A Word In Your Ear ...

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!