Advancements in fouling removal using high power ultrasonics for industrial applications

摘要

Fouling formation on high value assets i.e. ships, offshore platforms, pipelines in the processing industry is a significant problem causing destruction to the environment and operations of the structure. Common fouling mechanisms in industry are deposit of scales, settlement and growth of marine organisms. It is an important factor, in order to assess the service lifetime and safety of these assets. Large sums of money are spent for removal and preventative methods to maintain efficient operation of the asset. Most of these methods are toxic and the environmental concerns associated with these techniques has led to studies on alternative methods to remove fouling. This paper proposes a non-invasive method of removing fouling using high power ultrasound. The acoustic cavitation phenomenon is related with the out-of-the-plane displacement occurring in structures for the fouling removal process. This is a cost and time effective method and more importantly, an environmentally sustainable method of fouling removal. Furthermore, this paper presents the research carried out at the Brunel Innovation Centre in this field. Through collaborative research projects, this technology has been developed for different fouling types specific to various industrial applications. A methodology has been established for the selection of the transducers and the hardware. The techniques effectiveness has been proven through experimental and simulation results.