Analysis of pipe vibration in an ultrasonic powder transportationsystem

The transportation of dry fine powders is an emerging technologic task, as in biotechnology, pharmaceu-tical and coatings industry the particle sizes of processed powders get smaller and smaller. Fine powdersare primarily defined by the fact that adhesive and cohesive forces outweigh the weight forces, leadingto mostly unwanted agglomeration (clumping) and adhesion to surfaces. Thereby it gets more difficult touse conventional conveyor systems (e.g. pneumatic or vibratory conveyors) for transport. A rather newmethod for transporting these fine powders is based on ultrasonic vibrations, which are used to reducefriction between powder and substrate. Within this contribution an experimental set-up consisting of apipe, a solenoid actuator for axial vibration and an annular piezoelectric actuator for the high frequencyradial vibration of the pipe is described. Since amplitudes of the radial pipe vibration should be as large aspossible to get high effects of friction reduction, the pipe is excited to vibrate in resonance. To determinethe optimum excitation frequency and actuator position the vibration modes and resonance frequenciesof the pipe are calculated and measured. Results are in good accordance.