HIFU induced cavitation with reduced power threshold
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for irradiating a liquid sample with acoustic energy to generate cavitation in the liquid sample, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiving section for receiving a cartridge containing the liquid sample with an air volume above the liquid sample, wherein the boundary between the liquid sample and the air volume is a liquid-air interface;
a source for emitting high intensity ultrasound waves into the cartridge; and
a control unit for causing the high intensity ultrasound waves to be focused at a focus position within the cartridge to create a fountain of liquid above the liquid-air interface within the cartridge, said fountain of liquid including returning liquid droplets that fall back onto the liquid sample as nucleation elements that induce cavitation in the liquid sample.
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Abstract
An apparatus for irradiating a liquid sample with acoustic energy to generate cavitation in the liquid sample is provided. The apparatus includes a source and is adapted to receive a cartridge in such a way, that the apparatus focuses the HIFU waves emitted from the source onto a liquid air interface that is present within the cartridge. This focusing is performed when the cartridge is inserted into a receiving section of the apparatus.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for irradiating a liquid sample with acoustic energy to generate cavitation in the liquid sample, the apparatus comprising:
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a receiving section for receiving a cartridge containing the liquid sample with an air volume above the liquid sample, wherein the boundary between the liquid sample and the air volume is a liquid-air interface; a source for emitting high intensity ultrasound waves into the cartridge; and a control unit for causing the high intensity ultrasound waves to be focused at a focus position within the cartridge to create a fountain of liquid above the liquid-air interface within the cartridge, said fountain of liquid including returning liquid droplets that fall back onto the liquid sample as nucleation elements that induce cavitation in the liquid sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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7. A method for irradiating a liquid sample with acoustic energy to generate cavitation in the liquid sample, the method comprising the steps:
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emitting high intensity ultrasound waves at a source; transferring the high intensity ultrasound waves from the source to a cartridge containing the liquid sample with an air volume above the liquid sample, wherein the boundary between the liquid sample and the air volume is a liquid-air interface; focusing the emitted high intensity ultrasound waves into the cartridge to create a fountain of liquid above the liquid-air interface within the cartridge; and inducing a cavitation process in the liquid sample by liquid droplets of the fountain falling back onto the liquid sample as nucleation elements. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification