused by the Tyndall phenomenon does not occur, and the liquid containing the fine bubbles become colorless and transparent.

[0247] The test in this Example was conducted to demonstrate the differences in the mechanism and the generated nanobubbles between the present invention and the inventions of prior art. In the actual implementation of the present invention, as is shown in FIGS. 1-6, a secondary pump is connected to a primary pump, and a resonance bubble-forming device is installed between the two pumps, so that microbubbles are generated by resonance bubble-forming, and generated bubbles are made finer by vacuum cavitation that is generated by the difference in the water suction capabilities between the primary pump and the secondary pump.

Example 2

Study on Ultra-Fine Bubble Generation Volume of Air and the Size of Bubbles

[0248] 1) Test method

[0249] (1) Ultra-fine bubble device: Vacuum cavitation ultra-fine bubble generation device of the present invention

[0250] (2) Measuring method: Measurement of the intensity of light scattering by a Tyndall phenomenon

[0251] Green beam was irradiated to a cell container in which ultra-fine bubbled water was filled, and the intensity of the green light scattering was measured as shown in Table 2. This method was capable of measuring the intensity of the light scattering according to the densities of the ultra-fine bubbles having the size of 100 nm or less.

[0252] 2) Test results

[0253] Test results are shown in Table 2.

[0254] 3) Outline of results

[0255] As the density of ultra-fine bubbles increased, the intensity of light scattering increased, and therefore generation of large quantity of ultra-fine bubbles having the size of 100 μm or less were confirmed in this device. However, the size distribution of the ultra-fine bubbles was not confirmed.

Example 3

Study on Manufacturing of Ultra-Fine Bubble Hydrogen Water and the Change of Properties of Water

[0256] Studied was the oxidation-reduction potential of the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water that was produced from tap water by using the above-described ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water manufacture and supply apparatus. A comparative study was made by comparing each oxidation-reduction potential of tap water, reductive hydrogen water made such that hydrogen gas was blown into water and the water was subjected to cavitation so that the hydrogen gas was absorbed by the water, and ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water. The study results are shown in Table 3.

[0257] 1) Test results

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 3 Oxidation-reduction potential of tap water, reductive hydrogen water, and ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water Reductive hydrogen Ultra-fine bubble Test parameters Tap water water hydrogen water pH 7.0 7.4 7.6 Oxidation-reduction +320 −550-−600 −700-−750 potential (mV) Dissolved hydrogen 0.0 1.00-1.30 1.50-1.80 content (ppm) Dissolved oxygen 7.2 0.1-0.6 0.03-0.06 content (ppm)

[0258] 2) Outline of results

[0259] As is shown in Table 3, because tap water was disinfected by hypochlorous acid, its oxidation-reduction potential showed the high level of +320 mV.

[0260] The oxidation-reduction potential of tap water becomes higher as the position of water within water pipes becomes closer to a water filtering plant, and reaches, for example, +600 mV. However, the oxidation-reduction potential of tap water gradually decreases as the water within water pipes is away from a water filtering plant because electrons are emitted from water to rust the iron of water pipes, reaching, for example, +250 mV. The tap water used in this test showed the normal level of oxidation-reduction potential. The reductive hydrogen water by cavitation showed high strong reducibility of about −550 mV if the supply of hydrogen was not sufficient, and if hydrogen gas was supplied to the saturation level, the reductive hydrogen water showed high strong reducibility of −600 mV.

[0261] In the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water that was generated by subjecting fine bubbles to vacuum cavitation, due to the supersaturation state of hydrogen, the oxidation-reduction potential further decreased to the level of −700 mV−750 mV, which is capable of generating strong reduction conditions. The value of the oxidation-reduction potential in the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water was significantly higher than that of the theoretical value in the saturated hydrogen water.

[0262] The dissolved hydrogen content was about 1.0 ppm-1.3 ppm in the reductive hydrogen water, but in the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water, that content increased to 1.5 ppm-1.8 ppm. If the content of hydrogen gas increases in a water system, dissolved oxygen is expelled from the water system. Accordingly, the dissolved oxygen content decreased to 0.6 ppm or less in the reductive hydrogen water, and 0.06 ppm or less in the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water.

