# US 2014/0151292 A1 · Stackable acoustic treatment module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151292 A1 - Document ID: US20140151292A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/898,660 - Filed: 2013-05-21 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-24 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Lee Hong Ng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151292A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/36: ultrasonic vibrations - C02F 1/52: by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities {(C02F1/463 takes precedence)} - C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract An acoustic treatment module stack includes a plurality of stacked pipe segments. Each pipe segment includes n ultrasound amplifier-transducers with an angular separation of (360/n)° on an outer circumference of the pipe segment, in which n is a positive integer, and a reflector unit disposed in a center of the pipe segment that includes n reflectors in which each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding reflector positioned opposite of the ultrasound amplifier-transducer. Each acoustic treatment module is rotated (360/(n×m))° with respect to a preceding acoustic treatment module, in which m is a positive integer, and the plurality of acoustic treatment modules includes at least m pipe segments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustic treatment module, comprising: a segment of a pipe; a plurality of ultrasound amplifier-transducers symmetrically arranged on an outer circumference of the pipe segment; and a reflector unit disposed in a center of the pipe segment and held in place by a support structure, wherein said ultrasound amplifier-transducers are configured to emit ultrasound into the pipe segment while a fluid mixture is flowing therethrough, wherein a frequency of the ultrasound is configured to separate and coalesce particles from the fluid mixture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector unit includes a plurality of reflectors wherein each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding reflector positioned opposite of the ultrasound amplifier-transducer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a plurality of support struts wherein each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding strut that connect the reflector unit to an inside surface of the pipe segment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the reflector unit includes four reflectors, and the plurality of ultrasound amplifier-transducers includes four ultrasound amplifier-transducers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reflector unit has a cross sectional shape of a square. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reflector unit has a cross sectional shape of a “+” sign. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reflector unit has a cross sectional shape of an “I”-beam. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of flanges configured to align and tighten sections containing the ultrasound amplifier-transducers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stack of a plurality of acoustic treatment modules, wherein each acoustic treatment module is rotated with respect to a preceding acoustic treatment module wherein the ultrasound amplifier-transducers of each acoustic treatment module are offset by an angular separation with respect to the preceding acoustic treatment module that is less than an angular separation of the ultrasound amplifier-transducers on the acoustic treatment modules. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each acoustic treatment module includes four ultrasound amplifier-transducers with an angular separation of 90°, and each acoustic treatment module is rotated by 30° with respect to the preceding acoustic treatment module, and the stack of a plurality of acoustic treatment modules includes at least three acoustic treatment modules. ### Claim 11 An acoustic treatment module stack, comprising: a plurality of stacked pipe segments, wherein each pipe segment includes: n ultrasound amplifier-transducers with an angular separation of (360/n)° on an outer circumference of the pipe segment, wherein n is a positive integer; and a reflector unit disposed in a center of the pipe segment that includes n reflectors wherein each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding reflector positioned opposite of the ultrasound amplifier-transducer; wherein each acoustic treatment module is rotated (360/(n×m))° with respect to a preceding acoustic treatment module, wherein m is a positive integer, and the plurality of acoustic treatment modules includes at least m pipe segments. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The acoustic treatment module stack of claim 11, wherein the reflector unit is held in place by a support structure that includes a plurality of support struts wherein each ultrasound amplifier-transducer has a corresponding strut that connect the reflector unit to an inside surface of the pipe segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The acoustic treatment module stack of claim 12, wherein the reflector unit has a cross sectional shape of a regular, convex, n-sided polygon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The acoustic treatment module stack of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of flanges configured to align and tighten the ultrasound amplifier-transducers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The acoustic treatment module stack of claim 12, wherein the ultrasound amplifier-transducers are configured to emit ultrasound into each pipe segment while a fluid mixture is flowing therethrough, wherein a frequency of the ultrasound is configured to separate and coalesce particles from the fluid mixture. ### Claim 16 An acoustic treatment module, comprising: a segment of a pipe; a plurality of reflectors symmetrically arranged on an outer circumference of the pipe segment; and a plurality of ultrasound amplifier-transducers disposed in a center of the pipe segment and held in place by a support structure, wherein each ultrasound amplifier-transducer is positioned opposite from a reflector, wherein said ultrasound amplifier-transducers are configured to emit ultrasound into the pipe segment while a fluid mixture is flowing therethrough, wherein a frequency of the ultrasound is configured to separate and coalesce particles from the fluid mixture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a stack of a plurality of acoustic treatment modules, wherein each acoustic treatment module is rotated with respect to a preceding acoustic treatment module wherein the reflector of each acoustic treatment module are offset by an angular separation with respect to the preceding acoustic treatment module that is less than an angular separation of the reflectors on the acoustic treatment modules.