Suspension Processing Device

• US 20160194219A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: KAMBAYASHI, Takuya, NAKAMURA, Kentaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,604,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 43/00 Separating particles from liquids, or liquids from solids, otherwise than by sedimentation or filtration flotation processes B03D1/00; drying solid materials or objects F26B
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations

Abstract

Provided is a technique capable of reducing power consumption at driving time in relation to a suspension processing device using an ultrasonic wave. A suspension processing device 1A is provided with a suspension processing unit 3A configured of a flow channel unit 30 in which a suspension flows, and a drive control unit 2A that controls driving of the suspension processing unit 3A. The suspension processing unit 3A has a first oscillator 40a and a second oscillator 40b provided in the flow channel unit 30. The drive control unit 2A includes a signal amplifier 22. A first oscillator 40a and a second oscillator 40b are electrically connected to each other via the signal amplifier 22, and the ultrasonic wave is generated between the first oscillator 40a and the second oscillator 40b.

Claims

1. A suspension processing device comprising:

a suspension processing unit configured of a flow channel section in which suspension flows; and

a drive unit that drives the suspension processing unit,

wherein the suspension processing unit is provided with two or more oscillators including a first oscillator and a second oscillator so as to sandwich at least a part of a region of the flow channel section,

the drive unit includes a signal amplification unit,

an ultrasonic wave is generated by electrical connection between the second oscillator and an input unit of the signal amplification unit, and electrical connection between the first oscillator and an output unit of the signal amplification unit, and

processing that separates a fine particle or a solid from the suspension is performed in the part of the region by the generated ultrasonic wave.

2. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the drive unit has a switch that switches electrical connection of the first and second oscillators and the signal amplification unit between an ON state and an OFF state.

3. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the drive unit includes an output control unit that controls a magnitude of the electrical signal which is input to the first oscillator by the signal amplification unit.

4. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the drive unit includes a signal detector that detects the electrical signal which is input to the first oscillator by the signal amplification unit.

5. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein an oscillating surface of the first oscillator and an oscillating surface of the second oscillator are arranged to oppose each other in parallel at an inner side or an outer side of surfaces of a structural body that configures the flow channel unit,

the first oscillator converts the electrical signal from the signal amplification unit into the ultrasonic wave through the oscillating surface, and emits the ultrasonic wave into the region of the flow channel unit, and

the second oscillator receives the ultrasonic wave from inside of the region of the flow channel unit by the oscillating surface, converts the ultrasonic wave into the electrical signal, and outputs the electrical signal to the signal amplification unit.

6. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein, in the surfaces of a structural body that configures the flow channel unit,

the suspension processing unit includes:

one or more supply ports that supply the suspension from outside into the flow channel unit; and

two or more outlet ports including a first outlet port and a second outlet port that discharge processing liquids from inside of the flow channel unit to the outside,

a first processing liquid, which contains relatively a large number of the fine particles or the solids separated from the suspension, is discharged through the first outlet port, and

a second processing liquid, which contains relatively a small number of the fine particles or solids separated from the suspension, is discharged through the second outlet port.

7. The suspension processing device according to claim 6,

wherein, in the surfaces of the structural body that configures the flow channel unit,

the suspension processing unit includes:

the second outlet port at a position in the vicinity of the first oscillator;

the supply port at a position in the vicinity of the second oscillator; and

the first outlet port at a position between the second outlet port and the supply port.

8. The suspension processing device according to claim 6,

wherein, in the surfaces of the structural body that configures the flow channel unit,

the suspension processing unit includes:

the second outlet port at a position in the vicinity of the first oscillator;

the first outlet port at a position in the vicinity of the second oscillator; and

the supply port at a position between the second outlet port and the first outlet port.

9. The suspension processing device according to claim 7,

wherein the suspension processing unit includes an opening portion in at least one of the first oscillator and the second oscillator, and

the supply port, the first outlet port, or the second outlet port is provided at a position of the oscillator having the opening portion.

10. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the flow channel unit of the suspension processing unit is configured of a structural body having a shape of two or more branches, and

the first oscillator and the second oscillator are provided so as to sandwich a first region on a side at which the flow channel unit is not branched.

11. The suspension processing device according to claim 6,

wherein the flow channel unit of the suspension processing unit is configured of the structural body having a shape of two or more branches,

the first oscillator and the second oscillator are provided so as to sandwich a first region on a side at which the flow channel unit is not branched, and

the supply port is provided in the first region on the side at which the flow channel unit is not branched, the first outlet port is provided in a first branch region on a side at which the flow channel unit is branched, and the second outlet port is provided in a second branch region on the side at which the flow channel unit is branched.

12. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the ultrasonic wave is generated by amplifying a signal between the first oscillator connected to the output unit and the second oscillator connected to the input unit.

13. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the processing realizes the separation as the fine particle or the solid in the suspension is captured by the ultrasonic wave.

14. The suspension processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the fine particle or the solid contained in the suspension is smaller than an interval between an antinode and a node of a sound field to be formed by the ultrasonic wave.

15. The suspension processing device according to claim 8,

wherein the suspension processing unit includes an opening portion in at least one of the first oscillator and the second oscillator, and

the supply port, the first outlet port, or the second outlet port is provided at a position of the oscillator having the opening portion.