FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Altum brings ultrasound directly to the process – without stopping production or dismantling equipment. Our solution is external, clamp-on and software controlled, allowing us to precisely adjust ultrasonic power and target it exactly where it delivers the highest value – without stopping the process.

Unlike traditional ultrasonic cleaning baths, Altum’s solution:

• Works online, during normal operation
• Is high-power and software controlled, not fixed output
• Prevents fouling instead of only removing it
• Can also enhance separation and dewatering, for example increasing dry solids content in sludge

This combination makes ultrasound a continuous process optimization tool rather than a periodic cleaning method.

Ultrasound keeps pipes and process equipment clean by stopping deposits before they can stick and grow. It works continuously, without chemicals, by using sound energy to keep both surfaces and liquids in the optimal condition.

It prevents fouling in two ways: directly at the surface and throughout the entire process.

Ultrasound creates gentle, high‑frequency vibrations in the pipe wall and the liquid inside it. These vibrations:

• Loosen and remove particles that are starting to stick to the pipe surface
• Prevent new deposits from settling and building up
• Help keep inner surfaces clean during normal operation

This means fouling is reduced before it ever becomes a problem.

Ultrasound also improves what happens inside the liquid itself:

• It enhances mixing, preventing particles from clumping together uncontrollably
• It creates microscopic bubbles that form and collapse in the liquid (a natural effect called acoustic cavitation)
• The energy from these collapsing bubbles:
  • Reduces conditions that cause scaling
  • Controls particle formation and growth
  • Breaks larger particles into smaller, more uniform particles

Because most industrial fouling comes from salt crystallization, these small, evenly sized particles are far less likely to stick to metal surfaces. Instead, they stay safely suspended in the fluid and flow out of the system.

The result: less fouling, softer and easier‑to‑remove deposits, longer operating periods between cleanings — all without changing the chemistry of your process.