Abstract:
Ultrasonic clarification of liquids... by means of an endless moving screen having openings smaller than at least some of the solids which travels through a tank between the inlet and outlet and into a zone containing a body of liquid separated from the aqueous solution, the tank being provided with an inlet for the suspension and an outlet for the clarified aqueous medium. The body of liquid is subjected to ultrasonic vibrations to impart loosening forces to the solids deposited on the screen, thereby dislodging them and suspending them in the zone. This causes the solids, which are still under the influence of the ultrasonic vibrations, to settle and concentrate in the liquid at the bottom of the zone. The screen is then moved, and the solids removed from aqueous suspension and in their concentrated solid state from the bottom of the zone. The bath has relatively small volume, so that after solids are deposited on the screen within the tank and are subsequently concentrated on the bottom, the clean portion of the screen is returned to the tank for further removal of solids.