Patent ID: 7261823

Claim:
A method of treating a liquid or slurry with an ultrasonic energy comprising: providing a first member being permeable to a medium, and a first vibrating device, the first vibrating device and the first member having a first gap formed therebetween, the first gap representing a first distance; providing a guide member aligned with the first member, the medium moving relative to the guide member and the guide member forming a retardation zone and an acceleration zone in the medium as the medium flows under the guide member; the guide member breaking up fiber flocculation at an upper part of the medium and exerting a pressure on the medium; feeding the medium between the first member and the guide member; the first vibrating device generating pulses through the first member to form imploding bubbles in the medium, the bubbles having a critical diameter prior to implosion that is greater than the first distance to prevent the bubbles from being disposed in the first gap; and the bubbles imploding to break up fiber flocculation in a lower part of the medium close to the first member.