US5674323A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for cleaning columns by inducing vibrations in fouling material and the column
Assignee: AMERICAN ECO INTERNATIONAL Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-12
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Granted: 1997-10-07
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Expires: 2015-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A method of cleaning in a pipe which has fouling material on the interior so that the bond with the fouling material is broken by first filling the pipe with liquid, applying pressure pulsations to the liquid to the extent that a standing wave is formed in the pipe and the incompressible liquid therein, and cavitation is initiated within the standing wave in the pipe so that the pipe is cleaned on the formation of induced shock waves occurring upon collapse of microscopic bubbles resulting from cavitation and subsequent collapse.
Inventors
- 👤 Patricia M. Garcia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:10
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/02; B08B9/027; B08B9/032; B08B9/0321; B08B9/0322; B08B3/00; B08B3/04; B08B3/10; B08B3/12; B08B9/0325; B08B9/0326; B08B9/0328; B08B9/04; B08B9/053; F; F28; F28G; F28G1/00; F28G1/12; F28G7/00; B08B2209/00; B08B2209/02; B08B2209/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for cleaning a fouled pipe comprising the steps of: (a) filling the pipe with an incompressible liquid; (b) releaseably connecting to the pipe a pressure source; (c) by means of cooperating valves, pulsating the pressure source to form a standing wave in the liquid in the pipe; (d) by means of said valves, adjusting said pulsations so that cavitation occurs in the liquid during pressure fluctuations within the standing wave; and (e) by means of said valves, adjusting the pressure of the pulsations such that said cavitation creates vibrations of differing frequencies transmitted through the liquid to the fouling material and to the pipe, wherein the fouling material and the pipe vibrate at different frequencies to break the fouling material free of the pipe.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for cleaning a fouled pipe comprising the steps of: (a) filling the pipe with an incompressible liquid; (b) releaseably connecting to the pipe a pressure source; (c) by means of cooperating valves, pulsating the pressure source to form a standing wave in the liquid in the pipe; (d) by means of said valves, adjusting said pulsations so that cavitation occurs in the liquid during pressure fluctuations within the standing wave; and (e) by means of said valves, adjusting the pressure of the pulsations such that said cavitation creates vibrations of differing frequencies transmitted through the liquid to the fouling material and to the pipe, wherein the fouling material and the pipe vibrate at different frequencies to break the fouling material free of the pipe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the pipe is constructed with an inlet end and an outlet end, and the pressure pulsations are delivered into the pipe at the inlet end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the outlet end of the pipe is plugged by a blocking device, and wherein the blocking device is temporarily fixed to the pipe and retains the liquid within the pipe.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the blocking device temporarily holds against specified pressure levels thereby allowing the standing wave to be formed, and is expelled from the pipe on increase above the specified pressure levels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the blocking device is a sacrificial insert initially positioned in the pipe and is blown from the pipe on increase of pressure after cleaning to thereby enable the pipe to be cleared of the liquid which flows out of the pipe and carries dislodged fouling material with the liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the inlet end is provided with the pressure pulsations by fitting a nozzle at the inlet end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the inlet end is provided with two inlet lines, and one of the inlet lines delivers flowing gas admitted to the pipe, and the other of the inlet lines delivers the incompressible liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 including the step of forming bubbles in the liquid subject to imploding during pressure fluctuations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 8 wherein bubbles are collapsed and reformed.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of cleaning an interior of a fouled pipe comprising the steps of: (a) in a region of the pipe where the fouling occurs, isolating a portion of the pipe between an inlet end and an outlet end; (b) filling the pipe between the inlet end and outlet end with an incompressible liquid; and (c) forming microscopic bubbles within the liquid by generating standing waves in the liquid; (d) applying pressure variations to the liquid so that the bubbles in the liquid are momentarily compressed and released therefrom to thereby initiate collapse of the bubbles to generate vibrations in the liquid for breaking the bond holding the fouling material to the pipe, wherein (i) the vibrations are generated at multiple frequencies, (ii) the frequencies of the vibrations are controlled by the magnitude of the pressure variations, and (iii) the bond is broken by vibrating the fouling material and the pipe at different frequencies.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of cleaning an interior of a fouled pipe comprising the steps of: (a) in a region of the pipe where the fouling occurs, isolating a portion of the pipe between an inlet end and an outlet end; (b) filling the pipe between the inlet end and outlet end with an incompressible liquid; and (c) forming microscopic bubbles within the liquid by generating standing waves in the liquid; (d) applying pressure variations to the liquid so that the bubbles in the liquid are momentarily compressed and released therefrom to thereby initiate collapse of the bubbles to generate vibrations in the liquid for breaking the bond holding the fouling material to the pipe, wherein (i) the vibrations are generated at multiple frequencies, (ii) the frequencies of the vibrations are controlled by the magnitude of the pressure variations, and (iii) the bond is broken by vibrating the fouling material and the pipe at different frequencies.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of mixing a cleaning abrasive in the liquid prior to applying the pressure variations to the liquid, wherein the interior of the pipe is further cleaned by the cleaning abrasive after the fouling material bond has been broken and fouling material has been removed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of mixing a compressible gas with the liquid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of controlling temperature of the liquid to thereby control an extent of cleaning in the pipe.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of blocking the outlet end of the pipe with a pressure controlled blocking device and the blocking device is left fixed in the pipe during cleaning so that liquid and the blocking device are forced by increase of pressure from the pipe at conclusion of the cleaning.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 including the step of pumping added liquid into the pipe after filling with pressure fluctuations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 15 further including the step of pumping the added liquid with time dependent pressure fluctuations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 2000-10-06 | 2001-04-07 | 2001-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-06 | 2005-04-07 | 2005-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-06 | 2009-04-07 | 2009-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |