The operating principle of an ultrasonic bath - how to choose and use it in production or at home. Ultrasonic facial cleansing - high efficiency without harm to the skin, reviews of the procedure
To clean small objects (parts, circuit boards, jewelry, tools), you need a device consisting of a container, an emitter and an electronic control unit. This is an ultrasonic cleaning bath, which is an indispensable assistant for electronics engineers, car repair technicians, and jewelers. If the job requires washing small parts or objects, you need to buy an ultrasonic bath or make one yourself.
What is an ultrasonic bath
Ultrasound is sound in a higher range than the human ear can perceive. Its use in modern science has led to a number of fantastic discoveries. One of them is an ultrasonic bath that magically turns dirty things into clean ones. This occurs as a result of the process of cavitation - the formation and collapse of many small air bubbles on the surface being treated. The micro-explosion of each balloon is strong; the bubble is capable of tearing off a piece of dirt from a part or product even in the most inaccessible places for physical impact.
The main parts of the device are a container with a volume of 0.5 to 30 liters and an emitter for an ultrasonic bath, operating in the range of 20–40 kHz. It is located under the bottom of the working tank and is controlled electronically. The principle of operation of the unit is simple: fill the bath with water, alcohol, or other active chemical liquid, immerse the item that needs cleaning into it, turn on the emitter for just 2-3 minutes. You won't believe your eyes: as a result of ultrasonic vibrations, the part will become cleaner than new.
What is it for?
The scope of application of the bath is wider than you might imagine. Larger ultrasonic units are used in enterprises to clean large parts, tools, and workpieces. There are ultrasonic baths even for washing clothes, washing dishes, and processing vegetables. An ultrasonic emitter is built into many models of modern washing machines. Household bathtubs are often purchased to wash parts, circuit boards, jets and jewelry.
For cleaning injectors
An injector is a mechanism that is a simple electromagnetic valve that meters the supply and atomization of fuel (it must do this as accurately as possible). It is difficult to clean clogged nozzles, but an ultrasonic bath copes with this task. If necessary, the injector with nozzles is removed and washed with waves at a gentle frequency, repeating the procedure several times.
For phones
A phone that has fallen into water can be saved by washing the motherboard with ultrasound of a certain frequency. For this procedure, technical services also use a household cleaning bath. The technician will remove the board, remove parts from it that are harmful from contact with water (camera, speaker, microphone), lower it inside the bath, fill it with a special solution and turn on the device to operate at a given frequency. The board will be cleaned by air bubbles, and the functioning of the phone will be restored.
For washing parts
An ultrasonic bath can be used to clean optics, metal, and other solid parts from dirt, foreign components, traces of soldering or grinding. The device is used for cleaning components and parts of office equipment (excellent for washing printer heads, increasing their service life). Jewelry makers really appreciate a bath with ultrasound. Even items that are heavily soiled during wear become absolutely clean after a few minutes of treatment.
Advantages
Ultrasonic cleaning of products may be preferable to mechanical cleaning. Sometimes it becomes the only opportunity to clean up a dirty part with traces of corrosion. Here are the main advantages of using an ultrasonic bath:
- Processing the item being washed does not take much time.
- There is no need to make physical efforts to mechanically remove dirt and rust.
- An excellent effect is achieved in the most inaccessible places (waves know no barriers).
- Ultrasound cleans objects carefully, without leaving scratches or other defects on the surface.
- The procedure can replace not only washing, but also light polishing.
How to use
An obvious but extremely important recommendation: before using an ultrasonic bath, be sure to read the instructions for it! To clean a part or product from dirt, traces of corrosion, and limescale, use tap water, well water, distilled water, alcohol, soap solution, and some types of solvents. During operation of the bath, a buzzing sound can be clearly heard, and many bubbles appear on the surface of immersed objects. Your steps to maintain the unit are simple:
- Open the lid and fill the working container with the selected liquid.
- Place parts or products so that they are completely covered with water.
- Check the fluid level; it should not rise above the special mark.
- Close the lid and connect the device to an electrical power source.
