Modeling the phenomenon of ultrasonic wave propagation in selected fluids using COMSOL - a case study

The aim of this study was to model the propagation of acoustic waves with frequencies in the ultrasound range in three selected fluids. Ultrasonic wave propagation in the studied fluids was tested in a laboratory to validate the model. The laboratory tests involved simple measurements of the time of flight of an ultrasonic wave with a frequency of 5 MHz in fluids with different parameters: demineralized water, rapeseed oil, and gelatinized potato starch colloid. In the second part of the study, the COMSOL Multiphysics program was used to develop a model of ultrasonic wave propagation in the same fluids. The model was developed using the Transient analysis type in the Pressure Acoustics application mode of the Acoustics Module. The modeling results were somewhat different from those obtained in laboratory tests; therefore, they did not meet the research assumptions in this stage of research. The limitations of the presented model were discussed. The study demonstrated that medium density was a parameter that exerted the greatest influence on the modeling process.