Ultrasonic Wave Propagation Modeling in an Acoustic Extractor for Plant Material Processing
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The object of the study is the process of ultrasonic wave propagation and the formation of acoustically induced hydrodynamic fields in the liquid medium of an acoustic extractor intended for the processing of plant raw materials. Problem to be solved: determining the influence of the number and spatial configuration of ultrasonic transducers on the structure of velocity and acoustic fields within the working volume of the apparatus, since the non-uniformity of the ultrasonic field may limit the efficiency of mass-transfer and extraction processes, as well as lead to uneven treatment intensity of the raw material in different regions of the working volume. Numerical simulation was performed in the ANSYS CFX using a CFD approach for water under isothermal conditions with harmonic excitation of the transducer surfaces. The spatial and temporal distributions of flow velocity, acoustic pressure, and their gradients were analyzed for two configurations: one with a single centrally located transducer and another with four transducers arranged along the periphery. The results obtained demonstrated that multi-source ultrasonic excitation forms a more uniform acoustic field, increases the level of velocity and pressure pulsations across the entire cross-section of the apparatus, and expands the zone of intensive hydrodynamic influence. The identified patterns are explained by the superposition and interference of waves generated by multiple sources, which leads to an increase in the average values of hydrodynamic parameters and pressure gradients, as well as to the formation of conditions potentially favorable for cavitation phenomena. The results obtained can be applied in the design and optimization of ultrasonic extractors, in the selection of a rational number and arrangement of transducers, and in determining effective ultrasonic treatment modes for the intensification of mass-transfer and extraction processes in plant raw material processing systems.
Language: English
Subfield: Acoustics and Ultrasonics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221563753