Use of Ultrasonic Cavitation in Surface Cleaning: A Mathematical Model to Relate Cleaning Efficiency and Surface Erosion Rate

2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramamurthy Nagarajan

Ultrasonic cleaning, employing frequencies in the range of 40-200 kHz, is widely used in many industries requiring precision cleanliness in the micrometer to submicron particle size range—e.g., semiconductor wafer fabrication, hard disk drive manufacturing, and integrated circuit assembly. One overriding concern with the use of ultrasonic cleaning for delicate components and assemblies has been the specter of cavitation erosion—surface material loss and other functional degradation due to the impact of shock waves generated by collapsing bubbles and bubble clusters in an oscillating acoustic field. The simultaneous processes of surface cleaning and surface erosion in the presence of a high-frequency ultrasonic field (⩾ 58 kHz) are described here mathematically, and the equations are coupled to allow conceptual optimization of parametric settings to maximize cleaning efficiency while minimizing the level of erosion damage. This theoretical analysis is presented for various ultrasonic field conditions (frequency, intensity, etc.), fluid medium properties (viscosity, density), and surface conditions (hardness, smoothness, etc.). The contribution of acoustic streaming to surface cleaning is incorporated in the model, and is shown to have minimal influence on the optimum cluster collapse pressure, but to have a significant effect on the net cleaning efficiency for the surface.

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Jie Wang ◽  
Yong Gao ◽  
Zhiming You ◽  
Jiakun Fan ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
...  

Laser ablation technique is a novel method for obtaining a surface with a low secondary electron yield (SEY) that can mitigate electron cloud in high-energy accelerators. Before the installation of laser processed aluminum alloy, surface cleaning is of the essence to reduce the contaminations of ultra-high vacuum systems for providing appropriate pressure for beam operation consequently. Laser processed aluminum alloy is one of the crucial candidates for the vacuum system construction of future accelerators. Moreover, ultrasonic cleaning is an essential procedure for most materials applied in vacuum systems. Therefore, in order to verify the stability of the laser created structures by ultrasonic cleaning and evaluate the impact of the cleaning on the SEYs, the surface topographies, and the surface chemistries of laser treated aluminum alloy, SEY measurements and related tests were performed. After ultrasonic cleaning, the SEYs of laser treated aluminum alloy increased from 0.99, 1.05, and 1.16 to 1.43, 1.74, and 1.38, respectively. Compared to the surface roughness of uncleaned laser treated aluminum samples, the cleaned laser treated ones decreased from 10.7, 7.5, and 14.5 to 9.4, 6.9, and 12.9, respectively. The results indicate that ultrasonic cleaning can induce the SEY increase of laser processed aluminum alloy. The correlative mechanism between the surface morphology, the surface chemistry, and SEY increase were analyzed for the first time.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharlot Hart ◽  
Kara Raymond ◽  
C. Jason Williams ◽  
Justin Johnson ◽  
Jacob DeGayner ◽  
...  

AbstractChanging seasonal precipitation patterns prompted by climate change are likely causing increasing degradation of adobe architecture in the American Southwest. This deterioration includes surface erosion and catastrophic collapse. This study examines the impact of changing rainfall patterns on untreated adobe walls to understand how damage occurs and anticipate future impacts. To complete the study, we constructed 20 adobe test walls. Using a portable rain simulator, each wall was subjected to two rainfall experiments: high-intensity rainfall simulations (rain intensity variable) and low-intensity rainfall simulations (rain event number variable). Wall-degradation metrics (material loss, volume loss, affected surface area, and cavity depth) were calculated for each wall using pre- and post-simulation LiDAR scans. Internal wall moisture was also measured with embedded volumetric water content sensors. In the high-intensity experiment, the lines of best-fit for material loss and affected surface area show that surface erosion increases with rain intensity, while cavity depth remains consistent. Linear models and post-hoc tests indicate material loss and affected surface area is significantly different for each high-intensity rainfall treatment. Furthermore, the interior of each wall remained relatively dry demonstrating that rain intensity is not a strong predictor of interior wall moisture. In the low-intensity rainfall experiment, the rainfall simulations yielded statistically similar erosion and interior wall moisture results. Greater infiltration occurred under low-intensity long-duration rain conditions, while greater surficial damage occurred under high-intensity rain conditions. In conclusion, changing weather regimes are bringing more intense rainfall events to the arid American Southwest. This study suggests that more frequent high intensity rain events will cause increasing damage to adobe walls. Resource managers will need to adapt current management strategies to account for this change.


