Ultrasonic Homogenizers

Ultrasonic homogenizers are powerful tools to mix and homogenize solid-liquid and liquid-liquid suspensions. Ultrasonic homogenization is a mechanical process to reduce particles in a liquid so that they become uniformly small and evenly distributed. Hielscher offers powerful ultrasonic homogenizers for application in lab and production scale.

Applications and Impact of Ultrasonic Homogenizers

Ultrasonic homogenizers are powerful and reliable mixers, which are used in lab and industry for numerous applications.
An ultrasonic homogenizer can be used for various applications, including:

• Homogenization: Ultrasonic homogenizers can homogenize samples to create uniform and consistent mixtures.
• Dispersion: Ultrasonic homogenizers can be used to disperse solid particles in liquids to create stable suspensions. Ultrasonication is extraordinarily efficient in creating nano-dispersions.
• Emulsification: Ultrasonic homogenizers can be used to create stable emulsions and nanoemulsions by breaking up and dispersing immiscible liquids, such as oil and water.
• Cell Disruption: Ultrasonic homogenizers can break open cells to extract intracellular components such as proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and metabolites.
• Degassing: Ultrasonic homogenizers can be used to remove dissolved gases from liquids, such as degassing HPLC solvents or cooling fluids.
• Ultrasonically-assisted Chemical Reactions: Ultrasonic homogenizers can also be used for sonication-assisted chemical reactions, such as sonochemical synthesis, catalysis or degradation.

 
Overall, ultrasonic homogenizers are a versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of applications in research, development, and industrial processes.

Ultrasonic vs High Pressure Homogenizers

The most common mechanism for homogenization is high pressure homogenization. There, liquid is pressed at high pressure (approx. 2000 barg) through a homogenizing valve. When passing the valve, the liquid undergoes a short (approx. 50 microsec.) high-pressure low-pressure cycle.
While this mechanism works well for small, soft particles, such as fat globules in milk, it has its limitations when used for dispersions of hard and abrasive materials, such as pigments, polishing media or metal oxides, or fibrous and stringy materials, such as fruit purees, algae or sludge. This is due to the high liquid speeds (up to 120mtr/sec) and because of the small orifices of the valves used. As the abrasive material passes the pumps and the valve orifice, it causes wear. This reduces the efficiency and life time of the pump and of the valve.

Advantages of Ultrasonic Homogenizers

Ultrasonic Homogenizers for Heavy-Duty Applications

Wet-milling, grinding and blending are typical applications, where ultrasonicators are utilized as reliable homogenizers. Ultrasonic homogenizers are very efficient for the reduction of soft and hard particles. In contrast to many other homogenizing technologies, ultrasonic probe-type homogenizers can handle even very hard, abrasive and fibrous materials.
The working principle of ultrasound homogenization is based on cavitation. When liquids are exposed to intense ultrasonication, sound waves propagate through the liquid causing alternating high-pressure and low-pressure cycles (approx. 20000 cycles/sec.). During the low-pressure cycle, high-intensity small vacuum bubbles are created in the liquid, as the liquid vapor pressure is attained.
When the bubbles reach a certain size, they collapse violently during a high-pressure cycle. During this implosion very high pressures and high speed liquid jets are generated locally. The resulting currents and turbulences disrupt particle agglomerates and lead to violent collisions between individual particles.

One major advantage of ultrasonic homogenizers is the low number of wetted and moving parts. This reduces frictional wear and cleaning time. There are only two wetted parts: The sonotrode and the flow cell. Both have simple geometries and no small or hidden orifices.

Another advantage is the exact control over the operational parameters influencing the cavitation. Hielscher ultrasonic homogenizers can be used at oscillation amplitudes from approx. 1 to 200 micron. The liquid pressure can range from 0 to approx. 500psig. As amplitude and pressure are the most influential parameters, the wide operational range of each parameter allows for very gentle to very destructive processing.

Hielscher ultrasonic homogenizers are amplitude controlled. By this, the adjusted amplitude will be maintained under all operational conditions. This makes ultrasonication controllable and repeatable. Sonication under identical operational parameters will yield consistent and reproducible results. This is important for the quality of the produced material and for the scale-up of process results from the lab to the production level.

Ultrasonic Homogenizers for Any Scale

Hielscher produces ultrasonic homogenizers for the homogenization of any sample volume for batch or inline processing. Laboratory ultrasonic homogenizers can be used for volumes from 1.5mL to approx. 5L. Ultrasonic industrial homogenizers are used for the process development and production of batches from 0.5 to approx 2000L or flow rates from 0.1L to 20m³ per hour.

Design, Manufacturing and Consulting – Quality Made in Germany

Hielscher ultrasonicators are well-known for their highest quality and design standards. Robustness and easy operation allow the smooth integration of our ultrasonicators into industrial facilities. Rough conditions and demanding environments are easily handled by Hielscher ultrasonicators.

Hielscher Ultrasonics is an ISO certified company and put special emphasis on high-performance ultrasonicators featuring state-of-the-art technology and user-friendliness. Of course, Hielscher ultrasonicators are CE compliant and meet the requirements of UL, CSA and RoHs.

The table below, indicates general device recommendations depending on the batch volume or flow rate to be processed. Click at the device type to get more information on each ultrasonic homogenizer.

Ultrasonic Homogenizers for High Performance Applications

Hielscher ultrasonic homogenizers are the work horse for mixing and homogenization. Ultrasonic lab homogenizers are compact and a reliable tool for the efficient and rapid dispersing and emulsifying of small and medium samples. Hielscher’s industrial ultrasonic homogenizers are efficacious and outperform traditional homogenization techniques such as high pressure homogenizers or bead mills. Hielscher industrial homogenizers can deliver very high amplitudes and are thereby exceptionally powerful when it comes to mixing, dispersing and milling processes. Amplitudes of up to 200µm can be easily continuously run in 24/7 operation. For even higher amplitudes, customized ultrasonic sonotrodes are available. The robustness of Hielscher’s ultrasonic equipment allows for 24/7 operation at heavy duty and in demanding environments.
Our customers are satisfied by the outstanding robustness and reliability of Hielscher Ultrasonics’ homogenizers. The installation in fields of heavy-duty application, demanding environments and 24/7 operation ensure efficient and economical processing. Ultrasonic process intensification reduces processing time and achieves better results, i.e. higher quality, higher yields, innovative products.

Ultrasonic Tissue Homogenizers

Besides the preparation of dispersions and emulsions, ultrasonic homogenizers are firmly established in biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology, and life science for cell lysis and fractionation, tissue disruption, the extraction of intracellular compounds as well as the shearing of DNA, RNA, and chromatin. Ultrasonic homogenizers are available for sample preparation of tiny volumes (0,1mL) up to very large volumes for industrial processes (e.g. extraction of bioactive compounds for supplement manufacturing).
In order to disrupt tissue with an ultrasonic homogenizer, an isotonic buffer solution is used to stop osmotic damage. Hielscher ultrasonic homogenizers come with a temperature sensor and temperature control setting, which allow to keep the samples in a well-controlled temperature range.
For more details on ultrasonic tissue homogenizers, click here!

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Literature / References

• Seyed Mohammad Mohsen Modarres-Gheisari, Roghayeh Gavagsaz-Ghoachani, Massoud Malaki, Pedram Safarpour, Majid Zandi (2019): Ultrasonic nano-emulsification – A review. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Vol. 52, 2019. 88-105.
• Alex Patist, Darren Bates (2008): Ultrasonic innovations in the food industry: From the laboratory to commercial production. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2008. 147-154.
• Brad W. Zeiger; Kenneth S. Suslick (2011): Sonofragmentation of Molecular Crystals. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 37, 14530–14533.
• Suslick, Kenneth S.; Hyeon, Taeghwan; Fang, Mingming; Cichowlas, Andrzej A. (1995): Sonochemical synthesis of nanostructured catalysts. Materials Science and Engineering: A. Proceedings of the Symposium on Engineering of Nanostructured Materials. ScienceDirect 204 (1–2): 186–192.
• Adam K. Budniak, Niall A. Killilea, Szymon J. Zelewski, Mykhailo Sytnyk, Yaron Kauffmann, Yaron Amouyal, Robert Kudrawiec, Wolfgang Heiss, Efrat Lifshitz (2020): Exfoliated CrPS4 with Promising Photoconductivity. Small Vol.16, Issue1. January 9, 2020.