OPTIMIZING ACOUSTIC EFFICIENCY OF A SONIC FILTER OR SEPARATOR

• US 20140301902A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cidra Corporate Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cidra Corporate Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Fernald, Mark R., Bailey, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,833,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/127
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/10 employing sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0877 Liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B03D 1/028 Control and monitoring of flotation processes; computer models therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2961 for discrete levels G01F23/2962 - G01F23/2968 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2967 for discrete levels

Abstract

Apparatus features a container and a transducer. The container is made of a selected material and has a container wall with a selected thickness, and configured to hold a fluid therein. The transducer is configured on the outside of the container wall, and is also configured to provide a standing wave into the fluid. The selected thickness and material of the container wall is chosen to ensure about a ½ wavelength of a desired frequency exists within the container wall, so as to substantially reduce back reflections toward the transducer due to any mismatch in acoustic impedance at the interface between the container wall and the fluid, and so as to substantially maximize the amount of energy delivered to the fluid, thus improving the operating efficiency of the apparatus.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a container having a container wall characterized by at least one parameter, including being made of a selected type of material or having a selected thickness, the container being configured to hold a fluid therein;

a transducer configured on the outside of the container wall, and also configured to provide a standing wave into the fluid;

the at least one parameter of the container wall being selected to ensure about a ½

wavelength of a desired frequency exists within the container wall, so as to substantially reduce back reflections toward the transducer due to any mismatch in acoustic impedance at the interface between the container wall and the fluid, and so as to substantially maximize the amount of energy delivered to the fluid, thus improving the operating efficiency of the apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is a combination of the selected material and the selected thickness of the container wall.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the container wall is a steel plate

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selected thickness is about ¾

″

.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the container wall is a steel plate having a thickness of about ¾

″

.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transducer is configured to provide the standing wave into the fluid with a sound speed in the steel plate of about 5,740 meters/sec, so as to produce a first ½

wave resonance at about 150.7 KHz, a second resonance (first full wave) at about 301.4 KHz, a third resonance is produced at about 452.1 KHz, etc.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a sonic filter or separator.

8. Apparatus comprising:

a container having a container wall being made of a selected material and having a selected thickness, and being configured to hold a fluid therein;

a transducer configured on the outside of the container wall, and also configured to provide a standing wave into the fluid;

the selected material and the selected thickness of the container wall being chosen to ensure about a ½

wavelength of a desired frequency exists within the container wall,

so as to substantially reduce back reflections toward the transducer due to any mismatch in acoustic impedance at the interface between the container wall and the fluid, and so as to substantially maximize the amount of energy delivered to the fluid, thus improving the operating efficiency of the apparatus.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the container wall is a steel plate having a thickness of about ¾

″

.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the transducer is configured to provide the standing wave into the fluid with a sound speed in the steel plate of about 5,740 meters/sec, so as to produce a first ½

wave resonance at about 150.7 KHz, a second resonance (first full wave) at about 301.4 KHz, a third resonance is produced at about 452.1 KHz, etc.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is a sonic filter or separator.