System for maintaining high resonance during sonic agglomeration
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
InventorsJames E. Dudgeon, Donald A. Stanley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sonic agglomeration system wherein high sound intensity and resonance are maintained with a low power input. These functions are attained through the use of a chamber feed-horn design that promotes resonance and maximized the efficiency of sound transfer between a sound producing compression driver and a resonant chamber. A digital controller maintains efficient resonance in the chamber and an efficient agglomeration rate constant by making adjustments in the frequency, sound amplitude and nuclei injection rate of the system.
Claims12
A system for maintaining high resonance during sonic agglomeration of fine particulate entrained in an aerosol, comprising:
- an agglomeration chamber;
- an exponential horn acting as a source of sound for said agglomeration chamber;
- said exponential horn being located at one end of said agglomeration chamber;
- a sound reflecting plate for reflecting the sound waves produced by said exponential horn;
- said sound reflecting plate being located opposite said exponential horn at the other end of said agglomeration chamber;
- a sound producing compression driver for driving said exponential horn to produce a desired sound pressure level within said agglomeration chamber;
- particle means for producing particles of a greater diameter than said fine particulate to be agglomerated;
- said particles of a greater diameter being less responsive to the sound waves in said agglomeration chamber than said fine particulate to cause both the particles and said fine particulate to collide while being forced through said agglomeration chamber;
- said fine particulate and said particles of a greater diameter entering said agglomeration chamber through an inlet means located adjacent said exponential horn;
- an adaptive control means operating in response to system variables to generate control signals based thereon to establish an effective sound pressure level within said agglomeration chamber and maintain a high degree of resonance;
- a signal generator operating in response to said adaptive control means to provide an output signal to said sound producing compression driver, the frequency and the amplitude of said output signal being independently controlled;
- said adaptive control means holding said amplitude constant until the optimum frequency for resonant enhancement in said agglomeration chamber is determined, and thereafter said adaptive control means adjusting said amplitude to produce an effective sound pressure level in said agglomeration chamber;
- an outlet means provided in said agglomeration chamber adjacent said sound reflecting plate;
- said outlet means and said inlet means being located at null points of the sound waves produced in said agglomeration chamber;
- and
- means for collecting the agglomerated particles which exit said agglomeration chamber through said outlet means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.