US 7,509,878 B2
Ultrasonic cavitating apparatus and ultrasonic doppler flow measurement system
Michio Sato, Yokosuka (Japan); Tadashi Narabayashi, Yokohama (Japan); Michitsugu Mori, Chiyoda-Ku (Japan); Kenichi Tezuka, Chiyoda-Ku (Japan); and Hideaki Tezuka, Chiyoda-Ku (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan); and Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc., Tokyo-To (Japan)
Filed on Jun. 09, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/148,308.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-173071 (JP), filed on Jun. 10, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0079815 A1, Apr. 13, 2006
Int. Cl. G01F 1/66 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 73—861.25  [73/861.27; 600/439; 601/2] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasonic cavitating apparatus comprising:
at least one cavitating ultrasonic transducer configured to apply ultrasonic vibrations to a fluid flowing through a pipe to cause cavitation in the fluid;
at least one variable-frequency ultrasonic oscillator configured to apply an electric power to the ultrasonic transducer to drive the same;
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the fluid flowing through the pipe; and
a controller configured to determine a frequency of the electric power ensuring generation of standing wave in the fluid flowing through the pipe, based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, according to a function stored in the controller, and configured to control the ultrasonic oscillator to apply the electric power of the determined frequency to the ultrasonic transducer.