Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran

Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran

A Review of Nanobubbles and Their Novel Applications: Performance Improvement and Efficiency Enhancement

Document Type : Review Article

Authors
1 Non-metallic Materials Research Group, Niroo Research Institute, Tehran, I.R. IRAN
2 Nanotechnology & Carbon Research Group, Research Institute Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, I.R. IRAN
Abstract
Nanobubbles, as innovative structures in colloidal systems, have attracted significant industrial and research attention in recent years due to their high stability, extensive surface area, and unique physicochemical behavior. These nanoscale gas structures, which are classified into Surface NanoBubbles (SNBs) and Bulk NanoBubbles(BNBs), can be synthesized using various physical, chemical, and physicochemical methods. This article reviews nanobubble fabrication techniques while focusing on their emerging applications in the power plant industry, particularly their role in mitigating metal corrosion. Corrosion is a major challenge in power plant units, especially in acidic environments such as geothermal systems. Studies have demonstrated that injecting air nanobubbles into corrosive media can reduce steel corrosion rates by up to 50%. This protective effect is achieved through the formation of a nanoscale bubble-like layer on the metal surface and the accelerated accumulation of compounds such as silica in acidic environments. Furthermore, nanobubbles exhibit unique capabilities in other applications, including surface cleaning, fluid friction reduction, pollutant removal, and mineral flotation enhancement. The findings suggest promising new avenues for utilizing nanobubbles to improve efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance the durability of metal infrastructure in a power plant.
Keywords

Subjects


[1] Chu P., Finch J., Bournival G., Ata S., Hamlett C., Pugh R.J., A Review of Bubble Break-Up, Advances in colloid and interface science, 270: 108-122 (2019).
[2] Minmin Z., RT S.J., Nanobubble–Nanoparticle Interactions in Bulk Solutions, Langmuir, 32(43): 11280-11286 (2016).
[3] Alheshibri M., Al Baroot A., Shui L., Zhang M., Nanobubbles and Nanoparticles, Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 55: 101470 (2021).
[4] Helfield B., Zou Y., Matsuura N., Acoustically-Stimulated Nanobubbles: Opportunities in Medical Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy, Frontiers in Physics, 9: 654374 (2021).
[5] Marcelino K.R., Ling L., Wongkiew S., Nhan H.T., Surendra K., Shitanaka T., Lu H., Khanal S.K., Nanobubble Technology Applications in Environmental and Agricultural Systems: Opportunities and Challenges, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 53: 1378-1403 (2023).
[6] Zhou L., Wang X., Hyun-Joon S., Zhang L., Hu J., Surface Nanobubbles Produced by Cold Water Investigated Using Scanning Transmission X-Ray Microscopy, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 24:  470-471 (2018).
[7] Michailidi E.D., Bomis G., Varoutoglou A., Kyzas G.Z., Mitrikas G., Mitropoulos A.C., Efthimiadou E.K., Favvas E.P., Bulk Nanobubbles: Production and Investigation of Their Formation/Stability Mechanism, Journal of colloid and interface science, 564: 371-380 (2020).
[8] Nogara J., Zarrouk S.J., Corrosion in Geothermal Environment: Part 1: Fluids and Their Impact, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 82: 1333-1346 (2018).
[9] Nogara J., Zarrouk S.J., Corrosion in Geothermal Environment Part 2: Metals and Alloys, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 82: 1347-1363 (2018).
[10] Tang Z., A Review of Corrosion Inhibitors for Rust Preventative Fluids, Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science, 23: 100759 (2019).
[11] Du Toit L.C., Govender T., Pillay V., Choonara Y.E., Kodama T., Investigating the Effect of Polymeric Approaches on Circulation Time and Physical Properties of Nanobubbles, Pharmaceutical research, 28: 494-504 (2011).
[12] Li D., Zhao X., Contact angle of surface nanobubbles, J. Heilongjiang Univ. Sci. Technol, 27: (2017).
