Abstract: An acoustic driver assembly for use with a spherical cavitation chamber is provided. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass, coupled together with a centrally located threaded means (e.g., all thread, bolt, etc.). The driver assembly is either attached to the exterior surface of the spherical cavitation chamber with the same threaded means, a different threaded means, or a more permanent coupling means such as brazing, diffusion bonding or epoxy. In at least one embodiment, the transducer is comprised of a pair of piezo-electric transducers, preferably with the adjacent surfaces of the piezo-electric transducers having the same polarity. The surface of the head mass that is adjacent to the external surface of the chamber has a spherical curvature less than the spherical curvature of the external surface of the chamber, thus providing a ring of contact between the acoustic driver and the cavitation chamber.

Abstract: An acoustic driver assembly for use with a spherical cavitation chamber is provided. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass, coupled together with a centrally located threaded means (e.g., all thread, bolt, etc.). The driver assembly is permanently attached to the exterior surface of the spherical cavitation chamber via brazing or diffusion bonding. In at least one embodiment, the transducer is comprised of a pair of piezo-electric transducers, preferably with the adjacent surfaces of the piezo-electric transducers having the same polarity. The surface of the head mass that is adjacent to the external surface of the chamber has a spherical curvature equivalent to the spherical curvature of the external surface of the chamber, thus providing maximum coupling efficiency between the acoustic driver and the cavitation chamber. In at least one embodiment a void filling material is interposed between one or more pairs of adjacent surfaces of the driver assembly.

Abstract: An acoustic driver assembly for use with a spherical cavitation chamber is provided. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass, coupled together with a centrally located threaded means (e.g., all thread, bolt, etc.). The driver assembly is either attached to the exterior surface of the spherical cavitation chamber with the same threaded means, a different threaded means, or a more permanent coupling means such as brazing, diffusion bonding or epoxy. In at least one embodiment, the transducer is comprised of a pair of piezo-electric transducers, preferably with the adjacent surfaces of the piezo-electric transducers having the same polarity. The surface of the head mass that is in contact with the external surface of the chamber has a spherical curvature equivalent to the spherical curvature of the external surface of the chamber, thus providing maximum surface contact between the driver assembly and the chamber.

Abstract: An acoustic driver assembly for use with a spherical cavitation chamber is provided. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass, coupled together with a centrally located threaded means (e.g., all thread, bolt, etc.). The driver assembly is either attached to the exterior surface of the spherical cavitation chamber with the same threaded means, a different threaded means, or a more permanent coupling means such as brazing, diffusion bonding or epoxy. In at least one embodiment, the transducer is comprised of a pair of piezo-electric transducers, preferably with the adjacent surfaces of the piezo-electric transducers having the same polarity. The surface of the head mass that is adjacent to the external surface of the chamber has a spherical curvature greater than the spherical curvature of the external surface of the chamber, thus providing a ring of contact between the acoustic driver and the cavitation chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for degassing the cavitation medium contained within a cavitation chamber is provided. The cavitation medium is pumped through the cavitation chamber through a pair of chamber inlets and an external conduit connecting the two inlets. The external conduit is coupled to a second chamber. The second chamber is a degassing chamber and is coupled to a vacuum pump. The cavitation medium can be continuously or intermittently circulated through the degassing system during chamber operation. The vacuum pump coupled to the degassing system can operate continuously or intermittently during system degassing. The cavitation medium circulation system can include a filter, preferably for removing contaminants that could disrupt the cavitation process.