XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 217
Solution Design
Figure 7(a) shows the displacement field generated by
four power ultrasonic transducers into a pipe wall, and
Figure 7(b) shows the related acoustic pressure field gener-
ated into the internal liquid. The field is designed to cover
well at least a 1 m range within the pipe however, the
coverage depends on the pipe dimensions. Physical mech-
anisms, explaining fouling prevention, are cyclic displace-
ment deformation of the solid wall and cavitation due to
cyclic acoustic pressure.
Following this design, a four-transducer (operating at
20 kHz frequency) ZPD solution was installed onto the
outer surface of a pipe (DN125) containing sulphur-based
process liquid. The piezoelectric power ultrasound trans-
ducers were attached using a dry-contract and Altum’s
clamp-on mechanism (Figure 8).
The ultrasonic driving waveforms were generated
by Altum’s beam-steering software control. The client’s
instrumentation allowed monitoring of process param-
eters, which indicate the occurrence of fouling. The key
Figure 6. Average production cycle length without sonication (83 ± 18 h) and with sonication (178 ±
47 h). Errorbars show the standard deviation. Sonication essentially doubled the production cycle length.
Figure 7. Power ultrasonic actuation (4 × 250W) in a 5" pipe, (a) cyclic displacement field and (b) cyclic acoustic pressure
field, designed by FEM simulations to prevent fouling accumulation at the internal surface of the pipe wall
Solution Design
Figure 7(a) shows the displacement field generated by
four power ultrasonic transducers into a pipe wall, and
Figure 7(b) shows the related acoustic pressure field gener-
ated into the internal liquid. The field is designed to cover
well at least a 1 m range within the pipe however, the
coverage depends on the pipe dimensions. Physical mech-
anisms, explaining fouling prevention, are cyclic displace-
ment deformation of the solid wall and cavitation due to
cyclic acoustic pressure.
Following this design, a four-transducer (operating at
20 kHz frequency) ZPD solution was installed onto the
outer surface of a pipe (DN125) containing sulphur-based
process liquid. The piezoelectric power ultrasound trans-
ducers were attached using a dry-contract and Altum’s
clamp-on mechanism (Figure 8).
The ultrasonic driving waveforms were generated
by Altum’s beam-steering software control. The client’s
instrumentation allowed monitoring of process param-
eters, which indicate the occurrence of fouling. The key
Figure 6. Average production cycle length without sonication (83 ± 18 h) and with sonication (178 ±
47 h). Errorbars show the standard deviation. Sonication essentially doubled the production cycle length.
Figure 7. Power ultrasonic actuation (4 × 250W) in a 5" pipe, (a) cyclic displacement field and (b) cyclic acoustic pressure
field, designed by FEM simulations to prevent fouling accumulation at the internal surface of the pipe wall