[13] Lohse D., Zhang X., Pinning and Gas Oversaturation Imply Stable Single Surface Nanobubbles, Physical Review E, 91: 031003 (2015).
[14] Ma X., Li M., Xu X., Sun C., On the Role of Surface Charge and Surface Tension Tuned by Surfactant in Stabilizing Bulk Nanobubbles, Applied Surface Science, 608: 155232 (2023).
[15] Meegoda J.N., Aluthgun Hewage S., Batagoda J.H., Stability of Nanobubbles, Environmental Engineering Science, 35(11): 1216-1227 (2018).
[16] Zhou L., Wang S., Zhang L., Hu J., Generation and Stability of Bulk Nanobubbles: A Review and Perspective, Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 53: 101439 (2021).
[17] Zhang X., Lhuissier H., Sun C., Lohse D., Surface Nanobubbles Nucleate Microdroplets, Physical review letters, 112: 144503 (2014).
[18] Zhang R., Gao Y., Chen L., Ge G., Controllable Preparation of Monodisperse Nanobubbles by Membrane Sieving, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 642:  128656 (2022).
[19] Senthilkumar G., Purusothaman M., Rameshkumar C., Joy N., Sachin S., Thanigai K.S., Generation and Characterization of Nanobubbles for Heat Transfer Applications, Materials Today: Proceedings, 43: 3391-3393 (2021).
[20] Etchepare R., Oliveira H., Nicknig M., Azevedo A., Rubio J., Nanobubbles: Generation Using a Multiphase Pump, Properties and Features in Flotation, Minerals Engineering, 112: 19-26 (2017).
[21] Jadhav A.J., Ferraro G., Barigou M., Generation of Bulk Nanobubbles Using a High-Shear Rotor–Stator Device, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60: 8597-8606 (2021).
[22] Ulatowski K., Sobieszuk P., Influence of Liquid Flowrate on Size of Nanobubbles Generated by Porous-Membrane Modules, Chemical and Process Engineering, 335-345 (2018).
[23] Kukizaki M., Goto M., Size Control of Nanobubbles Generated from Shirasu-Porous-Glass (SPG) Membranes, Journal of membrane science, 281: 386-396 (2006).
[24] Ahmed A.K.A., Sun C., Hua L., Zhang Z., Zhang Y., Zhang W., Marhaba T., Generation of Nanobubbles by Ceramic Membrane Filters: The Dependence of Bubble Size and Zeta Potential on Surface Coating, Pore Size and Injected Gas Pressure, Chemosphere, 203: 327-335 (2018).
[25] Yi-Qiang F., Hong-Liang W., Ke-Xin G., Jing-Ji L., Dong-Ping C., Applications of Modular Microfluidics Technology, Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 46: 1863-1871 (2018).
[26] Xu J., Salari A., Wang Y., He X., Kerr L., Darbandi A., de Leon A.C., Exner A.A., Kolios M.C., Yuen D., Microfluidic Generation of Monodisperse Nanobubbles by Selective Gas Dissolution, Small, 17: 2100345 (2021).
[27] Ferrari A., Fluid Dynamics of Acoustic and Hydrodynamic Cavitation in Hydraulic Power Systems, Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 473: 20160345 (2017).
[28] Nirmalkar N., Pacek A., Barigou M., Bulk Nanobubbles from Acoustically Cavitated Aqueous Organic Solvent Mixtures, Langmuir, 35: 2188-2195 (2019).
[30] Alam H.S., Sutikno P., Soelaiman T.A.F., Sugiarto A.T., Bulk Nanobubbles: Generation Using a Two-Chamber Swirling Flow Nozzle and Long-Term Stability in Water, Journal of Flow Chemistry, 12: 161-173 (2022).
[31] Wu M., Song H., Liang X., Huang N., Li X., Generation of Micro-Nano Bubbles by Self-Developed Swirl-Type Micro-Nano Bubble Generator, Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification, 181: 109136 (2022).
