This paper describes the design and testing of a flow-through ultrasonic se
paration device that allows the concentration of particles within a fluid.
The device operates without the use of an acoustically transparent element.
Three models are used to examine the behaviour of the cell, dealing with a
coustic-particle interaction, electro-acoustic characteristics, and fluid f
low. The device is able to concentrate up to 84% of the 60 mu m sand partic
les in the 'dirty' stream, 13% in the intermediate stream and 3% in the 'cl
ean' stream. Flow rates of up to 201 h(-1) (equating to an inlet velocity o
f 10(-2) m s(-1)) have been used with an electrical power input of up to 50
W (10 kW m(-1)). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.