Ultrasonic Process Test Facility

The effect of ultrasonication on various materials can be tested easily. Hielscher Ultrasonics offers you its ultrasound process facility, fully equipped with ultrasonic homogenizers, process accessories and analytic equipment, for the feasibility testing and process optimization of your application. We offer the service of feasibility test and process optimization accompanied with in-depth consultation to ensure a fast, economic and targeted commercialization of your ultrasonic applications. Our professional and well-trained staff is glad to assist you with your process development and optimization!

Ultrasonic Process Lab and Technical Center

If you would like to expose a certain material to ultrasonication and analyze the result, you can either buy an ultrasonic device for your laboratory, or you can use our process lab. At our facility in Teltow, Germany, we offer you a laboratory and technical center equipped with a full range of devices for the testing and optimization of various ultrasonic processes. This includes all our ultrasonic laboratory homognenizers and industrial ultrasonicators, pumps, tanks, controls, and analytic equipment. Of course, our lab is equipped with accurate scales, centrifuge, glassware and solvents as well as goggles and gloves, lab coats. Our long-standing experienced lab manager and our chemist runs the process trials, explains you the process, trains you in the safe and efficient operation of ultrasonicators and analyses the sonication results scientifically.

ultratovush – Feasibility and Process Optimization

In our process lab, we offer devices for the sonication of liquid volumes from 0.1mL to approx, 1000 liters per hour. Equipment for inline refrigeration or heating of the process material is available to control the sonication temperature. The sonication pressure can be increased to approx. 30 bar. Our pumps can handle high viscosity, high solids concentration materials at adjustable flow rates.
For the preparation of your test material, we are equipped with all required equipment such as mixers, stirrers, heaters, microwave etc.

Analysis of Sonicated Samples

Analysis and evaluation of the quality and performance of the ultrasonic process is an important part of your visit in our process lab. The post-sonication analysis shows you how the material responses to ultrasonics and reveals what sonication parameters give you the best results. Below you can find an overview over the most important analytical tools, we offer in our process lab.

Comprehensive Lab Reports of Sonication Trials

Our service includes a full lab report which includes all ultrasonic process parameters and analytical measurements. Pictures, photos, tables, and short videos visualize the work performed during the booked lab service in our ultrasonic technical center. The detailed lab report enables you to reproduce all results.

Our Experience – Your Advantage!

Hielscher is the leading supplier of ultrasonic devices for ultrasonic liquid processing. Our ultrasonic devices are used in a wide range of industries, such as food & beverage, renewable fuels,nanomaterials, ink & inkjet. Hielscher has a broad experience in feasibility testing, optimization and scale-up of processes.
We will be glad to assist you with our long-term experience and knowledge and our well-equipped facility in order to develop your ultrasonic process.
 

The curve shoes the nano-scale droplet distribution of an ultrasonically dispersed oil-in-water nanoemulsion. This ultrasonic emulsion consists in peppermint essential oil emulsified in a continuous water phase.

Analytical Devices and Methods

The Hielscher process lab and technical center is not only equipped with the latest ultrasonic equipment, we offer you a wide range of analytical methods to evaluate the results of the sonication processing, too.

Particle Size Characterization

Microtrac S3500 (Microtrac)

Laser Diffraction: The Microtrac S3500 employs the patented Tri-laser technology to provide accurate, reliable particle size information. Even in the sub-micron range, measurements are made without typical sample-to-sample variation evident in many other systems. By increasing the number of light sources, the unique Tri-laser technology makes more effective use of photo-detection devices, while maintaining maximum stability and alignment of the optical system. Microtrac S3500 complies with or exceeds ISO 13320-1 Particle Size Analysis- Laser Diffraction Methods.

The Microtrac S3500 is suitable for particle size characterization from 21,5 nm to 1408 µm

Nano-flex® (Particle Metrix)

Dynamic Light Scattering: The Nano-flex characterizes colloidal systems by dynamic light scattering within a size range of 0.3 nm to 10 µm and is suitable for material systems with concentrations from ppm up to 40% vol., depending on substance type. Minimum volume for measurements is 1 droplet.
The Nano-flex is suitable for particle size characterization from 0.3 nm to 6.5 µm.
 

Nanoflex dynamic light scattering device for measurement of colloidal systems after ultrasonic emulsification, dispersion or milling

 
Grindometer (TQC)

scale in micron, NS (Hegman) and PCU
• 100 – 0 µm, 0 – 8 H, 0 – 10 PCU
• 50 – 0 µm, 4 – 8 H, 5 – 10 PCU
• 15 – 0 µm, 6,8 – 8 H, 8,5 – 10 PCU

Sieve Analysis

Ultrasonic sieve system with analysis sieve screens according to DIN/ISO 3310/1 (Retsch analytical screen)
Screen apertures (width in micron): 1000, 710, 500, 300, 200, 150, 100, 63 µm

Microscopy

• Reflected light microscopy with objectives 4x, 10x, 40x (Bresser, Carl Zeiss Jena)
• Transmitted light microscopy with objectives 4x, 10x, 40x, 100x (Immersion objectiv)
• with camera and software
• Size determination by micron standard

Refractometry

For determination of refractive indices, concentration of sugar solutions, and relative densities of liquids

• Handheld refractometer 0 – 90 °Brix (Müller Optronic)
• Handheld refractometer 0 – 10 °Brix (Greiner Glasinstrumente)

Rheology

• Rotational rheometer RheolabQC (Anton Paar)
• with immersion measuring cylinder CC39 for viscosity determination from 1 to 104 mPas
  for determination of dynamic and kinematic viscosities, flow curves, yield point etc.
• Bostwick Consistometer (CSC Scientific)
  for determination of flow characteristics of highly viscous fluids
• Immersion viscosity cups according to DIN 53211 (opti-color)
  for the fast determination oft he kinematic viscosity of medium to low viscosity fluids
  nozzle diameters: 3, 4, 6 and 8 mm

Centrifugation

for determination of dispersion and emulsion stability and particle content
Table Centrifuge 80-2 with rotation speeds of 2000 and 4000 (T%)

Determination of pH-value

• Handheld pH meter for pH 0 – 14; accuracy pH 0.01 (HANNA® Instruments)
• Indicator paper pH 1 – 14

Vacuum bell jar for the degassing of liquids

for the degassing of fluids and the evaluation of the degassing efficiency of ultrasonics.

Further analysis and test methods

• Determination of hydrophobicity by methanol wettability test, contact angle measurement
• Qualitative detection of proteins (precipitation)
• Qualitative detection of fats (detection reaction for fat)
• Qualitative detection of reducing sugars and glycerol (Benedict’s test, Haine’s test)
• Quantification of free fatty acids in fats and oils (acid-base titration to determine the acid value)
• Quantification of glucose (test strips)
• Determination of water hardness
• Conductivity measurement, distillation, drying, filtration, weighing