Acoustically levitating cuboids

Mapping the translational and rotational trapping stiffness values of acoustically levitating cuboids

Master Thesis (2025)
Author(s)

P.O. van Kampen (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

Contributor(s)

PG Steeneken – Mentor (TU Delft - Precision and Microsystems Engineering)

F.S.L. Wörtche – Mentor (TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)

G.J. Verbiest – Mentor (TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)

V. Bos – Mentor (TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)

J. Wesselingh – Mentor (TU Delft - Micro and Nano Engineering)

Johan T. Padding – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Complex Fluid Processing)

Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
27-02-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
['Mechanical Engineering | Micro and Nano Engineering']
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

This thesis investigates the forces and torques acting on acoustically levitated cuboids, with the aim of improving translational and rotational control in acoustic transportation applications. Traditional trans port methods rely on mechanical pick-and-place systems, which introduce challenges such as fragility and contamination. Acoustic levitation presents a contactless alternative that eliminates these issues. To address the research question: “1: Can we develop a model to determine the stiffness and torsional stiffness values of acoustically levitating cuboids of arbitrary shape, in an arbitrary pressure field?” the study begins by reviewing the fundamental principles of acoustic levitation, including acoustic radiation force, the Gorkov potential, and phased array transducer (PAT) configurations. It then explores various modeling approaches for determining the forces and torques on levitated objects, comparing the strengths and limitations of Gor’kov-based, finite difference time domain (FDTD), finite and boundary element method (FEM/BEM), and a proposed simplified trapping model.
The findings show that while the simplified trapping model lacks predictive accuracy, a Finite Element Method (FEM) model was introduced as a more reliable alternative. The FEM model, using a sound hard boundary assumption, agrees well with prior models of forces on non-spherical particles, that cannot be predicted with Gorkov’s or King’s method, and its implementation in Comsol makes it more accessible to a broad audience. In addition, the model predicts accurately the torques that act on non spherical particles and for the first time such a model is experimentally verified for all three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom....

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File under embargo until 27-02-2027