Patent ID: 8057573

Claim:
A method for increasing the shelf life of a formulation using an ultrasonic treatment system, the method comprising: delivering the formulation via at least one inlet port into an interior space of an elongate housing of a treatment chamber, the housing being generally closed at least one longitudinal end; and the treatment chamber further comprising 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 and treat the formulation flowing within the housing, the waveguide assembly comprising an elongate ultrasonic horn disposed at least in part intermediate the inlet port and a first outlet port and a second outlet port of the housing and having an outer surface located for contact with the formulation flowing within the housing from the inlet port to the first and second outlet ports, 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 first and second outlet ports 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 formulation being treated in the chamber; ultrasonically treating the formulation via the elongate ultrasonic waveguide assembly operating in the predetermined ultrasonic frequency; exhausting an effluent gas removed from the formulation from the housing via the first outlet port; and exhausting a treated formulation from the housing via the second outlet port, wherein the treated formulation has the effluent gas removed therefrom, the first and second outlet ports being independently spaced longitudinally from the inlet port such that the formulation flows longitudinally within the interior space of the housing from the inlet port to the first and second outlet ports, and wherein the first outlet port is spaced longitudinally below the second outlet port.