Acoustic separation of submicron solid particles in air.

The use of ultrasound to continuously separate submicron particles suspended in air is investigated in a rectangular channel with adjustable height. An electrostatic transducer is used to generate a standing wave in the 50-80 kHz frequency range and the particles experience forces within the acoustic field causing them to concentrate at the pressure nodes. To assess the effect of several key design parameters on the separation efficiency, a simple method based on light scattering is implemented to provide information on the particle concentrations as a function of position in the channel.