US 7,022,505 B2 · Apparatus and method for ultrasonic treatment of a liquid

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for ultrasonically treating a liquid to generate a product. The apparatus is capable of treating a continuously-flowing, or intermittently-flowing, liquid along a line segment coincident with the flow path of the liquid. The apparatus has one or more ultrasonic transducers positioned asymmetrically about the line segment. The ultrasonic field encompasses the line segment and the ultrasonic energy may be concentrated along the line segment. Lysing treatments have been successfully achieved with efficiencies of greater than 99% using ultrasound at MHz frequencies without erosion or heating problems and without the need for chemical or mechanical pretreatment, or contrast agents. The present invention overcomes drawbacks of current ultrasonic treatments beyond lysing and opens up new sonochemical and sonophysical processing opportunities.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for ultrasonically treating a liquid in a flow path, the device comprising:

a. at least two ultrasound-producing transducers positioned asymmetrically about a line segment, said at least two transducers producing a concentrated sonic field encompassing said line segment;
b. a sonic coupler that acoustically couples said at least two transducers to the liquid in a flow path over the length of said line segment;
and
c. a power supply for said at least two transducers.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/269,772Filed 10 Oct 2002 · division

Priority

28 Apr 2000

Published

US 2003/0049810 A113 Mar 2003

Granted

4 Apr 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

C12M 45/02
Means for pre-treatment of biological substances: by mechanical forces; Stirring; Trituration; Comminuting
B01J 19/10
Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor: employing sonic or ultrasonic…
B01J 19/2415
Stationary reactors without moving elements inside: tubular reactors
C12M 47/06
Means for after-treatment of the produced biomass or of the fermentation or metabolic products, e.g. storage of biomass: hydrolysis; Cell lysis;…

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic treatment of a liquid

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic treatment of a liquid

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24