Eastman-kodak Company

Stephen K Clyde

Robert Peter Kraus, Jr

Simon C Haseler

Edwin J Voll

Apparatus and method for removing bubbles from a discrete sample of a temperature-sensitive liquid, particularly a photographic emulsion. A container having a bottom and side walls defines a sample area containing the liquid to be sampled and is made of a substantially acoustically transparent material. The container is removably mounted to a receptacle such that the bottom and at least a portion of the side walls are immersed in a fluid bath. The fluid bath is heated to maintain the liquid at a predetermined temperature greater than ambient temperature. An ultrasonic device spaced from the container directs ultrasonic waves through the fluid toward the bottom of the container to degas the liquid.

Apparatus and method for debubbling a discrete sample of liquid

A probe 10 and method for measuring a gaseous material, such as air, entrained in a solution (S) has a protective sheath member 14 having an ultrasonic transducer 18 encased therein and a reflecting member 42 spatially separated from the active area of face 20 of transducer 18. Upon activation of transducer 18, ultrasonic waves are emitted from transducer 18 that reflect off the gaseous material in the form of bubbles 48 and reflecting member 42 thereby producing correspondingly associated backscattered signals therefrom. Accordingly, the backscattered measurement is operative at low entrained air levels when only a few bubbles or gas 48 are present. Scattering from reflecting member 42 is useful at higher entrained air levels, approaching foam.

Entrained air measurement apparatus and method

The invention is a sampling device (4) and method used to remove bubble free samples from a bubble laden liquid. The device includes a power supply (10), a transducer (6) and a sampling probe (5). The power supply (10) converts normal line voltage to 20 kHz electrical energy. This high frequency electrical energy is converted to mechanical vibrations via the piezoelectric transducer (6). These mechanical vibrations propagate down the sampling probe (5) and emanate from the tip of the probe in the form of ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves emanating from the probe tip serve to push away air bubbles from the vicinity of the tip. This allows the removal of a bubble free sample from the bubble laden liquid for further analysis.

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Clifton Springs, NY, United States of America

Stephen K Clyde