[SEL] OT. this all I need to hear

[Ted Brookover]

xxxxx xxxxxxxxx has a patented "controlled cavitation" technology called 
ShockWave Power.. Cavitation

is normally considered a "destructive force" that one needs to eliminate 
from an industrial process.

However, cavitation can be applied in a controlled manner to mix or heat 
fluids that are difficult to process

by conventional technologies. The ShockWave Power. technology was evaluated 
as a method to improve

efficiency of black liquor oxidation, and to heat high solids content and 
difficult to process black liquor

without scaling. In this study black liquor was subjected to controlled 
cavitation by pumping it through a

mechanical device called the ShockWave PowerTM generator.

The ShockWave Power generator is designed to create microscopic cavitation 
bubbles by spinning a disc

containing numerous cavities in a tightly enclosed area. As the microscopic 
bubbles implode, shock waves

are released. This action converts mechanical energy into heat that is 
directly absorbed by the liquid.

Additionally, controlled cavitation produces efficient micromixing, for 
two-phase fluids. The cavitational

forces created are capable of breaking down large gas bubbles into 
microscopic bubbles as well as breaking

down the Van der Waals attraction between liquid molecules. Consequently, 
the surface area available for

gas-liquid mixing is dramatically increased and therefore enhances mass 
transfer.

Economics derived from this study indicate there are numerous opportunities 
for using controlled cavitation

in kraft pulp mills. Such applications include:

1. An alternative to low odor conversion of the recovery boiler

. Allows mills with direct contact evaporators to meet TRS limits

. Eliminates the expense of a low odor boiler conversion

2. Extended black liquor oxidation to increase recovery boiler capacity

. Reduces the gross heating value of the organic matter in kraft black 
liquor

. A low capital cost method of incrementally increasing black liquor 
processing

capacity and/or pulp production

3. Increased production efficiencies due to preheating and deactivation of 
concentrated black

liquor

. For high solids content (high viscosity) black liquors, the rate of heat 
transfer is not

limited by a film heat transfer coefficient that decreases as viscosity 
increases.

. For black liquors with a propensity to deposit scale on heat transfer 
surfaces, it

means no heat transfer scaling problems because there are no heat transfer 
surfaces

to scale.

Therefore, controlled cavitation can be characterized as a "breakthrough 
technology" with the potential to

achieve quantum improvements in certain pulp and paper operations.