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A device or apparatus for contacting a liquid with a gas is provided. The device or apparatus has at least one gas inlet for introducing the gas into the liquid and a fiber housing with at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet. The fiber housing is surrounding and defining an outer b

A device or apparatus for contacting a liquid with a gas is provided. The device or apparatus has at least one gas inlet for introducing the gas into the liquid and a fiber housing with at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet. The fiber housing is surrounding and defining an outer bound for a plurality of fibers extending longitudinally in the fiber housing, whereby longitudinally extending interspaces are provided between the fibers. These interspaces thereby define flow passages for the liquid and gas. There is also provided a system and a method for contacting a liquid with a gas.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A device for contacting a liquid with a gas, said device comprising: at least one gas inlet for introducing the gas into the liquid, a fibre housing having at least one liquid inlet arranged in an inlet end of the fibre housing and at least one liquid outlet, wherein sa

The invention claimed is: 1. A device for contacting a liquid with a gas, said device comprising: at least one gas inlet for introducing the gas into the liquid, a fibre housing having at least one liquid inlet arranged in an inlet end of the fibre housing and at least one liquid outlet, wherein said fibre housing surrounds and defines an outer bound for a plurality of fibres extending longitudinally in the fibre housing, longitudinally extending interspaces being provided between the fibres thereby defining a plurality of flow passages for the liquid and gas, and wherein at least part of the gas inlet(s) are arranged so that at least part of the gas can be introduced into the liquid at the inlet end of the fibre housing or before the liquid enters the inlet end of the fibre housing via said liquid inlet(s), whereby a flow of gas and liquid can be obtained from the inlet end to the outlet end via the flow passages provided by said interspaces, said interspaces thereby providing a contact between the liquid and the gas wherein the diameter of the fibres and the dimension of the flow passages are selected so as to generate micro-bubbles containing the introduced gas within the liquid, the dimension of said micro-bubbles being a function of the diameter or cross-sectional dimensions of the fibres and/or the cross-sectional dimensions of the flow passages provided by the interspaces. 2. A device according to claim 1, said device further comprising at least one gas outlet. 3. A device according to claim 1, said device further comprising a gas liquid separator. 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the gas liquid separator is connected to the at least one gas outlet. 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one gas, outlet is part of or connected to the fibre housing. 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid outlet is arranged in an outlet end of the fibre housing. 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the longitudinally extending interspaces between the fibres are at least partly extending in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the fibre housing. 8. A device for contacting a liquid with a gas, said device comprising: at least one gas inlet for introducing the gas into the liquid, a fibre housing having at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet, wherein said fibre housing surrounds and defines an outer bound for a plurality of fibres extending longitudinally in the fibre housing, longitudinally extending interspaces being provided between the fibres thereby defining a plurality of flow passages for the liquid and gas, and wherein at least part of said fibre housing is formed of a flexible membrane surrounding the fibres, and compressing means is provided for creating a pressure on an outer surface of the flexible membrane thereby compressing the fibres in a radial direction at at least one location along the length of the fibres to thereby enable variation in cross-sectional dimension of the flow passages and/or the fibres so as to controllably generate bubbles or micro-bubbles containing the introduced gas in the liquid. 9. A device according to claim 8, said device further comprising at least one gas outlet. 10. A device according to claim 8, said device further comprising a gas liquid separator. 11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the gas liquid separator is connected to the at least one gas outlet. 12. A device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one gas outlet is part of or connected to the fibre housing. 13. A device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one liquid inlet is arranged in an inlet end of the fibre housing. 14. A device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one liquid outlet is arranged in an outlet end of the fibre housing. 15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the longitudinally extending interspaces between the fibres are at least partly extending in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the fibre housing. 16. A system for contacting a liquid with a gas, said system comprising: a contacting device according to claim 1, and means for passing a liquid and a gas through the plurality of flow passages of the fibres. 17. A system according to claim 16, said system further comprising means for maintaining the fibres in a compressed condition while passing the liquid and the gas through the flow passages of the compressed fibres. 18. A system according to claim 17, said system further comprising: means for releasing the pressure on the outer surface of the flexible membrane thereby leaving the fibres in an uncompressed condition, means for passing a liquid and/or a gas through the uncompressed fibres in a direction from the inlet towards the outlet or in an opposite direction, so as to forward flush or backward flush the device. 19. A method for contacting a liquid with a gas in a fibre housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, said fibre housing surrounding and defining an outer bound for a plurality of fibres extending longitudinally in the fibre housing, longitudinally extending interspaces being provided between the fibres thereby defining a plurality of flow passages between the inlet end and the outlet end, said method comprising: introducing a liquid and a gas at the inlet end of the fibre housing, and passing the liquid and the gas from the inlet end to the outlet end via said flow passages provided by the interspaces; and generating micro-bubbles containing the introduced gas within the liquid, the dimension of said micro-bubbles being a function of the diameter or cross-sectional dimensions of the fibres and/or the cross-sectional dimension of the flow passages provided by the interspaces. 20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the longitudinally, extending interspaces between the fibres are at least partly extending in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the fibre housing. 21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the liquid and the gas are mixed before being introduced at the inlet end of the fibre housing. 22. A method according to claim 21, wherein a pressure in the range of 2-7 bar, such as 3 bar, such as about 4 bar, such as about 5 bar, or such as about 6 bar, is provided for the liquid-air mixture at the inlet end of the fibre housing. 23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the gas is introduced at the inlet end via one or more gas inlets. 24. A method according to claim 19, wherein the liquid is introduced at the inlet end via one or more liquid inlets. 25. A method according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of fibres are closely packed in a radial direction at least one location along the length of the fibres within said fibre housing. 26. A method according to claim 19, said method further comprising the steps of compressing the fibres in a radial direction at a location along the length of the fibres, so as to reduce the cross sectional area of the flow passages, and maintaining the pressure on the fibres while passing the liquid and the gas to be contacted through said flow passages. 27. A method according to claim 19, wherein the diameter of the fibres and the dimension of the flow passages are selected so that the generated micro-bubbles have a cross-sectional dimension, which is at most 1 mm, such as in the range of 0.1-1 mm, such as in the range of 0.2-0.6 mm, such as about 0.4 mm. 28. A device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the fibres and the dimension of the flow passages are selected so that the generated micro-bubbles have a cross-sectional dimension, which is at most 1 mm, such as in the range of 0.1-1 mm, such as in the range of 0.2-0.6 mm, such as about 0.4 mm. 29. A device according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of the fibres and the dimension of the flow passages are selected so that the generated micro-bubbles have a cross-sectional dimension, which is at most 1 mm, such as in the range of 0.1-1 mm, such as in the range of 0.2-0.6 mm, such as about 0.4 mm. 30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the fibres are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, glass materials and stone materials. 31. A device according to claim 1, wherein the fibres are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, glass materials and stone materials. 32. A device according to claim 8, wherein the fibres are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, glass materials and stone materials.