Sonomechanics Blog

The ISP-3000 ultrasonic processor is supplied mostly pre-assembled and ready-to-use. Knowing how to take it apart can be helpful when you need to replace a part (e.g., Barbell horn), troubleshoot or clean the processor. In this post, we provide step-by-step disassembly instructions for the ISP-3000 configured in the flow-through mode. A link to the video on this topic is included at the end. 

Before you begin, please review the user's manual and familiarize yourself with the processor's components.

One of the main challenges in the food & beverage industry is the inactivation of microorganisms (pasteurization). Thermal treatment of such products as milk and fruit-based beverages (generally, at over 70 °C)  is currently the most commonly applied pasteurization method. Unfortunately, this approach causes significant deterioration of many of these products' attributes, such as flavor, color and nutritional quality. Alternative, non-thermal pasteurization methods that can not only ensure the microbial safety of the products, but also preserve their quality are, therefore, of great interest to this industry.

In our previous blog post on ultrasonic cavitation in liquids, we described it as a cloud of low-pressure voids (a.k.a., vacuum bubbles or cavities) that grow, briefly oscillate and finally asymmetrically implode with great intensity. This effect causes extreme local temperatures and pressures, which can produce free radicals and give rise to many chemical (sonochemical) reactions. It also generates extremely powerful micro-jets and enormous shear forces, which promote a variety of physical (mechanical) processes. In some instances, these effects can be clearly seen as they occur. In this post, we provide such visual examples of chemical and mechanical processes.

The ISP-3000 industrial-scale ultrasonic liquid processor is a Barbell Horn Ultrasonic Technology (BHUT)-based system designed for high-volume production. It can be implemented in two processing modes: flow-through and batch.    

Although this ultrasonic processor 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 ISP-3000 configured in the flow-through mode. 

Degassing (deaeration, in the case of air) is the process of removing dissolved gasses and/or small entrained gas bubbles from a liquid. It is one of the most common applications of ISM's ultrasonic technology, which provides the means of removing the gasses from a variety of liquids, including water, candle waxes, polymers, epoxies, silicone oils, adhesives, coatings, beverages, inks, paints, transformer oils, emulsion and suspension products, motor oils and many more. Degassing can significantly contribute to the quality of the final product (fewer defects, improved aesthetics, etc.), making it a very desirable process for many companies.

In this blog post we demonstrate the processes of ultrasonic degassing and deaeration of a high-viscosity (17,500 cps) polymer oil, carried out in the batch mode.

When you need to replace a part in your LSP-500 or ship the processor to another location, you need to disassemble it first. In this post, we provide step-by-step disassembly instructions for the LSP-500 ultrasonic system configured in the flow-through mode. In addition, a link to a video on this topic is included at the end. 

Prior to disassembling the system, we recommend that you read the processor's manual. 

We are frquently asked for instructions on how to assemble and disassemble the LSP-500 laboratory-scale ultrasonic processor. In this blog post, we provide step-by-step assembly instructions that will help you get started with your LSP-500 configured in the flow-through mode. In addition, a link to a video on this topic is included at the end. In our next post, we will describe the disassembly steps for this processor.

Liquids exposed to high-intensity ultrasound can undergo acoustic cavitation. This phenomenon can typically be seen as a cloud of bubbles forming in the vicinity of the ultrasonic source (e.g., ultrasonic horn) and heard as an intense hissing noise. Cavitation is the formation of low-pressure voids (a.k.a., vacuum bubbles or cavities) in the liquid, which grow, briefly oscillate and then asymmetrically implode with great intensity.

This blog post focuses on six common terms used in conjunction with ultrasonic processing: ultrasonic amplitude, power, frequency, power intensity, power density and processing rate.

Whether you use ultrasonic processing for making nanoemulsions, milling pharmaceutical crystals, degassing, extracting botanical oils, manufacturing bio-fuels, dispersing pigments, disrupting cells or enhancing a chemical process, there are several general terms you need to be familiar with. Knowing these terms and keeping track of the corresponding parameters will insure reproducibility of results and simplify process-related discussions with your peers.