[Jewelry making - Article 00534] - Re: [Orchid] Steam Cleaning Jewelry

[Ian W. Wright]

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>     The ultrasonic sort of vibrates the item 

    While I don't wish to be a bore, I thought it may be useful to
    correct this common misapprehension. An ultrasonic cleaner doesn't
    shake or vibrate the item to be cleaned at all but it cleans by
    exploding bubbles of gas against the surface of the object.
    Ultrasonic waves are produced in the liquid by a transducer mounted
    on the bottom of the tank and these waves may occur around 50,000
    times a second. As each of these waves passes through the liquid
    (which, for efficient cleaning must be water based and contain
    detergents which reduce its surface tension and modify its vapour
    pressure) it induces two separate effects - firstly it creates a
    vacuum between the molecules of the water which releases trapped gas
    which then forms as microscopic bubbles clinging to the surface of
    the object. These tiny bubbles grow in size until the second part of
    the wave passes which compresses them, squeezing the gas inside and
    raising its temperature until the bubble violently explodes.
    Remember, this is happening on a microscopic scale so you don't
    actually see these bubbles or feel the liquid warming up but, at a
    very local level on the surface of the object being cleaned, a great
    deal of energy is being released which physically scours the dirt off
    the surface as it is being loosened by the detergents in the liquid.
    This is why the power of an ultrasonic cleaner is important - more
    power = stronger waves = higher vacuum and more compression = more
    violently exploding bubbles. 

Best wishes,
Ian
Ian W. Wright
SHEFFIELD UK
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