DENSE-PHASE FLUID CLEANING SYSTEM UTILIZING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS

摘要

A cleaning system (20) utilizing a pressurized dense-phase cleaning fluid (22) includes a cleaning containment vessel (24) having a containment-vessel interior (26), and a pressurization source (44) in fluid communication with the containment-vessel interior (26) to produce a cleaning pressure therein. There is at least one ultrasonic energy source (32) directing ultrasonic energy into the containment-vessel interior (26). Where there are two ultrasonic energy sources (32), they desirably function at different frequencies. Each ultrasonic energy source (32) includes a transducer housing (34) having a transducer-housing interior (36), an ultrasonic transducer (38) within the transducer-housing interior (36) and directing a beam of ultrasonic energy through the transducer housing (34) and into the containment-vessel interior (26), and a gas-pressure source (44) in fluid communication with the transducer-housing interior (36). The gas-pressure source produces a pressure in the transducer-housing interior (36) substantially equal to the cleaning pressure.