Systems and methods for supplying treatment liquids having nanobubbles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10219670-B2
Application number	US-201514846009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for cleaning a surface. In one example, the method includes passing a feed liquid from a liquid source to an electrolysis cell and inducing a current through the electrolysis cell to electrochemically activate the feed liquid in the electrolysis cell. Electrolysis of the feed liquid can generate an electrochemically-activated liquid that is super-saturated with dissolved gases (e.g., oxygen and/or hydrogen) and also contains nanobubbles. In one configuration, the electrolysis cell generates a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 10 nm to 450 nm of at least 1×106. The method can further involve dispensing at least one portion of the electrochemically-activated liquid to the surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaning system comprising:
a liquid source configured to provide a feed liquid;
an electrolysis cell configured to receive the feed liquid and to electrochemically activate the feed liquid to provide an electrochemically-activated liquid;
a control circuit, which is configured to control a flow rate of the feed liquid through the electrolysis cell and a current drawn by the electrolysis cell such that the electrochemically activated liquid comprises a concentration of at least 1×10 6 /ml of nanobubbles having a diameter of 10 nm to 450 nm when the feed liquid comprises a Reference Solution, wherein the Reference Solution, prior to electrolysis, comprises the following properties:
deionized water (ASTM D1193-91, Type II) and a sufficient amount of an Analytical Reagent (AR) grade NaCl to achieve a conductivity of 250 μS, and filtered with a 20 nm filter;
temperature at 21-25° C. (69.9-77.0° F.);
Zeta Potential (ζ) of −5 mV to −65 mV;
nanoparticle concentration under 1 E+6/ml; and
electrolyzed by the electrolysis cell within one hour of creating the Reference Solution; and

a dispenser configured to dispense the electrochemically-activated liquid.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid comprises a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 15 nm to 200 nm of at least 1×10 6 /ml, a Zeta potential of −25 mV to −65 mV, and is super-saturated with dissolved gas.

3. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid comprises a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 20 nm to 225 nm of at least 1×10 6 /ml.

4. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid comprises a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 20 nm to 225 nm of at least 1×10 8 /ml and a Zeta potential of −10 mV to −100 mV.

5. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid has a concentration of dissolved oxygen at least 20% above a dissolved oxygen saturation limit for the electrochemically-activated liquid.

6. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid comprises a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 15 nm to 200 nm of 1×10 6 to 1×10 8 and a Zeta potential of +0 mV to −105 mV.

7. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured such that, when the feed liquid comprises the Reference Solution, the electrochemically-activated liquid comprises a concentration of nanobubbles having a diameter of 20 nm to 225 nm of 1×10 6 /ml to 1×10 20 /ml and a Zeta potential of −10 mV to −100 mV.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electro-mechanical pump to pump the feed liquid from the liquid source to the electrolysis cell, the control circuit being configured to control the pump.

9. The cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motorized scrub head configured to scrub the surface, wherein the dispenser dispenses the electrochemically-activated liquid within the scrub head; and
a recovery device configured to recover at least a portion of the dispensed electrochemically-activated liquid from the surface.

Assignees

• Tennant Co

Inventors

• Citsay Mark S

Classifications

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C02F2001/46138

  Electrodes comprising a substrate and a coating · CPC title

• C02F1/46104

  Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C02F2303/26

  Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles · CPC title