US3433461A - High-frequency ultrasonic generators - Google Patents
High-frequency ultrasonic generators Download PDFInfo
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- US3433461A US3433461A US640247A US3433461DA US3433461A US 3433461 A US3433461 A US 3433461A US 640247 A US640247 A US 640247A US 3433461D A US3433461D A US 3433461DA US 3433461 A US3433461 A US 3433461A
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B17/00—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups
- B05B17/04—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods
- B05B17/06—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations
- B05B17/0607—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers
- B05B17/0653—Details
- B05B17/0669—Excitation frequencies
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B17/00—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups
- B05B17/04—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods
- B05B17/06—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations
- B05B17/0607—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers
- B05B17/0615—Apparatus for spraying or atomising liquids or other fluent materials, not covered by the preceding groups operating with special methods using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers spray being produced at the free surface of the liquid or other fluent material in a container and subjected to the vibrations
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B06—GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL
- B06B—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, e.g. FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL
- B06B1/00—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
- B06B1/02—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy
- B06B1/06—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction
- B06B1/0644—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction using a single piezoelectric element
- B06B1/0662—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction using a single piezoelectric element with an electrode on the sensitive surface
- B06B1/0666—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction using a single piezoelectric element with an electrode on the sensitive surface used as a diaphragm
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
- G10K11/18—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound
- G10K11/26—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning
- G10K11/32—Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning characterised by the shape of the source
Definitions
- FIG. 2 HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRAS ONIC GENERATORS Filed May 22, 1967 Sheet of s 3 FIG. FIG. 2
- An alternative focusing type includes a supporting disk of which the external face is formed to include slight variations in topography which serve to focus the generated beam by differential refraction.
- the refracting element is included in the bottom of a vessel containing liquid to the nebulized, which is disposed in the path of the ultrasonic beam.
- Piezoelectric crystal wafers whether homogeneous or of ceramic material, which are designed to vibrate in a principal thickness mode at frequencies of a megacycle or more, are generally thin and frangible.
- it has been customary to mount such wafers on baoking or loading elements, which, in turn, are mounted; in Supporting frames for handling purposes.
- baoking or loading elements which, in turn, are mounted; in Supporting frames for handling purposes.
- these supporting frames or mounting devices operate to substantially damp or clamp the vibratory motion, so that the maximum power which can be generated with a piezoelectric generator of this type at frequencies of the order of a megacycle or more is of the order of 50 Watts.
- a principal object of the present invention is to provide a high-frequency ultrasonic generator of increased eificiency and power.
- a more particular object of the invention is to provide a holder for high-frequency piezoelectric driving elements which imposes minimum damping action on the vibratory motion.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a high-powered piezoelectric vibrator for frequencies in the megacycle range which is adapted to be grasped and applied manually for a variety of ultrasonic mixing, stirring, and atomizing operations.
- Still another object is to provide a powerful high frequency generator of rugged construction in which the ultrasonic beamis focused or concentrated in a given area or along a given line
- a piezoelectric crystalline wafer a half-wavelength thick in the vibrating frequency, and poled to vibrate in a thick ness mode, is mounted concentrically on the underside of a backing or supporting disk, also a half-wavelength thick.
- annular indentations On the upper and lower surfaces of the disk, slightly removed from the periphery of the piezoelectric wafer, is a pair of matching annular indentations, the flat inner surfaces of which form between them an annular ring a few thousandths of an inch thick, which makes annular contact with the central, wafer mounting portion, of the disk at its quarter-wave or nodal plane in a thickness direction, where the vibratory motion is at a minimum.
- the backing element with the crystalline wafer rigidly mounted on its underside, forms a vibratory unit substantially one wavelength thick.
- the disk 2 is mounted at its edges, beyond the annular indentations, on a cylindrical cup, so that the vibratory crystal element projects into the cavity.
- An elbow connector which is screwed to an opening in the curved wall of the cylindrical cup, serves for connection to an elongated tube which acts both as a rigid handle and as a conduit for electrical connections to the piezoelectric wafer.
