Sulphco, Inc.

Charles I Richman

Rudolf W Gunnerman

Jason Michael May

The present invention is directed to a high-powered (e.g., &#x3e;500 W) ultrasonic generator for use especially for delivering high-power ultrasonic energy to a varying load including compressible fluids. The generator includes a variable frequency triangular waveform generator coupled with pulse width modulators. The output from the pulse width modulator is coupled with the gates of an Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), which amplifies the signal and delivers it to a coil that is used to drive a magnetostrictive transducer. In one embodiment, high voltage of 0-600 VDC is delivered across the collector and emitter of the IGBT after the signal is delivered. The output of the IGBT is a square waveform with a voltage of +/&#x2212;600V. This voltage is sent to a coil wound around the ultrasonic transducer. The voltage creates a magnetic field on the transducer and the magnetorestrictive properties of the transducer cause the transducer to vibrate as a result of the magnetic field. The use of the IGBT as the amplifying device obviates the need for a Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) circuit, which is typically used in low powered ultrasonic transducers, and which would get overheated and fail in such a high-powered and load-varying application.

Power driving circuit for controlling a variable load ultrasonic transducer

Ultrasound for use in chemical reactions is generated by an electromagnet formed from an ultrasound transducer whose central feature is a loop of magnetostrictive material wound with coils oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied. The oscillations in the transducer loop are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in a reaction medium where the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted directly to the reaction mixture.

Loop-shaped ultrasound generator and use in reaction systems

Ultrasound for use in promoting a chemical reaction is generated by an electromagnet formed from a pair of magnetostrictive prongs wound with coils that are oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied, in conjunction with a sensing electromagnet of magnetostrictive material that is arranged to receive the vibrations generated by the driving electromagnet and produce internal magnetic field changes due to the reverse magnetostrictive effect. These field changes generate voltages that are representative of the amplitude of the oscillating magnetostrictive force. The generated voltage is compared to a target value in a control circuit that adjusts the applied oscillating voltage accordingly. The oscillations in the prongs of the electromagnet are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in the reaction medium to provide direct contact with the reaction mixture.

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Reno, NV, United States of America

Charles I Richman