Fluidic mud pulser
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsAllen B. Holmes, Stacy E. Gehman, Maurice F. Funke
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Abstract
A liquid telemetry system is disclosed useful for transmitting data through a fluid body by means of pulses in the fluid. To generate the pulses in the fluid the system utilizes a bi-stable fluid amplifier in conjunction with a vortex valve. Control input signals direct the flow of fluid from the bi-stable amplifier into the vortex valve in such manner as to selectively impede the flow of fluid through the vortex valve. The resulting changes in fluid flow rates generate pulses within the fluid body.
Claims11
Apparatus for producing pulses in a fluid passing through a conduit, comprising
- a bi-stable fluid amplifier having an inlet means for receiving at least a portion of the fluid passing through the conduit,
- said bi-stable fluid amplifier further comprising two outlet paths, the fluid entering said inlet assuming and maintaining a stable flow condition through one of said two outlet paths,
- a vortex valve associated with said fluid amplifier, a first of said outlet paths of the amplifier entering said vortex valve radially and a second of said outlet paths entering said vortex valve tangentially whereby said vortex valve will offer relatively low resistance to fluid flow when fluid enters said vortex valve through said first outlet path and relatively high resistance to fluid flow when fluid enters said vortex valve through said second outlet path,
- control means associated with said fluid amplifier for abruptly altering said stable flow condition through said one outlet path, for deflecting the fluid entering said inlet toward the other of said outlet paths and for establishing and maintaining a stable flow condition through the other of said outlet paths,
- whereby the abrupt change in resistance to flow into and through said vortex valve results in abrupt changes in the rate of fluid flow into said inlet of said fluid amplifier, and pulses are generated in the fluid entering said amplifier.
A telemetry system for transmitting through a body of fluid, comprising
- a bi-stable fluid amplifier having an inlet for receiving a flow of at least a portion of said fluid and two outlet paths, the flow entering said inlet assuming and maintaining a stable flow condition through one of said outlet paths,
- a vortex valve for establishing a different impedence to fluid flow through each of the outlet paths, one of said outlet paths entering said valve radially and one of said outlet paths entering said valve tangentially and
- control means for abruptly altering said stable flow condition through said one outlet path, for deflecting the flow toward the other outlet path and for establishing and maintaining a stable flow condition through the other outlet path
- whereby upon said abrupt change in flow paths, a rapid change in impedence to fluid flow results in a pulse in said body of fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.