Modeling of three-dimensional pressure fields in sonochemical reactors with an inhomogeneous density distribution of cavitation bubbles. Comparison of theoretical and experimental results

During the last 50 years extensive experimental investigation has been carr ied out on the chemical effects of ultrasound, but limited work has been re ported on modeling. This paper presents a new model in which a numerical ca lculation of the three-dimensional linear sound pressure held distribution in a commonly used sonoreactor containing three transducers is carried out. In this model the inhomogeneous three-dimensional time-dependent wave equa tion was solved using the finite difference approach. The modeled results a re then compared with the experimentally measured values, and the agreement , in general, is found to be good. Further, our modeling studies have an ad vantage, since they clearly describe the continuous sound pressure field st ructure. unlike previously reported results in which some information is mi ssing due to limited intermittent measured points. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.