Industrial Ultrasonic Cleaning 101

Ultrasonic tank cleaning is commonly employed in the laboratory, biotech, pharma, medical instruments, medical device manufacturing and reprocessing, electroplating, and weapons industries. This cleaning method works best on objects or parts that are made of stainless steel, mild steel, aluminum, copper, brass, other alloys, plastic or rubber. The object to be cleaned is placed in a chamber (tank) containing a suitable ultrasound conducting fluid, such as an aqueous cleaner (Alconox, Inc. detergents), depending on the application.

Aqueous cleaners typically contain surfactants that reduce the surface tension of the water. An ultrasound generating transducer is built into the chamber, or may be lowered into the fluid. It is electronically activated to produce ultrasonic waves in the fluid. The main mechanism of cleaning action is by energy released from the creation and collapse of microscopic cavitation bubbles, which break up and lift off dirt and contaminants from the surface to be cleaned.

The higher the frequency, the smaller the nodes between the cavitation points which allows for more precise cleaning. Liquinox®, critical cleaning liquid detergent, is a high emulsifying cleaner that is an excellent product for use in soak and ultrasonic cleaning.

Commonly used Alconox, Inc. detergents for an ultrasonic tank cleaning are:

• Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner – high emulsifying powdered detergent for general cleaning and removal of organic/oily residues
• Liquinox® Critical Cleaning Liquid Detergent – high emulsifying liquid detergent for general cleaning and removal of organic/oily residues
• Tergazyme® Enzyme-Active Powdered Detergent – high emulsifying powdered detergent for general cleaning and removal of organic/oily and protein residues
• Citranox® Liquid Acid Cleaner and Detergent – high emulsifying liquid cleaner ideal for metal oxides and deposits, salts, scale and inorganic acid labile residues
• Detonox® Ultimate Precision Cleaner – very high emulsifying liquid detergent for general cleaning and removal of the toughest organic/oily residues (cosmetics, resins, botanicals, extracts, waxes, tars, mild release agent, etc.)

Essentially all of our other free-rinsing, residue-free, biodegradable detergents can be used in an ultrasonic depending on application specifics such as substrate and residue.  We are a happy to discuss any time!

To request these or any Alconox, Inc. detergents for free, please complete the questionnaire at Get Sample. For more information about any one of our Alconox, Inc. detergents, consult the technical bulletin for each product. Or click here to access each of our detergent’s Safety Data Sheets.

Do you have a critical cleaning question for the experts at Alconox, Inc.?  Search TechNotes to see if it’s been answered before or Ask Alconox.