SS316L Sintered Aerator With 1/4-inch NPT Thread For Gas Diffusion

Products Specifications

Products Features

 

 

Precise 20-Micron Pores for High-Efficiency Mass Transfer

By precisely controlling the sintering process parameters, the effective pore size is stabilized at 20 microns. This dimension is recognized as a "sweet spot" for generating efficient micro-bubbles-overcoming liquid surface tension to form independent fine bubbles without causing an excessive pressure drop. The generated bubble swarm has a specific surface area exceeding 500 m²/m³, and the oxygen transfer efficiency can reach up to 28% in clean water tests, significantly outperforming microporous ceramic air stones of the same size.

Standard 1/4-Inch NPT Tapered Thread Quick Connect

The interface conforms to the ASME B1.20.1 standard for 1/4-inch NPT threads, offering excellent industrial compatibility. Installation requires only a wrench to tighten to the specified torque, and the natural taper of the metal threads forms a 100% metal hard seal. This connection not only withstands pressures over 1.5 MPa but also easily handles repeated high-temperature steam sterilization cycles, completely avoiding the loosening and leakage issues common with push-to-connect fittings due to thermal expansion and contraction.

High-Density Array Design in a Compact Form Factor

The miniaturized design, with a 25-millimeter diameter and 45-millimeter length, means more aeration points can be arranged per unit area. In small circular or rectangular vessels, engineers can use equilateral triangle or square arrays at minimal intervals to create a dead-zone-free aeration floor. This design is particularly well-suited for microfluidic chip gas supply, small photobioreactors, and space-constrained OEM integrated modules.

 

 

Fully 316L Stainless Steel, One-Piece Sintered Structure

The aerator is integrally sintered as a single piece, containing no welded seams or adhesives, thus eliminating the risk of chemical leaching. The 316L stainless steel material itself has excellent resistance to chloride-ion pitting and oxidation, allowing long-term stable operation within a pH range of 2 to 11. After electrolytic polishing, the internal and external surfaces are mirror-smooth, significantly reducing the adhesion of biofilms and chemical scale, making cleaning and maintenance exceptionally easy.

Excellent Backwash Regeneration and Anti-Clogging Performance

The 20-micron internal channels are distributed in a three-dimensional honeycomb structure with a porosity of approximately 40%, providing a high dirt-holding capacity. When pressure drop increases after long-term operation, reverse pulse cleaning can be performed using compressed air or chemical cleaning solutions. Owing to the high strength of the metal matrix, its safe reverse burst pressure is over three times the forward working pressure, and the flux recovery rate after cleaning can reach 95%, enabling rapid performance regeneration.

Wide Temperature and Pressure Adaptability

The stainless steel powder metallurgy substrate extends the operating temperature range to -50°C to 400°C, far surpassing any polymer membrane material. Whether it is direct aeration for rewarming after cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen or direct contact with high-temperature flue gas at 350°C in a specific process, the aerator maintains structural integrity and dimensional stability. Additionally, it withstands a forward static pressure of over 2.0 MPa, allowing it to operate reliably in deep-water or high-pressure reactor vessels.

 applications

◢Laboratory-Scale Fermentation and Cell Culture

In benchtop glass fermenters with capacities from 1 to 20 liters, the aerator's compact size easily passes through standard headplate ports. Its 1/4-inch NPT interface connects seamlessly with lab gas supply systems, and the fine bubbles from the 20-micron pores offer low shear stress and a high oxygen dissolution rate, making it particularly suitable for shear-sensitive mammalian cell suspension culture and high-density microbial fermentation.

◢Small-Scale High-Concentration Ozone Oxidation Reactors

In advanced oxidation experiments, this aerator efficiently disperses ozone gas into fine bubbles, dramatically increasing ozone solubility and utilization in water. The 316L stainless steel material resists ozone corrosion and withstands long-term oxidative attack in high-concentration ozone environments. It is well-suited for research apparatus or small treatment skids designed for degrading trace persistent organic pollutants in water.

◢Precision Air Flotation and Mineral Flotation

In micro-flotation test setups or precision oil-water separators, the 20-micron bubbles are highly effective at carrying tiny oil droplets or mineral particles to the surface. The zero-leakage design of the NPT thread ensures the stability of the flotation process and precise gas flow control. It is an indispensable core gas distribution component for research on flotation reagent mechanisms or the precision treatment of oily wastewater.

◢Highly Integrated OEM Equipment

For analytical instrument manufacturers and environmental protection equipment OEMs, the aerator's standard geometry and threaded interface make integration extremely straightforward. Whether used as a constant-flow reaction aeration head in an online water quality monitor or embedded into a small medical wastewater disinfection unit, its "plug-and-play" nature and long service life effectively reduce overall equipment maintenance frequency and after-sales costs.

Backflush cleaning leverages the metal matrix's reverse pressure tolerance, which is over three times the forward working pressure. By instantaneously introducing high-pressure compressed gas or pulsed airflow, it creates violent pressure release and turbulent shear at the micro-pore outlet, instantly dislodging solid particles and viscous sludge clogging the surface of the 20-micron pores, achieving a flux recovery rate of over 95% after cleaning.

Ultrasonic cleaning involves immersing the aerator in purified water or a specialized chemical cleaning agent. Under the cavitation effect of 28-40kHz ultrasonic waves, micro-jets and shock waves generated in the liquid penetrate into the three-dimensional pore channels without any dead zones, efficiently vibrating off and dissolving firmly adhered biofilms, calcium and magnesium inorganic scale, and organic colloids.

These two methods can be used individually or combined for deep regeneration, completely overcoming the "block-without-cure" bottleneck of traditional microporous aerators.

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