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US 12,296,431 B2Granted
Automated cavitation processing
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDaniel Gordon Sanders, Kandaudage Channa Ruwan De Silva
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cavitation peening system is disclosed, including a tank containing a fluid, a carrier, and an array of cavitation nozzles. The carrier is configured to deliver a workpiece to a treatment zone in the tank, and the array of cavitation nozzles are collectively configured to generate a cavitation induced whirlpool in the treatment zone.
Claims20
A cavitation peening system, that comprises:
- a controller;
- a tank that contains a fluid, wherein the tank comprises a drum shape configured to facilitate a whirlpool flow of the fluid;
- a carrier that comprises a rack configured to:
- releasably secure a workpiece;
- deliver the workpiece to a treatment zone in the tank;
- and
- move the rack in the treatment zone through a sequence of events, wherein the controller directs a rate which the carrier moves the rack, and wherein the rack comprises a rack sensor configured to monitor a cavitation intensity of the fluid;
- and
- an array of cavitation nozzles collectively configured to cavitate the fluid and induce the whirlpool flow in the treatment zone.
6 more elements
A cavitation abrasive surface finishing system that comprises:
- a treatment zone in a tank that contains a slurry of a fluid and an abrasive media,
- a carrier configured to transport a workpiece into the tank and control a rate of movement of the workpiece within the tank, wherein the carrier comprises a rack that comprises a rack sensor configured to measure a cavitation intensity;
- a plurality of cavitation nozzles directed toward the treatment zone and connected by high-pressure hoses to a high-pressure fluid pump and configured to induce a whirlpool flow of the fluid,
- an abrasive media supply, configured to add abrasive media to the tank,
- a density monitoring system, configured to monitor a density of abrasive media in the slurry contained in the tank,
- a reclamation system, configured to collect abrasive media from the tank, and
- a controller configured to:
- receive data from the density monitoring system;
- determine the rate of movement of the workpiece;
- and
- regulate the abrasive media supply and the reclamation system to maintain a selected density of abrasive media in the slurry contained in the tank.
8 more elements
An automated cavitation peening system, that comprises:
- a tank that comprises a drum shape filled with a fluid;
- a plurality of cavitation nozzles positioned around a periphery of the tank and directed toward a central region of the tank,
- a fluid supply that comprises a pump connected to a manifold that comprises valves that control a delivery of the fluid supply to each of the plurality of cavitation nozzles at a pressure that produces, respectively, a desired cavitation intensity from each of the cavitation nozzles;
- a rack configured to support a workpiece, wherein the rack comprises a rack sensor configured to monitor a cavitation intensity of the fluid;
- a manipulation device configured to lower the rack into the tank and move the rack in a treatment zone through a sequence of events,
- a controller configured to:
- control the valves and regulate the supply of high-pressure fluid;
- and
- control a direction and rate of a movement of the manipulation device.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.