USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Southwest Research Institute

Michael G Grothaus

David C Stoudt

R Kenneth Hutcherson

Jack S Bernardes

Stuart L Moran

Marianne Walch

Michael S Mazzola

Leonard W Hardesty

Richard A Korzekwa

An electrohydraulic transducer (10) for generating pulsed acoustic waves within a fluid-filled pipeline and a method of cleaning a fluid-filled pipeline with acoustic waves. A housing (11) contains a ground electrode (13) and a high voltage electrode (15), which are spaced to create a spark gap. The ground electrode (13) is connected to one conductor of a coaxial cable (14). The high voltage electrode (15) is connected to another conductor of the coaxial cable (14). Electrical pulses applied to the high voltage electrode (15) result in pulsed acoustic waves. The housing has slots (11a), which permit the acoustic waves to emanate radially from the transducer (10).

Electrohydraulic transducer for cleaning the inner surface of pipes

Acoustical shock waves are generated by electrical sparks within a gap between electrodes adjustably positioned for exposure to water adjacent a surface immersed therein. High voltage electrical energy derived from a constant current power supply, is stored in a capacitor for rapid. application to the electrodes by discharge during cyclic periods of short duration under remote control in order to render the acoustical shock waves so generated effective in preventing biofouling of the surface by organisms in the water.

System for preventing biofouling of surfaces exposed to water

Hazardous gases within a fluent mixture such as polluted air, are treated exposure to corona discharge within reaction zones of a plurality of reactor modules to effect chemical breakdown for pollution abatement purposes. Electrical pulse energy delivered to the reaction zones to effect corona discharge therein, is monitored to optimize pollution abatement by suppression of thermal arcing within the reaction zones.

Pulsed corona reactor system for abatement of pollution by hazardous

Disclosed is a high-voltage, high-current, multichannel, optically-trigge switch with the potential for improved lifetime of operation. Triggering of the switch is accomplished by ultraviolet illumination of multiple cathode apertures via fiber-optic cables. The trigger optics for each channel, being composed of a fiber-optic cable terminated by some collimating optics, are protected from damaging metalization by enclosing them in an angled metal or dielectric tubes in the cathode backspace. The use of collimating optics at the output of the fiber allows the fiber to be recessed inside the shield tube, providing further protection from discharge by-products.

Optical pseudospark switch

The device is a compact Marx-type generator capable of producing a high-vage burst of pulses having risetimes less than 10 nanoseconds at repetition rates up to 10 kHz. High-pressure hydrogen switches are used as the switching elements to achieve high rep-rate. A small coaxial design provides low inductance and a fast risetime. The device may be used as a high-rep-rate high-voltage trigger generator, or as a high-voltage pulse source capable of producing up to 1 MV pulses at high repetition rates.

Growing community of inventors

Dahlgren, VA, United States of America

Michael G Grothaus