Chemical support of cavitation intensity in ultrasonic cleaning

Abstract

In processes of ultrasonic cleaning in aqueous alkaline solutions, due to the intensity of the chemical reactions occurring during cleaning, it is advisable to use high temperatures. But the intensity of cavitation, being the main causative agent of cleaning in these liquids, reduces with increasing temperature. Moreover, a great reduction in cavitation intensity is observed when a liquid is heated compared with its intensity when the same liquid is cooling. This phenomenon disturbs the process of cleaning when the temperature is kept constant. It is also known that a high cavitation intensity in water may be sustained by adding a substance that fixes the oxygen dissolved in the water. In the present work, a method of stabilising cavitation intensity is proposed by adding such a substance, i.e. sodium sulphite, to aqueous alkaline solutions used in ultrasonic cleaning.