No abstract

A comparative study of hydrodynamic and acoustic cavitation has been made on the basis of numerical solutions of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation. The bubble/cavity behaviour has been studied under both acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation conditions. The effect of varying pressure fields on the collapse of the cavity (sinusoidal for acoustic and linear for hydrodynamic) and also on the latter's dynamic behaviour has been studied. The variations of parameters such as initial cavity size, intensity of the acoustic field and irradiation frequency in the case of acoustic cavitation, and initial cavity size, final recovery pressure and time for pressure recovery in the case of hydrodynamic cavitation, have been found to have significant effects on cavity/bubble dynamics. The simulations reveal that the bubble/cavity collapsing behaviour in the case of hydrodynamic cavitation is accompanied by a large number of pressure pulses of relatively smaller magnitude, compared with just one or two pulses under acoustic cavitation. It has been shown that hydrodynamic cavitation offers greater control over operating parameters and the resultant cavitation intensity. Finally, a brief summary of the experimental results on the oxidation of aqueous KI solution with a hydrodynamic cavitation set-up is given which supports the conclusion of this numerical study. The methodology presented allows one to manipulate and optimise of specific process, either physical or chemical.

In sonochemical processes, the physical and chemical effects are attributed to the phenomenon of cavitation, which is the formation, growth, and collapse of the cavities termed as activity of cavities. Energy analysis of a single cavity has been considered in order to explain, qualitatively, the effects of acoustic parameters such as intensity and frequency of ultrasonic equipment on sonochemical reactions. The experimental observations of the sonochemical reactions available in the literature are found to be consistent with the simulation results. Energy analysis of the cavity gives the possible reasons for the various sonochemical effects observed, and also the optimum equipment operating parameters can be predicted.