Apparatus and method for prevention and treatment pf marine biofouling

摘要

An apparatus 1 for prevention and treatment of marine biofouling on a surface 2 to be treated comprises: a body 10 defining a cavity 10a with distal open end 12 that is adapted to be in the vicinity of the surface, such that the surface forms a first end wall of a chamber within the cavity; an acoustic transducer 18 mounted within the cavity to form an opposite second end wall of the chamber, adapted to introduce acoustic energy that is directed towards the first end wall to allow acoustic pressure fluctuations to be generated at the surface to cause cleaning of the surface; and a reservoir 3 for a liquid. The reservoir is located laterally to the chamber and includes an inlet passage for liquid flow into the reservoir and a plurality of mutually spaced outlet passages for liquid flow from the reservoir into the chamber. The outlet passages surround the chamber in the vicinity of the distal open end. The invention also provides a method, in which the transducer generates acoustic resonance within the chamber and forms an acoustic pressure antinode in a plane wave mode at or adjacent to the surface.