Patent US4474251A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4474251A
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Enhancing liquid jet erosion
Assignee: T-HYDRONAUTICS Inc A CORP OF TX
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Filing: 1981-11-25
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Granted: 1984-10-02
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Expires: 2001-11-25
Abstract
Abstract Process and apparatus for enhancing the erosive intensity of a high velocity liquid jet when the jet is impacted against a surface for cutting, cleaning, drilling or otherwise acting on the surface. A preferred method comprises the steps of forming a high velocity liquid jet, oscillating the velocity of the jet at a preferred Strouhal number, and impinging the pulsed jet against a solid surface to be eroded. Typically the liquid jet is pulsed by oscillating the velocity of the jet mechanically or by hydrodynamic and acoustic interactions. The invention may be applied to enhance cavitation erosion in a cavitating liquid jet, or to modulate the velocity of a liquid jet exiting in a gas, causing it to form into discrete slugs, thereby producing an intermittent percussive effect.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgil E. Johnson, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:43
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/88; E02F3/90; E02F3/92; E02F3/9206; B; B05; B05B; B05B17/00; B05B17/04; B05B17/06; B08; B08B; B08B3/00; B08B3/02; B08B3/026; B08B3/028; B26; B26F; B26F1/00; B26F1/26; B26F3/00; B26F3/004; E02F5/00; E02F5/006; E21; E21B; E21B7/00; E21B7/18; E21C; E21C25/00; E21C25/60; F; F15; F15D; F15D1/00; F15D1/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of eroding a solid surface with a high velocity liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a high velocity liquid jet; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; and (c) impinging the pulsed jet against the solid surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of eroding a solid surface with a high velocity liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a high velocity liquid jet; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; and (c) impinging the pulsed jet against the solid surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid jet is pulsed by mechanically oscillating the velocity of the jet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid jet is pulsed by hydrodynamic and acoustic interactions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein a portion of the energy of the high velocity liquid is utilized to pulse the liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid jet is formed by directing a liquid through an orifice, and the jet is pulsed by oscillating the pressure of the liquid prior to directing it through the orifice.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pressure of the liquid is oscillated by directing the liquid through a hydroacoustic organ-pipe oscillator having a nozzle, said nozzle comprising said orifice.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the velocity of the jet is oscillated at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.25 to 0.65.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid is directed through a first orifice and the jet is formed by directing the liquid through a second orifice, and wherein the jet is pulsed by oscillating the pressure of the liquid after it exits the first orifice through hydrodynamic and acoustic interactions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein a Helmholtz chamber is formed between the first and second orifices wherein the pressure of the liquid is oscillated within the Helmholtz oscillator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulsed, high velocity liquid jet is surrounded by a gas and forms into discrete, spaced apart slugs, thereby producing an intermittent percussive effect.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the liquid comprises water and the gas comprises air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the velocity of the jet is oscillated at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.66 to about 0.85.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the distance between the solid surface and the orifice from which the jet exits is determined by the following equation: X=(D/2S)·(V/v') where X is the distance, D is the orifice diameter, S is the Strouhal number, V is the mean jet velocity and v' is the oscillation amplitude about the mean velocity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the surface is fragmented into chips and wherein the pulsed liquid jet is surrounded by a liquid and forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices which spread over the surface, thereby enhancing removal of said chips.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulsed high velocity liquid jet is surrounded by a liquid and forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices, and wherein vapor cavities of the liquid are formed in the vortices and the vortices spread over the solid surface at a distance from the orifice where said vapor cavities collapse, thereby producing cavitation erosion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the velocity of the pulsed liquid jet is at least about Mach 0.1.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the velocity of the jet is oscillated at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.3 to about 0.45.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the velocity of the jet is oscillated at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.6 to about 0.9.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the distance between the solid surface and the orifice from which the jet exits is no greater than about 6 times the diameter of the jet for cavitation numbers greater than about 0.2.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulsed, high velocity liquid jet forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices, and wherein vapor cavities of the liquid are formed in the vortices and the vortices spread over the solid surface at a distance from the orifice where said vapor cavities collapse, thereby producing cavitation erosion, the formation of vapor cavities being assisted by a center body located in the outlet of the jet-forming nozzle to form an annular orifice for the nozzle.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of eroding a submerged solid surface with a liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a liquid jet by passing a liquid through a hydro-acoustic oscillator having a submerged nozzle; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at the resonant frequency of said oscillator, said frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; (c) amplifying the jet velocity oscillations by providing the exit nozzle with a contour adapted to provide feedback of the velocity oscillations in the jet to the oscillator; and (d) impinging the pulsed jet against the submerged solid surface.