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Funny Irish Food!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:30:00 +0000

There is a town in Northern Ireland called Ballycastle in Country Antrim where I was taken as a small boy for a special treat. Ever since 1612, Ballycastle has hosted a special ‘Irish’ event – The Auld Lammas Fair. It is held every year on the last Monday or sometimes, Tuesday of August and is associated with the Lammas harvest festival.

The four things I remember most about my visit there were, all the various stalls, people riding in horse & trap, Yellowman and Dulse. No doubt the last two will need some explaining ...

Yellowman is simply a type of toffee to which sodium bicarbonate has been added so that it is full of honeycomb bubbles when it is boiled and set. It has a unique taste and it is such a long time since I have tasted it. I recently found a recipe for it – try it!

However the main reason for my introduction is to acquaint you with Irish Dulse – which is a type of edible seaweed, more commonly known in Ireland as Dillisk. It is a red/purple coloured algae usually found on the rocks around the northern shores of Ireland. It is usually eaten (by Irishmen anyway) in its raw, semi-dried form as a snack. Indeed it contains all essential vitamins and minerals as well as being high in protein - up to 20% - see this nutritional guide

It can easily ordered on-line from such companies as http://www.seaweg.co.uk/ and I always have a bad of dulse on my desk to both keep may brain on max power and to remind me of home. Dulse can be used in many recipes so here is one which is truly Irish – Irish Soda Dulse Soda Scones – try this as well. And while you are at it, also take a look at our sonic horns web site for some material flow problem solving inspiration!

At War With Acoustics!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:10:00 +0000

From time to time I comment on some of the wide range of totally different applications which have involved ‘acoustic energy’ in one form or another.

One such interesting field was the development ‘acoustic location’ devices for the passive detection of aircraft by picking up the noise of their engines. It was also employed to try and determine the presence and position of ships in fog. These ‘devices’ came in many design shapes & sizes from mid World War 1 until the early years of World War 2. However they were rendered obsolete by the introduction or radar which proved to be considerably more effective. Such horns provided both acoustic gain and directionality and because of the increased inter-horn spacing compared with human ears, increased the observer’s ability to localise the direction of the sound.

The earliest audio-location device, used to assist navigation in fog was Professor Mayer’s Topophone devised in 1880 (photograph 1).

My second photograph shows a massive two-horn system being tested at Bolling Field, close to the US Army War College at Fort McNair in 1921. Most every advanced country designed and developed their own unique detection devices – none more so than Japan!

My final photograph, taken in the 1930s, shows the Japanese War Tubas with what appears to be two horns in a horizontal plane and two more in a vertical plane mounted on four wheel carriages. On the right of this photograph is the Japanese emperor Horohito and behind him are the AA guns intended to be used in conjunction with the acoustic locators.

Of course the complete opposite is true with Primasonics Sonic Horns – they are now very much the new proven innovative acoustic cleaning technology which is replacing older, ‘devices’ such as soot blowers and air cannons. Take a look at our sonic horn web site to see for yourself how these acoustic cleaners provide a safe, automated, solution for the effective prevention and removal of dry powder and particulate build-ups and blockages.

The Magic of Acoustic Energy

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Here at Primasonics® we like to think that we are pretty inventive. Indeed we always have at least one R&D programme ‘on the go’ with a leading UK university’s acoustic research unit. As well as looking for ways to improve and expand our existing range of Audiosonic™ Acoustic Cleaners, we are also working on ways to evaluate and harness different forms of acoustic energy in order to provide effective prevention of material build up in the most difficult and hazardous industrial applications.

The power of sound never ceases to amaze me and I recently read a fascinating article which stated that our body’s own DNA emits sound waves. Scientists are now developing an incredible new technology which will both record and amplify the minute acoustic signals given off not only by our DNA molecules but also by bacteria and viruses. Imagine what profound implications there would be for the medical world – the ability to identify specific viruses or cancer cells by the acoustic energy they emit.

On a more ‘refreshing’ note a device has already been created that uses only sound energy to refrigerate ice cream, making it therefore much easier to produce some of the delicious ice creams and sorbets which I have found on this delightful ice cream recipes web site.

Reading wonderful articles such as these gives me added enthusiasm to maintain Primasonics® International as the world leader in the design and manufacture of the best acoustic cleaning technologies. So why don’t you try our well proven sonic horn technologies to prevent material build up in your process facility, power station of dry material storage plant.

Cool Horn – Red Hot Performance

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:21:00 +0000

I was thinking of how I could link our innovative range of sonic horns with some of my favourite film stars and in the end the answer was simple - Bix Beiderbecke!

Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke (March 10, 1903 – August 6, 1931) was an American jazz cornetist, jazz pianist, and composer. With Louis Armstrong, Beiderbecke was one of the two most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s. A native of Davenport, Iowa, Beiderbecke taught himself to play cornet largely by ear, leading him to adopt a non-standard fingering that some critics have connected to his original sound. He first recorded with the Midwestern jazz ensemble the Wolverines in 1924.

So what is the link with ‘the stars’?

Well following Dorothy Baker’s book, loosely based on the life of Bix Beiderbeche, a film was made in 1950 which starred three of my all time favorites – Kirk Douglas (Bix), Lauren Bacall (Amy North) and my darling Doris Day (Jo Jordan). The firm was directed by Michael Curtiz (of Casablanca fame) and produced by Jerry Wald. It was a white-hot drama about a red-hot jazzman. It was the legendary Harry James who dubbed Douglas’ hornwork and of course another fine instrument was featured in the film, the voice of Doris Day!

The Primasonics range of Sonic Horns offer red hot performance and dynamic solutions in eliminating particular build up that never fails to impressl

Just like the horn blowing of Bix!

Worried Pigeons, Sonic Art & Cumbria Floods

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:43:00 +0000

As you will know from reading this Sonic Horns Blog, my everyday working life revolves around audiosonics and, in particular sonic horn technologies. It is therefore not surprising that pretty much anything involving 'sonics' of any kind always attracts my interest and attention. A good example happened this last February when I wrote a Sonic Valentine post; my fiancee Shirley's purchase of a new jewelry cleaner became an item of fascination for me - it was a "Sonic Wave Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner" of all things. How appropriate is that?!

Recently a BBC radio programme discussing new art forms caught my ear. They were discussing 'Sonic Art' and in particular "the world's first permanent outdoor 3D soundfield" which had been installed in Workington in Cumbria. Essentially it is a canopy with speakers inside that create an all-round-the room sound experience that you get in the very best cinemas - but more so! The installation has what the creators call a 'soundscape' with recorded noises of all manner of things including birds, trains, bells and human voices. Apparently local pigeons hearing seagulls but not being able to see them were reported to look rather bemused!

What is perhaps most appropriate about this post is not just the 'sonic' element but the fact that this unique piece of Sonic Art is in Workington Cumbria - a place that has featured in the world's headlines the last few days because of the unprecedented flooding in that particular area of Britain. The devastation around Workington included collapsed bridges and the tragedy of a local policeman's death plus many people losing their homes and possessions to the flood waters. Whether the town's 3D outdoor soundfield is still intact I don't know. I have Google'd a few searches on it but no relevant news has been forthcoming. If I find out, I will let you know.

In the meantime, if you would like to help, the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund is accepting donations online from anyone who would like to help the people of Workington and the other affected areas of Cumbria.

A Technical Director's View

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:34:00 +0000

As part of my job I often visit some of the UK’s universities which have specialisms in bulk materials or acoustics. Not long ago I was at Liverpool University’s Acoustic Research Unit testing a new prototype. The Principal Experimental Officer within the Unit is Gary Seiffert who as well as being very knowledgeable is a very funny and friendly fellow. He was talking about some of the other research projects being carried out at the University and one really caught my attention. In the engineering building both staff and students are working with Ford to put lasers in place of spark plugs.

The lasers can be split to create multiple ignition points leading to greater efficiency and better starting. Now what we do with better efficiency is of course up to us we can create hi-tech low carbon foot print cars with the same power and experience to drive we are used to or we could make a laser ignited screaming hotrod that only uses the same amount of fuel as your current car.

What I really like about this project is you could go down to the lab and they could start the engine up for you, far from being just a theory this was literally up and running. It made me think about some of the engines that we see that make big promises but never get out of solid works or only ever seem to be running on compressed air. Perhaps now that valves don’t need to be routed out of the way of spark plugs some of the more radical engine designs such as the “Round Engine” will receive the little spark they need to really launch them into the world.

Working with universities is something I really like doing when I see different departments and disciplines working together and making new connections it can provide real inspiration. As much as we get out of Universities in terms of access to specialist equipment and consultation we have in the passed been able to pay some of this back. Occasionally a simple letter from someone in industry saying you could see a possible practical use is all that is needed to allow a young researcher to get a grant and continue their studies or donating just a small amount of time can help students a great deal. Spending time with the brightest and best of a generation is never a waste of time and when it helps both of us I can’t think of a better way to spend a day.
..... Alex Bergus

A Word In Your Ear ...

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:33:00 +0000

What a wonderful device our ear is - a complex structure which converts pressure fluctuations (sound waves) in the main manner by which we communicate with each other. Let me give you a brief outline of how this ingenious mechanism operates.

