Method and apparatus for treating fluids to reduce microbubbles

摘要

Versions of the invention include methods for reducing microbubbles in liquids treated by heat or mass exchange devices. The exchange devices may be conditioned by having gases in crevices and surfaces displaced by a liquid. The methods can be used to prepare liquids with reduced numbers of microbubbles.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
subjecting an exchange device to a reduced pressure provided by a reduced pressure means coupled to the exchange device, the exchange device having a submicron filtering membrane and one or more surface features, the exchange device coupled to a housing having an inlet coupled to a reservoir containing a liquid, the housing coupled to a liquid transport means; and subsequent to said subjecting the exchange device to the reduced pressure, directing the liquid, via the liquid transport means, through the exchange device and the submicron filtering membrane of the exchange device, said directing the liquid including contacting the one or more surface features of the exchange device with the liquid, the one or more surface features comprising one or more microbubble nucleating surface features, one or more microbubble trapping surface features, or a combination thereof, wherein said reduced pressure and said contacting reduce a number of microbubble particle counts in the liquid to a lower number than in the absence of said reduced pressure and said contacting of the liquid with the one or more surface features of the exchange device.