The Ultrasonic Scrubber
Description, performance and operating mechanism
Wet scrubbers are devices that utilize the downward flow of spray drops to scrub pollution from an upward flow of gas. However, for the case of particulate pollutants, water sprays are not effective when the particle diameter is on the order of a micron. We have developed the “ultrasonic scrubber”, a device that increases the scavenging capability of a water spray. Improvements as large as 140% in the scavenging coefficient have been measured in the ultrasonic scrubber for micron-scale particles, presenting the possibility for more effective removal of these particles and a reduction in their threat to human health.
Dr. John Saylor, Clemson University
Presented September 18, 2015
About the Presenter
John R. Saylor obtained his Ph.D. from Yale University. Upon completion , Saylor worked for a high-tech startup company where he developed microfluidic medical technologies, followed by work at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.. In 2000, he joined the Mechanical Engineering faculty at Clemson University where he is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Saylor’s research focuses on transport problems that occur at air/water interfaces such as bubbles, drops, and waves. His recent research interests have fallen into two application areas: particulate pollution control and evaporation as it relates to the water/energy nexus.