Pressure fluctuations in the form of sound waves enter our outer ear.

These travel down our ear canal.

This makes our ear drum vibrate.

In turn this causes our tiny ossicle bones to vibrate.

They then set off wave-like motions in the fluid inside our snail shaped cochlea.

This stimulates sensory hail cells in our cochlea.

A nerve impulse is then generated which travels along our cochlear nerve to our brain.

The region of our brain that processes these impulses and converts them into sound is called the temporal lobe.

Ingenious isn’t it? Just like our sonic horns which operate in a reverse manner. A base sound wave is produced within the Wave Generator by passing compressed air over a titanium disc located within a very specially designed housing. This base sound is converted into a range of pre-selected frequencies (420 – 350 – 230 – 120 – 75 – 60 Hz) which then act as a series of very rapid pressure pulses at different wavelengths, depending on the application.

These powerful pressure pulses are extremely effective at both debonding dry powders and particulate from both each other and the surface to which they have bonded and also to prevent the particulate from bonding with any surface in the first place. It is SO exciting that we can learn from one of our body’s key mechanisms in order to design a range of Sonic Horns which can be employed throughout a wide range of industries and plant applications to prevent material build up, improve material flow and thermal efficiency!

Keeping The Ash Out Of The Amber

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:34:00 +0000

Not such a strange title when you consider that the word electricity is derived from the Latin word ‘ēlectricus’ or ‘amber like’, due to the English physician William Gilbert's careful study of electricity and magnetism, distinguishing the lodestone effect from static electricity produced by rubbing amber. I could fill pages writing about the fascinating early history of electricity; this phenomenon has been studied through the centuries, though advances in the science were not made until the 17th and 18th centuries. Even then, practical applications for electricity were limited and it was not until the late 19th century that engineers were able to put it to industrial and residential use. The rapid expansion in electrical technology at this time transformed industry and society. Electricity's amazing versatility as a source of energy means it has now found almost limitless uses within transport, heating, lighting and communications. The backbone of modern industrial and domestic society for the foreseeable future can be expected to remain the use of electrical power. Through the ages, many others such as Benjamin Franklin conducted extensive research in electricity.

The modern steam turbine was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884. Today it generates about 80% of the electric power in the world using a variety of heat sources, mainly fossil fuels. I suppose that coal fired power generation stations are amongst the best known. In the UK the now defunct Battersea Power Station in London is one of the most famous of its time. It was actually made up of two plants – Plant A built in the 1930s and Plant B built in the 1950s. Although the plants ceased generating electricity in 1983, this iconic landmark has made numerous cultural appearances, which include a shot in The Beatles' 1965 movie ‘Help!’ and being used in the cover art of Pink Floyd's 1977 album ‘Animals’.

Primasonics Sonic Horns make many permanent ‘appearances’ within a wide range of power generation plants. Their acoustic sound waves prevent ash from building up on the heat tubes thus not only significantly increasing the plant’s thermal efficiency but also reducing repair and maintenance costs by replacing older potentially damaging cleaning systems such as steam soot blowers.

Take a closer look at how Primasonics Acoustic Cleaners help keep the ‘ash out of the amber!’

Alien Material Build Up

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:29:00 +0000

OK I admit it, I can remember watching 1950’s black and white ‘sci-fi flicks’ – but as a very, very young boy! When I see some of the computer designed special effects of today’s films, it only enhances my admiration for those who created the special effects in these early films. One such film, which is rather special for a reason I will mention later, was ‘The Earth versus The Flying Saucers’, directed by Fred F Sears and released in 1956.

To be brief, the earth is attacked by aliens in their flying saucers who set out to destroy all the major world cities, killing everyone except the two principle US scientists, Dr and Mrs Marvin. The reason I still remember this particular film is that in the end, the alien saucers were defeated over the skies of Washington by a device which used high-power sound (just like our sonic horns do) that stopped the saucers’ propulsion systems. If you would like to see the trailer for this movie click here.

Our extensive range of sonic horn products have not as yet been used to prevent aliens from landing on earth but have certainly been successful in preventing particulate build up and material blocking in such applications as silos, boilers, fans, baghouse filters etc.

By the way the guy responsible for the special effects in that early film is a movie legend – Ray Frederick Harryhausen, who went on to create special effects for such films as "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" and "Jason and the Argonauts" which featured the famous sword fight against seven skeleton warriors.

The Ideal ‘Ergonomic’ Solution!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:46:00 +0000

I am sure that we have all heard of the word ‘ergonomics’ but do not fully appreciate either the science of ergonomics or the benefits obtained from its application within industry. Ergonomics is the science of designing the job, equipment and workplace to fit the worker.

