Patent ID: 7998322

Claim:
A treatment chamber for treating a liquid, the treatment chamber comprising: an elongate housing having longitudinally opposite ends and an interior space, the housing being generally closed at least one longitudinal end and having at least one inlet port for receiving liquid into the interior space of the housing and at least one 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 at least in part 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 plurality of discrete agitating members in contact with and extending transversely outward from the outer surface of the horn intermediate the inlet port and the outlet port in longitudinally spaced relationship with each other, the agitating members and the horn being constructed and arranged for dynamic motion of the agitating members relative to the horn upon ultrasonic vibration of the horn at the predetermined frequency and to operate in an ultrasonic cavitation mode of the agitating members corresponding to the predetermined frequency and the liquid being treated in the chamber; an electrical current source being in electrical contact with the outer surface of the horn and a sidewall of the housing, thereby producing an electrode potential within the interior space of the housing, wherein the electrode potential produced is in the range of about 0.1V to about 15V; and at least a first insulating member and a second insulating member electrically insulating the housing from the waveguide assembly.