A process for cleaning particulate matter from the interior of a muffle of an optical fiber draw furnace includes propagating sound waves through the interior of the muffle at a frequency of from about 75 Hz to about 5000 Hz and an intensity of from about 110 dB to about 160 dB.

A modular sonic vibration buffer system includes an adapter assembly that can be attached to a sonic vibration device. The adapter assembly includes a body with apertures and a plate with arms that are received in the apertures of the body to couple the plate to the body. A cleaning tool is secured between the body and the plate to couple the cleaning tool to the adapter assembly. The sonic vibration device is operable to vibrate the cleaning tool via the adapter assembly. The system also includes additional adapter assemblies and cleaning tools with different characteristics that are attachable to the sonic vibration device in a modular nature for different cleaning or buffering applications.

Disclosed is methods and systems for cleaning devices holding fluid such as heat exchanges. The cleaning is performed by using a system such as a transducer assembly including at least one pair of protrusions acting as point-like pressure sources or at least one substantially circular protrusion acting as a substantially circular point-like pressure source, coupled to outer surface of the device to be cleaned. Accordingly, coupling of the system to device is reduced, and as a result, the system is able to operate at its fundamental resonance frequency, while the protrusions still permit power delivery to the device.

Self-cleaning device and method using electrical oscillation and mechanical oscillation are disclosed. The self-cleaning device comprises at least one first electrode disposed on a solid material layer, a first dielectric layer disposed on the first electrode, a hydrophobic layer disposed on the first dielectric layer and at least one mechanical oscillation unit. Here, electrical oscillation for oscillating a droplet in a horizontal direction is generated by applying a first electric signal to the first electrode, thereby merging the droplets formed on the hydrophobic layer, and the mechanical oscillation unit moves the merged droplets in a specific direction or atomizes the merged droplets to remove the merged droplets by generating mechanical oscillation for oscillating the droplet in a vertical direction.

A process of using a chemical gel cleaning formulation to clean a cooling tower fill, comprising the steps of applying a pre-rinse fluid to the fill; applying the chemical gel cleaning formulation to the fill, wherein the chemical gel cleaning formulation includes glycerin, at least one polysaccharide, at least one corrosion inhibitor, at least one surfactant, and at least one acid; applying a descaling fluid to the fill; applying a neutralizer solution to the fill to neutralize the pH of residual fluid on the fill surface; and rinsing the fill with a rinsing fluid to remove residual chemical gel cleaning formulation and descaling fluid, residual neutralizer solution, and dissolved deposits from the fill.

A remotely positioned, ultrasonic wave producing, and low voltage anti-fouling system comprising; a computing module, a mounting system having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to vessel or a structure, a substantially waterproof enclosure detachably engaged with the second end of the mounting system, at least one transducer positioned within the substantially waterproof enclosure and cooperatively connected to the computing module, wherein the at least one transducer produces a sound wave able to impinge upon a submerged surface, at least one wave form generator cooperatively connected to the computing module and the at least one transducer, at least one power amplifier cooperatively connected to the at least one wave form generator and the at least one transducer, and at least one sensor cooperatively connected to the computing module, wherein the at least one sensor substantially.

A vehicle sensor assembly includes an optical sensor surface, at least two transducers arranged to input energy into the optical surface to produce an energy wave through the optical sensor surface and sense an attribute of an energy wave within the optical sensor surface. A controller arranged to drive the at least two transducers to input energy into the optical surface to produce an energy wave within the optical sensor surface to dislodge debris from the optical sensor surface.

A cleaning method that removes contaminants adhering to a stage in a chamber, includes: setting a pressure in a chamber to a predetermined vacuum pressure; supplying a first gas that forms a shock wave toward the stage; and supplying a second gas that does not form the shock wave toward the stage.

A method for cleaning semiconductor substrate without damaging patterned structure on the substrate using ultra/mega sonic device comprising applying liquid into a space between a substrate and an ultra/mega sonic device; setting an ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f.sub.1 and power P.sub.1 to drive said ultra/mega sonic device; before bubble cavitation in said liquid damaging patterned structure on the substrate, setting said ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f.sub.2 and power P.sub.2 to drive said ultra/mega sonic device; after temperature inside bubble cooling down to a set temperature, setting said ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f.sub.1 and power P.sub.1 again; repeating above steps till the substrate being cleaned. Normally, if f.sub.1=f.sub.2, then P.sub.2 is equal to zero or much less than P.sub.1; if P.sub.1=P.sub.2, then f.sub.2 is higher than f.sub.1; if the f.sub.1<f.sub.2, then, P.sub.2 can be either equal or less than P.sub.1.

An aggregate-removal method includes placing a metallic article in a tank of fluid, a piece of aggregate being lodged in a feature of the metallic article, and treating the metallic article with sound waves to dislodge the lodged aggregate from the metallic article. An aggregate-identification method includes applying a fluorescent penetrant solution to a metallic article, exposing the metallic article to UV light, and identifying fluorescing aggregate lodged in a feature of the metallic article.