A device for generating pressure waves of high amplitude, in particular for boiler cleaning, has a pressure-resistant container (21, 40) with a combustion chamber (121) inserted therein, which can be filled with a flowable burn-off material via supply lines. The pressure-resistant container has a discharge opening (306) for the directional discharge of gas pressure generated by ignition of the combustible material. A piston (70) closes the discharge opening, can release it for directional discharge and can be pushed back into the initial position by a spring device. With respect to its longitudinal direction (305), the seat of the piston (70) has a piston surface (302) inclined obliquely to the discharge opening (306), which is arranged opposite a housing surface (303) also inclined obliquely to the discharge opening (306), the housing surface (303) opening opposite the piston surface (302) at an angle (304) oriented towards the discharge opening (306) from a closure line (65) oriented perpendicularly to the piston direction (90).

A method for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes introducing a fluid comprising solid materials dispersed in a fluid medium into a fluid duct, flowing the fluid through an annular space between a cylindrical wall of the fluid duct and an outer surface of a cylindrical acoustic projector that is concentric with the cylindrical wall, the acoustic projector comprising a plurality of hammer elements spaced apart from one another by a first plurality of slots in the acoustic projector, supplying electrical energy to a transducer coupled to the acoustic projector to cause the acoustic projector to vibrate, thereby causing cavitations in the fluid, and flowing the fluid through an outlet of the disruptor after the fluid has been exposed to the cavitations. The cavitations can disrupt solid materials such as pulp, flowers, stems and seeds to release juice or oils from the materials.

An apparatus for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes a plurality of hammer elements that transfer acoustic energy from an acoustic transducer into a concentration zone between heads of the hammer elements and inner walls of a fluid duct which act as an anvil, thereby causing cavitations to form within the concentration zone. The transducer may be a cylindrical transducer compression fit into an acoustic projector from which the hammer elements extend towards a distal end, and mass balance elements extend towards a proximal end. The apparatus can be used to efficiently extract juice from fruit pulp, separate oils from plant matter, and process various organic and inorganic materials.

A system to reduce surface bubbles from cell culture media using ultrasonic pulses is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, a photodetector, a camera, a control circuit, and a cell culture container that includes a cell culture media. The control circuit is communicatively coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the temperature sensor, and the camera. The photodetector is used to determine a presence of a surface bubble on the cell culture media. The camera is used to determine a location of the surface bubble when the presence of the surface bubble is determined. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers is used to position an ultrasonic pulse at the location of the surface bubble and thereby reduce the presence of the surface bubble on the cell culture media when the location of the surface bubble is determined.

Apparatuses and methods for electrohydraulic generation of shockwaves at a rate of between 10 Hz and 5 MHz, and/or that permit a user to view a region of a patient comprising target cells during application of generated shockwaves to the region. Methods of applying electro-hydraulically generated shockwaves to target tissues (e.g., for reducing the appearance of tattoos, treatment or reduction of certain conditions and/or maladies).

Methods are disclosed for separating beads and cells from a host fluid. The method includes flowing a mixture containing the host fluid, the beads, and the cells through an acoustophoretic device having an ultrasonic transducer including a piezoelectric material driven by a drive signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave. A drive signal is sent to drive the at least one ultrasonic transducer to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave. A recirculating fluid stream having a tangential flow path is located substantially tangential to the standing wave and separated therefrom by an interface region. A portion of the cells pass through the standing wave, and the beads are held back from the standing wave in the recirculating fluid stream at the interface region. Also disclosed is an acoustophoretic device having a coolant inlet adapted to permit the ingress of a cooling fluid into the device for cooling the transducer.

An apparatus for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes a plurality of hammer elements that transfer acoustic energy from an acoustic transducer into a concentration zone between heads of the hammer elements and inner walls of a fluid duct which act as an anvil, thereby causing cavitations to form within the concentration zone. The transducer may be a cylindrical transducer compression fit into an acoustic projector from which the hammer elements extend towards a distal end, and mass balance elements extend towards a proximal end. The apparatus can be used to efficiently extract juice from fruit pulp, separate oils from plant matter, and process various organic and inorganic materials.

An electromagnetic shockwave transducer includes a double-faced coil of wire wound around an insulator. The coil has a first coil face on one side of the insulator and a second coil face on an opposite side of the insulator. Coil ends of the coil are electrically coupled to a current source, which produces a current pulse in the coil so as to produce a force between the coil faces.

A pneumatic actuator (4b), in particular for use in a pressure wave generator (1) comprises: a first piston surface (91) which acts counter to a gaseous working medium in a first volume (41), wherein a pressure in the first volume (41) effects an actuator force in a first direction upon the first piston surface (91); a second piston surface (92) which acts counter to the working medium in a second volume (42), wherein a pressure in the second volume (42) effects an actuator force in a second direction opposite to the first direction, upon the second piston surface (92); a throttle between the first volume (41) and the second volume (42); an inlet/outlet opening (45) of the first volume (41) for bringing the working medium into and discharging it out of, the first volume; wherein the first piston surface (91) is larger than the second piston surface (92).

Methods are disclosed for separating beads and cells from a host fluid. The method includes flowing a mixture containing the host fluid, the beads, and the cells through an acoustophoretic device having an ultrasonic transducer including a piezoelectric material driven by a drive signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave. A drive signal is sent to drive the at least one ultrasonic transducer to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave. A recirculating fluid stream having a tangential flow path is located substantially tangential to the standing wave and separated therefrom by an interface region. A portion of the cells pass through the standing wave, and the beads are held back from the standing wave in the recirculating fluid stream at the interface region. Also disclosed is an acoustophoretic device having a coolant inlet adapted to permit the ingress of a cooling fluid into the device for cooling the transducer.