SBIR Phase I: A novel economic, efficient, environmentally benign, and sustainable multi-component separation technology based on acoustophoresis

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目专注于开发一种经济、高效、可持续和环境友好的新型超声波声波分离技术。目前的技术，如水力旋流器和膜过滤，存在诸如能源成本高、耗材使用、污染和分离微米级颗粒的效率有限等问题。建议的大体积流量声致疏水分离技术不产生废物，不使用耗材，以低能源成本运行，并为微米级颗粒提供高效分离。当施加在流体中的第二相颗粒所受的声辐射力大于流体阻力和浮力的综合作用时，超声波驻波被用来捕获流体中的第二相颗粒。声波对捕获的颗粒的作用导致颗粒和液滴的聚集、团聚和/或合并。重于水的颗粒通过增强重力沉降而分离，轻颗粒通过增强浮力分离。该项目将实验和计算机建模相结合，探索压电式换能器和声场之间的相互作用，以最大限度地发挥声波捕获潜力，并提供结果，以创建可扩展的系统以及该技术的资本和运营费用的经济模型。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，新的声致疏水分离技术为多组分混合物的能量分离提供了更便宜和更低的成本。它可以替代传统的分离技术，如水力旋流器和其他方法。其社会影响是开发可持续和对环境无害的分离技术，因为它们不会产生任何废物或使用消耗品。加强从水中提取微米级油滴为加强石油回收和油污清理提供了机会，并减少了微米级油滴向环境的排放。该项目提高了超声驻波声辐射力的科学性和技术性。本课程将对真实几何图形中的声辐射力进行完整的三维计算。这项工作的传播将通过在同行评议的期刊和会议上发表我们的成果来完成。该项目为工科本科生提供了几个实习机会，让他们有机会在一家小型初创公司学习和实践工程、创新和创业。FD Sonics有着深厚的历史渊源，致力于通过提供实习机会和为高级顶石设计项目提供监督，将本科生整合到他们的技术开发中。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on the development of a novel ultrasonic acoustophoretic separation technology that is economic, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally benign. Current technologies, e.g., hydrocyclones, and membrane filtration, suffer from problems, such as high cost of energy, use of consumables, fouling, and limited efficiency in separation of micron-sized particles. The proposed large volume flow rate acoustophoretic separation technology does not generate waste, does not use consumables, operates at a low cost of energy, and provides efficient separation for micron-size particles. Ultrasonic standing waves are used to trap secondary phase particles in a fluid stream, when the acoustic radiation force exerted on the particles is stronger than the combined effect of fluid drag force and buoyancy. The action of the acoustic forces on the trapped particles results in concentration, agglomeration and/or coalescence of particles and droplets. Heavier than water particles are separated through enhanced gravitational settling, and lighter particles through enhanced buoyancy. This project combines experiment and computer modeling to probe the interaction between piezo-electric transducers and the acoustic field to maximize the acoustic trapping potential and to provide results to create scalable systems and economic models of capital and operational expense of the technology. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that the novel acoustophoretic separation technology provides for a cheaper and lower cost of energy separation of multi-component phase mixtures. It can function as a drop-in replacement for conventional separation technology, such as hydrocyclones and other methods. The societal impact is the development of separation technologies that are sustainable and environmentally benign since they do not generate any waste or use consumables. Enhanced extraction of micron-sized oil droplets from water offer opportunities for enhanced oil recovery and oil-spill cleanup and reduce the emission of micron-sized oil droplets into the environment. This project increases the science and technology of acoustic radiation force in ultrasonic standing waves. A full three-dimensional accounting of the acoustic radiation force in realistic geometries will be done. Dissemination of this work will be done by publishing our results in peer reviewed journals and conferences. This project provides several internships to undergraduate engineering students, an opportunity to learn and practice engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship at a small start-up company. FD Sonics has a strong history and commitment to integrating undergraduate students in the development of their technology through offering internships and providing supervision for senior capstone design projects.