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US 8,679,338 B2Granted
Combined acoustic micro filtration and phononic crystal membrane particle separation
AssigneeFloDesign Sonics, Inc.
InventorsEdward A. Rietman, Bart Lipkens, Jason Dionne
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Abstract
A system is provided that includes one or more acoustic microfilters through which is flowed a mixture of a fluid and a particulate to selectively filter particles from the fluid. Also included are one or more phononic crystal units coupled to the acoustic microfilter(s) to further selectively filter particles from the fluid. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- at least one acoustic microfilter through which is flowed a mixture of a fluid and a particulate to selectively filter particles from the fluid;
- and
- at least one phononic crystal unit fluidly coupled to the at least one acoustic microfilter to further selectively filter particles from the fluid, the at least one phononic crystal unit comprising:
- an array of parallel spaced tubes, each tube being surrounded by a porous membrane;
- a second flow chamber with an inlet and an outlet through which is flowed the filter mixture of fluid and particulate after being filtered by the at least one acoustic microfilter;
- one or more ultrasonic transducers embedded in a wall of the second flow chamber or located outside a second flow chamber wall;
- and
- one or more reflectors corresponding to each transducer located on the opposite wall of the second flow chamber from each corresponding transducer, wherein the ultrasonic transducer/reflector pairs in combination with the array of tubes further selectively filter particles from the fluid.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising
- at least one acoustic microfilter;
- and
- at least one phononic crystal unit comprising:
- a guide coupled to an outlet of the at least one acoustic microfilter, the at least one phononic crystal unit having a two-dimensional cubic or hexagonal configuration of circular rods, wherein the at least one phononic crystal unit is built within the guide;
- and
- an acoustic pressure source positioned at a first side of the guide, wherein the acoustic pressure source transmits acoustic energy and wherein the acoustic pressure source is positioned such that a box exists outside the opposite side of the guide, wherein the acoustic energy is integrated;
- wherein the at least one acoustic microfilter filters particles from a host fluid passing there through and the at least one phononic crystal unit further filters particles from the host fluid received from the at least one acoustic microfilter.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.