ISO 20480-1:2017

Overview

ISO 20480-1:2017 - Fine bubble technology - Part 1: Terminology defines the core vocabulary for the growing field of fine bubble technology. The standard specifies terms and definitions used across general principles, measurement methods, and individual applications of fine bubbles in liquids and solids. It is the foundational document for consistent communication, testing and product specification in industries working with microbubbles and ultrafine bubbles.

Key topics and requirements

ISO 20480-1 focuses on terminology rather than prescriptive performance limits. Key technical topics and definitions include:

• Bubble: gas in a medium enclosed by an interface.
• Fine bubble: bubble with volume-equivalent diameter < 100 μm.
• Ultrafine bubble: fine bubble with diameter < 1 μm (often measured ~100–200 nm in water).
• Microbubble: fine bubble with diameter ≥ 1 μm and < 100 μm.
• Volume equivalent diameter (deq): diameter of a sphere with the same volume as the bubble (deq = (6V/π)^(1/3)).
• Bubble number concentration: number of bubbles per unit volume of medium.
• Stability concepts: bubble stability, bubble size stability, bubble number stability (definitions for how these change over time under set conditions).
• System definitions: bubble generating system, fine/ultrafine bubble generating system.
• Measurement/indices: number concentration index and size index - quantities representing concentration and object size measured by agreed industrial methods.
• Annex A explains why ISO/TC 281 prefers the terms fine bubble / ultrafine bubble instead of “nanobubble” to avoid confusion with nano-object definitions.

Applications

ISO 20480-1 underpins terminology used across practical applications of fine bubble technology, including:

• Water and wastewater treatment, aeration systems
• Aquaculture and agriculture
• Food and beverage processing and cleaning
• Environmental remediation and industrial cleaning
• Medical and pharmaceutical research where gas-in-liquid dispersions are relevant

Using consistent terminology aids product development, testing, regulatory compliance and market acceptance.

Who should use this standard

• R&D teams and researchers studying bubble behavior and measurement
• Manufacturers of fine/ultrafine bubble generators and aeration systems
• Test laboratories and QA/QC engineers implementing measurement methods
• Regulators, procurement specialists and standards committees (ISO/TC 281)

Related standards

Relevant references cited in ISO 20480-1 include ISO 29464 (cleaning terminology), ISO/TS 80004-1 (nanotechnologies vocabulary), ISO 20765-2 and ISO 15156-2 as contextual references. For consistent use of terms across the industry, consult the ISO Online Browsing Platform and IEC Electropedia.