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Revealing the interplay between flow dynamics and cavitation activity in a flow-through sonoreactor
Amirmohammad Javidani1, Martine Poux1, Joelle Aubin1
1Université de Toulouse, Toulouse INP, CNRS, LGC, Toulouse, France.
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
|April 18, 2026
Summary
Flow rate and ultrasound direction significantly impact acoustic cavitation in flow-through reactors. Counter-current flow and lower flow rates enhance sonochemical activity and radical generation for efficient industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Engineering
- Acoustics
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Acoustic cavitation is a key process for intensifying chemical and physical operations.
- Batch ultrasonic reactors are well-studied, but flow-through sonoreactors are less understood despite their relevance to continuous, large-scale processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of fluid flow rate and flow direction (co-current vs. counter-current) on sonochemical activity and cavitation in a tubular flow-through sonoreactor.
- To understand how ultrasonic amplitude influences these parameters.
Main Methods:
- Systematic investigation using a 35 kHz tubular flow-through sonoreactor.
- Characterization techniques included calorimetry (acoustic power, efficiency), shadowgraphy (cavitation cloud size), sonochemiluminescence (SCL, active zones), and KI dosimetry (radical quantification).
Main Results:
- Increasing flow rate slightly increased calorimetric power but did not significantly change ultrasonic efficiency.
- Cavitation clouds elongated with flow rate up to a point, then decreased; SCL showed larger, intense active zones at stagnant or low flow rates.
- Higher ultrasonic amplitudes and lower flow rates yielded greater radical production; counter-current flow improved active cavitation distribution, radical generation, and efficiency compared to co-current flow.
Conclusions:
- Flow rate and ultrasound propagation direction critically influence cavitation dynamics and sonochemical efficiency in flow-through systems.
- Low flow rates and counter-current operation are optimal for maximizing radical generation and sonochemical efficiency, attributed to enhanced hydrodynamics and residence time.
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