Sonomechanics Blog

The BSP-1200 bench-scale ultrasonic liquid processor is a Barbell Horn Ultrasonic Technology (BHUT)-based system, designed for process optimization and medium-scale production. It can be implemented in two processing modes: flow-through and batch. When a large amount of material needs to be processed, the former is preferable because it results in a much higher processing capacity, improved ultrasonic exposure uniformity, and better temperature control.   

When configured in the flow-through mode, the processor is supplied with four main components: a 1,200 W ultrasonic Generator, a water-cooled piezoelectric Transducer, a Barbell Horn, and a Reactor Chamber (flow cell). Although it is supplied mostly pre-assembled and ready-to-use, knowing how to put it together can be helpful. In this blog post, we provide step-by-step assembly instructions for the BSP-1200 configured in the flow-through mode. 

Please keep in mind this blog post is relevant to BSP-1200 system units shipped before April, 2021. 

Industrial Sonomechanics is launching a series of blog posts dedicated to describing the main principles of developing water-compatible cannabis extract formulations, also known as water-soluble CBD and THC. As explained in our earlier blog post, since medical marijuana extracts are oils and, as such, not soluble in water, they have to be specially formulated in order to become water-compatible and acquire the appearance of being water-soluble. There are three formulation classes that can provide this property: microemulsions, liposomes and nanoemulsions.  

For centuries, candles have been utilized for light, decoration, religious ceremonies and much more.  The production of modern candles is a complex process, susceptible to several hurdles. Their main constituent, paraffin wax — which is desirable for its relatively low melting point of ~60°C [1] — experiences volatile changes in cost as it is a by-product of crude oil production [2].  Additionally, during cooling, different parts of the jar candle solidify at different rates due to low heat conduction throughout the wax. This leads to uneven settling (referred to as surface undulation), which forms a cavity in the center of the candle and requires a post-process void-filling operation (see Figure 1). 

The cannabis (marijuana, hemp) plant has been used for medicinal purposes for millennia.  In addition to terpenes and flavonoids, over 100 types of therapeutically active compounds known as cannabinoids have been identified in these plants [1]. The two most important and well-known cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) [2]. Cannabinoids have the ability to directly and/or indirectly affect receptors in our cells because they mimic endocannabinoids produced by our own bodies endogenously, for example, in response to injury [3].

Cement, and its paved derivative, concrete, is a widely-consumed material in any modern society: residential walkways, recreational parks and building construction are just some of the many uses of cement. This year, upwards of 80 million metric tons of cement will be processed in the United States alone [1].

As a building and support material, the two most important qualities of cement are its compressive strength (the capability to withstand an inward load) and its workability (the propensity of the cement paste to be deformable and fluidized). Unfortunately, these two qualities are not independent of each other. 

10 years ago Dr. Alexey Peshkovsky quit his job in medical physics and joined his father, Dr. Sergei Peshkovsky, in founding Industrial Sonomechanics, LLC (ISM). This year, with hundreds of clients all around the world, a number of partnerships and long-term R&D contracts, as well as a double-digit billion-dollar market to pursue in several industries, we were happy to celebrate our first double-digit anniversary! 

Cannabinoids (CBD, THC, etc.) are hydrophobic (water-hating) oily substances and, as such, not water-soluble. They can, however, be formulated to be water-compatible and appear water-soluble.

The term "water-soluble CBD" has lately been extensively used throughout the medical cannabis industry. "Water-soluble" means able to homogeneously incorporate into water by separating into molecules or ions (dissolve like sugar, alcohol or salt). Oily substances, however, are repelled by water, which forces them to stay separate from it.

The congress, which took place in Caprica, Portugal, on June 6th - 8th, 2016, was a very educational and productive experience.  A wide variety of topics related to ultrasonics were covered by presenters from industrial, academic and government institutions worldwide. ISM's presentation was part of the Ultrasound and Engineering topic group.

Medicinal uses of the cannabis plant (e.g., medical marijuana, hemp) have now been legalized in most US states. In addition to terpenoids and flavonoids, the plant may contain over 85 different types of therapeutically active compounds known as cannabinoids, the main two of which are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). In recent years, medications based on concentrated cannabis extracts have become popular because they allow many routes of administration that are preferable to smoking the plant itself.

We are happy to announce that Industrial Sonomechanics (ISM) will be presenting at the "2nd International Conference on Ultrasonic-Based Applications: From Analysis to Synthesis" (ULTRASONICS-2016) in Caparica, Portugal, where Dr. Alexey Peshkovsky will give a talk, entitled "High-Intensity Ultrasonic Liquid Processing on Laboratory, Bench and Industrial Scales."