Device and process for treating cutting fluids using ultrasound
View Patent ↗Devices and methods for treating, preventing from growth, and neutralizing microorganisms in cutting fluids using high-frequency, low-energy ultrasound.
1. A method of treating a cutting fluid comprising simultaneously exposing said cutting fluid to gas microbubbles and ultrasound of a frequency of 100 kHz or higher.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas microbubbles consist essentially of ambient air.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of said microbubbles is less than about 50 micrometers.
4. An apparatus for reducing the presence of live microorganisms in a cutting fluid comprising:
a compartment for holding a reservoir of cutting fluid;
an ultrasound emitter configured to emit ultrasound signals at a frequency higher than 100 kHz into said compartment; and
a gas microbubble emitter configured to emit gas microbubbles having an average diameter of less than 1 mm into the ultrasound field in the compartment containing the cutting fluid.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gas microbubbles are not ozone microbubbles.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gas microbubbles are selected from the group consisting of air and oxygen microbubbles.
7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the cutting fluid is a water-soluble cutting fluid.
8. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the cutting fluid is a synthetic cutting fluid.
9. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the cutting fluid is a semi-synthetic cutting fluid.
10. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the average diameter of the gas microbubbles is less than 50 μm.
11. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the average diameter of the gas microbubbles is less than 30 μm.
12. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the ultrasound emitted into the compartment does not generate a stationary field phenomenon.
13. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising an electromagnetic radiation emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible range into the ultrasound field.
14. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the microorganisms are bacteria.
15. A method of treating cutting fluid comprising:
collecting cutting fluid from a fluid routing circuit;
routing said cutting fluid into a compartment;
simultaneously exposing said cutting fluid in compartment to gas microbubbles and ultrasound of a frequency of 100 kHz or higher.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said gas microbubbles consist essentially of ambient air.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the diameter of said microbubbles is less than about 50 micrometers.
18. A machining system comprising:
a cutting device;
a cutting fluid circuit connected to the cutting device;
a compartment for holding a reservoir of cutting fluid through which said cutting fluid is routed;
an ultrasound emitter configured to emit ultrasound signals at a frequency higher than 100 kHz into said compartment; and
a gas microbubble emitter configured tb emit gas microbubbles having an average diameter of less than 1 mm into the ultrasound field in the compartment containing the cutting fluid.
19. The apparatus according to 18 , wherein the gas microbubbles are not ozone microbubbles.
20. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the gas microbubbles are selected from the group consisting of air and oxygen microbubbles.
21. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the cutting fluid is a water-soluble cutting fluid.
22. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the cutting fluid is a synthetic cutting fluid.
23. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the cutting fluid is a semi-synthetic cutting fluid.
24. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the average diameter of the gas microbubbles is less than 50 μm.
25. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the average diameter of the gas microbubbles is less than 30 μm.
26. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the ultrasound emitted into the compartment does not generate a stationary field phenomenon.
27. The apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising an electromagnetic radiation emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible range into the ultrasound field.