Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for mixing or atomizing fluids without moving parts, comprising in combination: a hollow tube having a substantially cylindrical inner wall; a core member having an outer surface located in the tube substantially coaxial with but slightly spaced from the inner wall, the core member having extending inwardly from its surface at least one non-intersecting helical channel extending substantially continuously around said core member for its length; and channel-forming means secured to the core member and extending round and for the length of the core member in substantial continuous contact with said outer surface and also being in frictional contact with said inner wall such that said core member and said channel forming means are removably secured essentially only by force-fit contact with said hollow tube as an integral unit, said channel-forming means comprising one layer of at least one non-intersecting helical winding opposite to said first helical direction, the direction of each winding in said layer being opposite to the direction of each channel in said core member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for mixing or atomizing fluids without moving parts, comprising in combination: a hollow tube having a substantially cylindrical inner wall; a core member having an outer surface located in the tube substantially coaxial with but slightly spaced from the inner wall, the core member having extending inwardly from its surface at least one non-intersecting helical channel extending substantially continuously around said core member for its length; and channel-forming means secured to the core member and extending round and for the length of the core member in substantial continuous contact with said outer surface and also being in frictional contact with said inner wall such that said core member and said channel forming means are removably secured essentially only by force-fit contact with said hollow tube as an integral unit, said channel-forming means comprising one layer of at least one non-intersecting helical winding opposite to said first helical direction, the direction of each winding in said layer being opposite to the direction of each channel in said core member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core member is substantially cylindrical.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of said channels in the core member and the number of channels in the channel-forming means are each selected and constructed and arranged such that the opposite thrusts of rotation imposed by fluid which flows through said apparatus substantially balance each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the core member comprises two parallel helical channels and the channel-forming means comprises two parallel helical windings which are disposed in only a single layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a nozzle located at the downstream end of the hollow tube constructed and arranged to operably spray the mixed or atomized fluids in a preselected spray profile for subsequent combustion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A burner apparatus comprising in combination the apparatus defined in claim 5 and means located upstream of the said hollow tube for introducing at least one stream of a fluid comprising liquid fuel and at least one stream of a pressurized gas.