- the piezoelectric wafer and the supporting portion of the half-wave backing disk are suspended only at a nodal plane in the vibratory system, they are sub stantially mechanically isolated from the supporting frame, the vibratory motion generated by the unit being virtually undamped. It has been found, using a transducer assemblage in accordance with the present invention, that it is possible to generate vibrations in the megacycle range up to a maximum power of about 250 watts.
- a particular [feature of the device of the present invention is the facility with which it can be grasped, transported, and applied manually.
- the shallow cylindrical airtight cup in which the piezoelectric driving element is suspended may be of the order' of two inches in outer diameter, and about three-quarters of an inch thick, with a connecting conduit or handle, say, six inches long.
- Such a device readily fits into an ordinary drinking glass or cocktail shaker where it is especially adapted to apply high-powered ultrasonic waves in a very highfrequency range to the mixing and stirring of beverages and the like; or, it readily fits into a beaker or other container for generating a beam for ultrasonic cleaning purposes or for emulsifying, mixing, dissolving, or atomizing components for medical-or chemical uses.
- the high-frequency ultrasonic beam is focused to a substantially restricted area, This may be accomplished in a number of different ways.
- the piezoelectrically active element may take the form of a curved ceramic focusing bowl or trough which may be, for example, semispherical, parabolic, or even cylindrical in shape.
- the inner surface of the piezoelectric element is bonded to the outer surface of a rigid mounting 01' facing element of matching curvalinear shape.
- the bowl or trough-shaped assemblage which is constructed to have a combined thickness of one or more wavelengths for vibration in a principal resonant-thickness mode, may, in preferred form, be mounted by means of a nodal contact member which is integrally connected in the quarterwave area of the mounting or facing element.
- a nodal contact member which is integrally connected in the quarterwave area of the mounting or facing element.
- this may take the form of a thin-walled contacting ring; whereas in the case of the trough, the contacts may assume the 3 form of two thin linear members connected along the nodal line on each of the edges of the mounting member, or alternatively, protruding outwardly from the ends thereof.
- the composite vibratory assemblage may be suspended with the curved end protruding inwardly to an air chamber.
- this may take the form of a rigid cylindrical chamber, whereas in the case of the semicylindrical generating element, the housing may be in the form of a parallepiped.
- the active element is a ceramic pipe, to the inner surface of which is bonded the outer surface of a metal pipe of slightly smaller cross-section.
- the active element is treated to vibrate in a principal resonantthickness mode, electrode contacts being applied to the inner and outer curved surfaces thereof.
- the composite ceramic and metal pipe may be mounted by means of a thin nodal collar protruding from the nodal area at each of the ends of the metal pipe.
- the nodal collar is formed into an outwardly directed flange which is fastened to the edge of an enclosing pipe of substantially larger diameter which may serve as the housing for the ceramic pipe. Liquid to be ultrasonically processed is passed in a stream through the inner pipe.
- the high-frequency ultrasonic beam is focused by fashioning the mounting plate in the form of an ultrasonic lens.
- a thin nodal ring integral with the mounting element may serve as a contacting member for supporting the generator in a closed housing, in the manner of the previously described embodiments.
- An application to which the ultrasonic generator of the present invention, and particularly the modified focally directed embodiments are adapted, is the ultrasonic genera tion of fog for thereapeutic and research applications.
- an actively vibrating transducer of the form of the present invention when placed in a container of liquid, it generates a fog comprising substantially uniform droplets, the cross sectional dimension of which is a function of the frequency of the vibrations, the quantity of fog being a function of the power of the generator.
- the focally-modified transducer as disclosed herein, has the particular feature of concentrating the generated ultrasonic energy in a focal area or along a focal line, in such a manner that the vibrational intensity of the generated beam is substantially increased.
- a focally-modified form of the invention is substantially more effective than nonfocal embodiments for fog generation and most other applications.
- a refractive lens yp lement i incorp ra ed in he base of a container of liquid to be nebulized which is disposed in the path of the generated beam.
