Ultrasound is a sound wave whose frequency is higher than the range of the human ear, i.e. greater than 18 kHz. Presently, ultrasound is used in many applications ranging from the cleaning of equipment gears and valves, medical imaging devices, machined parts and, of course, carburetors.
Ultrasonic Carburetor Cleaner
An ultrasonic cleaning system has the following major components:
An ultrasonic generator – Uses the available electrical energy and converts both voltage and frequency into high magnitudes which are used to activate a transducer. For instance, it can convert 240V/ 60Hz to 2000V/ 40 KHz.
An ultrasonic transducer – Converts the electrical signal to a sound wave. It’s this sound wave (ultrasound) which is driven through a fluid to create cavitation – the scrubbing force found in ultrasonic cleaners.
An ultrasonic tank or vessel – The transducer can either be immersed in the vessel/tank or bonded on the bottom/sides of the vessel.
Why Use an Ultrasonic Carb Cleaner?
Carburetors are exposed to gas varnish which accumulates within the tiny orifices of the carburetor, and are very difficult to clean using an ordinary brush/scrubbing mechanism. Cleaning carburetors has become even more difficult with the addition of ethanol to most gasoline.
Cleaning carburetors manually is very difficult since there are so many inaccessible areas. Some tenacious stains can only be removed from the carburetor with the help of an ultrasonic carb cleaner. It can remove varnish, oil, carbon and any other dirt within the carburetor.
An ultrasonic carburetor cleaner generates ultrasonic waves which are injected into the cleaning solution. All components to be cleaned are immersed in the solution with ultrasonic waves. These waves have the ability to separate molecules within the cleaning solution, creating vacuum “cavities”. The cavities then “explode” causing “de-cavities” which possess ultra-high energy, acting as microscopic scrubbers.
Ultrasonic waves have both low and high pressure fronts. They cause bubbles in the cleaning detergent to expand and collapse, making the ultrasonic cleaning fluid segregate or dissolve all of the dirt within the carburetor. Both the amplitude (the wave’s power) and frequency (or pitch) can also be varied just like it is with other types of waves. No matter the size of the particles in a carburetor, by varying the ultrasonic frequency, it is possible to dislodge small or large particles depending on the frequency magnitude.
Most ultrasonic cleaners used in the automotive industry generate lower frequencies since most dirt in the carburetor have larger particles. They are either 25 kHz to 40 kHz, but generally 40 kHz is ideal for carburetors.
An ultrasonic carb cleaner is a perfect choice for cleaning the most delicate parts, small apertures, crevices and the sensitive section of the carburetor. Most of these sections cannot be efficiently or effectively cleaned using manual methods such as hand scrubbing.
Advantages of Using Ultrasonic Carburetor Cleaners in the Automotive Industry
Time savings – some ultrasonic cleaners can emit very high frequencies. As a result, all carburetor components are cleaned faster, thus saving time for other important tasks and activities. Also, because water-based chemistry used, only partial disassembly of the carburetor is necessary.
Gentle cleaning process – unlike traditional cleaning methods where abrasion plays a significant role in stain removal, ultrasonic cleaning depends entirely on sound waves which causes the “scrubbing” action, and no abrasion is involved. This is vitally important because component wear and tear is greatly reduced.
Wide range of contaminant removal – since carburetors are prone to a variety of chemicals and dirt, an ultrasonic carb cleaner offers a tremendous level of flexibility when it comes to stain removal.
Convenience and efficiency – with an ultrasonic carb cleaner, it’s possible to clean every part of the engine easily. In fact, one only needs to dip the parts to be cleaned into the ultrasonic tank, turn the ultrasonic sound generator on, and use the right ultrasonic cleaning detergent. You’ll quickly notice that not only large debris is removed from the carburetor, but also, extremely tiny debris.
Still have questions? Feel free to contact our team of ultrasonic cleaning experts today at (888) 989-6278.