Within industry, ergonomics takes into account both the capability and limitations of both the item of plant and the employee and then seeks to ensure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment suit each employee.

There are five main aspects of Ergonomics:

Safety – Comfort – Ease of Use – Performance – Aesthetics

So what has all this got to do with Primasonics sonic horns?

Ferro Corporation is the leading global supplier of technology based performance materials for manufacturers. In July 08, Lisa Wagoner, EHS Manager contacted Primasonics to discuss problems their Cleveland plant were having with potassium nitrate building up on the side walls of their blending silos. After careful study of dimensional drawings and photographs, Primasonics recommended the installation of Model PAS-230 located on top of the silo. As Ferro Corporation did not have any previous knowledge or experience of our acoustic cleaners, they initially opted for the Primasonics Rental Plan and installed their rental unit in October 08.

This Primasonics sonic horn proved to be such an effective solution that they proceeded to purchase and informed us that there will be many more further orders to come. Why did they choose to contact Primasonics? Well, the answer is very interesting. Initially they consulted with a company called Humantech who specialise in human performance ergonomics who in turn recommended the innovative Primasonics solution. Lisa commented – ‘Very simply, the acoustic cleaner worked, and worked well. The guys love it. They no longer have to try to scrape the material off the walls. The acoustic cleaner eliminated an ergonomic and fall hazard for us’.

High Performance Sonic Horns = Elimination of Ergonomic Hazards!

A Blue Ribbon For The Sonic Red Dot!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Originating as I did from Northern Ireland, I have always maintained a great interest in the famous liner build in 1909 at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast site – The Titanic. Indeed the history of this great ship and it’s sister ships, the Olympic and the Britannic was brought back to me recently by a BBC video news item which showed how the entire waste dockland area where these great liners were built is now the subject to one of the largest and most ambitious regeneration plans - take a look at this video clip.

A very special young friend of mine, Oliver, bought me a fantastic book on the Titanic called The Titanic Experience and it begins by highlighting how major transatlantic shipping lines competed to win the coveted Blue Riband. Three of the main competitors were Cunard, the Hamburg-America Line and the White Star Line, which were the owners of the Titanic. Of the 33 Atlantic lines which won this prestigious award, 33 were British, 5 were German, 3 American and 1 each, Italy and France.

With all these great luxury liners, speed was paramount as was winning the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing. It also reminded me about two good reasons why Primasonics® Sonic Horns provide such a powerful and efficient means of preventing particulate build up and maintaining material flow – Speed & Radius! The acoustic sound waves produced by our Primasonics® Sonic Horns travel through air at a speed of 224 m/second (1100 feet/second), much faster through solids and with a 360° radius. Read more about sonic horn technology.

So where does the red dot come into the equation? Well we have just updated our company logo and documentation to include a red dot.

Likewise as from now when you see a sonic horn with a red top – you will know that it is the finest sonic horn available – A Primasonics® Sonic Horn!

The Hidden Power In The Airwaves!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Just thought I would first of all pass on what I consider to be a very useful piece of helpful advice and then to relate the same principle to a true acoustic cleaner story from Italy.

If you lock yourself out of your car and it has a remote control lock/unlock system, then there is an easy way in which you can unlock your car. If you keep a set of spare keys either at home or your office call them on their mobile from your cell phone. Then hold your cell phone close to your car door and have the person at your home or office press the unlock button on the spare set of keys whilst holding it close to the mobile at their end. Hey presto – your car will unlock! It really does not matter how far you are away from your office or home, it will work!

Now for my true story. Some years ago an Italian food processor purchased a Model PAS-75 Sonic Horn Horn to be mounted on top of one of his two rice husk storage silos. The rice husk was not flowing properly and causing ‘ratholing’. In the adjoining silo the problem, although still present, was not as severe. So when he installed the Primasonics Acoustic cleaner on top of his silo and sounded it, the rice husk debonded from the silo walls and the side wall build up disappeared. However a few days later he noticed that not only was the rice husk flowing perfectly from his troublesome silo but the rice husk in the adjoining silo was now also flowing much better – the hidden sonic cleaning power within the airwaves!

Photo: A sonic horn on top of a food plant silo

When Bonding Is More Important Than De-Bonding!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:50:00 +0000

On the home page of our Primasonics Sonic Horns web site, I mentioned that the Pilgrim Fathers first landed at Provincetown on 11 November 1690 thus forging the initial powerful bond between two great nations.

This week has seen that unique bond between the US and the UK further strengthened by the visit our UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown to the White House to meet with President Obama. The two countries have stood shoulder to shoulder throughout many wars and the current constant threat from terrorism.

At the end of their discussions, President Obama stated – ‘Great Britain is one of our closest and strongest allies and there is a link and bond there that will not break’.

