Nozzle and method for enhancing fluid entrainment

A nozzle comprising:

• a body defining a nozzle opening for ejecting a fluid;
• a nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• and,
• at least one indentation in the nozzle face, the indentation having a substantially concave surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surfaces, said leading edge being positioned within a distance of an edge of the nozzle opening closest to said leading edge that is not substantially greater than a distance from a center of the nozzle opening to said edge of the nozzle opening, an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said concave surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face, whereby a fluid in said indentation is entrained into said ejecting fluid.

A method for enhanced entrainment of a fluid near a nozzle face comprising:

• forming a nozzle body including a nozzle opening and said nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• forming at least one indentation in the nozzle face adjacent to said nozzle opening, the indentation having a contoured surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surfaces, said leading edge being positioned within a distance of an edge of said nozzle opening closest to said leading edge that is not substantially greater than a distance from a center of the nozzle opening to said edge of the nozzle opening, an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said contoured surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face;
• releasably connecting a distal end of the nozzle body opposite the nozzle face to a source of pressurized fluid;
• positioning the nozzle in said fluid;
• and
• ejecting said pressurized fluid through the nozzle opening into said fluid, whereby the fluid near the nozzle face in the indentation is entrained into the pressurized fluid ejected through the nozzle opening.

A nozzle comprising:

• a body defining a nozzle opening for ejecting a fluid;
• a nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• at least one indentation in the nozzle face adjacent to said nozzle opening, the indentation having a contoured surface aligned with a contoured internal surface of the body, said contoured surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surfaces;
• and
• an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said contoured surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face, whereby a fluid in said indentation is entrained into said ejecting fluid.

A method for enhanced entrainment of a fluid near a nozzle face comprising:

• forming a nozzle body including a nozzle opening and said nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• forming a plurality of indentations in the nozzle face adjacent to said nozzle opening, each indentation having a contoured surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surfaces, an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said contoured surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face;
• releasably connecting a distal end of the nozzle body opposite the nozzle face to a source of pressurized fluid;
• positioning the nozzle in said fluid;
• and
• ejecting said pressurized fluid through the nozzle opening into said fluid, whereby the fluid near the nozzle face in the indentation is entrained into the pressurized fluid ejected through the nozzle opening.

A method for enhanced entrainment of a fluid near a nozzle face comprising:

• forming a nozzle body including a nozzle opening and said nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• forming at least one indentation in the nozzle face adjacent to said nozzle opening, the indentation having a contoured surface aligned with a contoured internal surface of the body, said contoured surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surface, an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said contoured surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face;
• releasably connecting a distal end of the nozzle body opposite the nozzle face to a source of pressurized fluid;
• positioning the nozzle in said fluid;
• and
• ejecting said pressurized fluid through the nozzle opening into said fluid, whereby the fluid near the nozzle face in the indentation is entrained into the pressurized fluid ejected through the nozzle opening.

A nozzle for enhanced entrainment of a fluid surrounding a drill bit submerged in a well bore, the nozzle comprising:

• a nozzle body having a nozzle opening for ejecting a pressurized fluid and a distal end for releasably connecting the nozzle body to the drill bit;
• a nozzle face in surrounding relationship to the nozzle opening;
• a plurality of indentations in the nozzle face adjacent to said nozzle opening, each indentation having a contoured surface defined by first and second side surfaces converging to form a leading edge closer to said nozzle opening than any other edge of said first and second side surface;
• and
• an imaginary extension of at least a portion of said contoured surface defining an entrainment path distal the nozzle face, said entrainment path intersecting an imaginary projection of the nozzle opening extending outwardly from and normal to the nozzle face, whereby the fluid surrounding the drill bit near the nozzle face in the indentation is entrained into the pressurized fluid ejected through the nozzle opening.