Optimizing acoustic efficiency of a sonic filter or separator

• US 9,833,763 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Regina M
• Application Number:
  US13/983,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• 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. An apparatus comprising:

a container having a container wall characterized by a combination of both, being made of a selected type of material and 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 having a wavelength with a desired frequency into the fluid;

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

wavelength of the 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;

wherein the container wall is a steel plate having a thickness of about ¾

″

; and

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, and a third resonance produced at about 452.1 KHz.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a sonic filter or separator.