Also on our web site front page, I wrote – ‘British innovative technology, renowned for its quality of design and build, has always been welcomed by American industry’

Over the last year or so, those words have proved to ‘sound’ true and now Primasonics Sonic Horns are providing safe, automated, effective solution to both preventing particulate build up and aiding material flow wherever ash, powders or granules are generated, processed or stored.

In addition those of you who are new to the power of acoustic cleaning our new Sonic Horn Rental program is proving to be very popular. I will provide full details of this new ‘innovation’ in a future blog post. In the meantime, details of this rental programme can be found on our Sonic Horn Rental page.

My Sonic Valentine!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:50:00 +0000

Valentine's Day means different things to different people and for those in need of a good idea for a suitable Valentine's gift, here is something you just might not have considered - a sonic gift.

No, it is not as crazy as it might sound and has nothing to do with sonic booms or Sonic the Hedgehog! It's a sonic cleaner for jewelry. My fiancee Shirley has some beautiful jewelry and, naturally, likes to look after it. So I bought her one of these machines and she thinks it's great.

Described as a "Sonic Wave Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner" it cleans items of jewelry in just a few minutes, even delicate ones. Its 42,000 cycle ultrasonic energy wave feature cleans away any dirt and dust by creating millions of microscopic cleansing bubbles. Sounds complicated? The science of it might be but the operation is easy. You can find this kind of machine in many stores and online shops - here's an example on amazon.com carrying a 4 star rating.

As my regular blog readers will know, I have a day to day involvement in the audiosonic cleaning business (sonic horns) - entirely different to what's involved in this little machine BUT nonetheless connected. The use of sound waves for cleaning is a fascinating subject and, as you can see here, has an appeal far wider than that of removing silo blockages in cement plants etc!

So what if you don't fancy getting one of the ultrasonic jewelry cleaners for your Valentine? My second recommendation would be to just stay home and cook a super, suprise, romantic dinner for two. I've even got a recipe for you! It's one of my favorites - Baked Monkfish & Parma Ham Parcels With Cherry Tomatoes. Happy Valentine's Day!

Sounds Good To Me

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:46:00 +0000

Living as I do in the midst of the North of England countryside, every small village has its own local pub, most dating back many centuries. My local village of Greystoke in Cumbria’s Lake District is no exception. The Boot & Shoe Inn is a thriving, quintessential old fashioned English pub which also offers excellent food and accommodation.

In additional to the typical range of local ‘chanceries’ who frequent the pub, there is always a diverse range of tourists who visit – all of them processing a rich variety of personalities and lifestyles. Once relaxed within The Boot & Shoe, in front of an open fire with a ‘pint’ of beer in their hand, it is quite remarkable the types of discussions which take place.

In addition the friendly ‘mine hosts’ Jan & Ben and their staff add to this wonderful feeling of warmth and relaxation. At times during special conversations I get to share personal matters, usually with a regular or a member of staff. One such discussion involved the very amicable bar man called Richard Dean.

Although some of our discussions must and will remain private, one I am keen to share with you all is the fact that Richard not only has a lovely singing voice – not only prefers to sing, as he describes it as, ‘soft country’ music but that through a small local professional recording company, has released his first CD entitled ‘Black and White Movies’. If you follow this link you can listen to several wonderful tracks from this CD.

In addition to introducing you to Richard’s singing style, the purpose of writing this blog is to comment on the two-way bonds which link our two great countries, Britain and the USA. In Richard’s case, he, a bar man in a rural English pub has now had the opportunity to record some lovely original American country music tracks. In the case of my sonic horns company, Primasonics International, more and more dry processing and power generation companies in America are experiencing the practical benefits of installing our range of Sonic Horns. It just goes to prove that both good music and good material debonding equipment have a mutual appeal on both sides of the Atlantic.

Primasonic’s Future is Black – Carbon Black!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:18:00 +0000

When I first started on my long, busy road of earning a living, my first job was as an Organic Chemistry Technician – and I just loved it! Although I always had a liking for all types of chemistry, I did excel at organic chemistry; indeed, I still get excited when Primasonics is involved in solving both eliminating particulate build up and facilitating material flow within such ‘organic chemistry’ orientated companies by means of our range of Sonic Horns.

One such industry of worldwide importance which we have recently added to our wide range of industrial sectors clients is the Carbon Black Industry. I presented a paper at the Carbon Black 2006 Conferen ce in Budapest and enjoyed learning more about this important industry which produces over 8 million tonnes of product per annum. Around 70% of this production is used either in the pigment industry or automobile industry as a reinforcing phase in tires.

