Applying High Power Ultrasound for industrial ultrasound-processing of viscous products

Project Information

ViscoUS

Grant agreement ID: 101000180

DOI

10.3030/101000180

Project closed

EC signature date 15 September 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 28 February 2022

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 77 400,00

Coordinated by

MICROFY SYSTEMS SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ViscoUS (Applying High Power Ultrasound for industrial ultrasound-processing of viscous products)

Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2022-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Our society is changing very fast, and the consumer awareness about nutrition and healthier food is exponentially growing every year. That’s why the food industry is starting to replace the traditional agressive methods used for food processing for other more respectful alternatives. For instance, the pasteurization process used with dairy products, juice, jams, or even honey, destroys most of the vitamins, nutrients, enzymes or even the flavour of the food due to the high temperatures reached during the treatment.

In response to these new industry demands, novel technologies are emerging with the aim to satisfy these demandas and at the same time improve processing treatments. One promissing technology is High-Power Ultrasound technology. When applying ultrasounds to a fluid producr, high-intensity cavitation is induced changing its physical and chemical properties improving processing efficiency such us enhancing drying, enchancing homogenisation, defoaming, enhancing emulsification, viscosity modification or enhancing oxidation processes.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the project new ultrasound transducers specifically designed to be used with viscous products will be designed, manufactured and tests. To this end, the Innovation Associate will select material, shape and size of the front and back covers as well as thickness of the piezoelectric ceramics to meet the requirements of different working environment. He also will carry out simulations of ultrasonic transducers using Finite Element Analysis including modal analysis and harmonic response analysis with the objective of optimize structure design. Finally full 3D modelling will be obtained and piezoelectric transducers manufactured. Transducers will be characterized with a network analyser obtaining his equivalent resistance, capacitance and inductance, series and parallel resonance frequencies.
The Innovation Associate will study the viabiity of mass production of theses piezoelectric transducers including manufacturing costs.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Despite the generally accepted benefits of acoustic cavitation, applications in the process industry are yet limited. High Power Ultrasound reactor concepts for industrial applications need to meet challenges like stability and robustness, efficiency and high flow rates.
Ultrasound transducer design is focused to maximize performance in specific applications, usually leading to a complex design and expensive construction and assembly.

Ultrasound transducers