- Press the “start” button; in most bath models, the standard operating time will be 180 seconds.
- If necessary, turn on the device again. To ensure even cleaning, the parts inside the bathtub must be turned over.
- If required, you can start by increasing the operating time or range of the ultrasonic emitter.
- When the process is completed, unplug the bath and drain the water. Don't forget to dry the container and then store the device.
- Treat the device with care; repairing an ultrasonic bath is a troublesome task and not always possible.
DIY ultrasonic bath
Based on their own needs, skilled craftsmen often make a cleansing bath themselves. On the Internet pages of their blogs and video channels, they generously share their schemes and developments. Having basic skills in working with a soldering iron, you can make your own board - the brain center of the cleaning device, assemble an electrical circuit according to the diagram, including an emitter in it. This way you will receive an ultrasonic bath that meets your needs. Here's what you'll need for this:
- board made according to a proven design;
- light stainless steel container (saucepan, bowl, basin) with a capacity of 0.5-1 l;
- stand for the container (you can use a piece of plastic sewer pipe);
- 12 Volt power supply;
- ferrite rod;
- ultrasonic wave emitter;
- epoxy glue for mounting the emitter.
To ensure that ultrasonic waves pass into the container, glue the emitter to the bowl strictly in the center, using epoxy glue. A ferrite rod is needed to make a choke. Wind two dozen turns of copper wire (1 mm thick) around it. According to the diagram, assemble the electronic and electrical parts of the device. Place the structure on the stand, strengthening the electronic “filling” inside. Test your homemade bath using chocolate foil. Under the influence of ultrasound, the foil in the bath is destroyed literally before our eyes.
Liquid for ultrasonic bath
Distilled water is the best liquid for gentle processing of objects. But in the presence of severe contamination, or when a quick result is needed, active additives and even aggressive chemical compounds are used. To clean silver, gold, and optics, add up to 10% window cleaner to the water. The circuit boards of telephones that have been in water are “bathed” in ethyl alcohol or “galosh” gasoline. Each master has his own favorite recipe, any option is a subject of debate and personal preference.
It is important to understand that even though flammable liquids are used in ultrasonic baths, they are dangerous. When the ultrasonic emitter is operating, the unit may have an unsafe temperature, and vapors of solvents, gasoline, and alcohol, when operating without a hood, concentrate near the hot device. Therefore, manufacturers categorically do not recommend using flammable mixtures as a working solution. This rule is very often violated by masters. Be careful!
Repair
Disassemble the non-working bathtub, check the contacts and connections, and check the details. If the ultrasonic emitter fails, it must be replaced. In this case, the cost of repair may be comparable to purchasing a new device. If the ultrasonic bath is under warranty, the case cannot be opened, look for a warranty workshop that produces devices of this brand, and entrust the repair to professionals.
How to choose an ultrasonic bath
If homemade devices are not your thing and you decide to buy an ultrasonic bath for home use, you have an important choice to make. In the catalogs of online stores you can find dozens of units of different sizes, power, and costs. Before ordering a cleaning bath, decide how big it should be. If you have to process small objects, small parts, circuit boards, a volume of up to one liter is enough. For automotive injectors, medical instruments, larger parts and assemblies, the capacity should be 1.5-2 liters.
The material of the working container of the device is stainless steel. Only it allows ultrasonic waves to freely enter the liquid and affect the object being cleaned. It is better to take a unit with a deeper bowl than one with a shallow but wide one. However, consider the size of the items that will be washed. They should be completely submerged in the bath. A container that is not the right size may require more liquid, which is uneconomical.
1. What is "ultrasound"?
2. What is "cavitation"?
1. What is "ultrasound"?
Ultrasound is commonly understood as sound waves whose frequency exceeds the human hearing threshold (in the range of approximately 16 kHz - 1 GHz). In addition, it is possible to generate ultrasound with significantly higher energy, i.e. much "louder" than audible sound. Ultrasonic technology distinguishes between the use of weak signals (material testing, medical materials, diagnostics) and powerful ultrasound, such as in ultrasonic cleaning and ultrasonic welding. When applied to liquid media, ultrasound has found application in the so-called “ultrasonic cavitation” effect. This effect is taken as the basis for the operation of ultrasonic cleaning devices.
