Sludge Disintegration
Ultrasonic Sludge Disintegration
Ultrawaves have won international recognition for their work since 1995 on the development of new procedures for treating water, wastewater and biomass (sludge) by ulitising ultrasound.
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As with other acoustic waves, ultrasound subjects substances (water, in this case), to alternating compression and expansion. At higher intensities, ultrasound breaks up the aqueous medium during the expansion phase. As a result, microscopically small cavities filled with water-vapour or gas are formed in the fluid.
During the subsequent compression phase, these bubbles implode as a result of the extreme conditions generated on the micro-level, a process known as cavitation. Pressures as extreme as 500 bar and temperatures up to 5,200 Kelvin are attained. The implosion of the gas-bubbles produces powerful shear forces which break up the surfaces of bacteria, fungi and other cellular matter.
At lower frequencies, (20 kHz - 100 kHz) large cavitation bubbles are produced, the collapse of which cause these extreme hydraulic shear forces and effects. In the middle frequency range (100 kHz - 1 MHz) smaller, but nonetheless effective cavitation bubbles are produced, and radical sonochemical reactions occur in the water.
When sonicated at frequencies higher than 1 MHz, the liquid starts to stream on the molecular level.
At different acoustic frequencies the following remediation effects can be obtained:
- Frequency range between 20 kHz - 100 kHz: disintegration of cells, disinfection, destruction of polymers, release of enzymes.
- Frequency range between 100 kHz - 1 MHz: break up of the structure of (chloro-)organic compounds such as chlorophenol, TBT, MTBE, release of enzymes.
- Frequency range between 1 MHz - 10 MHz: desorption of absorbed organic molecules from solid surfaces, biologically available organic matter, simultaneous biological degradation.