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High Pressure Homogenizer and Homogenizer Systems

All types of mixers achieve mixing by rapidly changing the direction of the fluid, accelerating the fluid, or subjecting the fluid to cavitation.  Rotating props or high shear rotors force fluids to change direction and cavitate; static mixers use direction change.  The Sonolator is an in-line, continuous, high pressure homogenizer that subjects fluids to high pressure, extreme acceleration and ultrasonic cavitation by forcing the material through our engineered Orifice.  The material is forced by a PD pump through the Orifice and is accelerated to greater than 300 ft/sec.  The fluid cavitates as vortices of material are violently spun off in the opposite direction of the flow.

The Sonolator in Action!

We harness this cavitational energy by then forcing the material to strike a knife-like blade set in its path.  Vortices of material are spun off simultaneously forming a pulsating cavitational field around the blade.  This extreme fluid acceleration and cavitation allow for very effective mixing, homogenizing, emulsifying and dispersing.

By itself, the Sonolator is actually quite small with no moving parts, but coupled to a PD Pump it's a powerhouse homogenizing device.  All model Sonolators, like the one pictured here, house the Orifice and Blade discussed previously and can handle pressures up to 5000 psi.  The key to engineering Sonolator systems is choosing the right pump!

This is where our experience and technology shine because we can choose from a host of commercially available pumps including hi-pressure plunger pumps, gear pumps, progressing cavity pumps, and many more.  Sonic supplies systems for the Benchtop, Pilot Plant and Manufacturing Plant.  Our Single-Feed Sonolator Systems provide many immediate benefits to the end user:

• Various PD pumps (Gear, Progressing Cavity, Reciprocating, etc.) can be used; this allows Sonic to design a system rated only to the pressure you need and that can handle your fluid characteristics i.e. viscosity, pH, density, texture, etc.

• Process time reductions are realized as the Sonolator system is installed at the base of a premix tank where a rough premix is passed through the system and homogenized in transit to finish or hold tank.  This reduces excessive in-tank mix times and eliminates material transfer time.

• There is a reduction in spare parts costs and maintenance time as Sonic uses commercially available pumps and components whose spares are readily available and affordable; the Sonolator itself has no moving parts so wear is minimal and your cost for proprietary parts is inexpensive.

• The Sonolator can do what other high pressure homogenizers can do in about half the pressure, reducing motor horsepower requirements and saving on energy consumption.

• Because we make customized systems that meet your pressure and flow design needs, you save on initial capital investment as you're not forced to buy the closest off-the-shelf unit that might have higher capacity and pressure rating than you require.

• Sonolator systems are directly scalable from 0.25 gpm Benchtop Systems on up.  Because homogenization is achieved via cavitation and fluid acceleration generated with no moving parts or rotorized mechanical shear, there are no scale up issues.

• Perhaps the single most valuable benefit to the Sonolator is its ability to be used in a Multiple-Feed Sonolator process where independent phases are metered via PD pumps into the Sonolator and emulsified/homogenized instantly; this provides higher finished product yields for same tank space when water can be removed from tank and metered on its own, massive cycle time reductions as some ingredients are metered from bulk, reductions in heating and cooling as phases are metered at varying temps.

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Sonic Corp  (203) 375-0063; Stratford, CT