2. What is "cavitation"?
Cavitation is the rapid formation and destruction of millions of tiny bubbles (or cavities in a liquid. Cavitation is produced by alternating high and low pressure waves generated by high frequency sound (ultrasound). These bubbles grow in size from microscopic (in the low pressure phase) to sizes (in the high-pressure phase) at which they compress and rupture.The process of Cavitation, combined with the chemical action of the active substances of the washing liquid, leads to active cleansing of the surface of the part from solid deposits.
3. What is “degassing” and why is it necessary?
Degassing is the initial removal of gases present in a solution. Once all gases have been removed from the cleaning solution, cavitation is more effective because the removal of gases creates a vacuum in the bubbles that form. When a high-pressure wave hits the wall of the bubble, it collapses, and the energy released during destruction produces a cleansing effect, breaking the bond between the part and its contaminants.
4. What is an ultrasonic bath (wash)?
An ultrasonic bath (UZ bath) is a container for a special liquid in which vibrations are created at a frequency in the ultrasonic range (frequencies from 18 to 120 KHz). It consists of a generator and an oscillation emitter. The generator generates electrical oscillations with a frequency in the ultrasonic range and deep (up to 90%) amplitude modulation (50 - 100 Hz or more, for large-volume baths). The emitter converts electrical vibrations into mechanical ones (ultrasound), which are transmitted through the bath wall into the active liquid medium. It is desirable to have a heating element in the bath that heats the working fluid to a certain temperature (about 70 degrees C.). An installed timer (electronic or mechanical) will allow the technician to deal with other issues while the bath is running.
5. What is the best way to perform ultrasonic cleaning?
There are many factors that influence the effectiveness of ultrasonic cleaning. The most important are: the correct choice of cleaning solution, its temperature, ultrasonic power and cleaning duration. In addition, when choosing a bathtub, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the parts and assemblies that will be cleaned.
6. What are the advantages of ultrasound compared to traditional cleaning methods?
Compared to traditional methods, ultrasonic cleaning allows:
. minimize the use of manual labor
. clean and degrease without using organic solvents
. clean hard-to-reach areas of products and remove all types of contaminants
. reduce the time of processes such as extraction, dispersion, purification, chemical reactions
. eliminate expensive mechanical and chemical cleaning of heat exchange equipment.
7. What are the applications of ultrasonic cleaning?
Automotive service - washing carburetors, nozzles, injectors, individual parts, assemblies and entire blocks.
. Medicine - washing and polishing of optics, sterilization and cleaning of surgical instruments, ampoules, in dentistry and the pharmaceutical industry; cleaning of reusable tools, injection molds.
. Mechanical engineering - washing and cleaning of parts, pipes, wire, etc. before finishing, before and after processing of parts and assemblies, before preservation and after depreservation of parts, after welding, grinding, polishing, to remove oxide films, deburring parts ;
Instrumentation - washing and polishing of optics, precision mechanics parts, integrated circuits and printed circuit boards;
. Repair of office equipment - cleaning components and parts, washing printer heads.
. Printing house - cleaning of printing rollers.
. Chemical industry - mixing solutions and liquids, accelerating reactions, cleaning wire filters, degassing liquids, etc.
. Electronics industry - washing of printed circuit boards, washing of silicon and quartz wafers.
Production of polymer products - cleaning of dies, etc.
. Jewelry production - washing of jewelry during production and at home.
8. What contaminants are removed during ultrasonic cleaning?
The main types of contaminants that are removed during ultrasonic cleaning can be grouped into four groups:
Solid and liquid films - various oils, fats, pastes, etc.;
Solid sediments - particles of metal and abrasive, dust, carbon deposits, water-insoluble inorganic compounds (scale, fluxes) and water-soluble or partially soluble organic compounds (salts, sugar, starch, protein, etc.);
Corrosion products - rust, scale, etc.