Carbon Black is produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC Tar, Coal Tar and Ethylene Cracking Tar. Carbon Black is an amorphous carbon, that is to say it does not have a crystalline structure (see photograph) and has a high surface area to volume ratio. There are certainly dangers in the manufacture, storage and use of this material and so it has been allocated an International Safety Number – ICSC 0417. Therefore any remote, automatic and efficient device which can be employed to eliminate particulate build up within the various plant processes without manual entry is certainly welcomed.

To give you a couple of examples within two separate plants of a major world wide producer Columbian Chemicals, I have chosen firstly, Columbian Tiszai Carbon Ltd, Hungary where we solved material building up and blocking in silos by installing our Sonic Horn model PAS-75 and more recently at the Columbrian Chemicals (Sevalco Limited) plant in Bristol UK where we installed model PAS-75 on three large filters to both prevent material build up within each filter and also to significantly extend filter bag life.

Primasonics are currently experiencing an increasing amount of interest from Carbon Black plants worldwide, including Russia!

Carbon – hydrogen bonding – now where did I first learn about that?!

"Ahoy, me hearty!" - Sonic Power & Piracy

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:01:00 +0000

You may have read lately that sonic sound waves were used in a special manner to ward off pirates from attacking a chemical tanker near the Horn of Africa. This non-lethal weapon is also currently being used by US troops in Iraq to both deter terrorists from attacking and also to break up hostile crowds.

The system is known as MAD which stands for Magnetic Acoustic Device and can broadcast a targeted beam of sound for over a mile. At close quarters the sound can be very painful, causing disorientation. It operated at high frequency and very high decibels. It goes to show the extreme power which is contained within the sonic sound spectrum.

Within our sonic horns company, we utilise the sonic power in a very safe manner to cause dry material to debond and either fall by gravity, like in cement silo cleaning or be then carried away in a gas stream, such as in boiler cleaning in power generation plants.

We employ safe frequencies in our range of sonic horns - from 420 Hz down to 60 Hz - and these are employed within a wide range of plant and storage applications and industries. The fantastic ability for our sonic horns to prevent particulate build up and facilitate material flow has enabled our company to eliminate such costly problems in over 45 countries worldwide. "Shiver me timbers!"

Our Own Obama v McCain Contest - With Sonic Horns

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:05:00 +0000

Like most other people around the world, I have been following the battle which is raging between the 2 US Presidential candidates. I am simply amazed at the billions of dollars being spent by both candidates on their respective campaigns and it induces the thought that a smaller, less wealthy but sincere, hard working candidate would not stand a chance in this multi billion dollar cauldron!

Primasonics faces similar challenges daily in its business life, selling our innovative, high quality, high performance sonic cleaners to a wide range of processing, storage and power generation plants around the world.

Recently at a gala presentation event in the UK, sponsored by the CN Media Group, held at the Rheged Centre near Penrith, Cumbria, Primasonics International fended off the challenge of the massive blue chip company BAE Systems to scoop the prestigious Exporter Of The Year Award due because 85% of Acoustic Cleaners sales are exported to over 45 countries worldwide.

Everyone at Primasonics International feels extremely proud to have won this award and in the process defeated the Goliath company of BAE Systems. The photograph shows our Export Manager, Lisa Robinson being presented with the award.

Madge isn’t a patch on Doris!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:53:00 +0000

With all the current publicity surrounding the divorce of Madonna, it may be an age thing with me but in my eyes she doesn’t hold a candle to one of my screen and singing favourites Doris Day. OK so I fell in love with Doris from an early age, I am not ashamed to admit it. It happened suddenly when I was watching one of her films (can not remember which one!) when she went to answer the telephone. Before she picked up the receiver, she sexily slipped off her large round red clip-on earring – wow! – that was it for me; I was in love good and proper!

Why I am reminded of her just now is that I am reading her autobiography and thoroughly enjoying it. I will give you a few general facts concerning Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff, for that is her real name. Doris was born in Evanston, Cincinnati, Ohio on April 3, 1922, her grandparents being German immigrants. She had two brothers, Richard who died aged two, before Doris was born and Paul, she had one son Terry.

There are many web sites dedicated to providing all sorts of information about Doris day, such as Wikipedia's Doris Day web page.
Another one: http://funkin.net/sites/dorisday/ which contains lots of photographs, music downloads etc.

Her mother named her Doris after the silent screen star Doris Kenyon, however she did not change her surname from Kappelhoff to Day until 1940, by which time she was singing for local bandleader Barney Rapp. Her singing career took her on to met many of the world’s best singers and big band leaders such as Les Brown and his Band of Renound. Of course her film career was even more successful, beginning in 1948 at Warner Brothers in the film Romance on the High Seas. Some of her best known film roles were – Calamity Jane – Love Me or Leave Me – Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much and The Pajama Game.

