Humidity control for abrasive blasting systems
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsStephen Bishop, Jimmy D. Amerson, Steven Millican
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An abrasive blasting system includes an air subsystem being adapted to provide pressurized air, a fluid subsystem being adapted to provide fluid, a mixer being adapted to mix the fluid with the pressurized air, and a media subsystem being adapted to provide abrasive media. The method includes pressurizing the air, mixing the fluid with the air, thereby changing the relative humidity of the air, and blasting a surface of a structure with abrasive media mixed with the fluid and the pressurized air.
Claims9
A portable abrasive blasting system, comprising:
- an air subsystem being adapted to provide pressurized air;
- a fluid subsystem being adapted to provide fluid;
- a mixer being adapted to combine and mix the fluid with the pressurized air, thus changing the relative humidity of the pressurized air;
- a media subsystem being adapted to provide abrasive media;
- and
- a control subsystem, having:
- a sensor in communication with the pressurized air, the sensor being adapted to sense the relative humidity of the pressurized air;
- and
- a control station operably associated with the fluid subsystem and in data communication with the sensor;
- wherein the control subsystem is adapted to regulate the relative humidity of pressurized air;
- wherein the abrasive media mixes with the pressurized air and the fluid;
- wherein the abrasive media is subsequently blasted on a surface of a structure;
- and
- wherein the portable structure is adapted to carry the air subsystem, the fluid subsystem, the mixer, the control subsystem, and the media subsystem to the place of use.
A method to reduce electrostatic buildup during abrasive blasting on a surface of a structure, the method comprising:
- pressurizing air with an air subsystem;
- sensing the relative humidity of the pressurized air with a control subsystem;
- mixing fluid with the pressurized air with a mixer;
- regulating the amount of fluid mixed with the pressurized air based upon the sensed relative humidity;
- mixing abrasive media with the pressurized air mixed with the fluid;
- and
- blasting the surface of the structure with abrasive media mixed with the fluid and the pressurized air;
- wherein the process of regulating the amount of fluid is further achieved by:
- sensing of the relative humidity of the pressurized air with a sensor;
- relaying the sensed relative humidity to a control station operably associated with the adjustable pump;
- and
- adjusting the flow rate of fluid from the pump with the control station based upon the sensed relative humidity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.