SEPARATION OF MULTI-COMPONENT FLUID THROUGH ULTRASONIC ACOUSTOPHORESIS

摘要

An acoustic standing wave is utilized to separate components from a multi-component fluid, such as oil from an oil-water mixture, in a fluid flow scheme with an acoustophoresis device. For example, the flow scheme and device allows for trapping of the oil as the oil coalesces, agglomerates, and becomes more buoyant than the water.

主权项

1. An acoustophoresis device, comprising:
one or more device inlets at a first end of the device, the first end having a first diameter for receiving fluid flow; a contoured wall downstream of the inlet that narrows the fluid flow to a second diameter of a connecting duct; a flow chamber downstream of the connecting duct, the flow chamber having:
an inlet at a first end for receiving the fluid flow,an outlet at a second end opposite the first end,at least one ultrasonic transducer located on a wall of the flow chamber, the ultrasonic transducer including a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional standing wave in the flow chamber, anda reflector located on a wall on the opposite side of the flow chamber from the at least one ultrasonic transducer; a first device outlet located at the first end of the device and separated from the device inlet by a longitudinal sidewall; and a second device outlet located at a second end of the device downstream of the flow chamber outlet.