1994 ◽  
Vol 344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. F. Lu ◽  
Y. Aoyagi

AbstractSurface contaminations are removed by laser irradiation with pulse output and short wavelength from various substrate such as magnetic head slide, glass and metals. Laser cleaning is a new dry process to remove surface organic contaminations without using ultrasonic cleaning in organic solvents. This provides a new dry process to clean different substrate surfaces and can take the place of conventional wet cleaning processes such as ultrasonic cleaning with CFC and other organic solvents. The mechanisms of laser cleaning may include laser photodecomposition, laser ablation and surface vibration due to the impact of laser pulse. It is found that short wavelength and short pulse duration are necessary for effective cleaning. It is also found that an appropriate energy density is critical to achieve effective cleaning without causing surface oxidation and secondary contamination.


Author(s):  
P. Vikulin ◽  
K. Khlopov ◽  
M. Cherkashin

Enhancing water purification processes is provided by various methods including physical ones, in particular, exposure to ultrasonic vibrations. The change in the dynamic viscosity of water affects the rate of deposition of particles in the aquatic environment which can be used in natural and wastewater treatment. At the Department Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering experimental studies were conducted under laboratory conditions to study the effect of ultrasound on the change in the dynamic viscosity of water. A laboratory setup has been designed consisting of an ultrasonic frequency generator of the relative intensity, a transducer (concentrator) that transmits ultrasonic vibrations to the source water, and sonic treatment tanks. Experimental studies on the impact of the ultrasonic field in the cavitation mode on the dynamic viscosity of the aqueous medium were carried out the exposure time was obtained to achieve the maximum effect.Интенсификация процессов очистки воды осуществляется с помощью различных методов, в том числе и физических, в частности воздействием ультразвуковых колебаний. Изменение динамической вязкости воды влияет на скорость осаждения частиц в водной среде, что может быть использовано в процессах очистки природных и сточных вод. На кафедре Водоснабжение и водоотведение Национального исследовательского Московского государственного строительного университета в лабораторных условиях проведены экспериментальные исследования по изучению влияния ультразвука на изменение динамической вязкости воды. Разработана схема лабораторной установки, состоящая из генератора ультразвуковых частот с соответствующей интенсивностью, преобразователя (концентратора), передающего ультразвуковые колебания в исходную воду, и емкости для озвучивания. Выполнены экспериментальные исследования по влиянию ультразвукового поля в режиме кавитации на динамическую вязкость водной среды, получено время экспозиции для достижения максимального эффекта.


Author(s):  
Giorgia Gon ◽  
Abdunoor M. Kabanywanyi ◽  
Petri Blinkhoff ◽  
Simon Cousens ◽  
Stephanie J. Dancer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Healthcare associated infections (HAI) are estimated to affect up to 15% of hospital inpatients in low-income countries (LICs). A critical but often neglected aspect of HAI prevention is basic environmental hygiene, particularly surface cleaning and linen management. TEACH CLEAN is an educational intervention aimed at improving environmental hygiene. We evaluated the effectiveness of this intervention in a pilot study in three high-volume maternity and newborn units in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods This study design prospectively evaluated the intervention as a whole, and offered a before-and-after comparison of the impact of the main training. We measured changes in microbiological cleanliness [Aerobic Colony Counts (ACC) and presence of Staphylococcus aureus] using dipslides, and physical cleaning action using gel dots. These were analysed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. We used qualitative (focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and semi-structured observation) and quantitative (observation checklist) tools to measure why and how the intervention worked. We describe these findings across the themes of adaptation, fidelity, dose, reach and context. Results Microbiological cleanliness improved during the study period (ACC pre-training: 19%; post-training: 41%). The odds of cleanliness increased on average by 1.33 weekly during the pre-training period (CI = 1.11–1.60), and by 1.08 (CI = 1.03–1.13) during the post-training period. Cleaning action improved only in the pre-training period. Detection of S. aureus on hospital surfaces did not change substantially. The intervention was well received and considered feasible in this context. The major pitfalls in the implementation were the limited number of training sessions at the hospital level and the lack of supportive supervision. A systems barrier to implementation was lack of regular cleaning supplies. Conclusions The evaluation suggests that improvements in microbiological cleanliness are possible using this intervention and can be sustained. Improved microbiological cleanliness is a key step on the pathway to infection prevention in hospitals. Future research should assess whether this bundle is cost-effective in reducing bacterial and viral transmission and infection using a rigorous study design.


