PROTOTYPING OF CONTINUOUS FLOW ULTRASONICATOR FOR BACTERIAL INACTIVATION MICHAEL JULIAN

• Main Author: Julian Estefan, Michael
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/68373
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

According to WHO 600 million cases of disease transmissions through foods occur every year. Various efforts have been done to keep the food free from pathogens, the most common method is the pasteurization technique. Unfortunately, the pasteurization technique tends to alter food's taste, texture, and nutritional contents. Thus, a better sterilization technique is needed. One alternative that can be chosen is the ultrasonication technique. Ultrasonicators that are available on the market, usually operate in a single frequency. In the previous research, a batch ultrasonicator prototype which able to operate in various frequencies was made. The ultrasonication process can be conducted in a continuous flow to ease the sterilization process and increase the capacity of the liquid to be sterilized. Moreover, based on the previous research, the ultrasonication process can be combined with an increase in the fluid temperature to improve the bacterial inactivation rate. The combination of both processes is called thermosonication. Based on the problems stated above, in this research, a continuous flow ultrasonicator prototype which able to operate in various frequencies and powers with a temperature control system will be made. The dimension of the ultrasonicator tank will be determined by conducting a finite element analysis to obtain the dimension which will produce the highest pressure amplitude of water in the ultrasonication process with the help of COMSOL. The prototype has been made and successfully inactivated Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with a density of 2×107 CFU/ml completely. The experiment shows that thermosonication process at 55oC for 10 minutes increases the number of inactivated bacteria about 3.9% from the ultrasonication process at room temperature.