Preservative, preservative and protective coatings.
9. Can ultrasonic cleaning damage the parts being cleaned?
Ultrasonic cleaning is considered safe for all types of parts, although some caution must be used in some cases. Although the impact of thousands of micro-explosions per second is very powerful, the cleaning process itself is safe, since the energy is localized at the microscopic level. The most important consideration regarding product safety is the choice of cleaning solution. The potentially harmful effects of a detergent on the material being cleaned can be enhanced by ultrasound. Therefore, ultrasonic cleaning is not recommended for the following stones: opal, pearl, emerald, tanzanite, malachite, turquoise, lapis, coral.
10. What is “direct” and “indirect” cleaning?
Direct cleaning occurs when parts are cleaned in a cleaning solution that fills the sink, usually from inside a perforated tray or mesh basket. The limitations of direct cleaning are such that a solution must be selected that will not damage the ultrasonic cleaner. Indirect cleaning means placing the parts to be cleaned in an internal non-perforated tray or tube, usually containing a solution that the user does not wish to directly fill the ultrasonic reservoir with. When choosing indirect cleaning, ensure that the water level inside the tank is maintained at fill level at all times (approximately 30mm from the top of the tank).
11. Why is a special solution required for cleaning?
Dirt sticks to the products... if this were not the case, it would simply fall off of them! The purpose of the solution is to break the connection between products and polluting particles. Water itself does not have cleansing properties. The initial purpose of ultrasound (cavitation) is to help the solution do this work. Ultrasonic cleaning solution contains various ingredients designed to optimize the ultrasonic cleaning process. For example, increasing levels of cavitation occur as a result of a decrease in the surface tension of the liquid. The ultrasonic cleaning solution includes an effective wetting agent or surfactant.
12. What is the best cleaning solution to use?
Modern cleaning solutions are composed of a wide variety of detergents, wetting agents and other reactive components. A wide variety of excellent formulas are available, designed for specific applications. Proper selection is very important to ensure the required cleaning activity and to prevent unwanted reactions with the workpiece.
13. Which cleaning solution should not be used?
It is strictly forbidden to use flammable substances or solutions with a low flash point. The energy released during cavitation is converted into heat and kinetic energy, generating high temperature gradients in the solution and can thereby create hazardous conditions when handling flammable liquids. Acids, bleaches and bleaching by-products should be avoided whenever possible, although they may be used in indirect cleaning in an appropriate indirect cleaning container (eg a glass tube) and with appropriate precautions. Acid and bleach can damage stainless steel tanks and/or create hazardous conditions.
14. When should the solution be changed?
The cleaning solution should be replaced with a fresh one if the effectiveness of the solution has noticeably decreased or if the solution becomes visibly dirty. A fresh batch of solution for each cleaning session is not necessary.
15. Why do you need to keep the solution at the tank indicator level?
The solution level should always be maintained at the indicator level in the reservoir when trays or tubes are inserted. The ultrasonic cleaning system is a “customizable” system. Incorrectly set solution levels change the characteristics of the environment, can affect the system frequency, reduce efficiency and, in principle, damage the sink. Maintaining the correct solution level ensures optimal solution circulation around parts and protects heaters and transmitters from stress and overheating.
16. How long is the cleaning time?
The duration of cleaning may vary, depending on factors such as contamination, solution, and the degree of cleaning required. Clearly visible dirt removal begins immediately after ultrasonic cleaning begins. Adjusting the cleaning duration is the easiest (and most misused) way to compensate for process variables. Although the cycle time for a new application can be approximately determined by an experienced user, it must nevertheless be confirmed by actual use with the selected solution and actual contaminated parts.
17. What is the purpose of the device heater?
The primary purpose of the device heater is to maintain the temperature of the solution between cleaning cycles. The enormous energy released by cavitation generates heat for cleaning.
