Ultrasonic Horn With A Large High-Amplitude Output Surface

Abstract

Ultrasonic horns having improved longevity and simplified manufacturing approaches that can be more easily adapted to ultrasonic reactor chambers or batch processing containers. The ultrasonic horn designs increase the uniformity and intensity of acoustic energy radiated into a liquid medium and thus better correspond to the requirements of a particular sonochemical or sonomechanical process. The ultrasonic horns do not require a specific number of cylindrical sections and allow for various lengths and profiles of variable-diameter sections. The ultrasonic horns also reduce stress in the material of the ultrasonic horns and therefore extend longevity.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic horn, comprising: a first section that reduces in diameter from a first diameter to a second diameter; and a second section directly connected to and extending from the first section that increases in diameter from the second diameter to a third diameter.

2. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, wherein the first section defines an input surface.

3. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, wherein the second section defines an output surface.

4. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, further comprising an entrance section defining an input surface, wherein at least a portion of the entrance section has the first diameter.

5. The ultrasonic horn of claim 4, wherein the entrance section is a cylinder having the first diameter.

6. The ultrasonic horn of claim 4, wherein the entrance section has a shape that varies between a fourth diameter and the first diameter.

7. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, further comprising an exit section defining an output surface, wherein at least a portion of the exit section has the third diameter.

8. The ultrasonic horn of claim 7, wherein the exit section is a cylinder having the third diameter.

9. The ultrasonic horn of claim 7, wherein the exit section has a shape that varies between a fifth diameter and the third diameter.

10. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic horn is positioned in a fixed-volume container for batch processing of a liquid that is also positioned within the fixed-volume container.

11. The ultrasonic horn of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic horn is positioned in a reactor chamber through which a liquid may be passed for flow-through processing.

12. An ultrasonic horn, comprising: a first section that reduces in diameter from a first diameter to a second diameter; and a second section that increases in diameter from a third diameter to a fourth diameter; and a third section positioned between the first section and the second section and having at least a portion with the second diameter and at least a portion with the third diameter; and wherein at least one of the first section and the second section forms a surface acting as an input surface or an output surface, respectively.

13. The ultrasonic horn of claim 12, wherein the first section forms the input surface and the second section is coupled to a fourth section forming the output surface.

14. The ultrasonic horn of claim 12, wherein the second section forms the output surface and the first section is coupled to a fourth section forming the input surface.

15. The ultrasonic horn of claim 12, wherein the first section forms the input surface and the second section forms the output surface.

16. The ultrasonic horn of claim 12, wherein the ultrasonic horn is positioned in a fixed-volume container for batch processing of a liquid that is also positioned within the fixed-volume container.

17. The ultrasonic horn of claim 12, wherein the ultrasonic horn is positioned in a reactor chamber through which a liquid may be passed for flow-through processing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0017] The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic of an ultrasonic horn with reducing and expanding diameter sections without any intermediate cylindrical section according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a model of the sonic amplitudes of the ultrasonic horn of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic of an ultrasonic horn without any intermediate cylindrical section and any exit cylindrical section according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a model of the sonic amplitudes of the ultrasonic horn of FIG. 3;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a schematic of an ultrasonic horn without any exit cylindrical section according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a model of the sonic amplitudes of the ultrasonic horn of FIG. 5;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a schematic of an ultrasonic horn in combination with a batch container according to the present invention; and

[0025] FIG. 8 is a schematic of an ultrasonic horn in combination with a flow-through reactor chamber (flow cell) according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Referring to the figures, wherein like numeral refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 a first embodiment of an ultrasonic horn 100 which comprises an entrance cylindrical section 102 having a first diameter D1, connected to a first variable-diameter section 104 with a diminishing diameter to a second diameter D2 (hereinafter referred to as reducing-diameter section), connected to a second variable-diameter section 106 with an increasing diameter (hereinafter referred to as increasing-diameter section) to diameter D3, connected to an exit cylindrical section 108. FIG. 2 shows the ultrasonic amplitudes for horn 100 in arbitrary units and demonstrates a high gain at the output surface 112 of horn 100. In this embodiment, entrance cylindrical section 102 provides the input surface 110 for ultrasonic energy from a transducer, and cylindrical section 108 provides the main output surface 112 from which the energy is transmitted to a fluid in which the output surface is submerged.

[0027] There is seen in FIG. 3 a second embodiment of an ultrasonic horn 200 which comprises an entrance cylindrical section 202 having diameter D1, connected to a reducing-diameter section 204 to a second diameter D2, connected to an increasing-diameter section 206 to diameter D3. FIG. 4 shows the ultrasonic amplitudes for horn 200 in arbitrary units and demonstrates a high gain at the output surface of horn 200. In this embodiment, entrance cylindrical section 202 provides the input surface 210 for ultrasonic energy from a transducer, and increasing-diameter section 206 provides the main output surface 212 from which the energy is transmitted to a fluid in which the output surface is submerged.

[0028] There is seen in FIG. 5 a third embodiment of an ultrasonic horn 300 which comprises an entrance cylindrical section 302 of diameter D1, connected to a reducing-diameter section 304 to diameter D2, connected to a thinner intermediate cylindrical section 310 of diameter D2, connected to an increasing-diameter section 306 to diameter D3. FIG. 6 shows the ultrasonic amplitudes for horn 300 in arbitrary units and demonstrates a high gain at the output surface of horn 300. In this embodiment, entrance cylindrical section 302 provides the input surface 310 for ultrasonic energy from a transducer, and increasing-diameter section 306 provides the main output surface 312 from which the energy is transmitted to a fluid in which the output surface is submerged.

[0029] Ultrasonic horn 100, horn 200, or horn 300 of the present invention may be manufactured from the same materials as existing ultrasonic horns, such as titanium alloys and other metals.

[0030] There is seen in FIG. 7, a batch system 400 having an ultrasonic horn 402 (which may be any of horn 100, horn 200, or horn 300 of the present invention) coupled to a transducer 404. The output surface of horn 402 is positioned in a batch container 406 having a fixed-volume that holds a working liquid to be processed using ultrasonic horn 402. A generator 408 is used to drive transducer 404 in response to user activation via a remote switch 410.

[0031] There is seen in FIG. 8, a flow-through reactor system 500 having an ultrasonic horn 502 (which may be any of horn 100, horn 200, or horn 300 of the present invention) coupled to a transducer 504. The output surface of horn 502 is positioned in a flow-through reactor chamber 506 that holds a working liquid to be processed using ultrasonic horn 502. A generator 508 is used to drive transducer 504 in response to user activation via a remote switch 510. As is known in the art, flow-through reactor chamber 506 is enclosed and has an intake line 514 for receiving a liquid to be processed from a storage tank 518, such as via a pump 516, and an outlet line 512 for removing processed liquid and returning it to storage tank 518. Flow could also be reversed through flow-through reactor chamber 506 if desired.

[0032] In all of the embodiments described above, the entrance cylindrical section may be omitted or replaced by a variable-diameter section (increasing-diameter, decreasing-diameter, or more complex combinations thereof), which may be connected to or smoothly transition into the reducing-diameter section.

[0033] In all of the embodiments, the flange depicted in the figures is an optional feature that may be incorporated for use in sealing the horn into a reactor chamber (also referred to as a flow cell) and does not serve any purpose for the ultrasonic characteristics of the section itself. Alternatively, the flange may be placed on another section from that shown or omitted.