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US 5,215,688 AGranted
Apparatus and method for aerodynamic levitation
AssigneeVanderbilt University
InventorsJohn W. Williamson, Mohamad M. al-Darwish, Grant E. Cashen
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Abstract
An apparatus for the levitation of a liquid drop by a fluid flow comprising a profile generator, a fluid flow supply means operatively connected to the profile generator. The profile generator includes an elongate cylindrical shell in which is contained a profiling means for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow exiting the profile generator.
Claims22
An apparatus for the levitation of a liquid drop by a fluid flow, the apparatus comprising:
- a profile generator;
- a fluid flow supply means, operative with the profile generator, for supplying a flow of fluid to the profile generator;
- said profile generator comprising:
- an elongate cylindrical shell having opposite ends and a central longitudinal axis, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which the fluid flow enters the shell and at other end thereof an exit through which the fluid flow exits the shell;
- and
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow entering the shell so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator wherein said profiling means includes at least one distinct elongate tube having a central longitudinal axis and being contained within said shell, said tube being positioned within said shell so that said central longitudinal axis of said tube is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of said shell.
3 more elements
A profile generator comprising:
- an elongate shell having opposite ends, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which fluid enters the profile generator and at the other end thereof an exit through which fluid exits the profile generator;
- and
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid entering the profile generator so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator wherein the velocity profile exiting the profile generator has a centerline velocity that decreases in the direction of the fluid flow.
A method for levitating a liquid drop comprising the steps of:
- providing a profile generator;
- supplying a fluid flow to the profile generator;
- configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow to a pre-selected velocity profile upon the exit from the profile generator wherein the velocity profile exiting the profile generator has a centering velocity that decreases in the direction of the fluid flow;
- and
- impinging the liquid drop with the fluid flow having the pre-selected velocity profile.
2 more elements
An apparatus for the levitation of a liquid drop by a fluid flow, the apparatus comprising:
- a profile generator;
- a fluid flow supply means, operative with the profile generator, for supplying a flow of fluid to the profile generator;
- said profile generator comprising:
- an elongate cylindrical shell having opposite ends and a central longitudinal axis, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which the fluid flow enters the shell and at other end thereof an exit through which the fluid flow exits the shell;
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow entering the shell so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator;
- and
- a back pressure plate assembly comprising:
- a back pressure plate;
- and
- a jack for positioning the back pressure plate.
7 more elements
An apparatus for the levitation of a liquid drop by a fluid flow, the apparatus comprising:
- a profile generator;
- a fluid flow supply means, operative with the profile generator, for supplying a flow of fluid to the profile generator;
- said profile generator comprising:
- an elongate cylindrical shell having opposite ends and a central longitudinal axis, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which the fluid flow enters the shell and at other end thereof an exit through which the fluid flow exits the shell;
- and
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow entering the shell so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator, the profiling means including:
- a plurality of elongate tubes contained within the shell, each of the tubes having a central longitudinal axis, the tubes being positioned within the shell so that the axes of the tubes are generally parallel to the axis of the shell.
4 more elements
A profile generator comprising:
- an elongate shell having opposite ends, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which fluid enters the profile generator and at the other end thereof an exit through which fluid exits the profile generator;
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid entering the profile generator so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator;
- the shell is cylindrical and has a central longitudinal axis;
- and
- the profiling means includes a plurality of elongate pipes each having a central longitudinal axis, and said pipes positioned within the shell so that the axis of the tube and the axes of the pipes are generally parallel.
2 more elements
A profile generator comprising:
- an elongate shell having opposite ends, said shell defining at one end thereof an entrance through which fluid enters the profile generator and at the other end thereof an exit through which fluid exits the profile generator;
- a profiling means, within the elongate shell, for configuring the velocity profile of the fluid entering the profile generator so as to present a predetermined velocity profile upon exiting the profile generator;
- and
- the profiling means includes a plurality of concentric tubes.
1 more element
A method for levitating a liquid drop comprising the steps of:
- providing a profile generator;
- supplying a fluid flow to the profile generator;
- configuring the velocity profile of the fluid flow to a preselected velocity profile upon the exit from the profile generator;
- impinging the liquid drop with the fluid flow having the preselected velocity profile;
- and
- providing a back pressure plate to impinge the fluid flow after passing the liquid drop.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.