18. How do you know if the cavitation device is working properly?
Poor cleaning results in most cases due to improper control of one or more process variables: selection of the wrong cleaning solution, lack of heat, lack of time to remove a particular type of contaminant. If you suspect that your ultrasonic cleaner is not producing the desired cavitation, there are two simple tests you can perform: the "microscope slide test" and the "foil test."
Posted by company
Allows you to quickly and efficiently process a wide variety of parts, remove the most stubborn stains, replace expensive and unsafe solvents and mechanize the cleaning process.
When ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to a liquid, variable pressures arise in it, varying with the frequency of the exciting field. The presence of dissolved gases in the liquid leads to the fact that during the negative half-cycle of oscillations, when tensile stress acts on the liquid, ruptures in the form of gas bubbles form and increase in this liquid. These bubbles can absorb contaminants from microcracks and micropores of the material. Under the influence of compressive stresses during the positive half-cycle of pressure, the bubbles collapse. By the time the bubbles collapse, they are subject to liquid pressure reaching several thousand atmospheres, so the collapse of the bubble is accompanied by the formation of a powerful shock wave. This process of formation and collapse of bubbles in a liquid is called cavitation. Typically cavitation occurs on the surface of the part. The shock wave crushes contaminants and moves them into the cleaning solution (see Fig. 1.10).
Rice. 1.10. Scheme of suction of contaminants from surface microcracks into a growing gas bubble
ABOUT The separated particles of contaminants are captured by bubbles and float to the surface (Fig. 1.11).
Rice. 1.11. Ultrasonic cleaning
An ultrasonic wave in a liquid is characterized by sound pressure P sound. and vibration intensity I. Sound pressure is determined by the formula:
P star = . C. . . Cos(t-k x) = p m . Cos(t-k x),
where p m = . C. . - sound pressure amplitude,
. C - wave impedance,
- vibration amplitude,
- frequency.
With an increase in sound pressure to an optimal value, the number of gas bubbles in the liquid increases, and the volume of the cavitation region increases accordingly. In ultrasonic cleaning installations, the sound pressure at the “emitter-liquid” interface lies in the range of 0.2 ÷ 0.14 MPa.
In practice, the intensity of ultrasonic vibrations is taken to be the power per unit area of the emitter:
1.5÷3 W/cm 2 - aqueous solutions,
0.5÷1 W/cm 2 - organic solutions.
Cavitation destruction reaches its maximum when the bubble collapse time is equal to the half-period of oscillations. The formation and growth of cavitation bubbles is affected by liquid viscosity, vibration frequency, static pressure and temperature. A cavitation bubble can form if its radius is less than a certain critical radius corresponding to a certain hydrostatic pressure.
Ultrasonic vibration frequency lies in the range from 16 Hz to 44 kHz.
If the oscillation frequency is low, then larger bubbles with a small pulsation amplitude are formed. Some of them simply float to the surface of the liquid. Low-frequency ultrasound travels less well due to absorption, so a high-quality cleaning process takes place in an area close to the source. At low frequencies, microcracks whose dimensions are smaller than the ultrasound wavelength are not cleaned well enough.
An increase in the oscillation frequency leads to a decrease in the size of gas bubbles and, consequently, to a decrease in the intensity of shock waves at the same installation power. To start the cavitation process with an increased frequency, a greater intensity of oscillations is required. An increase in the frequency of an ultrasonic cleaning installation usually leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the installation. However, increasing the frequency of ultrasound has a number of positive aspects:
Cleaning is carried out using hydraulic flows with significantly less vibration of the part;
The ultrasonic energy density increases in proportion to the square of the frequency, which makes it possible to introduce higher intensities into the solution or, at a constant intensity, to reduce the amplitude of vibrations;
As the frequency increases, the amount of ultrasound energy absorbed increases.
Due to the absorption of energy of higher density, particles of oils, fats, fluxes, etc. surface contaminants, when heated, the parts become more fluid and easily dissolve in the cleaning liquid. Water (as the basis of the cleaning solution) does not heat up;
As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases, which promotes more thorough cleaning of small holes;
When ultrasound oscillates at a sufficiently high frequency (40 kHz), the ultrasonic wave propagates with less absorption and acts effectively even at a great distance from the source;
The dimensions and weight of ultrasonic generators and converters are significantly reduced;
The risk of erosive destruction of the surface of the part being cleaned is reduced.
