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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 in reply to Rick1234

    Now I see where you are coming from !

    The MPI people look serious and real - they have patents and build 100 KW+ systems .

    I suspect that the best way to get their technology is to buy some stuff from them.

    To replicate it (commercially) you would need to understand the patent situation and be sure you were not infringing.

    As far as generating the signals goes then it rather depends on you skills and resources.

    I don't know enough about MPI's signal processing to make an actual recommendation but somethign like this might do:

    https://www.analog.com/en/resources/evaluation-hardware-and-software/evaluation-boards-kits/sharc-audio-module.html#eb-overview

    To use it you need a  good understanding of DSP and C programming.

    Probably access to a tool like MATLAB for signal processing development work.

    The ultrasonic driver board  - if you are feeling bold then look on Ali Baba and Aliexpress - but if you are at "day one with ultrasonics" be prepared to get your fingers burned - once when you buy it and then again when you try and use it.

    I think you might need to hire someone with experience of high power ultrasonics.

    But if you want to sell a system to end users like you applications suggest why not plan to buy in the parts from a source like MPI -  then you'll have an expert on your side rather than competing. The investment to compete with them on developing making the core ultrasonic components would be large. But developing a system like you washer dryer is bridging a gap between companies like MPI and people who want to wash and dry stuff - there may be  a gap there you can fill.

    Please note: the above free advice should be treated with the usual caution - I know very little about the context of your project.

    MK

     

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

    Agreed!  ....... well said!   :  )

    Well , I can't just go and buy their OEM unit  ......  as even the smallest version is $25,000.00 !!    :  (

    But, I did download their MMM control software!   :  )

    This affords many "clues" as to what's going on behind the scenes as to the manipulation of the ultrasound to its MMM script. 

    I see the obvious set high/low range parameters for the ADSP  ...... no problem!    The hard part will be scripting the scanning matrix of all the variables (ie: power,  frequency, PWM, phase, etc) to emulate the attributes of MMM. 

    My first thoughts are:  the nature of such a script would require the extensive use of a Kalman filter. 

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  • 0

    I had assumed "cavitation" was always accompanied by an ending implosion !    :  (

    With ultrasonics you can have both "stable" and "inertial" cavitation under your control!

    For use in my ultrasonic "nucleation" of the scaling minerals, only a stable cavitation is required and has a significantly low power demand.

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  • 0 in reply to Rick1234

    Abandoning the originally pic'd  "clamp-on" type transducers!

    That method requires too much ultrasonic energy that way.

    Submerging the transducers into the "nucleation chamber" (pipe!) with a direct water contact requires a much lower power demand.

    I now don't believe I require the complexity of an MMM ultrasonic paradigm for this "water treatment" setup   ..... as the water's path to be treated flows tightly "captive"  to the confines of  the nucleation chamber affording a uniform nucleation of the minerals passing thru. 

    My thoughts are to alternately fire the ultrasonic transducers for a uniform nucleation of the water ...... but, without "imploding"!

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