US 4,817,342 AGranted

Water/abrasive propulsion chamber

AssigneeWhitemetal, Inc.

InventorsR. Craig Martin, Jerry P. Woodson

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Abstract

A propulsion apparatus adapted for use in a liquid propelled abrasive cleaning system is disclosed in which high pressure water is injected coaxially in a bore of a housing to which a flow of air and abrasive is introduced. The high pressure water is introduced into the bore via a water injection member fixed in the bore. The water injection member has a cross-sectional area which is small compared to that of the bore. A first embodiment of the invention includes a wing shaped water injection member which extends diagonally across the bore of the housing. A second embodiment of the invention includes a sloping leading edge with low axle oblique surfaces serving to deflect abrasive particles around the member and back into a high velocity air/abrasive longitudinal flow. The leading edge of the water injection member is small compared to the widest part of the member in the bore thereby creating an air-foil effect for the air/abrasive mixture flow as it passes the injection member in the bore. The streamlined shape of the injection member decreases the erosion of it from the flow of air and sand entering the bore and creates coaxial acceleration of the abrasive particles downstream of the water injection member. Downstream of the water injection member, the air/abrasive flow is propelled by the high pressure water at great velocity via the outlet of the bore.

Propulsion apparatus adapted for use in a liquid propelled abrasive cleaning system comprising,

a housing having a bore formed therein defining a longitudinal axis, said bore having an inlet end and an outlet end,
said bore being substantially straight to define a path of a flow of air and abrasive to said bore from said inlet end of said bore, and
injection means for injecting high pressure water substantially coaxially in said bore toward said outlet end,
said injection means disposed in said path of said flow of air and abrasive downstream from said inlet end of said bore and including a water injection member having a central section and a leading section,
said central section having lateral sides which are substantially parallel to each other, the distance between said lateral sides of said central section defining a central section width, the longitudinal distance of said lateral sides defining a central section length,
said leading section facing said inlet end of said bore and having leading lateral sides which angle inwardly respectively from said central section lateral sides toward said longitudinal axis of said bore, said leading lateral sides terminating at a leading side facing said inlet end of said bore, said lateral sides of said central section and of said leading section each having top and bottom ends which are secured to radially opposite walls of said bore, the longitudinal distance of said leading lateral sides of said leading section between said leading side and said central section defining a leading section length which is substantially greater than said central section length, said leading side being of a width which is substantially smaller than said central section width, whereby the shape of said leading section operably facilitates said flow of air and abrasive around the lateral sides of said central section of said water injection member,
said water injection member having an outlet orifice disposed substantially coaxially with said bore of said housing,
said water injection member having a radially directed passage communicating with said outlet orifice,
said housing having water inlet means communicating with said radially directed passage and operably adapted to receive high pressure water,
whereby said high pressure water propels said flow of air and abrasive through said outlet end.

7 more elements

Facts

Application

07/111,299Filed 22 Oct 1987 · continuation in part

Priority

15 Jul 1987

Granted

4 Apr 1989

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B24C 7/0084
Equipment for feeding abrasive material; Controlling the flowability, constitution, or other physical characteristics of abrasive blasts: the…
B24C 5/02
Devices or accessories for generating abrasive blasts: blast guns, e.g. for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets for cutting materials
B24C 5/04
Blast guns, e.g. for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets for cutting materials: nozzles therefor
B24C 7/0076
The abrasive material being fed in a gaseous carrier: the blasting medium being a liquid stream

Abstract

Claims17