What Are Microbubbles?
Microbubbles are artificially generated bubbles produced by a unique pressurization method — they do not occur naturally.
With diameters of approximately 10–50 µm, these tiny bubbles rise extremely slowly in water and can remain suspended for extended periods.
This property greatly enhances their chances of contacting, adsorbing, or reacting with contaminants.
Additionally, when microbubbles collapse, they cause localized pressure changes that can trigger chemical reactions at the interface, such as radical formation and oxidative degradation.
At SepaTech, we generate microbubbles using gases like O₂ and O₃, enabling both physical and chemical purification effects simultaneously — a key feature of our technology.
Key Characteristics of Microbubbles
| Property | Feature |
| Size | Diameter of 10–50 µm — small enough to pass through microchannels and narrow flow paths |
| Surface Area | High surface-to-volume ratio allows efficient gas absorption into liquids |
| Buoyancy | Low buoyancy enables prolonged suspension in liquid |
| Surface Tension | Strong influence of surface tension promotes horizontal diffusion and slows upward movement |
| Other Characteristics | Sensitive to impurities like surfactants, which can significantly reduce bubble rise speed due to effects such as the Marangoni effect |
Why Microbubbles?
Conventional bubbles (millibubbles) rise quickly, resulting in short residence time in water and limited contact with pollutants — a fundamental drawback. In contrast, microbubbles ascend extremely slowly and remain stably dispersed in water for extended periods.
This significantly increases the interaction time between bubbles and contaminants, providing distinct advantages over traditional methods:
- Large interfacial area for enhanced adsorption
- Easily controlled surface charge for selective adsorption
- Physical and chemical energy release upon collapse induces decomposition reactions
Basic Components of the SepaTech System
The SepaTech Purification System consists of the following five key units:
- Sedimentation Tank (Contaminated Water Storage):
Stores contaminated water, which is then drawn into the microbubble generator. - Microbubble Generator (Pressurized Dissolution Type):
The core of the SepaTech system — generates microbubbles for treatment. - Flotation Separation Tank (Adsorption & Separation):
Releases the pressurized contaminated water into a tank for flotation-based separation. - Filtration Pot:
Removes residual floating substances that escape initial separation. - Monitoring Unit:
Monitors the system’s operation and water quality.