Method and apparatus for forming a high velocity liquid abrasive jet

Claim 1

A method for producing an abrasive laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. at the output of a jet producing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: generating a jet of high velocity liquid; and introducing particles of abrasive into said jet; and, orienting said particles velocity vector to that of said jet; and accelerating said particles through a nozzle arrangement having a downstream-most continuous straight walled cylindrical passageway section which defines an outlet end serving as said output to a speed of at least about 80% of that of said jet as the jet exits the apparatus output and imparting to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet sufficient to concentrate said particles at the jet's center as the jet exits said apparatus output, said straight walled passageway section of said nozzle arrangement having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter so as to impart said speed to said particles and concentrate them in the center of the jet.

Claim 2

A method for producing an abrasive laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. at the output of a jet producing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: generating a jet of high velocity liquid; and introducing particles of abrasive into said jet; and, orienting said particles velocity vector to that of said jet; and accelerating said particles through a nozzle arrangement having a downstream-most continuous straight walled cylindrical passageway section which defines an outlet end serving as said output to a speed of at least about 80% of that of said jet as the jet exits the apparatus output and imparting to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet sufficient to concentrate said particles at the jet's center as the jet exits said apparatus output, said straight walled passageway section of said nozzle arrangement having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter so as to impart said speed to said particles and concentrate them in the center of the jet.

Claim 6

An apparatus for producing a jet of abrasive liquid at its output, comprising: jet means for producing a jet of high velocity fluid and within a pressure range of between about 5000 and 100,000 p.s.i.; and, inlet means for introducing particles of abrasive; and, mixing means attached to said jet means and said inlet means for mixing said jet of high velocity fluid and said particles of abrasive; and, orientation means connected to said mixing means for orienting the velocity vectors of said particles of abrasive; and acceleration means connected to said orienting means including a nozzle arrangement having a downstream-most continuous straight walled cylindrical passageway section which defines an outlet end serving as said output for accelerating said particles of abrasive to a velocity of at least about 80% of that of said jet of high velocity fluid as the jet exits said output and for imparting to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet sufficient to concentrate said particles at the jet's center as the jet exits said output said straight walled passageway section having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 7

An apparatus for producing a jet of abrasive liquid at its output, comprising: jet means for producing a jet of high velocity fluid and within a pressure range of between about 5000 and 100,000 p.s.i.; and, inlet means for introducing particles of abrasive; and, mixing means attached to said jet means and said inlet means for mixing said jet of high velocity fluid and said particles of abrasive; and, orientation means connected to said mixing means for orienting the velocity vectors of said particles of abrasive; and acceleration means connected to said orienting means including a nozzle arrangement having a downstream-most continuous straight walled cylindrical passageway section which defines an outlet end serving as said output for accelerating said particles of abrasive to a velocity of at least about 80% of that of said jet of high velocity fluid as the jet exits said output and for imparting to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet sufficient to concentrate said particles at the jet's center as the jet exits said output said straight walled passageway section having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 16

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the straight walled section of said passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of said straight walled passageway section so as to form a boundary layer along said wall which, in turn, forms a cross sectional flow velocity gradient that is at a minimum at said wall and progressively increases toward the center of the passageway so as to impart to said particles within the jet a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) selecting the length of the straight walled section of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles have a velocity of at least about 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated in its center, said straight walled section of said passageway having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 17

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the straight walled section of said passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of said straight walled passageway section so as to form a boundary layer along said wall which, in turn, forms a cross sectional flow velocity gradient that is at a minimum at said wall and progressively increases toward the center of the passageway so as to impart to said particles within the jet a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) selecting the length of the straight walled section of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles have a velocity of at least about 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated in its center, said straight walled section of said passageway having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 18

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i., comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway section so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet before exiting said outlet end; and (e) selecting the length of the downstream second section of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles within the jet are concentrated in its center, said second section having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 19

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i., comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway section so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the center of said jet before exiting said outlet end; and (e) selecting the length of the downstream second section of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles within the jet are concentrated in its center, said second section having a length which is between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 21

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by a continuous, axially extending cylindrical interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet at a point between the formation of said jet and the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges the interior wall of the passageway at a predetermined point downstream from its inlet end and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway as the jet moves through the latter to its outlet end so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the (e) selecting the length of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles therein have a velocity of at least 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated at its center the length of said passageway being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 22

