Ultrasonic flow-through fractioning of particles of different kinds. Ii. Philosophy of selecting optimal conditions for fractionating one-component different-nature particles and heterogeneous (two-component) particles. Ultimate separation parameters

A model of ultrasonic (US) flow fractionation has been elaborated and conditions have been revealed, under which the model can be adequately used to fractionate one- and two-component particles of natural water suspensions containing inorganic components of different natures. Size sorting of inorganic and heterogeneous particles (inorganic component + humic substances) have been simulated for the cases of parallel superposition of US field and flow in a vertically installed chamber for various schemes of flow organization in a broad range of field parameters (1÷4.5 MHz; 1÷20 J∙m-3). Calculations were performed for particles with densities of 1200÷9000 kg∙m-3; volumetric content of inorganic base was 1.0 to 0.0; i.e., the calculations covered the entire range of natural particulate matters. Algorithms for selecting optimal US field parameters and flow velocities for fractionating mixtures of particles of different natures and compositions according to physical properties of the components have been developed. Ultimate size sorting parameters have been estimated. We have shown that this technique can be used in various ways depending on specific conditions, such as ultrasonic field parameters, flow velocity and flow direction, for sequential multi-stage size sorting of particles, single-stage extraction of narrow fractions of particles, fractionation of particles by density and nature. Optimal conditions for solving various fractionation problems have been determined. A method for integral qualitative estimation of natural water composition according to relative distribution of different-nature particles layers in stationary standing wave US field is proposed.