1998 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
LINDSEY D. THORNHILL ◽  
PRATEEN V. DESAI

Asymptotically matched solutions for electron and ion density, electron and ion velocity, and electric potential are obtained in the boundary region of a dense low-temperature plasma adjacent to perfectly absorbing walls – walls that absorb, without reflection, incident electrons and ions. Leading-order composite solutions, valid throughout the boundary region, are constructed from solutions in three subdomains distinguished by different physical length scales: the geometric length, the ion mean free path and the Debye length. The composite solutions are used to assess the impact of electron–ion recombination in the ionization nonequilibrium region on sheath and presheath profiles, and on quantities evaluated at the wall. While, at leading order, the velocity profiles throughout the boundary region are not influenced by recombination, the density and potential profiles are significantly altered when recombination is included. These results show that the region of rapid change in these profiles lies closer to the wall when recombination is explicitly included in the model. The influence of recombination on the presheath potential, and consequently the wall potential, is found to scale as the natural logarithm of the recombination length. The broadening of the density profile results in a larger flux of ions accelerating through the sheath and impacting on the wall. The influence of recombination on the ion power flux to the wall is found to scale with the inverse recombination length. This scaling influences the prediction of surface erosion rates in technological applications that utilize these plasmas.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Osei H

High demand for oil and gas has led to exploration of more petroleum resources even at remote areas. The petroleum resources are found in deeper subsurface formations and drilling into such formations requires a well-designed drilling mud with suitable rheological properties in order to avoid or reduce associated drilling problems. This is because rheological properties of drilling muds have considerable effect on the drilling operation and cleaning of the wellbore. Mud engineers therefore use mud additives to influence the properties and functions of the drilling fluid to obtain the desired drilling mud properties especially rheological properties. This study investigated and compared the impact of barite and hematite as weighting agents for water-based drilling muds and their influence on the rheology. Water-based muds of different concentrations of weighting agents (5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of the total weight of the drilling mud) were prepared and their rheological properties determined at an ambient temperature of 24ᵒC to check their impact on drilling operation. The results found hematite to produce higher mud density, plastic viscosity, gel strength and yield point when compared to barite at the same weighting concentrations. The higher performance of the hematite-based muds might be attributed to it having higher specific gravity, better particle distribution and lower particle attrition rate and more importantly being free from contaminants. The water-based muds with hematite will therefore be more promising drilling muds with higher drilling and hole cleaning efficiency than those having barite.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (11) ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
Albert Korolev ◽  
Anastasia Panfilova ◽  
Boris Iznairov ◽  
Olga Reshetnikova ◽  
Viktorya Pavlova

A new purifying method of metal surface cleaning from oxide scale using a special rotating edge tool is described, which allows to solve the problem of increasing the extent of surface purification from oxide scale more efficiently, reliably and effectively. The process of the surface cleaning of flat- rolled products used for the manufacture of hollow sheres from oxide scale by mechanical action of a cutting tool on various layers of oxide scale is simulated. The force required to shift an oxide scale and the boundary conditions of the ratio hold-down pressure of the tool to the workpiece, the friction force in the tool support and the impact force of the scale on the tool, at which it is possible to remove the scale from the rolled surface, are determined.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 758-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
RIINA TOLVANEN ◽  
JANNE LUNDÉN ◽  
HANNU KORKEALA ◽  
GUN WIRTANEN

Persistent Listeria monocytogenes contamination of food industry equipment is a difficult problem to solve. Ultrasonic cleaning offers new possibilities for cleaning conveyors and other equipment that are not easy to clean. Ultrasonic cleaning was tested on three conveyor belt materials: polypropylene, acetal, and stainless steel (cold-rolled, AISI 304). Cleaning efficiency was tested at two temperatures (30 and 45°C) and two cleaning times (30 and 60 s) with two cleaning detergents (KOH, and NaOH combined with KOH). Conveyor belt materials were soiled with milk-based soil and L. monocytogenes strains V1, V3, and B9, and then incubated for 72 h to attach bacteria to surfaces. Ultrasonic cleaning treatments reduced L. monocytogenes counts on stainless steel 4.61 to 5.90 log units; on acetal, 3.37 to 5.55 log units; and on polypropylene, 2.31 to 4.40 log units. The logarithmic reduction differences were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. The logarithmic reduction was significantly greater in stainless steel than in plastic materials (P < 0.001 for polypropylene, P = 0.023 for acetal). Higher temperatures enhanced the cleaning efficiency in tested materials. No significant difference occurred between cleaning times. The logarithmic reduction was significantly higher (P = 0.013) in cleaning treatments with potassium hydroxide detergent. In this study, ultrasonic cleaning was efficient for cleaning conveyor belt materials.


Clay Minerals ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. Hinds ◽  
P. J. Ridler ◽  
B. R. Jennings

AbstractThe growth and decay rates of rapid, induced electro-optical phenomena in dilute colloidal suspensions are characteristic of the geometry of the solute particles. The speed of measurement renders such methods especially relevant for fast, in situ analyses of the size and size distribution of colloids in practical, industrial situations where these properties may be undergoing continuous change. The principles of the measurement of electrically induced birefringence using pulsed fields is outlined and used to study vermiculite suspensions as they undergo size reduction in an ultrasonic field. The high sensitivity of the method to both the particle size range and the form of the distribution function is indicated. The use of the method for on-line monitoring of dilute mineral suspensions for the indication and control of aggregated, dissolving or growing media is discussed.


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