FEM-simulations of Tailored 3D Pressure Fields for US-assisted Oleogel Crystallization

Due to their high content of unsaturated fatty acids and controllable mechanical properties, oleogels show promise as a replacement for traditional fats in food products. Controlling the oleogel formation with ultrasound makes it possible to tune the mechanical properties of oleogels, e.g., improving their structural stability and/or mouthfeel. We previously demonstrated tuning of mechanical properties of oleo gels by ultrasonic standing waves (USW) in a closed chamber. Our previous USW chamber only allowed 1D control of the pressure field. To properly tailor the oleogel properties, a more sophisticated chamber design and pressure field control technique is required. A new design for USW chamber and the frequency-domain time-reversal technique for field control were studied via simulations. We show that the proposed technique can create tailored USW fields inside a chamber filled with oil. Further, we show results of particle tracing simulations, and compare the idealized model with realistic phased arrays of transducers, to determine the requirements for the arrays to achieve a suitable resolution for shaping the field.