[0263] Regarding the variation of pH value due to reduction treatment, the value of pH increased by 0.4 in the reductive hydrogen water and by 0.6 in the ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water respectively compared with tap water, and therefore both did not show significant changes. It is shown that the water subjected to reduction treatment does not become alkaline, and is safe for drinking.

Example 4

Regarding Reductive Radical Activities of Ultra-Fine Hydrogen-Bubbled Water

[0264] In order to measure the volume of generated reductive radicals, the elimination capability of DPPH oxidative radical was measured.

[0265] 1) Test method

[0266] The elimination capability of oxidative radical was measured by colorimetric determination using a spectrophotometer with measuring absorbance at a wavelength of 520 nm, which uses the reaction that purple oxidative DPPH reacts with ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water to form colorless reductive DPPH.

[0267] The reaction formula is shown in Reaction Formula 1.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 4 Molecular structures and colors of oxidative DPPH and reductive DPPH [00001]

[0268] 2) Measurement results

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Oxidation-reduction potential and the elimination capability of DPPH oxidative radical in ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water. Parameters No treatment Treatment 1 Treatment 2 Treatment 3 Average Oxidation-reduction +230 −740 −730 −700 −723 potential (mV) DPPH radical 0 3.84 3.64 3.26 3.58 elimination rate (%) Radical elimination 0 1.92 1.84 1.63 1.79 capability (μM/L/min)

[0269] 3) Outline of measurement results

[0270] As is shown in Table 4, in tap water with no treatment, oxidation-reduction potential was +230 mV, which showed an oxidation condition, and did not exhibit the elimination capability of oxidative radical, meaning that there were no reductive radicals. In ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water, oxidation-reduction potential was −700 mV or less. Patent Document 15 discloses that microbubbles generated by magnetic field processing and cavitation have free radical elimination capabilities.

[0271] On the other hand, the ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water produced by the present apparatus, which is not subjected to magnetic field processing, showed the radical elimination capability of 1.63 μm/L/min-1.92 μm/L/min, by which it was confirmed that the ultra-fine hydrogen-bubbled water contains reductive radicals. It was reasoned that this was caused by the fact that the size of bubbles was minute.

Example 5

Study on Production of Ultra-Fine Oxygen-Bubbled Water and the Change of Properties of Water

[0272] Studied was change in the properties of tap water and ultra-fine bubble oxygen water obtained by treating tap water using the above-described ultra-fine bubble oxygen water manufacture supply apparatus. A comparative study was made by comparing oxidation-reduction potential of tap water and the ultra-fine bubble oxygen water into which oxygen was absorbed by cavitation. The study results are shown in Table 5.

[0273] 1) Test results

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Oxidation-reduction potential of tap water and ultra-fine bubble oxygen water Ultra-fine bubble Parameters Tap water oxygen water pH 7.0 6.9 Oxidation-reduction potential +320 +330-+350 (mV) Dissolved oxygen content 0.36 7.36 (volume %)

[0274] 2) Outline of results

[0275] As is shown in Table 5, the dissolved oxygen content of normal tap water was about 0.36 volume % under 1 atmosphere at a normal temperature, but adding fine bubbles to water significantly increased dissolved oxygen content to about 7.36 volume % without significant change of oxidation-reduction potential.

[0276] Water containing rich oxygen is indispensable to medical practices because it is of assistance in the recovery of physical fitness of sickly persons and patients after operations.

Example 6

Regarding Oxidative Radical Activities of Ultra-Fine Air-Bubbled Water

[0277] It has been considered that it is not possible to quantitatively measure oxidative radicals using a chemical method.

[0278] However, it is assumed that use of an oxidative radical absorbent might make it possible to employ a chemical method measurement, which is carried out in such a way that oxidative radicals are reacted with the normal solution of diluted sodium thiosulfate under acid conditions of sulfuric acid, and remaining sodium thiosulfate is titrated by potassium permanganate.

[0279] 1) Test method

[0280] Because the generation and disappearance of oxidative radicals of ultra-fine bubbled water occur instantly, 1M/10000 Na.sub.2S.sub.2O.sub.3 of normal solution of diluted sodium thiosulfate was used for reaction, which was reacted with ultra-fine bubbled water for 10 minutes, remaining sodium thiosulfate was titrated by the normal solution of potassium permanganate, and the generated accumulation of oxidative radicals (integrated radicals) was estimated. The reaction is represented by Reaction Formula 2.