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of eroding a submerged solid surface with a liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a liquid jet by passing a liquid through a hydro-acoustic oscillator having a submerged nozzle; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at the resonant frequency of said oscillator, said frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; (c) amplifying the jet velocity oscillations by providing the exit nozzle with a contour adapted to provide feedback of the velocity oscillations in the jet to the oscillator; and (d) impinging the pulsed jet against the submerged solid surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the oscillator comprises an organ-pipe oscillator.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the oscillator comprises a Helmholtz oscillator.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of eroding a submerged solid surface with a liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a liquid jet structured into discrete, spaced apart vortices by passing a liquid through a hydroacoustic organ-pipe oscillator chamber having a submerged exit nozzle, said exit nozzle having a first portion with a contraction contour followed by a substantially cylindrical portion having its upstream end adjacent to said first portion, the junction of said first portion and said cylindrical portion forming a sharp edge, said cylindrical portion extending for a length sufficient to place its downstream end adjacent to an imaginary surface defining the outer envelope of the developing ring vortex flow; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at the resonant frequency of said chamber, said frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; (c) amplifying the jet velocity oscillations by providing feedback of the velocity oscillations in the jet to the oscillator chamber; and (d) impinging the pulsed jet against the submerged solid surface.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of eroding a submerged solid surface with a liquid jet, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a liquid jet structured into discrete, spaced apart vortices by passing a liquid through a hydroacoustic organ-pipe oscillator chamber having a submerged exit nozzle, said exit nozzle having a first portion with a contraction contour followed by a substantially cylindrical portion having its upstream end adjacent to said first portion, the junction of said first portion and said cylindrical portion forming a sharp edge, said cylindrical portion extending for a length sufficient to place its downstream end adjacent to an imaginary surface defining the outer envelope of the developing ring vortex flow; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at the resonant frequency of said chamber, said frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2; (c) amplifying the jet velocity oscillations by providing feedback of the velocity oscillations in the jet to the oscillator chamber; and (d) impinging the pulsed jet against the submerged solid surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said frequency corresponds to a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.3 to 0.8.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of oscillating the instantaneous boundary pressure at a submerged surface, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a high velocity, submerged liquid jet; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2, whereby the jet forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices; (c) impinging the discrete vortices against the submerged surface, whereby the instantaneous boundary pressure is reduced during each discrete time interval that one of the vortices passes adjacent said surface.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of oscillating the instantaneous boundary pressure at a submerged surface, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a high velocity, submerged liquid jet; (b) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2, whereby the jet forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices; (c) impinging the discrete vortices against the submerged surface, whereby the instantaneous boundary pressure is reduced during each discrete time interval that one of the vortices passes adjacent said surface.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of removing the chips created at a submerged surface by a mechanical rotating roller bit drill, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the submerged surface with said drill, whereby at least a portion of the surface is fragmented into chips; (b) forming a high velocity, submerged liquid jet; (c) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2, whereby the jet forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices; and (d) impinging the discrete vortices against said portion of the surface.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of removing the chips created at a submerged surface by a mechanical rotating roller bit drill, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the submerged surface with said drill, whereby at least a portion of the surface is fragmented into chips; (b) forming a high velocity, submerged liquid jet; (c) oscillating the velocity of the jet at a Strouhal number within the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.2, whereby the jet forms into discrete, spaced apart vortices; and (d) impinging the discrete vortices against said portion of the surface.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claims 26 or 27, wherein the jet velocity is oscillated by a mechanical oscillator.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 26 or 27, wherein the jet velocity is oscillated by directing the liquid through a hydroacoustic oscillator.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claims 26 or 27, wherein the jet velocity is oscillated by directing the liquid through a hydroacoustic organ-pipe oscillator.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claims 26 or 27, wherein the jet velocity is oscillated by directing the liquid through a hydroacoustic Helmholtz oscillator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-10-02 | 1988-04-02 | 1988-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-10-02 | 1992-04-02 | 1992-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-10-02 | 1996-04-02 | 1996-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |