Acoustic Levitator L800: Apparatus for high-pressure and high-temperature experiments

Investigations of samples should be consistently performed precisely, realistically and contamination-free. In particular, the study of phase change processes and the formation of particles require a sophisticated experimental setup, e.g. an acoustic levitator.

Therefore we use the acoustic levitation method to float samples in a standing acoustic wave field. The great advantage of the  acoustic levitator apparatus L800  is, that you can study substances wall-contact-free under different pressure and temperature conditions.

Applications range from the determination of physical data to particle formation and crystal growth. You can investigate phase change and mass transport processes without any wall-effects.

- Work area L800:

- Pressure = 0.1 MPa - 20 MPa

- Temperature = -20 ° C ... + 180°C (p,T - parameters are expandable)

Acoustic Levitator – Fields of application:

•Crystallization

•Solidification of adhesives
•Melting and freezing processes
•Mass transport, chemical reactions, polymerizations
•Gas hydrate formation
•Controlled evaporation and condensation processes
•Spectroscopy, phase equilibrium, solubilities

•Chemical analysis

What is the L800?

The laboratory apparatus L800 is a unique combination of an autoclave and an acoustic levitator. One of the advantages of the L800 is its well-engineered levitation technology. The samples can be immediately set into a floating mode – even under pressures up to 20 MPa and temperatures between 253 K and 453 K.

While the sample is acoustically levitating in the high-pressure view cell made from titanium stabilized stainless steel, the contour of the droplet is automatically detected  via the supplied levitation and measurement software. With the detection of the sample shape it is possible to measure its volume over the time.

After the measurement a chart with all significant information (e.g. pressure, temperature, time, droplet volume etc.) and the video material of the entire measurement time are saved and can be used later on.

With these data it is possible to evaluate more accurately the effectiveness of mass transport mechanisms. Furthermore, the study of melting and solidification processes, polymerization, crystallization and fermentation are provided by the L800.

The various methods of spectroscopy are becoming increasingly important for the analysis of diverse samples. The use of transparent tool materials such as sapphire-windows allows to combine the L800 with methods of spectroscopy to measure e.g. the concentration in the droplet and the concentration in the surrounding of the acoustically levitated droplet.

Thus, the measurement of the droplet-volume-change and the measurement of the concentrations (e.g. solubility, phase equilibrium) can be done at the same time.

The L800 has got a very compact designed housing made from powder-coated aluminium. This is a plug & play device, which is upgradeable for your special applications.

The apparatus L800 consists of:

•Effective acoustic levitator incl. reflector

•High-pressure view cell
•Manual spindle press

•3 x Sapphire or borosilicate windows
•2 x Pressure indicators (digital & analog)
•2 x Temperature indicators
•Rupture disk (safety concept)
•Frequency generator and amplifier
•Zoom-camera incl. xyz-positioning table

•LED backlight, 27” touch-screen monitor, PC
•Levitation and measurement software for droplet-shape analysis (droplet-volume measurement)

•Housing, powder-coated, with 2 sliding doors

The L800 will help you to engineer and to improve environmentally friendly new processes and products. You can save material, time and costs. Everything you need to study levitated droplets under harsh conditions you get with the L800.

Characteristics of the L800 ultrasonic sonotrode for acoustic levitation

•High-performance system / maximum AC voltage = 50 Vpp
•Calm droplet and smooth shift from 90% round droplet to disc-shaped droplet
•No cheeping, no unwanted sounds or noises
•No overheating: The experiment can be run for several hours or the whole day
•Working temperature area T = 253 K – 453 K at pressure max. = 20 MPa
•Compact design including a housing and a BNC-connection
•Sealing ( 1 x O-ring) very easy to change with the supplied docking station