I hope some of you share my love and admiration for this wonderful lady who now lives in Carmel, California. Indeed I found a web site advertising a hotel of which she is a part owner – The Cypress Inn – http://www.cypress-inn.com/

Wonderful lady – thank you Doris!

I doubt that our paths will cross as I can't imagine you having a need for sonic horns ... but you never know.

Sonic Treatment For Snoring

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:31:00 +0000

In my business understanding the science of how sound works is the cornerstone to providing effective solutions for the material flow and storage industries. These industries - such as cement, gypsum, pharmaceuticals and grain - all share the common problem of safe silo cleaning. It's a complex problem that people have worked to solve for many years. The cost to industry has been enormous - downtime, accidents, repair and extra maintenance cost. Our sonic horns can eradicate these problems and they have now become an accepted solution around the world.

Q: So what am I leading to with this point?
A: Snoring

Yep, that's right ... snoring.

For as long as anyone can remember, snoring has been a problem common to people everywhere and to date there has been no true, proven and accepted solution. The cost of snoring problems has, like silo cleaning problems, been great ... but of course in a different way. Relationships have been ruined and many a good night's sleep has been lost resulting in tiredness the next day, lethargy, inefficency at work and even accidents and illness. You could argue that if someone could cure snoring, the world would be a much healthier and happier place!

Well, someone may well have come up with the answer - by using sound waves. At the University of Pittsburgh, trials have been conducted with patients suffering from snoring problems. Under a local anaesthetic a radio frequency device (described as a wand-like device) was inserted into the mouth, coming into contact with the soft tissue of the palate. Apparently it's the palate's soft tissue that vibrates during snoring and what this clever device does is emit sound waves that in turn stiffen the soft tissue, preventing it from vibrating. The University's trial results were astonishing - 70% of the snoring patients saw a reduction in their snoring and hence an improvement in their quality of life.

Another piece of evidence of how understanding the complexities of sound waves can bring benefit in ways we might never have imagined.

The Sea Monster is back!

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:00:00 +0000

I have mentioned in previous ‘blogs’ of my love of both Monkfish and Samphire – well here is a simple and totally delicious recipe which combines these two ‘treasures’ with a few other special ingredients, to make Rosemary Infused Monkfish Chunks in Air Dried Ham Parcels.

Monkfish, as it is commonly known in the UK, because of its ugly appearance is sometimes referred to as either Sea Monster or Sea Monk. It is mainly found in the North Atlantic and presented in UK fish mongers in the form of fillets. However in Spain it is sold in steak form with the central bone in much the same way we buy halibut steaks.

The recipe for the monkfish/ham bit is here. The fish chunks are coated in warm rosemary infused oil and wrapped in any air dried ham. The recipe uses Parma ham - I prefer Serrano and to me it is just as good and cheaper! This link explains a little about the different air dried hams. Then these parcels are baked in the oven with cherry tomatoes to make a mouth watering mix of flavours.

I then prefer to serve these parcels and tomatoes on a bed of samphire. As I previously mentioned in another blog, I simply place the samphire in a colander, wash well with cold water and then pour a kettle of boiling water over the samphire – that’s it!

So go for it, you will be delighted with this great yet simple recipe and let me know if you liked it. By the way, I have found an exciting new monkfish recipe where the monkfish medallions are baked in a lemon and herb crust – I will let you know how it tastes after I make it this weekend!

FLOUR - Proper Flow Control In The Silo & At Home

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Flour is truly a simple yet complex commodity, universally providing the key ingredient to provide mankind with the ‘Bread of Life’. There are many different types of flour, with wheat flour being the most commonly used. There is also:

corn flour (sometimes called corn starch and used in making ice cream)

rye flour (wheat free with low gluten content)

tapioca flour (wheat free, gluten free and made from the root of the cassava plant)

rye flour (wheat free and makes a denser bread such as pumpernickel)

The list of wheat free and gluten free flours is a long one!

Our household flour comes to us in small neatly packed bags and perhaps we only appreciate the true properties of flour once it has been baked into wonderfully smelling new warm bread.

In Ireland, especially in the country areas when I was a small boy the majority of bread baked was called ‘Soda Bread’ which took its name from the fact that instead of using yeast as a ‘rising’ ingredient, to make Irish Soda Bread, a combination of buttermilk liquid and sodium bicarbonate power were used to create carbon dioxide bubbles to ‘rise’ the dough. The buttermilk of course was the by-product of 'churning' whole milk to make butter; indeed it was also used by the farmer’s wife as a thirst quenching drink, stored in the cool of the butter pantry.

