Abstract: A system comprising one or more transducers and an alcohol production facility having a liquid medium processing stream, the alcohol production facility adapted for use with the one or more transducers is provided. In one embodiment, the one or more transducers apply sonication to the liquid medium processing stream in one or more locations. In one embodiment, the alcohol production facility is an ethanol production facility. In one embodiment, the ethanol production facility utilizes a dry grind process, modified dry grind process or wet mill process. The systems of the present invention utilize sonication at the frequencies and intensities required on an industrial scale to reduce the production cost of alcohol, such as ethanol, by improving alcohol yield per bushel, reducing processing times for higher throughput, reducing operating costs, and increasing the marketability of co-products, among other benefits.

Abstract: A method comprising applying sonication to a grain-based liquid medium processing stream of a starch-to-alcohol production process with one or more transducers is provided. In one embodiment, the one or more transducers apply sonication to the grain-based liquid medium processing stream in one or more locations. In one embodiment, the starch-to-alcohol production process is a starch-to-ethanol production process. In one embodiment, the starch-to-ethanol production process is a dry grind process, modified dry grind process or wet mill process. The methods of the present invention utilize sonication at the frequencies and intensities required on an industrial scale to reduce the production cost of alcohol, such as ethanol, by improving alcohol yield per bushel, reducing processing times for higher throughput, reducing operating costs, and increasing the marketability of co-products, among other benefits.

Abstract: A high performance rare earth-transition metal magnetostrictive material with increased impurities having the formula (Rx1Rx2 . . . Rx11)1(My1My2 . . . My6)z is provided. Each R is selected from the group of elements consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium and yttrium, where 0≦x1≦1, 0≦x2≦1 . . . 0≦x11≦1 and where x1+x2+ . . . +x11=1. Each M is selected from the group of elements consisting of iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, aluminum and silicon, where 0≦y1≦1, 0≦y2≦1 . . . 0≦y6≦1, where y1+y2+ . . . +y6=1 and where 1.8≦z≦2.1. The material has oxygen impurities, nitrogen impurities and carbon impurities. The oxygen impurities having an atomic percent ranging from 6,011 to 34,000 parts per million. The nitrogen impurities having an atomic percent ranging from 575 to 4,400 parts per million.