Liquid viscosity during ultrasonic cleaning it affects energy loss and impact pressure. An increase in the viscosity of the liquid increases the loss due to viscous friction, but the time for the bubble to collapse is reduced, and therefore the force of the shock wave increases. Technical contradiction.
Temperature has an ambiguous effect on the ultrasonic cleaning process. An increase in temperature activates the washing medium and increases its dissolving ability. But at the same time, the viscosity of the solution decreases and the pressure of the vapor-gas mixture increases, which significantly reduces the stability of the cavitation process. Here we are again faced with the situationtechnical contradiction.
An engineering approach to resolving this contradiction is to optimize the temperature (viscosity) of the solution depending on the nature and type of contaminants. To clean parts from chemically active contaminants, the temperature should be increased, and to remove poorly soluble contaminants, you need to choose a temperature that creates conditions for optimal cavitation erosion.
Alkaline solutions 40÷60ºС,
Trichloroethane 38÷40ºС,
Aqueous emulsions 21÷37ºС.
In addition to cavitation dispersion of contaminants, acoustic fluid flows have a positive effect during cleaning, i.e. vortex flows formed in a sonicated liquid in places of its inhomogeneities or at the “liquid-solid” interface. A high level of liquid excitation in the layer adjacent to the surface of the part reduces the thickness of the diffusion layer formed by the reaction products of the washing solution with contaminants.
Ultrasonic Cleaning Media
Cleaning is carried out in aqueous cleaning solvents, emulsions, and acidic solutions. When using alkaline solutions, the temperature and concentration of alkaline components can be significantly reduced, and the quality of cleaning will remain high. This reduces the etching effect on the part. The composition of alkaline solutions most often includes caustic soda (NaOH), soda ash (Na 3 CO 3), trisodium phosphate (Na 3 PO 4. 12H 2 O), liquid glass (Na 2 O. SiO 2), anionic and nonionic surfactants ( sulfanol, tinol).
Surfactants significantly increase cavitation erosion, i.e. intensify the cleaning process. However, the danger of cavitation destruction of the material surface when adding a surfactant also increases. A decrease in surface tension in the presence of a surfactant leads to an increase in the number of bubbles per unit volume. In this case, the surfactant reduces the strength of the surface of the part (a technical contradiction).
To prevent metal erosion, it is necessary to select optimal surfactant concentrations, minimum process duration, and place parts away from the emitter (an engineering solution).
Ultrasonic cleaning in organic solvents is used when cleaning in alkaline solvents can lead to corrosion of the material or the formation of a passive film, and also when it is necessary to reduce drying time. The most convenient are chlorinated solvents with high chemical activity; they dissolve a wide variety of contaminants and are safe to use.
Chlorinated solvents can be used in pure form and as part of azeotropic mixtures (distilled without changing the composition). For example, mixtures of freon-113, freon-30. Azeotropic solvent mixtures react with many contaminants and increase cleaning efficiency.
Gasoline, acetone, alcohols, and alcohol-gasoline mixtures are also used for ultrasonic cleaning.
For ultrasonic etching of parts when cleaning from oxides, concentrated acidic solutions are used (see Table 1.6).
Table 1.6.
Composition of solutions (mass fractions) and ultrasonic etching modes
Part material |
Urotropin |
Temperature ºС |
Duration, min |
||||||
Structural steels (St 3, 45) | |||||||||
Cementing washable steel (16ХГТ) | |||||||||
Chromium steels (2Х13, 4Х13, etc.) | |||||||||
Electrical steels | |||||||||
Stainless become | |||||||||
Copper alloys (L90, LA85, L68, etc.) | |||||||||
Carbon steels |
Methods for controlling the ultrasonic cleaning process .
