Ultrasonic Emulsification

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Abstract
The ultrasonic emulsification of various liquid pairs has been investigated at several frequencies in the range of 104 to 106 cycles/sec with relatively uniform ultrasonic fields at intensities less than 10 w/cm2 as well as in the nonuniform fields from focused transducers with maximum intensities of the order of 103 w/cm2. Cavitation conditions in the liquids have been modified by varying the static pressure and the percent saturation of the liquids with an inert gas such as N2. Ultrasonic emulsification has been found to be produced by both cavitation and surface waves at the liquid interfaces with the former predominant under ordinary circumstances. Particle sizes as evaluated by optical and electron microscopy are generally of the order of 10−4 cm. The equilibrium particle size distribution shows only minor frequency dependence but significant differences are evident between the distributions obtained with the relatively low-intensity uniform sound fields and the converging sound fields with the high local intensities. These results will be considered in terms of the various second-order forces favoring agglomeration as well as the dispersive factors associated with cavitation and surface waves. [This research has been supported by the Office of Naval Research.]

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