Nozzle for enhanced mixing in CO.sub.2 cleaning system
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorLakhi N. Goenka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A CO.sub.2 nozzle expels liquid CO.sub.2 under pressure through an orifice therein for converting the liquid into CO.sub.2 snow. The CO.sub.2 nozzle is contained within an elongated mixing cavity within a body which is coupled to an exhaust nozzle for directing the CO.sub.2 snow toward the workpiece. The CO.sub.2 nozzle includes several wings for creating aerodynamic turbulence within the elongated mixing cavity for enhancing the coagulation of the CO.sub.2 snow into larger CO.sub.2 snow particles or CO.sub.2 snowflakes.
Claims14
An apparatus for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO.sub.2 snow, comprising in combination:
- a CO.sub.2 nozzle for receiving and expelling liquid CO.sub.2 through a plurality of orifices therein, with each said orifices sized for converting at least a portion of the CO.sub.2 liquid into solid CO.sub.2 snow,
- a body defining a cavity therein, with said CO.sub.2 nozzle being coupled to said body for ejecting the CO.sub.2 snow into said cavity,
- an exhaust nozzle coupled with said body and said cavity therein for accelerating and directing the CO.sub.2 snow toward the workpiece, and
- first means coupled to said body for receiving and directing pressurized air over said CO.sub.2 nozzle into said cavity and for mixing with the CO.sub.2 snow ejected from said nozzle,
- with said nozzle including a plurality of wings for causing turbulence in the pressurized air flowing over said CO.sub.2 nozzle for enhancing the mixing and subsequent coagulation of the CO.sub.2 snow into larger CO.sub.2 snow particles,
- whereby the pressurized air carries and promotes coagulation of the CO.sub.2 snow into said larger CO.sub.2 snow particles within said cavity before being accelerated through said exhaust nozzle.
An apparatus for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO.sub.2 snow, comprising in combination:
- a CO.sub.2 nozzle for receiving and expelling liquid CO.sub.2 through a plurality of orifices sized for converting at least a portion of the CO.sub.2 liquid into CO.sub.2 snow,
- a body defining an elongated closed cavity therein, with said CO.sub.2 nozzle being coupled to said body for ejecting the CO.sub.2 snow into said elongated cavity,
- first means coupled to said body for receiving and directing shop air into said elongated cavity and over said CO.sub.2 nozzle for mixing with the CO.sub.2 snow ejected therefrom, said first means further including cooling means for receiving and mixing the shop air with liquid N.sub.2 in portions for precooling the shop air to at least 0 degrees F for enhancing the efficiency of conversion of the liquid CO.sub.2 into CO.sub.2 snow,
- a plurality of wings coupled to said CO.sub.2 nozzle for creating turbulence in the shop air flowing past said CO.sub.2 nozzle for enhancing the coagulation of the CO.sub.2 snow into larger snow particles, and
- an exhaust nozzle coupled to said body and into said elongated cavity therein for accelerating and directing the CO.sub.2 snow toward the workpiece.
A method for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO.sub.2 snow, comprising:
- passing liquid CO.sub.2 under pressure through apertures in a CO.sub.2 nozzle for changing at least a portion of the CO.sub.2 from the liquid phase into solid CO.sub.2 snow and injecting the CO.sub.2 snow into a mixing cavity,
- injecting pressurized air into the mixing cavity adjacent the CO.sub.2 nozzle for mixing with the CO.sub.2 snow particles,
- flowing the pressurized air and the resulting CO.sub.2 snow over a plurality of wings within the mixing cavity for enhancing the resulting coagulation of the CO.sub.2 snow into larger CO.sub.2 snow particles, and
- passing the CO.sub.2 snow and the larger CO.sub.2 snow particles suspended in the pressurized air through an exhaust nozzle having a contour for directing the flow at supersonic speeds toward the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.