# US 7,611,636 B2 · Ultrasonic solution separating method and ultrasonic separating apparatus used in such method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,611,636 B2 - Document ID: US7611636B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/794,314 - Filed: 2005-12-27 - Published: 2008-01-03 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-28 - Assignees: Ultrasound Brewery - Inventors: Kazuo Matsuura; Toshiaki Miyamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611636B2 ## CPC - B05B 17/0607: {generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers} - B01D 1/16: by spraying (B01D1/22 takes precedence) - B01D 3/006: {by vibration} - B01D 3/346: {the gas being used for removing vapours, e.g. transport gas} - B01D 19/0078: {by vibration} - B05B 7/066: {with an inner liquid outlet surrounded by at least one annular gas outlet} - B05B 1/14: with multiple outlet openings (B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence); with strainers in or outside the outlet opening - B05B 17/0615: {spray being produced at the free surface of the liquid or other fluent material in a container and subjected to the vibrations} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract An ultrasonic solution separating method and apparatus separates a solution by ultrasonically vibrating the solution by using an ultrasonic vibrator to atomize the solution into mists, and such atomized mists are condensed and collected for separation from the solution. In the present method and apparatus, a tube 6, defining a spray opening 12 at an upper end of the tube, is filled with the solution; an ultrasonic vibration is applied to the solution inside the tube 6, toward the spray opening 12; the atomized mists are dispersed from the spray opening 12; and a carrier gas is supplied to the mists dispersed from the spray opening 12 so that the mists are atomized in the carrier gas. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic solution separating method comprising the steps of: ultrasonically vibrating a solution by using an ultrasonic vibrator to atomize the solution into mists; condensing and collecting such atomized mists in a non-heated state; and separating the mists from the solution, wherein the ultrasonically vibrating step is performed in such a manner that the solution is supplied in a tube defining a spray opening at an upper end of the tube and the solution is ultrasonically vibrated to be released from the spray opening of the tube for being dispersed and atomized into the mists by supplying a carrier gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic solution separating method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube is cylindrical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic solution separating method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube is a conical horn that is tapered toward the spray opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic solution separating method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube is an exponential horn. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic solution separating method as recited in claim 1, wherein a carrier gas is blown around the spray opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ultrasonic solution separating method as recited in claim 5, wherein the carrier gas blown around the spray opening is an inactive carrier gas including nitrogen, helium and argon. ### Claim 7 An ultrasonic solution separating apparatus comprising: a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators for ultrasonically vibrating a solution to atomize the solution into mists; an ultrasonic electric power source, connected to the ultrasonic vibrator, for supplying a high-frequency power to the ultrasonic vibrator to produce an ultrasonic vibration; and a collection unit for condensing and collecting the mists atomized by the ultrasonic vibrator, whereby the mists atomized in a ultrasonic atomization chamber are collected at the collection unit to be separated from the solution, wherein a tube, defining a spray opening opened at the top thereof, is disposed above the ultrasonic vibrator in a non-heated state, so that the solution is supplied into the tube and the solution is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic vibrator to be released from the spray opening so as to be dispersed in a form of atomized mists, and wherein the tube has a gas nozzle opened for supplying a carrier gas to the atomized mists and has a carrier gas source connected to the gas nozzle, so that the carrier gas blown from the gas nozzle is supplied to the mists to atomize the mists therein and the atomized mists are condensed and collected at the collection unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic solution separating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the tube is cylindrical. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic solution separating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the tube is a conical horn that is tapered toward the spray opening thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic solution separating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the tube is an exponential horn. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic solution separating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the gas nozzle is opened around the spray opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic solution separating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein an inactive carrier gas including nitrogen, helium and argon is supplied from the carrier gas source to the gas nozzle. ### Claim 13 An ultrasonic solution separating apparatus comprising: a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators for ultrasonically vibrating a solution to atomize the solution into mists; an ultrasonic electric power source, connected to the ultrasonic vibrator, for supplying a high-frequency power to the ultrasonic vibrator to produce an ultrasonic vibration; and a collection unit for condensing and collecting the mists atomized by the ultrasonic vibrator; a ultrasonic atomization chamber in which the mists are atomized to be collected at the collection unit thus separated from the solution; a plurality of tubes defining a spray opening opened at the top thereof and disposed above the plurality of the ultrasonic vibrators respectively, so that the solution is supplied into the tube and the solution is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic vibrator to be released from the spray opening so as to be dispersed in a form of atomized mists; and a plurality of mist intakes disposed in a vertical orientation above the plurality of the tubes, each of the mist intakes being connected with the ultrasonic atomization chamber and being disposed to separately open its lower end above the spray opening of the tube, respectively.