[32] Iben U., Makhnov A., Schmidt A., Numerical Study of the Effects of Dissolved Gas Release in Cavitating Flow,  AIP Conference Proceedings, AIP Publishing LLC,  030128 (2018).
[33] Wang B., Lu X., Tao S., Ren Y., Gao W., Liu X., Yang B., Preparation and Properties of CO2 Micro-Nanobubble Water Based on Response Surface Methodology, Applied Sciences, 11: 11638 (2021).
[34] Ferraro G., Jadhav A.J., Barigou M., A Henry's Law Method for Generating Bulk Nanobubbles, Nanoscale, 12: 15869-15879 (2020).
[35] Wang Q., Zhao H., Qi N., Qin Y., Zhang X., Li Y., Generation and Stability of Size-Adjustable Bulk Nanobubbles Based on Periodic Pressure Change, Scientific reports, 9: 1118 (2019).
[36] Yang X., Yang Q., Zhou L., Zhang L., Hu J., Nanobubbles Produced by Hydraulic Air Compression Technique, Chinese Physics B, 31: 054702 (2022).
[37] Lee S., Sutomo W., Liu C., Loth E., Micro-Fabricated Electrolytic Micro-Bubblers, International journal of multiphase flow, 31: 706-722 (2005).
[38] Yang S., Tsai P.A., Kooij E.S., Prosperetti A., Zandvliet H.J.W., Lohse D., Electrolytically Generated Nanobubbles on Highly Orientated Pyrolytic Graphite Surfaces, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 25(3):  1466-1474 (2008).
[39] Wilhelm E., Battino R., Wilcock R.J., Low-Pressure Solubility of Gases in Liquid Water, Chemical Reviews, 77: 219-262 (1977).
[40] An H., Tan B.H., Zeng Q., Ohl C.D., Stability of Nanobubbles Formed at the Interface between Cold Water and Hot Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 32(43): 11212-11220 (2016).
[41] Qiu J., Zou Z., Wang S., Wang X., Wang L., Dong Y.-m., Zhao H., Zhang L., Hu J., Formation and Stability of Bulk Nanobubbles Generated by Ethanol-Water Exchange, Chemphyschem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry, 18(10): 1345-1350 (2017).
[42] Fang Z., Wang L., Wang X., Zhou L., Wang S., Zou Z., Tai R., Zhang L., Hu J., Formation and Stability of Surface/Bulk Nanobubbles Produced by Decompression at Lower Gas Concentration, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, (2018).
[43] Wang L., Miao X., Pan G., Microwave-Induced Interfacial Nanobubbles, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 32(43): 11147-11154 (2016).
[44] Yuan K., Zhou L., Wang J., Geng Z., Qi J., Wang X., Zhang L., Hu J., Formation of Bulk Nanobubbles Induced by Accelerated Electrons Irradiation: Dependences on Dose Rates and Doses of Irradiation, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, (2022).
[45] Wang Y., Li X., Zhou Y., Huang P., Xu Y., Preparation of Nanobubbles for Ultrasound Imaging and Intracelluar Drug Delivery, International journal of pharmaceutics, 384(1-2): 148-153 (2010).
[47] Patel PB., Latt S., Ravi K., Razavi M.. Clinical Applications of Micro/Nanobubble Technology in Neurological Diseases, Biomimetics, 9: 645 (2024).
[48] Hamarat Sanlier S., Ak G., Yılmaz H., Ünal A.Z., Bozkaya Ü.F., Tanıyan G., Yıldırım Y., Yıldız Türkyılmaz G., Development of Ultrasound-Triggered and Magnetic-Targeted Nanobubble System for Dual-Drug Delivery, Journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 108(3): 1272-1283 (2019).