A method of producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by a continuous, axially extending cylindrical interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end; (b) at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway, forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid; (c) introducing particles into said diverging jet at a point between the formation of said jet and the inlet end of said passageway; (d) directing said particle laden jet coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges the interior wall of the passageway at a predetermined point downstream from its inlet end and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway as the jet moves through the latter to its outlet end so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the (e) selecting the length of said passageway so that by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles therein have a velocity of at least 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated at its center the length of said passageway being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 26

An apparatus for producing at its output end a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center as the jet exits said output end, said apparatus comprising: (a) a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to said outlet end downstream from said inlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) means located at a specific point upstream of the inlet end of said passageway for forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) means for introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) said jet forming means being positioned such that said particle laden jet enters coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the straight walled section of said passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of said straight walled passageway section so as to form a boundary layer along said wall which, in turn, forms a cross sectional flow velocity gradient that is at a minimum at said wall and progressively increases toward the center of the passageway so as to impart to said particles within the jet a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) the length of the straight walled section of said passageway being such that, by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles have a velocity of at least about 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated in its center, said length of said straight walled section being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 27

An apparatus for producing at its output end a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center as the jet exits said output end, said apparatus comprising: (a) a nozzle arrangement having a straight passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to said outlet end downstream from said inlet end, said passageway including (i) a first, converging section which includes said inlet end, and (ii) a second, continuous straight walled cylindrical section which extends from said converging section to and includes said outlet end; (b) means located at a specific point upstream of the inlet end of said passageway for forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid having an initial cross section which is smaller than the cross section of said straight walled passageway section; (c) means for introducing particles into said diverging jet upstream of the inlet end of said passageway; (d) said jet forming means being positioned such that said particle laden jet enters coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end such that the jet first impinges said interior wall within the straight walled section of said passageway at a point downstream from said converging passageway section and thereafter fills the entire cross section of said straight walled passageway section so as to form a boundary layer along said wall which, in turn, forms a cross sectional flow velocity gradient that is at a minimum at said wall and progressively increases toward the center of the passageway so as to impart to said particles within the jet a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) the length of the straight walled section of said passageway being such that, by the time the jet exits the passageway at said outlet end, the particles have a velocity of at least about 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated in its center, said length of said straight walled section being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 28

An apparatus for producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said apparatus comprising: (a) a nozzle arrangement having a continuous straight cylindrical passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end; (b) means positioned at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway for forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid; (c) means for introducing particles into said diverging jet at a point between the formation of said jet and the inlet end of said passageway; (d) said jet forming means being positioned such that said particle laden jet is directed coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end so that the jet first impinges the interior wall of the passageway at a predetermined point downstream from its inlet end and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway as the jet moves through the latter to its outlet end so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) the length of said passageway being such that, by the time the jet exits the passageway at said output end, the particles therein have a velocity of at least 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated at its center, said length of said passageway being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.

Claim 29

An apparatus for producing a particle laden jet of high velocity liquid within a pressure range of about 5000-100,000 p.s.i. and in which the particles within the jet are concentrated at its center, said apparatus comprising: (a) a nozzle arrangement having a continuous straight cylindrical passageway which is defined by an axially extending interior wall of the arrangement and which extends from an upstream inlet end to a downstream outlet end; (b) means positioned at a specific point coaxial with and upstream of the inlet end of said passageway for forming a diverging jet of high velocity liquid; (c) means for introducing particles into said diverging jet at a point between the formation of said jet and the inlet end of said passageway; (d) said jet forming means being positioned such that said particle laden jet is directed coaxially into said passageway from its inlet end so that the jet first impinges the interior wall of the passageway at a predetermined point downstream from its inlet end and thereafter fills the entire cross section of the passageway as the jet moves through the latter to its outlet end so as to impart to said particles a component of movement toward the center of the jet; and (e) the length of said passageway being such that, by the time the jet exits the passageway at said output end, the particles therein have a velocity of at least 80% of the liquid forming the jet and are concentrated at its center, said length of said passageway being between about 25 and 100 times it's diameter.