Process and apparatus for generating particulate containing fluid jets
AssigneeFluidyne Corporation
InventorGene G. Yie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and apparatus for generating high velocity particulate containing fluid jets is provided which is capable of cutting hard materials such as rock and concrete, and is especially useful for notching blast holes to control the pattern of explosion and material removal. A particulate passage valve is provided to open and close the particulate passage in response to changes in fluid pressure. The apparatus may be portable, durable and lightweight. The nozzle assembly may be inserted directly into the drill hole and is operable in any orientation to issue one or a plurality of particulate containing fluid jet streams.
Claims18
An apparatus for generating at least one particulate containing fluid jet stream comprising:
- a pressurized fluid supply means connected to at least one pressurized fluid supply conduit;
- a particulate supply means connected to at least one particulate supply conduit;
- a nozzle assembly fluid-tightly joined to said pressurized fluid supply conduit and said particulate supply conduit, said nozzle assembly comprising at least one fluid jet nozzle means having at least one orifice means in communication with said pressurized fluid supply means;
- at least one mixing chamber wherein particulates are mixed with and entrained in at least one fluid stream aligned with said orifice means and in communication with said particulate supply means;
- and a particulate valve body housing a particulate valve means capable of closing and opening a flexible portion of said particulate supply conduit, said particulate valve means is adjacent said flexible portion of said particulate supply conduit and comprises a valve piston having a side recess facing said conduit, a valve ball retainable in said side recess opening said flexible portion of said particulate supply conduit and closing said conduit when said piston is moved to a position said ball is not retained in said recess moving said ball through a valve ball passage provided in said particulate valve body housing to close said flexible portion of said particulate tube, a valve piston spring providing a force against a first end of said valve piston, and a valve stem means fixedly attached to said first end of said valve piston, said valve stem means extending external to said valve means providing opening and closing of said particulate valve means external to said nozzle assembly.
In an apparatus of the type comprising a pressurized fluid supply means connected to at least one fluid supply conduit, a particulate supply means connected to at least one particulate supply conduit, a nozzle assembly joined to said pressurized fluid supply conduit and separately joined to said particulate supply conduit and capable of generating at least one particulate containing fluid jet stream, the improvement comprising:
- a particulate valve means within said nozzle assembly which automatically closes a flexible wall particulate supply conduit when said pressurized fluid supply means is inactivated and automatically opens said flexible wall particulate supply conduit when said pressurized fluid supply means is activated, said particulate valve means comprising a valve piston movable within a cylinder substantially parallel to said flexible wall particulate supply conduit within said nozzle assembly and having a side recess facing said flexible wall particulate supply conduit;
- a valve ball sized to fit adjacent said piston away from said side recess forcing said flexible particulate supply conduit closed when said valve piston is moved to a first position by force of a bias spring force against a first end of said piston, and sized to fit within said piston side recess when said valve piston is moved to a second position by force against an opposite second end of said piston caused by said pressurized fluid thereby opening said flexible particulate supply conduit for supply of particulates to said particulate containing fluid jet stream, said pressurized fluid force caused by passage of said pressurized fluid from said fluid supply conduit through fluid passage means within said nozzle assembly.
In a process of the type comprising supplying a pressurized fluid through at least one fluid supply conduit and particulates through at least one particulate supply conduit to a nozzle assembly joined to said pressurized fluid supply conduit and separately joined to said particulate supply conduit and capable of generating at least one particulate containing fluid jet stream, the improvement comprising:
- passing said particulates through a particulate valve means within said nozzle assembly which automatically closes a flexible wall particulate supply conduit when said pressurized fluid supply means is in activated and automatically opens said flexible wall particulate supply conduit when said pressurized fluid supply means is activated, said particulate valve means comprising a valve piston movable within a cylinder substantially parallel to said flexible wall particulate supply conduit within said nozzle assembly and having a side recess facing said flexible wall particulate supply conduit;
- a valve ball sized to fit adjacent said piston away from said side recess forcing said flexible particulate supply conduit closed when said valve piston is moved to a first position by force of a bias spring force against a first end of said piston, and sized to fit within said piston side recess when said valve piston is moved to a second position by force against an opposite second end of said piston caused by said pressurized fluid thereby opening said flexible particulate supply conduit for supply of particulates to said particulate containing fluid jet stream, said pressurized fluid force caused by passage of said pressurized fluid from said fluid supply conduit through fluid passage means within said nozzle assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.