Method and apparatus for preventing biofouling of aquatic sensors

摘要

A submersible ultrasonic emitter is integrated with a dissolved oxygen (DO) or other aquatic probe so that biofouling of the sensor's membrane is minimized. Sonification, that is, exposure to ultrasound, precludes the need to use other biofouling elimination procedures such as water/air jets, chemical treatments, or biocides. The invention can be configured to readily integrate with existing probes from a variety of manufacturers, and eliminates membrane cleaning as the maintenance interval constraint for field or laboratory deployed sensors.