A macrosonic system for industrial processing

The development of high-power applications of sonic and ultrasonic energy in industrial processing requires a great variety of practical systems with characteristics which are dependent on the effect to be exploited. Nevertheless, the majority of systems are basically constituted of a treatment chamber and one or several transducers coupled to it. Therefore, the feasibility of the application mainly depends on the efficiency of the transducer-chamber system. This paper deals with a macrosonic system which is essentially constituted of a high-power transducer with a double stepped-plate radiator coupled to a chamber of square section. The radiator, which has a rectangular shape, is placed on one face of the chamber in order to drive the inside fluid volume. The stepped profile of the radiator allows a piston-like radiation to be obtained. The radiation from the back face of the radiator is also applied to the chamber by using adequate reflectors. Transducer-chamber systems for sonic and ultrasonic frequencies have been developed with power capacities up to about 5 kW for the treatment of fluid volumes of several cubic meters. The characteristics of these systems are presented in this paper.     

磁致伸缩换能器辐射板形状对声场分布的影响

磁致伸缩换能器可作为热声制冷机的声源装置,辐射板的形状直接影响声压输出效率,从而影响制冷效果。为提高换能器工作效率、减小换能器体积,辐射板需在Terfenol-D棒的激励下产生大振幅、高频率的活塞振型。针对这一问题,应用ATILA软件分析了磁致伸缩换能器辐射板形状对谐振腔振动幅频特性的影响以及对谐振腔内声场分布的影响。结果表明:相同激励条件下,凹球面辐射板出现活塞振型时振幅最大,对应谐振腔中声压幅值最高;谐振腔端面形状为凹球面时,具有聚焦声压幅值的作用;端面形状为凹发射端-凸反射端组合的谐振腔内声压幅值最高。以上结论为合理设计辐射板、谐振腔两端面组合形状提供了参考。     

Performance of a sonic jet-type charger in high dust load

Sonic jet chargers have originally been used in aerosol measurement devices for particle charging and neutralization. Here, our goal was to study if this charger type could be used in particle control devices in which particle concentrations and gas volumes are much higher. The study includes charging efficiency tests in a laboratory and with a commercial 20 kW wood pellet burner. Actual particle removal efficiency was tested with a laboratory scale parallel plate electrostatic collector. The results show that sonic jet-type chargers also have potential in filtering applications.     

Finite element modelling of ultrasound, with reference to transducers and AE waves

Finite element (FE) modelling has a role to play in simulating elastic wave propagation associated with structural vibrations, acoustic phenomena and ultrasound problems. In this work we have used the PAFEC software [PAFEC finite element software PACSYS, Strelley Hall, Nottingham, NG8 6PE, UK]. With the advent of increased computer power and greater availability of software these simulations have become more readily available and will provide improved insight into wave propagation problems. Simulations have been undertaken of transient wave propagation in steel plates with an attached simple resonant transducer. This simulates acoustic emission (AE) propagation in plate like structures relevant to many industrial applications. Simulations for short propagation distances suggest the resonant transducer voltage signal carries information on the plate-waves propagating in the structure, overlaid with the piezoelectric resonance and some information might be extracted from the transducer signal. Looking at the wave propagation information alone, a great deal of variability is seen in the displacement profile for different source types, orientations and locations. Although users have expressed a need for calibration of the AE detection process, this idea remains problematic since the complete generation and detection system has the features of a chaotic system. Using FE modelling a method of "point calibration" might be available, for some specific AE applications such as crack growth along known paths.     

The investigation of high frequency vibration modes of PZT-4 transducers using ESPI techniques with reference beam modulation

In this paper the experimental vibration amplitudes together with the vibration modes of the PZT-4 transducer radiating front face are presented for generation in various media. The studies were carried out using an electronic speckle pattern interferometer (ESPI) with reference beam modulation to give resolution down to 20 Å of surface amplitude. Analogies are drawn between these transducers and the resonant vibration modes of thin plates. The relationship between the surface vibration amplitudes and the radiation beam pattern of the transducers is also presented.     

Physics design of SSRF synchrotron radiation security

High brightness of SSRF brings about synchrotron radiation security problems, which will be solved in physics design. The main radiations are generated from bending magnets and insertion devices. Since the fact that radiation power and radiating area are different in these two kinds of synchrotron radiation, the arrangements of photon absorbers, diaphragms and other vacuum components need to be treated distinctively. In addition, SSRF interlock protection threshold is defined and the beam orbit in the straight line is limited. Hence, beam orbit in the bending magnets and IDs are also restricted by the threshold. The orbit restriction is calculated and helps us to arrange the vacuum components. In this paper, beam orbit distortion restricted by interlock protection threshold, radiation power, radiation angle and illuminating area are calculated. From the calculation results, the physics designs in manufacture and installation vacuum components are put forward. By commissioning, it is shown that physics requirements are met rigidly in the engineering process.     

Macrosonics in industry: 4. Chemical processing

Acoustic irradiation can result in increased inter-phase mass and heat transfer rates. The second-order acoustic effects of cavitation, interfacial instability, radiation pressure and acoustic streaming are responsible for the enhancement in these rate processes. The application of sonic and ultrasonic energy in industrial processing is reviewed. A number of units using acoustic energy to enhance rates of conventional unit processes, for example, drying, solid-liquid extraction, etc, are described. In addition, new applications in waste water treatment and oil-water emulsion fuels are described. The development of newer, more efficient generators should lead to a greater use of acoustic energy for large-scale industrial processing.     

Energetic balance in an ultrasonic reactor using focused or flat high frequency transducers

In order to undertake irradiation of polymer blocks or films by ultrasound, this paper deals with the measurements of ultrasonic power and its distribution within the cell by several methods. The electric power measured at the transducer input is compared to the ultrasonic power input to the cell evaluated by calorimetry and radiation force measurement for different generator settings. Results obtained in the specific case of new transducer types (composites and focused composites i.e., HIFU: high intensity focused ultrasound) provide an opportunity to conduct a discussion about measurement methods. It has thus been confirmed that these measurement techniques can be applied to HIFU transducers. For all cases, results underlined the fact that measurement of radiation pressure for power evaluation is more adapted to low powers (<15 W) and that measurement by calorimetry is a valid technique for global energy measurements. Composites and monocomponent transducers were compared and it appears that the presence of an adaptation glass plate reduces the efficiency of the monocomponent transducers. The distribution of ultrasonic intensity is qualitatively depicted by sono-chemiluminescence of luminol. Finally, the quantity of energy absorbed by samples placed in the sound field is determined and the temperature distribution monitored as a function of wall distance. This energetic balance allows us to understand the global behaviour of all experimental set-ups made up of a generator–transducer–liquid and sample.     

Theory of light fluctuation filtering in the two-photon absorption process by multiple second harmonic generation. II. Quantum description. Possibilities of experimental realization

Two-photon absorption is treated from the point of view of quantum theory in this paper. Both rigorous and approximate solutions are presented. It is shown that the theoretical extreme value of photon antibunching, characterized by the normalized variance of integrated intensity, is ? 1/2, while its practical value in real experiments is about ?1/3 for both coherent and chaotic input radiation. In the case of the chaotic input radiation, fully coherent radiation can be obtained in this process. Possibilities for experimental realization of two-photon absorption by means of multiple second harmonic generation in thin nonlinear plates, with the generated second harmonic radiation filtered out, are discussed and some values of nonlinear plate thickness, number of light transits and mean intensity of input radiation are estimated. From the standpoint of the possibilities of detection of statistical properties of the resulting light, classical light fluctuation filtering seems to be more practical than the quantum counterpart.