Abrasive blast system
AssigneeGraco Minnesota Inc.
InventorsJohn W. Turner, Robert J. Lind
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vapor abrasive blast system includes a compressor for generating compressed air, a water pump for pumping a water stream to a pressure vessel to pressurize the pressure vessel. A control valve is disposed upstream of the pressure vessel and is configured to control the flow of water from the water pump to the pressure vessel to thereby control the flow of blast slurry downstream out of the pressure vessel.
Claims20
An abrasive blast system comprising:
- a water pump configured to pump a flow of water from a water source to a pressure pot through a water line;
- an air supply line extending from an air source;
- a media line extending from the pressure pot to the air supply line;
- a blast line extending downstream from a junction of the media line and the air supply line to a nozzle;
- a control valve configured to shift between an open state and a closed state to control the flow of water to the pressure pot and thereby control the flow of blast slurry from the pressure pot to the media line;
- and
- a blast control switch controllable between an activated state and a deactivated state and configured to actuate the control valve between the open state and the closed state.
A method comprising:
- generating a compressed air flow and directing the compressed air flow to an air supply line extending to a junction with a media line, the media line extending from a pressure pot and being configured to convey a blast slurry flow to the junction from the pressure pot;
- pumping, with a water pump, a pressurizing water flow to the pressure pot through a water line extending between the water pump and the pressure pot;
- and
- controlling, with a blast control switch, actuation of a control valve between an open state and a closed state to thereby control the pressurizing water flow to the pressure pot and the blast slurry flow through the media line.
A control system for a vapor abrasive blast system having a pressure pot that stores a supply of blast slurry, a compressor for providing a flow of compressed air through an air supply line to a blast line, and a water pump for pumping water to the pressure pot to thereby pressurize the pressure pot and drive the blast slurry downstream out of the pressure pot through a media line to the blast line where the blast slurry can be entrained in the compressed air and carried out of a nozzle, the control system comprising:
- a control valve configured to shift between an open state and a closed state to control the water flow to the pressure pot from the water pump, wherein the control valve is configured to prevent the water from flowing to and pressurizing the pressure pot when in the closed state and to allow the water to flow to and pressurize the pressure pot when in the open state;
- a blast air controller disposed on the air supply line upstream of the blast line, the blast air controller configured to shift between an open controller state and a closed controller state to control the compressed air flow to the blast line, wherein the blast air controller is configured to prevent the compressed air from flowing to the blast line when in the closed controller state and to allow the compressed air to flow to the blast line when in the open controller state;
- and
- a blast control switch configured to control the control valve between the open state and the closed state, and further configured to control the blast air controller between the open controller state and the closed controller state;
- wherein the flow of blast slurry out of the pressure pot is activated and deactivated by the water flow to the pressure pot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.