[49] Cavalli R., Bisazza A., Giustetto P., Civra A., Lembo D., Trotta G., Guiot C., Trotta M., Preparation and Characterization of Dextran Nanobubbles for Oxygen Delivery, International journal of pharmaceutics, 381(2):  160-165 (2009).
[50] Awlqadr F.H., Noreen S., Altemimi A.B., Mohammed O.A., Qadir S.A., Ahmed D.H., Alkanan Z.T., Tsakali E., Van Impe J.F.M., Kozak D., Abd El-Maksoud A.A., Ashraf M.A., Abedelmaksoud T.G., Advancement in Nanobubble Technology: Enhancing Drug and Nutraceutical Delivery With Focus on Bioavailability, targeted therapy, safety, and sustainability, Frontiers in Nanotechnology, (2025).
[51] Baram S., Weinstein M., Evans J.F., Berezkin A., Sade Y., Ben-Hur M., Bernstein N., Mamane H., Drip Irrigation With Nanobubble Oxygenated Treated Wastewater Improves Soil Aeration, Scientia Horticulturae, 291: 110550 (2022).
[52] Liu S., Oshita S., Makino Y., Wang Q., Kawagoe Y., Uchida T., Oxidative Capacity of Nanobubbles and Its Effect on Seed Germination, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 4: 1347-1353 (2016).
[53] Usman Farid M., Jungwon Choi P., Kharraz J.A., Lao J.-Y., St-Hilaire S., Ruan Y., Kwan Sing Lam P., Kyoungjin An A., Hybrid Nanobubble-Forward Osmosis System for Aquaculture Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Chemical Engineering Journal, (2022).
[54] Ahmadi M., Bidhendi G.N., Torabian A., Mehrdadi N., Effects of Nanobubble Aeration in Oxygen Transfer Efficiency and Sludge Production in Wastewater Biological Treatment, Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research, 6: 225-233 (2018).
[55] Jia M., Farid M.U., Kharraz J.A., Kumar N.M., Chopra, S.S. Jang A., Chew J., Khanal S.K., Chen G., An A.K., Nanobubbles in Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems: Small Bubbles Making Big Difference, Water research, 245: 120613 (2023).
[57] Mensah K., Magdaleno A.L., Yaparatne S., Garcia-Segura S., Apul O.G., Emerging Investigator Series: Suspended air Nanobubbles in Water can Shuttle Polystyrene Nanoplastics to Air-Water Interface, Environmental Science: Nano, 11: 3271 (2024).
[58] Nuo J., Fenghua Z., Yan C., Le S., Gao H., Pu Z., Yang W., Environment-Friendly Surface Cleaning Using Micro-Nano Bubbles, Particuology, 66: 1-9 (2021).
[59] Wu Z., Chen H., Dong Y.-m., Mao H., Sun J., Chen S., Craig V.S.J., Hu J., Cleaning Using Nanobubbles: Defouling by Electrochemical Generation of Bubbles, Journal of colloid and interface science, 328(1): 10-14 (2008).
[60] Ramisetti S.B., Borg M.K., Lockerby D.A., Reese J.M., Liquid Slip Over Gas Nanofilms, Physical Review Fluids, 2: 084003 (2017).
[61] Gao Y., Li J., Shum H.C., Chen H., Drag Reduction by Bubble-Covered Surfaces Found in PDMS Microchannel Through Depressurization, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 32(19): 4815-4819 (2016).
[62] Abdolkarimi-Mahabadi M., Bayat A., A Review on the Separation of Nanoparticles by Froth Flotation, Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab (in persian), 34: 104-124 (2023).
[63] Chen G.N., Ren L., Zhang Y., Bao S., Improvement of Fine Muscovite Flotation Through Nanobubble Pretreatment and Its Mechanism, Minerals Engineering, 189: 107868 (2022).
[64] Zhang D., Ma F., Tao Y., Study on Effect of Nanobubble on Ultra-Fine Flake Graphite (UFG) Flotation, Particulate Science and Technology, 41: 1062-1070 (2023).
