Quantitative evaluation of ultrasonic cleaning ability using acoustic cavitation signal

Abstract The purpose of this study was to establish a new quantitative evaluation index for ultrasonic cleaning ability. We described the relationship between the acoustic cavitation signal generated by acoustic cavitation bubbles and the cleaning ability of an ultrasonic cleaning device. The measured acoustic cavitation signal was broadband noise. Ultrasonic cleaning ability was independently determined as the removal rate of material coatings on a metal surface, as an analog for medical apparatus cleaning. There was a positive correlation between broadband noise and the material removal rate. The results showed that an acoustic cavitation signal has the potential to be used as an evaluation index for measuring the effectiveness of ultrasonic cleaning.