- FIG. 1 is a showing, in perspective of one embodiment of the piezoelectric driving unit of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the assemblage of FIG. 1, taken along the line 22;
- FIGS. 3 and 4 are slight modifications of the combination shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
- FIG. 5 is a perspective showing of the upper plate of FIG. 1, cut away to show a portion of the crystal wafer mounted on its underside;
- FIG. 6 is a sectional showing of a modified spheroidal focusing embodiment of the ultrasonic generator of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 shows in perspective, partially broken away, a further modification of the focusing high-frequency ultrasonic transducer of FIG. 6 in which the active and mounting elements form a semicylinder;
- FIG. 8 of the drawings shows in longitudinal section a further modification of the ultrasonic generator of the present invention in which the active element takes the form' of a ceramic pipe, to the inner surface of which is bonded a metal pipe to serve as a mounting element;
- the composite comprising the ceramic and inner metal pipe being mounted in a larger pipe which serves as a housing;
- FIG. 9 is a modification of the generator assemblage of FIG. 1 in which the metal supporting element is slightly concave;
- FIG. 10 shows a further modification of the supporting element of FIG. 9 in which the outer face includes angular discontinuities in a Fresnel pattern
- FIG. 11 is an illustration of the theory relating to the angular indentations of FIG. 10;
- FIG. 12 shows a nebulizing system wherein the generating element disposed at the base of a tank of water directs an ultrasonic beam into a second container of liquid, the bottom of which contains a Fresnel-type lens;
- FIG. 13 shows a modification of FIG. 12 in which the second container, including the Fresnel-type lens, rests directly on the ultrasonic generator.
- FIG. 1 is substantially a showing, in perspective, of the device of the present invention, as actually constructed.
- the piezoelectric crystal element 1 in the present illustrative em bodiment may comprise any of the piezoelectric crystal elements well-known in the art which are cut or formed and poled to vibrate in a thickness direction such as, for example, a ceramic wafer of lead zirconate titanate or alternatively, a wafer of modified barium titanate with a cobalt additive, known by the trade name Channelite which is manufactured by Channel Industries of California.
- the piezoelectric wafer 1 Prior to mounting, the piezoelectric wafer 1 is treated in a manner well-known in the art by applying an elec trical potential across the electrode contacts, through the thickness thereof, while heating it up to above the Curie temperature and letting it cool again to room temperature, in order to pole the wafer for vibration in a principal thickness mode. It is thenaged in a manner well-known in the art.
- the wafer 1 is designed to be substantially a half-wavelength thick in the principal vibrating frequency.
- the wafer 1 has a diameter of one and one-half inches and a thickness of one-eighth of an inch for a resonant frequency of substantially one megacycle, although it will be understood that this is varied in accordance with the desired resonant frequency.
- Crystal element 1 is concentrically mounted on the underside of a backing disk 2 which may comprise any material having a good coeificient of conductivity for sonic waves such as, for example, aluminum, stainless steel,
- the disk 2 which is also a half-wavelength thick in the principal vibrating frequency of the piezoelectric wafer 1, is aluminum having a two inch diameter and a thickness of three-sixteenths of an inch. To accommodate the crystalline wafer 1, disk 2 has a slight concentric recess of several thousandths of an inch on its underside. Crystal wafer 1 is fitted into this recess and bonded thereto by means of a conventional epoxy bonding material or other similar bonding material which is cured in a manner wellknown in the art.
- the mating surface of crystal element 1 Prior to bonding, the mating surface of crystal element 1 is cleaned ultrasonically by exposing it to ultrasonic action in a container of isopropyl alcohol or acetone, or any similar solvent characterized by rapid evaporation, at say, 40 kilocycles, for about ten minutes.
- backing element 2 after machining, is exposed to ultrasonic cleaning in a bath of tepid water, at a frequency within a similar frequency range.
- the crystal mating surface of disk 2 may be etched for improved performance, in a ten to twenty percent solution of hydrochloric acid, or a similar etchant, until it is sufficiently free of grease and oil on the surface, so that water under an open tap will wet the surface completely.
- the vibratory structure will be better understood by reference to the perspective showing in FIG. 5, the cutaway portion of which indicates the manner in which the ceramic wafer 1 is fitted into the underside of the disk 2.
- the combination of the wafer 1 with the backing element 2 forms a vibrating system substantially one wavelength thick, in the direction of propagation of the vibrations, which is the thickness direction of the wafer and backing disk.
- the bonding agent which is applied may or may not be conductive.
- the conductive epoxy forms the upper electrode coating of the crystal wafer 1.
