Aerosol Particle Size Control Using Ultrasound

A method for controlling aerosol particle size by exposure to ultrasonic vibrations of varying intensity has been theoretically established. Ultrasonic exposure has been shown to induce either particle coagulation or fragmentation within gas-dispersed systems, depending on ultrasound frequency and intensity. A mathematical model for the coagulation and fragmentation of aerosol droplets in an ultrasonic field has been developed. The coagulation–fragmentation criterion t_CF representing the ratio of the characteristic times of these processes is proposed for the first time. An expression is obtained for the critical particle diameter at which the characteristic times of the processes are equal ( t_CF = 1 ).