LAPSE:2026.0389v1
Published Article
LAPSE:2026.0389v1
Modeling and Optimization of Sonochemical Reactors through simulations
June 12, 2026
Abstract
Sonochemical reactors are a promising technology in process intensification, offering a sustainable and energy-efficient means of enhancing chemical reactions. By harnessing acoustic cavitation - the formation, oscillation and violent collapse of bubbles in a liquid medium - these systems generate local hotspots that can accelerate reaction kinetics. Despite its potential, efficient design and scale-up of sonochemical reactors remain major challenges, mostly because the cavitation phenomena take place close to the ultrasonic transducer. This work presents a simulation-based framework for the optimization of sonochemical batch reactors by coupling microscopic-level bubble behavior with macroscopic-level reactor performance, focusing on the placement of transducers to maximize reaction activity.
Sonochemical reactors are a promising technology in process intensification, offering a sustainable and energy-efficient means of enhancing chemical reactions. By harnessing acoustic cavitation - the formation, oscillation and violent collapse of bubbles in a liquid medium - these systems generate local hotspots that can accelerate reaction kinetics. Despite its potential, efficient design and scale-up of sonochemical reactors remain major challenges, mostly because the cavitation phenomena take place close to the ultrasonic transducer. This work presents a simulation-based framework for the optimization of sonochemical batch reactors by coupling microscopic-level bubble behavior with macroscopic-level reactor performance, focusing on the placement of transducers to maximize reaction activity.
Record ID
Keywords
Acoustic Cavitation, Batch Process, Modelling and Simulations, Optimization, Sonochemistry
Subject
Suggested Citation
Vittas NI, Armaou A. Modeling and Optimization of Sonochemical Reactors through simulations. Systems and Control Transactions 5:1467-1475 (2026) https://doi.org/10.69997/sct.178972
Author Affiliations
Vittas NI: Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
Armaou A: Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece. Chemical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, PA, USA
[Login] to see author email addresses.
Armaou A: Chemical Engineering Department, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece. Chemical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, PA, USA
[Login] to see author email addresses.
Journal Name
Systems and Control Transactions
Volume
5
First Page
1467
Last Page
1475
Year
2026
Publication Date
2026-06-12
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: 1467-1475-641-SCT-5-2026, Publication Type: Journal Article
Record Map
Published Article
LAPSE:2026.0389v1
This Record
External Link
https://doi.org/10.69997/sct.178972
Publisher Version
Download
Meta
Record Statistics
Record Views
2
Version History
[v1] (Original Submission)
Jun 12, 2026
Verified by curator on
Jun 12, 2026
This Version Number
v1
Citations
Most Recent
This Version
URL Here
https://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2026.0389v1
Record Owner
PSE Press
Links to Related Works
References Cited
- Shah YT, Pandit AB, Moholkar VS. Cavitation reactors. The Plenum Chemical Engineering Series :193-245 (1999) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4787-7_6
- Suslick KS. The chemical effects of ultrasound. Sci Am 260:80-86 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0289-80
- Kentish S, Ashokkumar M. Ultrasonic membrane processing. Food Engineering Series :583-598 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7472-3_23
- Keller JB, Miksis M. Bubble oscillations of large amplitude. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 68:628-633 (1980) https://doi.org/10.1121/1.384720
- A. Prosperetti and A. Lezzi, "Bubble dynamic in a compressible liquid. Part 1. First-order theory, " Fluid Mech., vol. 168, pp. 457-478, 1986.
- Neppiras EA. Acoustic cavitation. Physics Reports 61:159-251 (1980) https://doi.org/10.1016/0370-1573(80)90115-5
- Merouani S, Hamdaoui O, Rezgui Y, Guemini M. Theoretical estimation of the temperature and pressure within collapsing acoustical bubbles. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 21:53-59 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2013.05.008
- Tatake PA, Pandit AB. Modelling and experimental investigation into cavity dynamics and cavitational yield: influence of dual frequency ultrasound sources. Chemical Engineering Science 57:4987-4995 (2002) https://doi.org/10.1016/s0009-2509(02)00271-3
- Prabhu AV, Gogate PR, Pandit AB. Optimization of multiple-frequency sonochemical reactors. Chemical Engineering Science 59:4991-4998 (2004) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2004.09.033
- Commander KW, Prosperetti A. Linear pressure waves in bubbly liquids: comparison between theory and experiments. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 85:732-746 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1121/1.397599
- R. Caflish, M. Miksis, G. Papanicolaou and L. Ting, "Effective equations for wave propagation in bubbly liquids, " Fluid Mech., vol. 153, pp. 259-273, 1985.
- Kanthale PM, Gogate PR, Pandit AB. Modeling aspects of dual frequency sonochemical reactors. Chemical Engineering Journal 127:71-79 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2006.09.023
- Tiong TJ, Chu JK, Tan KW. Advancements in acoustic cavitation modelling: progress, challenges, and future directions in sonochemical reactor design. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 112:107163 (2025) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.107163
- Kavitha V, Palanivelu K. Destruction of cresols by fenton oxidation process. Water Research 39:3062-3072 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2005.05.011
- Okouchi S, Nojima O, Arai T. Cavitation-induced degradation of phenol by ultrasound. Water Science and Technology 26:2053-2056 (1992) https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1992.0659
(0.1 seconds)
[0.11 s]