- a contact 5a which is connected to the upper face may be brought around to the underside, where it is electrically insulated from the electrode contact 5b which is connectedto an electrode coating of silver paste or the like, a few'fthousandths of an inch thick which is evaporated or otherwise applied to the under surface of crystalline wafer 1.
- a principal feature of the present invention is the fact that between the edge of the mounting disk 2 and the periphery of the attached piezoelectric element 1 are machined or otherwise formed a pair of annular grooves 3a and 3b of rectangular cross-section on the upper and lower faces, each substantially .0575 inch deep and three thirty-seconds of an inch wide. Grooves 3a and 3b are matched on the upper and lower surfaces so that they form between them a thin annular supporting ring 4 which is approximately .01 inch thick and three-thirty-seconds of an inch across. This is shown in perspective in the cutaway portion of FIG. 5.
- the annular ring 4 serves to contact the central portion of the disk 2 precisely at a nodal plane in the vibratory motion where the longitudinal displacement is practically at a minimum.
- This flange or shoulder 6 serves as a peripheral support for the disk 2, where the latter may be sealed in place with any of the well-known bonding agents having good acoustic conducting properties, such as an epoxy known by the trade name Epon VIII manufactured by the Shell Chemical Company.
- the base plate 9 is formed, for example, of aluminum, has an over-all diameter of two and one-quarter inches and is one-fourth of an inch thick. In the particular embodiment under description, base plate 9 is bolted or screwed onto the end of the tube 7 by means of the screws 11.
- a gasket 10 may be interposed between the contacting surfaces of the tube 7 and the base plate 9. The gasket 10 is cemented or bonded in a liquid-tight seal with the contacting surfaces by any of the cements well-known for such purposes.
- FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate combinations in which alter native methods are used for assembling the base plate 9 and the tube portion 7.
- the base plate 9 which has an outer diameter of two and one-half inches as in the previous embodiment, is three-sixteenths of an inch. thick, except for a slightly raised circular portion one and three-quarter inches in diameter, and from .01 to .015 inch thick, on its upper face. This provides a slight shoulder against which is mounted the lower annular surface of the tube 7.
- the latter is bonded with an adhesive of good acoustic conducting properties, such as an epoxy resin, which may, for example, be the bonding agent known by the trade name Epon VIII described above. A liquid-tight seal is thus formed. It will be noted that no screws are used externally in this embodiment.
- the base plate 9" is formed so that the raised central portion is raised sub:
- the cup formed from tube 7 in the manner previously described, has an inner air-filled chamber 8 which in the embodiment of FIG. 2 has an inner diameter of one and three-quarter inches and a depth of seven-sixteenths of an inch within which chamber the inner face of the crystal wafer 1 is disposed to vibrate freely.
- a screw opening 13 in one of the curved walls of the tube 7 accommodates a hollow screw connector feeding into an elbow connector 15 of steel or the like which has an outer diameter of three-fourths of an inch and is approximately one inch from top to bottom.
- elbow connector 15 may also be sealed with a liquidtight seal of epoxy resin of the type previously described or some other of the sealing compounds well-known in the art.
- the upper end of the elbow 15 has a hollow screw fitting 14 approximately five-sixteenths of an inch in di ameter, the lower end of which connects with the inner passage from chamber 8.
- a steel tube 16 which has an outer diameter of three-eighths of an inch, an inner diameter of three-sixteenths of an inch, and in the present illustrative embodiment is six inches long, is screwed into the hollow fitting 14 of elbow 15.
- the tube 16 terminates in a shielded coaxial cable connector 18, such as one of the types manufactured by the American Phenolic Cor poration, and known by the trade name Amphenol connectors. This is sealed to the outer surface of the rod 16 by means of an epoxy or other bonding agent of one of. the types heretofore described.
- the contact 5a to the uper electrode coating of wafer 1 is grounded by connection to a screw 12 on the inner surface of base plate 9.
- Contact to electrode 51; on the lower surface of the crystal element 1 is made by means of a lead wire 20 which passes through the hollow fitting 14 in the elbow connector 15, sealed in a liquid-tight seal with a bonding compound such as epoxy resin or the like. It then passes through the conduit 17 comprising the metal tube 16 and the coaxial connector 18, having a flange 19, to an outer terminal which may be connected to a source (not shown) of alternating current high-frequency oscillations, of any of the types well-known in the art.