[65] Aikawa A., Kioka A., Nakagawa M., Anzai S., Nanobubbles as Corrosion Inhibitor in Acidic Geothermal Fluid, Geothermics, 89: 101962 (2021).
[66] Weijs J.H., Lohse D., Why Surface Nanobubbles Live for Hours, Physical review letters, 110(5):  054501 (2012).
[67] Zhang X., Lhuissier H., Sun C., Lohse D., Surface Nanobubbles Nucleate Microdroplets, Physical review letters, 112(14): 144503 (2014).
[68] Hayden S.C., Chisholm C., Grudt R.O., Aguiar J.A., Mook W.M., Kotula P.G., Pilyugina T.S., Bufford D.C., Hattar K.M., Kucharski T.J., Taie I., Ostraat M.L., Jungjohann K.L., Localized corrosion of Low-Carbon Steel at the Nanoscale, npj Materials Degradation, 3: 1-9 (2019).
[69] Heuvel D.B.v.d., Gunnlaugsson E., Gunnarsson I., Stawski T.M., Peacock C.L., Benning L.G., Understanding Amorphous Silica Scaling Under Well-Constrained Conditions Inside Geothermal Pipelines, Geothermics, (2018).
[70] Okazaki T., Orii T., Ueda A., Ozawa A., Kuramitz H., Fiber Optic Sensor for Real-Time Sensing of Silica Scale Formation in Geothermal Water, Scientific Reports, 7: 3387 (2017).
[71] Yaxin L., Zhou Y., Wang T.-Y., Pan J.-q., Zhou B., Muhammad T., Zhou C., Li Y., Micro-Nano Bubble Water Oxygation: Synergistically Improving Irrigation Water Use Efficiency, Crop Yield and Quality, Journal of Cleaner Production, 222: 835 (2019).
[72] Yanagisawa N., Masuda Y., Osato K., Sato M., Kasai K., Sakura K., Fukui T., The Materia l Corrosion Test Using Small Loop System at Geothermal Power Plant in JAPAN,  Proceedings of the 42nd workshop on geothermal reservoir engineering, Stanford, CA, (2017).
[73] Mirzaee M., Rezaei Abadchi M., Rashidi A., A Review of the Application of Two-Dimensional Nanosheets as a Reinforcement to Increase the Corrosion Resistance of Polymer Coatings, Journal of Studies in Color World, 13: 95-132 (2023).
[74] Zhang Y., Lu S., Li D., Duan H., Duan C., Zhang J., Liu S., Inhibition Mechanism of Air Nanobubbles on Brass Corrosion in Circulating Cooling Water Systems, Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 62: 168-181 (2023).
[75] Mirzaee M., Mohebbi T., A Review of Anti-Corrosion and Erosion Protective Coatings in Offshore Wind Power Devices, Journal of Studies in Color World, 14: 133-159 (2024).
[76] Katagiri N., Kioka A., Nonoyama M., Hayashi Y., Inhibiting Flow-Accelerated Copper Corrosion Under Liquid Jet Impingement by Utilizing Nanobubbles, Surfaces and Interfaces, 40: 103067 (2023).
[77] Mirzaee M., yousefpour A., Mohebbi T., A Review of Methods for Controlling and Monitoring Microbial Corrosion in Power Plant Cooling Sections, Farayandno, 19: 20-36 (2024).
[78] Mirzaee M., Kianpour E., Rashidi A., Rahimi A., Pourhashem S., Duan J., Iravani D., Sirati Gohari M., Construction of a High-Performance Anti-Corrosion Epoxy Coating in the Presence of Poly(Aniline-Co-Pyrrole) Nanospheres, Reactive and Functional Polymers, 194: 105794 (2024).
[79] Mirzaee M., Mohebbi T., A Review of High Heat Transfer Coatings in Steam Power Plant Condensers, Farayandno, 18: 75-98 (2024).