When my mother made soda bread she baked them on a flat griddle above the fire to form Soda Farls. During this process she always had flour up to her elbows and occasionally on her nose where she had rubbed it to stop an itch. I used to watch this entire process with awe and my reward for helping her to clean up afterwards would be a slice of fresh, warm soda bread, smothered in Irish country butter – I can still remember that exquisite taste to this day!

As I got older, I was also allowed to help in the dough making process and remember on one occasion when in the middle of adding the flour, she was called away to speak with a visitor. I was instructed to add a tablespoon full of plain flour to thicken the dough and being somewhat complacent, instead of using the big spoon, I decided to tip in straight from (in those days) the small cotton sack. Well at first the flour did not flow but remained ‘firmly’ in the bag until I tipped the bag higher, when ‘whoosh' - half of the flour in the bag suddenly ended up in the mixing bowl and all over me. Of course it ruined the dough and also ruined my chances that day of tasting a freshly buttered slice of soda bread! If you fancy making some Irish Soda Farls you will find a simple recipe here.

Through my company Primasonics I have encountered the exact same flow characteristics of flour within silos. It holds up on the side walls of the silo, making silo cleaning difficult and the build up can become so great that it all dislodges with such force as to cause the flour to run like water out of the silo discharge device and onto the floor. To solve this side wall build up we install a sonic horn of the correct frequency on top of the silo and sound it for a few seconds every few minutes. This prevents side wall build up thus providing controlled ‘mass flow’ but the sound waves also keep the flour within the silo at a flat level on top, thus making it much easier for stocktaking with much more reliable stock figures as a result.

Let me know by e-mail (sound@sonic-horns) if you get round to making and enjoying some Irish Soda Bread!

Never Used A Sonic Horn? Rent One & Try It Out

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:36:00 +0000

Having exported our sonic horns to over 40 countries around the world over the last 11 years, it’s still hard to believe that there are companies in key industries such as cement and carbon black production who have never heard of a sonic horn, let alone used one!

As with all innovative technologies, it can sometimes be difficult to convince an engineer to try a new product if they have been used to using an older, though less efficient system such as soot blowers or air cannons.

So what’s the answer?

Well, we can quote them great case studies and client referrals and that is sometimes enough – but not always. Then I came up with the idea of sonic horn rentals. It’s a way that allows a company to test the effectiveness of a sonic horn and experience for themselves better plant performance and financial savings without having to commit to a capital investment right away.

So far the idea is proving a great hit. Our sonic horns are out on rental in a variety of countries and for all different kinds of applications and many companies have since followed through with a purchase order. To understand more about renting sonic horns please go to our Sonic Horn Rental FAQ page.

Baghouse Filters & Filter Sock Problems

noreply@blogger.com (DFC) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:25:00 +0000

These days with the rising price of gas, food etc., we all have to try harder to make what we already have last longer rather than, as we perhaps have done in the past, simply throw it away and buy a new replacement.

However having to ‘make do’ with existing industrial plant and wear parts does have a serious downside in terms of loss of performance which in turn results in reduced plant operation – thus a loss in revenue.

One typical example of this is the filter socks/bags used in a baghouse filter. Those of us who either operate or maintain such baghouse filters know the problem only too well. The cost of replacement filter bags has increased significantly over the last few years and so there is growing pressure from the company accountants to make these filter bags last longer. Also there are the additional costs of labour and downtime to be considered.

However there is a surefire way to dramatically increase the bag life whilst at the same time preventing material build up on both the internal baghouse walls and hopper discharge. The simple solution is to install the correct model and number of Sonic Horns (also known as Acoustic Cleaners). See our baghouse cleaning page.

The Primasonics® range of Sonic Horns has been successfully employed over a wide range of filter types and sizes to offer:

Significant increase in filter bag life

Continual lower pressure drops across the bags

Continuous cleaning of all internal surfaces

Complete evacuation of the filter hopper

Reduction in compressed air usage

Some of our clients have experienced a doubling of bag life with all the financial saving that brings. It really does not matter which type of baghouse you have or its size; we tailor design the correct solution. For example in this photograph you can see a single cell stand alone cement pre-packing baghouse jet pulse filter which only requires a single sonic horn housed within a mounting tube and flange, high up on the hopper section.

Going to the other extreme, this second photograph shows a huge smelting plant reverse air filter which required the installation of a greater number of larger, more powerful sonic horns to both help clean the bags and prevent the twelve hoppers from blocking.

On our web site you can find a section providing Enquiry Forms, one for baghouse filter enquiries which is available either in ‘on-line’ format or as a download.

Try it on one of your baghouse filters; you can even initially take out a sonic horn rental. You will be both amazed and delighted!