- the top may be painted with an epoxy paint.
- the lower portions may be similarly painted with epoxy paint to seal up the openings.
- the device of the present invention includes a piezoelectric element in which the damping action of the supporting frame is substantially minimized. This permits the system, including the driving element and the supporting frame, to vibrate at frequencies exceeding a megacycle, generating vibrations at an output power of up to, for example, 250 watts, a level of power heretofore unob tainable with devices of this type.
- a focusing embodiment of the high-frequency ultrasonic generator of the present invention comprising a semispherical bowl 21.
- -A suitable material for present purposes is a ceramic material known as lead zirconate titanate which has been formed into a bowl 0.078 inch thick, dimensioned externally three-quarters of an inch deep and one and one-half inches across the top.
- the piezoelectric ceramic bowl 21 Prior to mounting, the piezoelectric ceramic bowl 21 has been poled to vibrate in a principal thickness mode of vibration by treatment in a manner well-known in the art, and described in detail with reference to the ceramic disk 1 of FIGS. 1, et seq., of the drawings, in which electrical potential is ap plied through the thickness of the element while it is heated up to the Curie temperature and allowed to cool to room temperature, and to properly age.
- Bowl 21 has been designed to have a thickness of approximately one half wavelength in the principal vibrating frequency de sired for the generator, which for the present application is approximately one megacycle.
- the ceramic bowl 21 Prior to mounting, the ceramic bowl 21 is carefully machined to the precise desired shape and ultrasonically cleaned and treated in the manner described in detail with reference to the ceramic disk 1 of FIG. 1.
- a suitable thin conductive coating such as, for example, silver paste, is then applied by evaporation or in any manner wellknown in the art, to form electrode layers 22 and 23, a few mils thick, on the inner and outer curved surfaces of the bowl 21.
- the bowl 24, which is dimensioned to closely fit to the inner surface of the bowl 21, comprises aluminum, 0.100 inch thick, having over-all dimensions of eleven-sixteenths of an inch deep and one and five-sixteenths of an inch across the top.
- the inner surface of the bowl 21 is bonded to the outer surface of the bowl 24 by any conventional bonding material, such as one of the epoxies well-known in the art, which will be applied and cured in a manner well-known in the art to form a rigid bond of good acoustic conductance.
- the mating surface of bowl 24 Prior to bonding, is ultrasonically cleaned and treated in the manner described with reference to disk 2 of the structure of FIG. 1, to assure that it is free from grease and other contaminants.
- the composite structure including the bowls 21 and 24 bonded together is designed to have a combined thickness of approximately one wavelength in the desired thickness mode frequency of the system, the direction of propagation being inward in a substantially radial direction from any point along the inner surface of the bowl 24.
- the nodal ring extends oneeighth of an inch upward. However, it need not be so limited in vertical extent, nor need it necessarily be the particular shape shown in the illustrative embodiments; but can extend to any height desired and even be flanged at its outer end if need be, for mounting purposes.
- nodal ring 26 can be omitted altogether, with some reduction in the efliciency of the generator.
- the flange 27a is one-quarter of an inch in vertical extent and fifteen-thirty-seconds of an inch in horizontal extent.
- the annular closure 27, the nodal insulating ring 26, and the mounting bowl 24 are formed from a single piece of material, which in the present illustrative embodiment is aluminum.
- this element can be formed out of any of the materials having good coefficients of acoustic conductivity, including those previously mentioned with reference to bowl 24.
- the annular closure 27 is mounted in a cup-shaped supporting chamber.
- a cup-shaped supporting chamber may be formed from a hollow cylinder 28, which is two and one-quarter inches in outer diameter and one and seven-eighths inches in inner diameter.
- the inner edge of cylinder 28 is cut back one-sixteenth of an inch in from its inner edge, to a depth of one-eighth of an inch below the top and one-eighth of an inch above the bottom, to form a pair of annular upper and lower recesses.
- the annular closure 27 is fitted into the upper recess; and a bottom disk 29, one-eighth of an inch thick and two inches in diameter, is fitted into the lower recess.
- the enclosing chamber is aluminum, it will be appreciated that it may be formed of any other rigid material, metal or nonmetal.
