Because pressure is the dictating force and should be maintained constant throughout production runs, if at any time
during production the pressure falters or fluctuates dramatically, check the following:
1. The pump to insure that piston cups, plunger seals, stators or gears are not worn or damaged.
2. The Sonolator orifice to insure nothing is clogging it, or that it is not worn.
3. The gauge seal assembly to insure it is not damaged. Sonic seal assemblies possess a diaphragm seal that
must be full with water.
4. The back pressure valve to insure it is not closed and generating higher pressures.
5. Check any strainers upstream of the pump for clogs; such clogs will create pump starvation.
Tuning
As mentioned, the blade-to-orifice adjustment knob and the back pressure tuning valve are used to enhance or fine
tune the cavitation occurring within the Sonolator's mixing chamber. BEFORE STARTING THE SYSTEM, observe
the method of adjusting the orifice-to-blade distance and the back pressure as detailed in the section entitled Start-
Up Procedures in this manual. The orifice-to-blade distance is adjusted by rotating any large Calibrator handle
clock-wise to move the blade closer to the orifice and counter clock-wise to move the blade back. The back
pressure tuning valve is adjusted by turning the valve handle to increase cavitation. The Acoustic Intensity Meter is
used to assist in locating the optimum level of cavitation.
As mentioned earlier, cavitation is created when the process material encounters the restriction created by the orifice
and then flows over the blade at high velocity; the two tuning adjustments described here will optimize the amount of
material that flows over the blade. As material exits the orifice at high velocity, the process streams twists, much like
water discharging from a pinched garden hose. The Back-pressure Tuning Valve, when closed slowly, will flatten
that stream, thereby optimizing how much material flows over the blade. Material exiting an orifice at high speeds
also tends to spray as it moves further downstream away from the orifice. The blade-to-orifice adjustment allows the
operator to position the blade within the flat liquid stream just before the material begins break up and spray, again
increasing the amount of material impinging upon the blade and escalating cavitation levels within the Sonolator.
Variations in the Process Liquid
Changes in the process liquid will necessitate re-tuning of the Sonolator. Variations in temperature, viscosity, and
flow rates will also occasion re-tuning of the Sonolator. Barring any variations in process liquid or process controls,
the Sonolator should require little attention aside from routine maintenance checks.
Orifice and Blade Wear
Orifice wear is first noticed when pressure within the system decreases. As the orifice becomes larger, it offers less
resistance to flow. Wear is observed as a rounding of the inside "lips" of the orifice, and the formerly sharp corners
of the "cat's eye" will take on a definite radius.
Abrasive liquids will cause the leading edge of the blade to wear in a "U" shaped pattern in front of the orifice. The
blade need only be replaced when the acoustic intensity drops by more than 15-20%, or the "U" shaped wear
pattern is visibly 1/16 to 1/8" in depth.
Non-abrasive liquids will cause the blade to show cavitational erosion slightly behind the leading edge. This rate of
erosion is very slow and is not to be considered a source of contamination.
Particle Size Control
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