Thermal Stress Analysis and Control Method for Surface Acoustic Wave Atomizer

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Acoustics

Background:

• Surface acoustic wave (SAW) atomizers face potential failure due to thermal stress concentration during operation.
• Understanding the thermal elevation process is crucial for preventing device malfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the thermal elevation process in SAW atomizers.
• To propose and validate a temperature regulation method to mitigate thermal stresses.
• To prevent potential failure of SAW atomizers caused by thermal stresses.

Main Methods:

• Collected temperature rise data for SAW atomizers using water, olive oil, and glycerol at varying power levels (5/6/7 W).
• Obtained surface temperature curves and simulated stress changes under different operating conditions.
• Analyzed maximum stress occurrence times and developed control strategies based on experimental data.

Main Results:

• SAW atomizers exhibit rapid heating during the initial working stage, regardless of the medium.
• Stress levels vary across different media, but initial heating is a consistent issue.
• Controlling driving power within 4 seconds of atomization start effectively avoids excessive stress during heating.

Conclusions:

• A proposed power control method, limiting driving power to 3 W for the first 2 seconds, effectively reduces thermal stress.
• This method prevents thermal stress-induced cracking and enhances the reliability of SAW atomizers.
• The findings offer a practical solution for improving the operational lifespan of SAW atomizers.