- the gaskets 31 and 3 2 are respectively interposed between the closure 27 and the upper recess of cylinder 28; and between bottom disk 29 and the lower recess thereof.
- Each of the gaskets 31 and 32 is bonded to the contacting surfaces in a liquid-tight seal by any of the cements well-known for such purposes, so as to form a completely lea-k proof chamber.
- a contact 34 fastens an electrically conducting lead 35 to the outer electrode coating 22.
- Lead 35 is passed through the cylindrical wall 28 by means of a liquid-tight seal 36 to a conventional generator of high-frequency electrical. oscillations (not. shown), which is adapted to apply up to about 250 watts to drive the composite transducer comprising ceramic bowl 21 and mounting element 24. At the maximum applied wattage the voltage across electrodes 22 and 23 will be between 100 and 200 volts. It will be appreciated that the metal cladding provided by element 24 permits the use of much higher driving powers than in prior art devices, since it provides more heat dissipation.
- lead 35 of FIG. 6 is passed through a liquid-tight seal in the lower part of the case
- lead 35 could be designed to pass out of the enclosing chamber through a handle, such as the handle 16 of FIG. 1.
- the handle could be shaped in accordance with a desired application. For example, it could be made in the form of a right angle to enable the driving assemblage to be "more readily inserted in a beaker or container for stirring and cavitation operations.
- FIG. 7 of the drawings shows another modification of a focusing high-frequency transducer in accordance with the present invention, which is similar to the device disclosed in FIG. 6, except for the fact that the active element is semicylindrical instead of semispherical, forming a trough-shaped generator producing a high intensity ultrasonic beam which is focused along a plane which bisects the trough along its longitudinal axis.
- This comprises a piezoelectrically active element 41,
- element 41 is 0.078 inch thick, has a radius of curvature of five inches, and may measure from one to twelve inches along its outer circumference. It will be understood, however, that the radius of curvature of element 41 is not critical, and depends only on the degree of focusing desired. In fact, a useful combination could be formed of the type shown in FIG. 7, in which the generating element 41 is fiat. Active element 41 has electrode coatings 42 and 43 applied to the opposing curved surfaces in the manner previously described.
- a mounting or facing element 44 of a material similar to that described with reference to element 24 in a previous embodiment, is treated and bonded in a manner previously described 'by means of a bond 45 of epoxy or the like.
- the mounting or facing element 44 is aluminum, 0.100 inch thick and shaped to coincide on its outer curved surface with the inner curved surface of element 41 with which it is substantially coextensive.
- the outer ends of the mounting r facing element 44 have integrally formed, at a central or nodal area of each, a thin rib or contacting member 46, which is one-thirty-second of an inch thick, and which may, for example, extend oneeighth inch in a circumferential direction, and which may extend longitudinally to the full extent of the generator element 41.
- a thin rib or contacting member 46 which is one-thirty-second of an inch thick, and which may, for example, extend oneeighth inch in a circumferential direction, and which may extend longitudinally to the full extent of the generator element 41.
- the width and shaping of the nodal ribs 46 may be varied, depending on the requirements of the specific embodiment. In fact, assuming operation to be in the megacycle range of frequencies, ribs 46 may be omitted altogether, with an impairment in the efficiency of the generator, which would, nevertheless, be operative.
- ribs 46 are retained, as shown in FIG. 7, they are integrally connected on their upper long edges to a pair of substantially rectangular longitudinally extending parallel members 47a and 47b, which, with elements 44 and 46, form the upper face or closure of the liquid-tight generator chamber.
- the rest of the chamber may, for example, have the shape of a parallelpiped, in cluding side walls 48a, 48b, and end walls 50a, 50b, and
- Electrode contact 54 passes out through the liquid-tight seal 56 and is connected to a driving source of high-frequency electromagnetic oscillations which may be of any of the types wellknown in the art, delivering power of several hun dred watts to the ultrasonic vibrator. It will be understood with any of these devices that the driving power is limited by the heat dissipation in the device, which is a function, in each case, of the total area of the generator.
- a generator of substantially large area, which is liquid cooled can accommodate a larger power input than a device of small area which is not liquid cooled.
