Acoustofluidics 22: Multi-wavelength resonators, applications and considerations

One important niche for multi-wavelength resonators is the filtration of suspensions containing very high particle concentration. For some applications, multi-wavelength ultrasound enhanced sedimentation filters are second only to the centrifuge in efficiency but, unlike the centrifuge they are easily adapted for continuous flow. Multi-wavelength resonators are also an obvious consideration when half-wavelength chambers are too small for a specific application. Unfortunately the formula, bigger = higher-throughput, does not scale linearly. Here we describe the relationships between chamber size and throughput for acoustic, electrical, flow and thermal convection actions, allowing the user to define initial parameters for their specific applications with some confidence. We start with a review of some of the many forms of multi-wavelength particle manipulation systems.