Perlemax is founded on the invention of Professor Will Zimmerman, Chair of Biochemical Dynamical Systems at Sheffield University, which enables the super efficient generation of micro sized bubbles of gas in a liquid.
Perlemax's novel acoustic resonator acts in a similar way to a child blowing bubbles with a soap bubble makers. Blow continuously and long, large bubbles are possible, but blow with short, sharp puffs and a series of small bubbles are created, of the size of the hole they emerge from. This takes less energy and the smaller bubbles have intensified chemical processing properties, due to the much greater surface area per unit volume. When the Perlemax resonator is connected to a suitable mesh and immersed in a liquid, it creates a super efficient, dense mist of micro bubbles that enables the rapid transfer of gas into or out of a liquid, without the need of any moving parts.
Micro bubbles are considered to be the holy grail of chemical engineering, as they dramatically increase the rate of transfer of gas into liquid over conventional sized bubbles and do so with no energy penalty. The Perlemax technology has the potential to dramatically reduce the energy demands of essential chemical processes such as those employed in water purification, wastewater treatment and biodiesel and carbon sequestration. All of these are growing multi-billion dollar markets that could immediately benefit from greater efficiency.
Perlemax's technology has the potential for both retrofit to existing plant, or as an OEM component in new plant, and has a number of pilot scale trials with commercial partners underway.