- the metal housing is connected to ground through contact 53. This grounds the upper electrode 43, assuming the latter has been connected to the metal chamber wall 48b through a contacting wire 43a.
- FIG. 7 A focusmg transducer of modified form is disclosed in longitudinal section in FIG. 8, in which the active element 61' is formed from a piezoelectrically active ceramic tube,
- the ceramic tube 61 which may comprise any piezoelectoyibrate in a principal resonant-thickness mode, sub- ,stantially in the manner described with reference to the piezoelectric element 1 of FIG. 1.
- a mounting element 64 may take the form of a metal tube substantially coextensive with ceramic tube 61 and of material such as aluminum having walls 0.100 inch thick.
- Tube 64 has an outer diameter which closely fits into the inner diameter of tube 61, and is bonded to the inner electrode-coated surface of ceramic tube 61 by a conventional epoxy bond 65.
- the thickness of each of the elements of the composite tube is such that the combined wall thickness is approximately one wavelength in the frequency of the resonant-thickness mode in which it is designed to vibrate.
- nodal contact is made with'the mounting element 64.
- contact is made along a circle halfway through the thickness of the mounting element 64, which represents the loci of the quarter-wave points in the resonant-thickness vibrational pattern, by means of a thin protruding collar 66a, 66b at each of the ends, which in the present embodiment is one-thirty second of an inch thick.
- the collars 66a, 66b protrude only about one-eighth of an inch beyond the respective pipe ends, it will be understood that they are not so limited in extent.
- the collars 66a, 66b are respectively integrally connected to and concentric with the respective tubular elements 67a, 67b, also of aluminum having wall thickness, of say, oneeighth of an inch and an inner and outer diameter substantially the same as those of mounting element 64. These respectively extend several inches outward, in a longitudinal direction from the collars 66a, 66b.
- this has an outer diameter of three inches and an inner diameter of two and one-half inches, and a length of five inches, extending one-half inch beyond each of the ends of the ceramic tube 61, terminating at each of its ends in inwardly directed annular flanges 69a and 69b of substantially the same thickness as tube wall 68.
- the flanges 69a and 69b are constructed to fit snugly around the terminating cylinders 67a and 67b against the respective gaskets 71a and 71b, to form liquid-tight, leak proof seals at each of the ends.
- the high voltage terminal 74 to the outer electrode coating 62 of the ceramic tube 61 is connected to lead 75 which passes through the wall of the housing tube 68 through a liquid-tight seal 76.
- the low voltage electrode coating 63 on the inner face of the ceramic tube 61 is connected to ground through a lead 63a, fastened to the inner wall of the annular housing flange 69b, which is grounded through contact 73.
- the high voltage terminal is connected to a high-frequency electrical oscillator (not shown) which is constructed to drive the transducer at several hundred watts, as described previously.
- the inner tube 64 should be formed preferably of titanium, which is highly corrosion resistant.
- focusing can also be achieved by shaping the outer face of the mounting or facing element to thereby cause refraction of the gen erated ultrasonic beam in accordance with Snells law.
- FIG. 9 shows a modification of the generator element of FIGS. i-5, in which the outer face of the metal mounting disk 2 has been slightly modified so that instead of being flat as shown in FIG. 1, it is slightly concave.
- the piezoelectrically active element 1 is a ceramic wafer one and one half inches in diameter and 0.078 inch thick, bonded concentrically on the under surface of an aluminum disk 2' which is two inches in diameter and has a thickness of substantially 0.100 inch.
- V and V are the respective velocities of sound in the materials at the interface, at the specified frequency, which in the case under consideration are aluminum and water, at a frequency of one megacycle.
- the depth of the nadir of the conical hollow machined on its face should not exceed about one tenth of the initial thickness of the element. Otherwise, the essential resonant character of the vibrator is de stroyed.
- the piezoelectric element 1 is 0.078 inch thick, and that the initial thickness of the element 2.” (which in the illustration is aluminum) is 0.100 inch thick, the discontinuities 30 will protrude 10 mils beyond the plane defined by the edge of the outer face of element 2".
- the central cavity d is about 10 mils deep.
- the resultant beam will be concentrated along the central axis of the element 2", exhibiting substantial focal activity in an area about one inch beyond the face.