Change in fluid pressure. The method is implemented in the form of creating a vacuum or, conversely, excess pressure. By vacuumizing the liquid, the formation of cavitation is facilitated. Excessive pressure increases erosive destruction, shifts the maximum of cavitation erosion to the zone of high sound pressures, and affects the nature of acoustic flows.
Application of electric or magnetic fields to the cleaning medium. During electrochemical ultrasonic cleaning, the cavitation area can be localized directly at the workpiece; bubbles of gases released on the electrodes contribute to the destruction of contaminant films; the oil wettability of the polarized surface of the part decreases.
The application of a magnetic field to the cavitation region causes the movement of gas bubbles having a negative surface charge, which increases cavitation erosion of parts.
Introduction of abrasive particles into the cleaning solution. Solid abrasive particles participate in the mechanical separation of contaminants and stimulate the formation of cavitation bubbles, as they disrupt the continuity of the liquid.
Unique development and implementation experience
technologies for cleaning parts at the largest enterprises
Ultrasonic cleaning is the cleaning of the surface of solid bodies of almost any complexity and material of manufacture by exciting ultrasonic frequency oscillations in the cleaning solution. To carry out this process, a specialized bath is used. This type of cleaning has many advantages over other cleaning methods.
The most important advantage is that ultrasonic cleaning does not require manual labor. designed to ensure that parts are cleaned through cavitation bubbles that penetrate under the film of contaminants, thereby destroying it and peeling contaminants from the surface part to be cleaned or subject.
In addition, in such baths it is possible to clean hard-to-reach areas of products without the use of organic solvents, which is impossible with other cleaning methods.
What other advantages are there for ultrasonic cleaning of parts?
In addition to these advantages, ultrasonic cleaning also has environmental friendliness and safety of the process. The baths do not produce any harmful or adverse effects on the environment or human health; such cleaning is not a toxic or harmful process.
Along with this, the specifics ultrasonic cleaning allows you to minimize the time for cleaning parts or any devices. This is due to the ability to regulate the intensity of the influence of ultrasonic waves, which set the smallest bubbles in motion. Thus, for weak contaminants, it is possible to use the influence of ultrasonic radiation of such a force that it activates non-collapsing cavitation bubbles that affect the contaminants with pulsating movements. But for more persistent contaminants, a higher intensity of the ultrasonic field is required, in which there are collapsing cavitation bubbles that create a micro-impact effect on the contaminants. In addition, such baths are used to degrease various parts and objects.
It is known that it is quite difficult and also very time-consuming to degrease small parts properly while using other cleaning methods. And by using an ultrasonic bath for degreasing, you can achieve excellent results while minimizing the wasted time and effort.
What parts can be cleaned with ultrasound?
This method of washing allows you to clean parts and objects of any size with any contaminants. This includes contaminants such as solid or liquid films, oils and fats, protective and protective coatings, rust and other corrosive coatings, contaminants of biological, organic and inorganic origin, mechanical contaminants (chips, dust, particles of abrasive agents, etc.), as well as a lot others.
An ultrasonic bath allows you to clean and degrease mechanical engineering parts, engine parts, gas turbines and other parts for various purposes. In addition, using this cleaning method, you can clean the smallest parts such as elements of fountain pens, jewelry, silicon crystals and others. Also, ultrasonic cleaning allows you to cope with quite complex contaminants that are practically beyond the reach of other cleaning methods - these are dried printer heads, parts of precision instruments, circuit boards, gears and bearings, and others.
In a word, ultrasonic cleaning is, of course, a universal way to clean any parts of any degree and type of contamination. This puts it ahead of other methods of cleaning parts. After all, it allows you to achieve excellent results in the shortest possible time and without the use of manual labor, and this is a huge advantage over other cleaning methods.
It is not always possible to remove all contaminants using conventional methods of cleaning engine surfaces and parts, especially from hard-to-reach places. For maximum efficiency, ultrasonic engine cleaning is used today.
In general terms, ultrasonic cleaning is a procedure that uses ultrasound to remove contaminants. Ultrasound is mechanical vibration with a frequency above 20 thousand hertz. That is, higher than what the human ear perceives. Ultrasound cleaning is used in many areas: car repair, jewelry making, in everyday life, etc.
