Apparatus producing superheated water and /or steam for weed killing and other applications

An apparatus for killing or controlling vegetation, comprising:

• an inlet tube receiving a superheated pressurized flow of water at a temperature greater than 100° C. and a pressure of 30-100 bar from a source;
• a restriction defining an aperture that constricts the superheated pressurized flow of water in the inlet tube and maintains pressurization of the flow in the inlet tube between the source and the aperture at the pressure of 30-100 bar, said restriction having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface on a side of the restriction receiving the heated, pressurized flow of water and arranged substantially orthogonal to a side wall of the inlet tube;
• the second surface arranged on an side of the restriction opposite the first surface, and an aperture travelling between the first surface and the second surface along an axis between the first surface and the second surface;
• an expansion chamber in direct fluid communication with said restriction receiving the flow of superheated pressurized water from the inlet tube through the restriction and into the expansion chamber to depressurize the flow of superheated pressurized water to substantially ambient atmospheric pressure and generate a mixture of hot water and saturated steam in the expansion chamber as a result of said depressurization, the expansion chamber having only a single outlet through which moisture can exit the enclosed space;
• and a distributor, in direct fluid communication with the outlet, receiving the mixture of hot water and saturated steam from the expansion chamber, the distributor including a plurality of delivery holes delivering the mixture of hot water and saturated steam from the delivery holes to vegetation to kill or control the vegetation.

A method of killing or controlling vegetation, the method comprising:

• receiving in an inlet tube a flow of water heated by a boiler to a temperature greater than 100° C. and pressurized by a pump to a pressure of 30-100 bar within the inlet tube;
• constricting by a nozzle the heated, pressurized flow of water received in said inlet tube, said nozzle having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface on a side of the nozzle receiving the heated, pressurized flow of water and arranged substantially orthogonal to a side wall of the inlet tube;
• the second surface arranged on a side of the nozzle opposite the first surface, and an aperture travelling between the first surface and the second surface along an axis between the first surface and the second surface, said aperture of a size and a shape allowing said heated, pressurized flow to pass through the aperture while causing the temperature of the flow at the aperture to remain greater than 100° C. and the pressurization of the heated pressurized flow in the inlet tube between the pump and the aperture to be maintained at a pressure of 30-100 bar;
• depressurizing and cooling the heated, pressurized flow received from said aperture in an expansion chamber to substantially ambient atmospheric pressure, said depressurization and cooling of the heated, pressurized flow in said expansion chamber creating a mixture of hot water and saturated steam, said expansion chamber sized to receive said flow and provide said depressurization and cooling to create the mixture and having only a single outlet through which moisture can exit the expansion chamber;
• and killing or controlling vegetation by receiving the mixture of hot water and saturated steam from the expansion chamber in a distributor, in direct fluid communication with the outlet, the distributor delivering the mixture of hot water and saturated steam onto the vegetation.

An apparatus for killing or controlling vegetation, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet tube receiving a flow of water heated by a boiler to a temperature greater than 100° C. and pressurized by a pump to a pressure of 30-100 bar within the inlet tube;
• a nozzle constricting the heated, pressurized flow of water received in said inlet tube, said nozzle having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface on a side of the nozzle receiving the heated, pressurized flow of water and arranged substantially orthogonal to a side wall of the inlet tube;
• the second surface arranged on a side of the nozzle opposite the first surface, and an aperture travelling between the first surface and the second surface along an axis between the first surface and the second surface, said aperture of a size and a shape allowing said heated, pressurized flow to pass through the aperture while causing the temperature of the flow in the inlet tube at the aperture to remain greater than 100° C. and maintaining pressurization of the heated pressurized flow in the inlet tube between the pump and the aperture at a pressure of 30-100 bar;
• an expansion chamber in fluid communication with said aperture depressurizing and cooling the heated, pressurized flow received from said aperture to substantially ambient atmospheric pressure to create a mixture of hot water and saturated steam, said expansion chamber having dimensions to receive said flow a provide said depressurization and cooling to create the mixture and having only a single outlet through which moisture can exit the expansion chamber;
• and a distributer receiving the mixture of hot water and saturated steam from the single outlet and delivering the mixture of hot water and saturated steam onto the vegetation to kill or control the vegetation.

An system for killing or controlling vegetation, the system comprising:

• a boiler heating water to a temperature greater than 100° C.;
• a pump receiving the heated water and pressurizing the heated water to a pressure of 30-100 bar;
• an inlet tube transporting a flow of the heated, pressurized water received from the pump;
• a nozzle constricting the heated, pressurized flow of water received in said inlet tube, said nozzle having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface on a side of the nozzle receiving the heated, pressurized flow of water and arranged substantially orthogonal to a side wall of the inlet tube;
• the second surface arranged on an opposite side of the nozzle, and an aperture travelling between the first surface and the second surface along an axis between the first surface and the second surface, said aperture of a size and a shape allowing said heated, pressurized flow to pass through the aperture while causing the temperature of the flow in the inlet tube at the aperture to remain greater than 100° C. and maintaining pressurization of the heated pressurized flow in the inlet tube between the pump and the aperture at a pressure of 30-100 bar;
• an expansion chamber in fluid communication with said aperture depressurizing and cooling the heated, pressurized flow received from said aperture to substantially ambient atmospheric pressure to create a mixture of hot water and saturated steam as a result of the depressurization, said expansion chamber having dimensions to receive said flow and provide said depressurization and cooling to create the mixture and having only a single outlet through which moisture can exit the expansion chamber;
• and a distributer receiving the mixture of hot water and saturated steam from the single outlet and delivering the mixture of hot water and saturated steam onto the vegetation to kill or control the vegetation.