Patent ID: 7712353
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: B01F,B01J

Abstract:
1. An ultrasonic treatment chamber for ultrasonically treating a liquid having a thermal conductivity, said treatment chamber comprising: an elongate housing having longitudinally opposite ends and an interior space, the housing being generally closed at said longitudinal ends and having an inlet port for receiving liquid into the interior space of the housing and an outlet port through which liquid is exhausted from the housing following ultrasonic treatment of the liquid, the outlet port being spaced longitudinally from the inlet port such that liquid flows longitudinally within the interior space of the housing from the inlet port to the outlet port, an elongate ultrasonic waveguide assembly extending longitudinally within the interior space of the housing and being operable at a predetermined ultrasonic frequency to ultrasonically energize liquid flowing within the housing, the waveguide assembly comprising an elongate ultrasonic horn disposed intermediate the inlet port and the outlet port of the housing and having an outer surface located for contact with liquid flowing within the housing from the inlet port to the outlet port; and a bed of particles captured within the interior space of the housing transversely intermediate the waveguide assembly and the chamber housing, said particles having a thermal conductivity substantially greater than that of the liquid flowing within said housing, a ratio of the thermal conductivity of the particles to the thermal conductivity of said liquid being in the range of about 2:1 to about 400:1.