Read in this article
What is ultrasonic engine cleaning?
The essence of this method is that the object to be cleaned (in the case of this we are talking about engine parts) is placed in a container with liquid. This liquid can be simply water or a detergent solution.
Ultrasound is then passed through the liquid. In a liquid, the effect of cavitation, acoustic flow, sound pressure and sound-capillary effect occur, which together gives cavitation erosion. This type of erosion in simple terms means the destruction of contaminants.
The main role in cleaning is played by cavitation, which looks like boiling due to vaporization and instantaneous condensation with the appearance of many bubbles. Oscillations arise due to the conversion of electric current by the converter into mechanical oscillations of the same frequency.
Converters come in different types. They can be placed either in the bath itself or attached to its walls or even on the surface of the part being cleaned. There are also special small devices for precise cleaning of the surface of small parts.
Thus, it becomes clear that ultrasonic cleaning of engine parts helps remove old contaminants where one or another mechanical means simply cannot reach. For example, various holes and channels. In addition, there is no danger of mechanical damage to the part or its individual elements.
The advantages of ultrasonic engine cleaning are that:
- Parts made of any materials, any shape and configuration, channels, internal cavities are guaranteed to be cleaned;
- Not only carbon deposits and chemical deposits are easily removed, but also;
- Saves time that is usually spent on washing in the usual way;
- Noticeable savings on detergent consumption were noted;
- Constant human participation is not required; just start the bath;
- After ultrasonic washing, engine parts do not require additional cleaning. As a last resort, you will have to wipe off any remaining dirt with a rag or a soft brush (brush).
How to make an ultrasonic bath with your own hands
Making an ultrasonic cleaning bath is not that difficult. This will require skills in working with a soldering iron, the ability to assemble electrical circuits and some materials.
The costs will be minimal, since many components can be found among radio-electronic trash. So, you will need:
- A diagram that can be easily found on the Internet;
- A stainless steel container that acts as a frame for the bathtub. Its volume can be any. It all depends on the size of the parts that are supposed to be cleaned;
- A vessel made of ceramics or porcelain into which the items to be cleaned will be immersed;
- A coil with a ferrite rod and a small plastic or glass tube;
- Round magnet. It is usually removed from old speakers;
- Pump for pumping liquid into the bath;
- Pulse transformer for increasing voltage. It can be obtained from the depths of an old TV or computer.
- At the initial stage, the ultrasound emitter is manufactured. To do this, you need to wind the coil around the tube so that the ferrite rod remains free and a magnet is placed on it.
- Holes are drilled in the bottom of a ceramic or porcelain vessel to mount the resulting emitter. Holes are also drilled in the side walls. They will serve to collect and drain liquid.
- The vessel is fixed in a stainless container, tubes for liquid are supplied.
Once completed, you can test the device. It is important to understand that ultrasonic engine washing cannot be carried out in the absence of liquid, since the ferrite rod will be destroyed.
During operation of the bath, it is necessary to observe safety precautions and remember the possibility of electric shock. Also, do not put your hands into liquid without protective rubber gloves.
What's the result?
As you can see, ultrasonic cleaning of engine parts is not just an alternative to conventional cleaning methods, but also a more rational and effective solution. The fact is that during the process it is important to clean narrow channels and hard-to-reach elements from dirt and deposits.
As a result, this approach allows us to further achieve maximum efficiency from all engine systems. In other words, high-quality cleaning of parts as part of repairs means stable operation of the internal combustion engine in different modes, as well as the overall performance of the repaired power plant.
Read also
Stands for repairing internal combustion engines: purpose, features. Basic requirements for disassembly and assembly stand, self-production
- What documents should an individual entrepreneur have?
- Accounting for individual entrepreneurs - rules and features of independent reporting under different tax regimes Primary documentation for individual entrepreneurs
- Accounting for individual entrepreneurs: features of accounting in individual entrepreneurs?
- How to privatize an apartment, everything about privatization List of documents for privatization of an apartment