Ultrasonic Coil Cleaning

Long Beach Ed · January 21

I'm reposting this question I asked in 2008. Never figured this out. Any ideas?

There's a guy here on Long Island who has been using an "ultrasonic" gadget to clean boiler boils for several decades.

He hooks up a wooden box wrapped with tape between an air compressor and any hot water faucet. He plugs in the box, which he calls an ultrasonic transducer, and turns on the compressor. This does a great job of cleaning the coil. Pounds of mung come out of any open faucet.

Any idea how this works?

ChrisJ · January 21

Ultrasonic Coil Cleaning

Long Beach Ed

Jan 21, 2025

I'm reposting this question I asked in 2008. Never figured this out. Any ideas?
There's a guy here on Long Island who has been using an "ultrasonic" gadget to clean boiler boils for several decades.
He hooks up a wooden box wrapped with tape between an air compressor and any hot water faucet. He plugs in the box, which he calls an ultrasonic transducer, and turns on the compressor. This does a great job of cleaning the coil. Pounds of mung come out of any open faucet.
Any idea how this works?

You've seen it clean for yourself?

And more than just compressed air would do? Do you hear anything when he does it? Other than air?

Jamie Hall · January 21

If that box widget is creating and transmitting fairly powerful ultrasonic sound into the water and piping, I can see how it might knock grunge off the pipe walls. Wonder what it is?

leonz · January 21

They wrap a series of ultrasonic emmitters around pipes and tanks to vibrate the pipe or tank and break the scale deposits inside the pipe or tank. I hope the air compressor he has is attached to the boiler drain or hose bib has a regulator set at 30 PSIG or less.

Here is an example; www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7hi-0jMnEI

Mad Dog_2 · January 21

Bouncing the coil...Mad Dog

Long Beach Ed · January 21

ChrisJ

Jan 21, 2025

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/200085/ultrasonic-coil-cleaning
You've seen it clean for yourself?
And more than just compressed air would do? Do you hear anything when he does it? Other than air?

Yes, it was many years ago, but I believe it made a buzzing sound. The fellow's still in business; says he invented the method… But it was at least 35 years ago I saw this done.

hot_rod · January 22

buy an inexpensive one at Harbor Frieght and “modify it”🤔

IMG_0980.jpeg

Uploaded Jan 22, 20251 MB

Long Beach Ed · January 22

hot_rod

Jan 22, 2025

buy an inexpensive one at Harbor Frieght and “modify it”🤔
https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/3KGKUJC9ULNB/img-0980.jpeg

Certainly been thinking along those lines for many years, but really can't imagine what the entire makeup of the thing would be…

hot_rod · January 22

I think it uses a high frequency sound wave to induce cavitation bubbles, tiny implosions, to clean the parts. The same forces that destroy pump impellers with aggressive cavitation bubbles collapsing.

So you would need to build a waterproof case around the coil, I think.

Either remove the coil or figure out how to build a box to seal around the piping, etc?

Unless he just vibrated the coil without a liquid?

You could do that by holding your palm sander against it 🤭

It seems like you need compressed air or a fluid to move the gunk away?

Pressure washing while vibrating with your palm sander🤩

Big Ed_4 · January 22

I watched once , it sounded like a air chisel if I had to guess…… He attached it to the drain valve.... Nice guy…. I started to ask questions that he did want to answer :) his gig…

Long Beach Ed · January 22

Big Ed_4

Jan 22, 2025

I watched once , it sounded like a air chisel if I had to guess…… He attached it to the drain valve.... Nice guy…. I started to ask questions that he did want to answer :) his gig…

I too! Maybe it was just pulsating the air…? Chattering solenoid valve?

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