Licensable Technologies : Materials : Nanotechnology

Acoustic Levitator / Concentrator

Abstract
A low-power, inexpensive acoustic apparatus for levitation and/or concentration of aerosols and small liquid/solid samples having particulates up to several millimeters in diameter in air or other fluids is described. It is constructed from a commercially available, hollow cylindrical piezoelectric crystal which has been modified to tune the resonance frequency of the breathing mode resonance of the crystal to that of the interior cavity of the cylinder. When the resonance frequency of the interior cylindrical cavity is matched to the breathing mode resonance of the cylindrical piezoelectric transducer, the acoustic efficiency for establishing a standing wave pattern in the cavity is high. The cylinder does not require accurate alignment of a resonant cavity. Water droplets having diameters greater than 1 mm have been levitated against the force of gravity using less than 1 W of input electrical power. Concentration of aerosol particles in air is also demonstrated.

Application(s)

• Pollution control, particularly for diesel exhaust
• Particle separation
• Particle size sorting

Advantages

• Low power I
• nexpensive equipment
• Highly efficient
• Effective on particles from >10 micron to <100 nm

IP Status: Contact Licensing Executive for Details

Reference Number: 479

S Number: DOE reference no.(s): 94,727; 99,930

Patents & Applications:
United States National Patent Number 6644118 Issued on 11/11/2003 United States National Patent Number 6467350 Issued on 10/22/2002

Posted: 11-05-2004

Contact
Laura Barber
Technology Transfer Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
P.O. Box 1663, MailStop C334
(505) 667-9266
ljbb@lanl.gov