Vortex chamber mud pulser
AssigneeDefense Research Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAllen B. Holmes, Frank B. Vanaman, Tadeusz M. Drzewiecki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vortex chamber fluid pulser selectively produces pressure pulses in fluid flowing therethrough by the alternating insertion and retraction of a flow-disrupting tab into and out of an annular vortex chamber having an inlet and a pair of opposed axial outlets. Insertion of the tab disrupts the normally radial flow of fluid through the chamber and outlets causing the flow to become vortical; retraction of the tab causes a second pressure pulse as the flow returns to radial, sending a sequence of pressure pulses capable of carrying encoded signals to a transducer remotely located in the fluid.
Claims11
A vortex chamber mud pulser for selectively producing pressure pulses in a flowing fluid comprising:
- an annular vortex chamber having a radial inlet duct for receiving said fluid and a pair of opposed axially aligned outlet ducts for discharging said fluid, whereby the undisturbed flow of said fluid from said inlet duct takes a generally radial path into said opposed outlet ducts;
- a tab selectively extendable and retractable from an interior recess in said vortex chamber for altering said flow from a generally radial path to a vortical path;
- and
- means for selectively extending and retracting said tab in response to electrical impulses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.