The present invention is directed to a high-powered (e.g., >500 W)
ultrasonic generator for use especially for delivering high-power
ultrasonic energy to a varying load including compressible fluids. The
generator includes a variable frequency triangular waveform generator
coupled with pulse width modulators. The output from the pulse width
modulator is coupled with the gates of an Isolated Gate Bipolar
Transistor (IGBT), which amplifies the signal and delivers it to a coil
that is used to drive a magnetostrictive transducer. In one embodiment,
high voltage of 0-600 VDC is delivered across the collector and emitter
of the IGBT after the signal is delivered. The output of the IGBT is a
square waveform with a voltage of +/-600V. This voltage is sent to a coil
wound around the ultrasonic transducer. The voltage creates a magnetic
field on the transducer and the magnetorestrictive properties of the
transducer cause the transducer to vibrate as a result of the magnetic
field. The use of the IGBT as the amplifying device obviates the need for
a Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) circuit, which is typically used in
low powered ultrasonic transducers, and which would get overheated and
fail in such a high-powered and load-varying application.