2H.sub.2O.+2Na.sub.2S.sub.2O.sub.3(2-)+H.sub.2SO.sub.4.fwdarw.2H.sub.2O+Na.sub.2S.sub.4O.sub.6(2-)+Na.sub.2SO.sub.4  Reaction Formula 2

[0281] Specifically, 20 ml of ultra-fine bubbled water was reacted with 10 ml of the normal solution of diluted sodium thiosulfate for 10 minutes, remaining M/10000 Na.sub.2S.sub.2O.sub.3 was titillated by M/1000 KMnO.sub.4, and the accumulation of generated oxidative radicals were measured.

[0282] 2) Test results

[0283] Test results are shown in Table 6.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Consumption of sodium thiosulfate in ultra-fine bubbled water (ml) Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample Parameters A B C D E Average Blank 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 Measure 0.80 0.80 0.75 0.85 0.80 0.80 value Difference 0.40 0.40 0.45 0.35 0.40 0.40

[0284] 3) Outline of results

[0285] The oxidative radical generated from the tested ultra-fine bubbled water and the sodium thiosulfate that reacts with the oxidative radical are in equivalent relationship, and the potassium permanganate used to determine quantity of sodium thiosulfate by titration and sodium thiosulfate are also in equivalent relationship.

[0286] The oxidative radical from the ultra-fine bubbled water reacts with the equivalent of sodium thiosulfate as shown by Reaction Formula 2, by obtaining the volume of sodium thiosulfate consumed by the titration of the remaining sodium thiosulfate, whereby it is possible to obtain the volume of the oxidative radical generated in the reaction during the 10 minutes.

[00001]$\mathrm{The}.Math..Math.\mathrm{formula}=1.Math..Math.\mu .Math..Math.M\times \mathrm{difference}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{titiration}÷\mathrm{volume}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{sample}.Math.\times 1000÷10.Math..Math.\min .=1.Math..Math.\mu .Math..Math.M\times 0.40÷20\times 1000÷10.Math..Math.\min .=2.Math..Math.\mu .Math..Math.M/L/\min$

[0287] As shown above, the volume of oxidative radical generated from the tested ultra-fine bubbled water was 2 μM/L/min.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0288] The ultra-fine air-bubbled water increases dissolved oxygen concentration in water to facilitate activities of aquatic organisms, which promotes progress of water purification. The ultra-fine bubbled water manufacturing apparatus using vacuum cavitation of the present invention is capable of treating 10 tons of water per minute.

[0289] The ultra-fine air- or oxygen-bubbled water generates oxidative radicals, which activate activities of cellular tissues of a living body and promote the growth of the living body, so as to enhance the immune strength of the living body, and shorten the rearing period of livestock to reduce the cost of food to be fed.

[0290] In the crop, the water promotes nutrient absorption and photosynthesis so as to strengthen the cells and increase the activity of the roots, whereby the size of the fruit and sugar content are increased, and agricultural products having a long shelf life are supplied.

[0291] In addition, the water strengthens the resistance of crops to global warming, and therefore ultra-fine bubbles make it possible to overcome the expected future depletion of marine resources, and to cope with the expected crises in agriculture, forestry and fishery industries.

[0292] The ultra-fine bubble hydrogen water has anti-oxidation function, and therefore it is possible to use the water for the prevention of so-called lifestyle-related diseases including high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, heart disease, and cerebral infarction as well as cancer that have been increasing in the aging society of today.

[0293] The technique of the ultra-fine bubble oxygen water of the present invention makes it possible to manufacture high concentration oxygen water, whereby the products manufactured by this technique can be useful for the medical staff who deals with emergency situations.

[0294] The ultra-fine bubble ozone water has strong sterilizing power and can be handled safely, so that it is effective in sterilization of hospital buildings and medical devices to overcome the increase of drug-resistant bacteria such as golden staph.

[0295] The ultra-fine nitrogen- and/or carbon dioxide-bubbled water can put perishable agricultural products, livestock products, and marine products to sleep, which prevents them from being deteriorated by oxidization, and therefore it is expected the water will be widely used due to its freshness retention properties.