Defence Science Journal, Vol. 57, No. 1, January 2007, pp.

105-108
2007, DESIDOC

Computer-controlled Sophisticated Ultrasonic Cleaner

H. Muthurajan, H.H. Kumar, and D.K. Kharat
Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune-411 021
ABSTRACT
The significant advantage of ultrasonic cleaning technique is the abilities to clean the delicate
and complex shape materials without damaging their surfaces quickly. Ultrasonic cleaners have
found increasing applications in a variety of industries because these offer an environmentally
good alternative to ozone-depleting compounds and hazardous solvents. Also, ultrasonic
vibration is one of the methods for chemical synthesis (chemical reaction) and of yield
enhancement of chemical engineering process. Consequently, there is a need to develop
multipurpose ultrasonic cleaner/vibrator using computer control, which can be used to set the
various performance parameter of ultrasonic vibrator such as frequency, duty cycle, continuous/
pulsed mode, duration of operation, and thermal profile of tank during the process. An ultrasonic
cleaner was developed using an oscillator circuit and the duration of oscillator circuit functioning
can be set through the computer. Computerised ultrasonic cleaner using indigenously made
piezoceramic transducers and their advantages over the conventional ultrasonic cleaners are discussed.

Keywords: Ultrasonic cleaning technique, ultrasonic vibrator, piezoceramic-based transducer, PC-

based ultrasonic cleaner

1 . INTRODUCTION Ultrasonic vibrations are also used in process

industries such as leather, chemical, and textile to
The ultrasonic energy in the form of vibration
has wide range of applications, from cleaning of reduce process time, pollution load, and improvement
contaminated small workpieces in the industries to in the product quality3-7 . Ultrasonic vibration is
scrap away of the unwanted deposits. The use of considered as one of the methods for chemical
ultrasonic cleaning has become increasingly popular synthesis (chemical reaction) and of yield enhancement
due to the restrictions on the use of chlorofluorocarbons of chemical engineering process for emulsification,
such as 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane. Because of these degassing, crystallisation, extraction, etc8-11 .
restrictions, many manufacturers and surface treaters
are using immersion cleaning technologies rather 2 . DESIGN
than solvent-based vapour degreasing. The use of
ultrasonic enables the cleaning of intricately shaped To get stable and smoothly controllable output
parts effectively as compared to the cleaning by frequency, IC 3525 as oscillator circuit along with
vapour degreasing process. Ultrasonic cleaning is MOSFET IRF630 as push-pull amplifier to amplify
a powerful technique to remove tough contaminants the ultrasonic frequency have been used in the
without damaging the substrate. It provides excellent present design. An input voltage of 1.5 kV was
penetration and cleaning in the narrowest crevices used to drive the piezoceramic-based transducer.
and between tightly spaced parts in a cleaning The output voltage from push-pull amplifier was
tank to remove unwanted particles from an object 24 V and this voltage was stepped up using a step-
by exerting mechanical oscillations of high frequency1,2. up transformer. This step-up transformer was designed
Revised 16 September 2006
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 DEF SCI J, VOL. 57, NO. 1, JANUARY 2007

to provide 120 W output power with 1.5 kV output generating the ultrasonic vibrations was developed
voltage. The magnitude of power required for the in this laboratory using oxides of lead, zirconium,
piezoceramic transducers depends upon the size and and titanium by powder metallurgical process.
capacity of the cleaning tank. As the driving voltage
for the transducer was 1.5 kV/80 mA, a ferrite A software program along with parallel port
core transformer was used to have compact volume interface was developed to control the shutdown
and better efficiency. The cut section of piezoceramic pin of oscillator IC 3525 and to operate the system
based transducer system is presented in Fig. 1. in pulsed mode. In the present work, the computer
code has been developed in visual basic to interface
The photograph of various components used in the functioning of ultrasonic clearer through the
the piezoceramic-based transducer system is shown parallel port. The schematic diagram of PC-based
in Fig. 2. The piezoceramic transducer used for ultrasonic cleaner is shown in Fig. 3.

3 . DEMERITS OF CONVENTIONAL
CLEANING
Conventional cleaning is carried over by
submerging the workpieces in a cleaning solution
for a predetermined time, or by pressure flushing
with chlorinated fluorocarbon (CFC) solvents such
as methylene chloride toluene. CFC solvents are
environmentally undesirable, so their use is being
reduced1 . Aqueous and non-CFC solvents are
biodegradable, so these are environmentally preferable.
However, aqueous solvents are less effective cleaning
agents than the CFC solvents.

4. MERITS OF ULTASONIC CLEANING

Ultrasonic cleaners reported here have advantages
like: (i) high intensity cleaning action with optimum
efficiency, (ii) economical, safe and compact, (iii)
rapid and thorough cleaning of small and large
Figure 1. Cut section of piezoceramic-based transducer system.
components and assemblies, (iv) efficient cleaning
of metal, plastic, ceramic, alloys, etc, (v) rigorous
cleaning of intricate parts that are normally inaccessible,
(vi) stainless housing reduces risk of cross-contamination,
and (vii) software program allows to preset the
desired cleaning duration. In brief, this ultrasonic
cleaner will be a useful tool for many industrial
applications.

5 . CONCLUSION
In the present study, an ultrasonic cleaner has
been developed using variable-time functionable
oscillator circuit. The output of the oscillator is
Figure 2. Components used in piezoceramic-based transducer amplified using MOSFET coupled with ferrite core
system. transformer to get a signal of 1.5 kV at 40 kHz

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 MUTHURAJAN, et al.: COMPUTER-CONTROLLED SOPHISTICATED ULTRASONIC CLEANER

STEP-UP
PUSH-PULL AMPLIFIER TRANSFORMER
OSCILLATOR CIRCUIT
(1.5 kV OUTPUT)

SAMPLE HOLDER

BUFFER 230 V
(PC INTERFACE) POWER SUPPLY 50 Hz

SAMPLE

PERSONAL COMPUTER IN STALLED STAINLESS STEEL

WITH PCUC VERSION 1.0 TANK
PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER

Figure 3. Schematic diagram of PC-based ultrasonic cleaner.

and the entire setup is sealed against harsh external 5. Thakore, K.A. Application of ultrasonics in
environment. User-friendly software for the overall dyeing of cotton fabrics with direct dyes, Part
control of ultrasonic cleaner developed can control I: Kinetics of dyeing. Ind. J. Text. Res., 1988,
the ultrasonic cleaner in both continuous mode and 13, 133-39.
pulsed-mode operations. Both the output frequency 6. Thakore, K.A. Application of ultrasonics in
and duty cycle are adjustable by the user for all dyeing of cotton fabrics with direct dyes. Part
customised applications. These ultrasonic cleaners II: Diffusion kinetics of dyeing. Ind. J. Text.
can be used to remove abrasive dust, grease, blast Res., 1988, 13, 208-12.
debris, paint and surface contaminants.
7. Oner, E.; Baser, I. & Acar, K. Use of ultrasonic
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS energy in reactive dyeing of cellulosic fabrics.
J. Soc. Dyers Col., 1995, 111, 279-81.
Authors are thankful to Dr B.S. Sarma, the
8. Contamine, F.; Faid, F.; Wilhelm, A.M. & Berlan,
then Director, Armament Research and Development
J. Delmas. Chemical reactions under ultrasound.
Establishment, Pune, for his constant encouragment
Chem. Eng. Sci., 1994, 49, 5865-873.
and permission to publish this paper.
9. Suslick, K.S. Ultrasound - its chemical physical,
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Contributor

Mr H. Muthurajan obtained MSc (Applied Chemistry) from the Regional Engineering

College, Thiruchirapalli, in 2001 and joined Armament Research and Development
Establishment, Pune, in 2001. Presently, he is pursuing PhD in piezoceramic materials.
He is recipient of citation and cash Award for the research work entitled ‘Synthesis
ans characterisation of BNCP: A Novel DDT Explosive’, from Chemcal Research
Society of India in 2002; citation and cash award for 'Noteworthy efforts in
Armament R&D and related fields' by ARDE in 2003. He has published 25 research
papers in international/national journals and conference proceedings.

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