Simultaneous ultrasound and microwave new reactor: Detailed description and energetic considerations

A new reactor in which microwaves (MW), delivered by a coaxial dipole antenna, and ultrasound (US), delivered by a metallic horn, can be simultaneously used in a liquid to perform different types of processes, widely referenced in literature, is presented in detail. Calibrations of thermal energy delivered to two liquids having very different dipolar moments (i.e. water and cyclohexane) using MW and US, both separately and simultaneously, are performed by employing the traditional calorimetric method. The main results are: (i) MW and US used simultaneously increase the thermal energy delivered to the two liquids with respect to their separate use, but differently using water or cyclohexane, and (ii) the total power absorbed by polar or non polar liquids is very different, both using MW and US. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V