- a further modification of my invention is the system shoix n in FIG. 12 of the drawings, which is useful for the ultrasonic nebulization of liquid and for other applica tions.
- Container 81 is filled to a depth of three inches, in the present illustra tion, with a quantity of liquid 83 to be nebulized.
- the sides of container 81 may be of any thickness sufficient to give it the desired rigidity
- the bottom of container 81 is formed by molding or casting the polystyrene (or like plastic) into a Fresnel-type lens similar in form to the lens shown and described with reference to FIG. 10, or any other suitable focusing modification, and has, in the present embodiment, a total thickness of to 20 mils.
- Container 81 may be supported in any usual manner, such as by a pair of supporting arms or a conventional spider arrangement 82, fastened to the inner wall of con tainer, 80, so that the bottom of container 81 may, for convenience of operation, be vertically separated a distance up to several inches from the upper face of the mounting or facing element 2 of the ultrasonic generator.
- the bottom of container 81 may be set directly on the outer face of element 2 of the ultrasonic generator, as shown in FIG. 13,
- any other materials having similar acoustic properties such as, for example, stainless steel, brass, and material known by the trade name Monel (International Nickel Company) may'also be used.
- Monel International Nickel Company
- titanium has been found to be especially suitable for use as a backing or mounting element.
- A. further novel use for high power high-frequency ultrasonic generators of the present invention, particularly of the elongated form indicated in FIG. 7, is for ato mizing fuel in a petroleum combustion system,
- the device would be mounted in a reservoir of the petroleumafuel, in a chamber designed to communicate with the carburetor of the system.
- a system for generating a beam of high-frequency ultrasonic waves comprising in combination a piezoelectric generating element including a pair of electrodes, said generating element poled to vibrate in a principal resonant-thickness mode of vibration and having a thickness sulbstantially a half-wavelength in said resonant-thickness frequency, a mounting element bonded to and sulbstantially conforming at its inner surface to the shape of said piezoelectric generating element, said mounting element also having a thickness which is substantially a half-wavelength in said resonant-thickness frequency, whereby the compos ite comprising said generating element and said mounting element isconstructed to form a vibrator substantially one wavelength thick in said resonant-thickness frequency, a high-frequency source of electrical oscillations connected to saidelectrodes for driving the composite comprising said'lgenenating element to vibrate in said-resonant-thickness mode of vibration, means associated with the composite comprising said mounting element and said pie
- a system for nebulizing liquid which includes in combination a first open vessel containing a bath of liquid for propagating high-frequency sonic vibrations, means for generating a beam of high-frequency ultrasonic waves in said bath comprising a piezoelectric generating element including electrodes, said generating element poled to vibrate in a principal resonant-thickness mode of vibration and having a thickness substantially a half-Wavelength in said resonant-thickness frequency, a mounting element bonded to and substantially conforming at its inner surface to the shape of said piezoelectric generating element, whereby the composite comprising said generating element and said mounting element is constructed to form a vibrator immersed in said bath which is substantially one wavelength thick in said resonant-thickness frequency, means comprising a high-frequency source of electrical oscillations connected to said electrodes for driving said composite to vibrate in said resonant-thickness mode of vibration, means comprising a liquid-tight air chamber disposed to surround said generating element and constructed
Description
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US64024767A | 1967-05-22 | 1967-05-22 |
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US640247A Expired - Lifetime US3433461A (en) | 1967-05-22 | 1967-05-22 | High-frequency ultrasonic generators |
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US4159803A (en) * | 1977-03-31 | 1979-07-03 | MistO2 Gen Equipment Company | Chamber for ultrasonic aerosol generation |
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US4445207A (en) * | 1977-04-04 | 1984-04-24 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Frequency independent acoustic antenna |
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US4484317A (en) * | 1980-04-07 | 1984-11-20 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Multibeam lens/filter combination for sonar sensor |
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US5020724A (en) * | 1988-11-22 | 1991-06-04 | Agency Of Industrial Science And Technology, Ministry Of International Trade & Industry | Nozzle for water jet cutting |
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US5020724A (en) * | 1988-11-22 | 1991-06-04 | Agency Of Industrial Science And Technology, Ministry Of International Trade & Industry | Nozzle for water jet cutting |
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