ACOUSTIC MANIPULATION OF PARTICLES IN STANDING WAVE FIELDS

摘要

A method for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid is disclosed. The method includes flowing the mixture through an acoustophoretic device comprising an acoustic chamber, an ultrasonic transducer, and a reflector. The transducer includes a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber. A voltage signal is sent to drive the ultrasonic transducer in a displacement profile that is a superposition of a combination of different mode shapes that are the same order of magnitude to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber such that the second fluid or particulate is continuously trapped in the standing wave, and then agglomerates, aggregates, clumps, or coalesces together, and subsequently rises or settles out of the host fluid due to buoyancy or gravity forces, and exits the acoustic chamber.

主权项

1. A method for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid, comprising:
flowing a mixture of the host fluid and the second fluid or particulate through an acoustophoretic device, the acoustophoretic device comprising:
an acoustic chamber having at least one inlet and at least one outlet;at least one ultrasonic transducer located on a wall of the acoustic chamber, the at least one ultrasonic transducer including a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber; anda reflector located on a wall on the opposite side of the acoustic chamber from the at least one ultrasonic transducer; and sending a voltage signal to drive the at least one ultrasonic transducer in a displacement profile that is a superposition of a combination of different modes that are the same order of magnitude to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber such that the second fluid or particulate is continuously trapped in the standing wave, and then agglomerates, aggregates, clumps, or coalesces together, and subsequently rises or settles out of the host fluid due to buoyancy or gravity forces, and exits the acoustic chamber.