Abstract
Ultrasound application has been reported to assist chemical processes as a result of various physiochemical effects during acoustic cavitation phenomena in a liquid. In this study, acoustic pressure distribution in ethanol solution induced by ultrasonic waves in a sonoreactor was investigated using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The variations of acoustic pressure distribution in ethanol liquid were investigated through a single-phase incompressible model developed by varying the frequency of an ultrasonic transducer. The simulation in COMSOL Multiphysics shows that the acoustic wave emitted from the bottom of the sonoreactor generated multiple layers of high acoustic pressure distribution. The fluctuating pressure magnitude along the sonoreactor shows that constructive interference produced high acoustic pressure region whereas destructive interference resulted in low acoustic pressure. Meanwhile, the distance over sound wave can travel before attenuation occurs is much further at 60 kHz. These results support the theory that wave attenuation is strongly frequency dependent.
Highlights
The potential of ultrasound as an alternative source of energy in process intensification has witnessed a great development in the chemical engineering industry
Most of the previous studies related to pressure distribution in a sonochemical reactor are limited to water
The present work discusses the characteristics of sonicated ethanol solution, a substance that exists in many azeotropic mixtures
Summary
The potential of ultrasound as an alternative source of energy in process intensification has witnessed a great development in the chemical engineering industry. Despite the wide-ranging research at a laboratory scale, there is a limited number of chemical processing applications that are carried out on the industrial scale, mainly due to the lack of expertise, especially in proper reactor design and scale-up strategies. When ultrasound acts upon a liquid, bubbles are generated from acoustic cavitation phenomena where liquids are pulled apart by the applied frequency. This mechanism produces free radicals via sonolysis process to assist various chemical reactions [3]. The propagation of ultrasound in a liquid will affect pressure balance inside a sonochemical reactor.
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