Method and device for changing the properties of at least one liquid medium

Abstract

Method and device for changing the properties of at least one liquid medium, in which method the liquid medium is exposed in at least one container to vibrations in the low-frequency power ultrasonic range and, to regulate the flow speed of the liquid material in the container in which the liquid medium is present for ultrasonic irradiation and/or to regulate the internal pressure of the container, the cross-section inside a line upstream of an inlet of the container in the direction of flow and/or downstream of an outlet of the container in the direction of flow is varied by means of at least one pinch valve.

Claims

1. A method for changing a property of at least one liquid medium, comprising: exposing the at least one liquid medium contained in at least one vessel to ultrasonic oscillations in a low-frequency high-power ultrasound range, and regulating at least one of a flow velocity of the at least one liquid medium in the at least one vessel in which the at least one liquid medium is contained for exposure to ultrasound and an internal pressure of the at least one vessel by varying with at least one pinch valve a cross-section of at least one of a line located upstream of an inlet of the at least one vessel in a flow direction and a line located downstream of an outlet of the at least one vessel, wherein the at least one pinch valve is pneumatically or hydraulically controlled and a constant control pressure is applied to the at least one pinch valve.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure to ultrasound occurs at a pressure in the at least one liquid medium that is different from ambient pressure.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the at least one line is varied with the at least one pinch valve during ultrasonic operation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the line cross-section of the at least one line is varied as a function of an ultrasonic parameter.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the ultrasonic parameter includes ultrasonic power.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound has a frequency between 15 and 40 kHz.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound has an ultrasonic power between 50 W and 20,000 W.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic oscillations have a maximum amplitude greater than 1 m (peak-peak).

Description

(1) The invention will now be explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show in:

(2) FIG. 1 a device according to the invention for changing properties of at least one liquid medium in a first embodiment,

(3) FIG. 2 a device according to the invention for changing properties of at least one liquid medium in a second embodiment.

(4) Common to both embodiments is a vessel 2, into which a sonotrode 3 protrudes or which operatively communicates with a sonotrode 3 so that ultrasound generated by the resonator 4 can be introduced via the sonotrode 3 into the vessel 2 and thus into a liquid medium in the vessel 2. At least one property of the liquid medium in the vessel 2 can be changed by the ultrasound.

(5) A line 5 is connected to an inlet and/or to an outlet of the vessel 2 in the flow direction 10 upstream of the vessel 2 as well as downstream of the vessel 2. For conveying the liquid medium into the vessel 2, a pump 1 is provided on the line 5 connected upstream of the vessel 2.

(6) In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the device according to the invention includes a pinch valve 6 arranged in the line 5 downstream of the vessel 2, with which the cross section of this line 5 can be reduced or completely closed.

(7) In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the device in the line 5 connected upstream of the vessel 2 as well as in the line 5 connected downstream of the vessel 2 each includes a pinch valve 6.

(8) The volume or mass flow of the liquid medium into the vessel can be adjusted with the illustrated pinch valves. In addition, the internal pressure in the vessel 2 can be adjusted with the pinch valves. Due to the short control times for operating pinch valves, a desired volume flow or a desired internal vessel pressure in the vessel 2 can be produced within a very short time, allowing a reaction to different adjusted parameters in the vessel 2 and/or to different ultrasonic parameters in a simple and convenient way in order to achieve an optimum result with regard to the change in properties of the liquid medium.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(9) Pump 1 Vessel 2 Sonotrode 3 Resonator 4 Line 5 Pinch valve 6 Flow direction 10