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MMM (Multifrequency, Modulated, and Multi-wave) Ultrasonic Technology

Rick1234

Hello Element14 community!

My quest is to build an MMM ultrasonic water treatment system for use in the motel and laundromat industries.  

Basically, to ultrasonically negate the scaling ability of the minerals in the water before they can form on the inside of the pipes and heat exchangers walls.

The MMM paradigm greatly eases the normally strict mechanical ultrasonic interface to the target load ..... as the MMM generator constantly frequency "sweeps" and "optimizes" its effects on the scaling minerals in the water.    

My early thoughts:

PC control to set parameters (power, frequency sweep, modulation, etc)  +  Adaptive Digital Signal Processor (ADSP)  + Ultrasonic Power Driver  

Minimum ultrasonic "contact" time with the scaling minerals (calcium & magnesium)  during a max. 50 gpm water flow rate = 1.5 seconds

Ultrasonic transducer and horn to be of a "clamp-on" type design (ie: surrounding the water feed pipe)

The main attribute of MMM is its ability to "self-adapt" to any varying physical sonic envelope and load ..... on-the fly! (w/feedback loop sensor) 

Its my contention, that in this application, the sonic envelope (pipe) and load (water) is "fixed" and should afford a simpler software implementation script. 

Where to start?  (Note: i'm day one working with ultrasonics!)    

Can anyone recommend a preassembled factory evaluation ADSP board suitable for this application and an ultrasonic power driver board?  

Thank-you!

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  • 0

    I am extremely dubious that ultrasonic excitation of water in   pipe will have any effect at all on scaling downstream of the excitation area.

    Do you have any research data that suggests this actually works. I did some web searching and found lots of scammy looking companies selling ultrasonic scale preventers but I couldn't find a single reputable looking explanation of how it might work, let alone any data.

    This is a typical example:

    https://www.ultrasonicdescaling.com/technologies/the-physics-of-industrial-anti-scaling/

    See the amazing pulsing diagram near the start and look at the adjacent scale - red  = 10E6 microns = 1m.

    So it's garbage  -  1m displacement in water at 20kHz would need GW.

    The diagrams that you show are not convincing.

    You need to do some serious research and find some hard evidence that this idea will work before putting any effort into building one.

    And since it looks to me as if you'll be competing with some world class scammers as well as plenty of reputable companies making water softeners you'll need a lot more than just an idea to make a business.

    Good luck.

    MK

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

    Hello Michaelkelltt !    :  )     .... thank you for your reply!

    Can you capture pic of what graph your referring to?

    All the displacement graphs I see are in "um" and "mm"   ..... don't see any with "m".

    Thanks!

  • 0 in reply to Rick1234

    ......... while your responding:

    As I stated in my opening post " ..... negate the scaling ability of the minerals in the water before they can form on the inside of the pipes and heat exchangers" walls"

    "I am extremely dubious that ultrasonic excitation of water in pipe will have any effect at all on scaling downstream of the excitation area."  -MK

    I never said that it did!   :  (      ...... its the ultrasonically "nucleated" minerals  passing thru the water system (pipes, heat exchangers, etc) that can no longer produce scale! 

    The ultrasonic "contact" with the scaling minerals need only be for 1.5 seconds upstream of everything!

    Currently used commercial water treatment systems (TAC & NAC)  function by nucleation of the scale minerals as well. And that in of itself has a downstream "existing" scale removable ability! 

  • 0 in reply to Rick1234

    There is evidence that TAC systems work although they are subject to serious issues with contamination.

    www.waterboards.ca.gov/.../ion_exchange_water_softeners.pdf

    There is some evidence that ultrasonics can reduce subsequent scaling but it was hard to find.

    https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/23/3428

    I could find nothing at all in terms of research data re. MMM - perhaps you can enlighten us.

    MK

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

    I can't persuade the E14 editor to put the picture above in context after Rick124's request re. the microns and metres.

    MK

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

  • 0 in reply to Rick1234

    "There is evidence that TAC systems work although they are subject to serious issues with contamination."  - MK

    The weak aspect of TAC and NAC is that the chlorine in city water degrades these polymer resins ..... shorting their life span in halve! 

    Its common practice to install a carbon granular tank ahead of the TAC/NAC treatment tanks to negate this issue.  

    Even then, the normal lifespan of these expensive resins is only 3 to 5 years and has to be replaced.

    Using an ultrasonic solution (no polymer resins) to provide the nucleation of the scale components ..... essentially is maintenance free!

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett
    michaelkellett said:

    I can't persuade the E14 editor to put the picture above in context after Rick124's request re. the microns and metres.

    I can. Slight smile

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

    ....  other uses for MMM ? :

    Commercial Laundromat Washer/Dryer  (design concept only) 

    early thoughts:

    Uniform MMM ultrasonic tub cavitation would probably complete a single wash cycle in 15 to 20 seconds!

    An attribute of  ultrasound cavitation in water is its ability to kill viruses, germs, bio films, including Sars-CoV-2 and influenzas-A

    Drying of the clothes would start with high speed water vacuum extraction and final drying done under sub-atmospheric pressure (ie: boil off the remaining dampness with no applied heat). 

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