Impulse Devices, Inc.

Richard D Satterwhite

Ross Alan Tessien

Daniel A Phillips

An hourglass-shaped cavitation chamber is provided. The chamber is comprised of two large spherical regions separated by a smaller cylindrical region. Coupling the regions are two transitional sections which are preferably smooth and curved. Although the chamber is preferably fabricated from a machinable material, such as a metal, it can also be fabricated from a fragile material, such as a glass. An acoustic driver assembly is incorporated within the chamber wall at one end of the cavitation chamber. The driver can be threadably coupled to the chamber or attached using an epoxy, diffusion bonding, brazing or welding. O-rings or other seals can be used to seal the driver to the chamber. The head surface of the driver assembly can be flush, recessed, or extended from the internal chamber surface. The head surface of the driver assembly can be flat or shaped. If desired, a second acoustic driver assembly can be incorporated within the chamber wall at the other end of the cavitation chamber. Preferably the driver or drivers are attached such that their central axis is coaxial with the central axis of the cavitation chamber. Coupling conduits which can be used to fill/drain the chamber as well as couple the chamber to a degassing and/or circulatory system can be attached to one, or both, ends of the chamber. When used, preferably the conduit or conduits are attached off-axis.

Hourglass-shaped cavitation chamber with spherical lobes

A cavitation chamber separated into three volumes by a pair of gas-tight and liquid-tight seals, each seal formed by the combination of a rigid acoustic reflector and a flexible member, is provided. During chamber operation, only one of the three volumes contains cavitation fluid, the other two chamber volumes remaining devoid of cavitation fluid. The cavitation system also includes a cavitation fluid reservoir coupled to the cavitation chamber by a conduit, a valve allowing the cavitation chamber to be isolated from the cavitation fluid reservoir. A second conduit couples the two unfilled chamber volumes to a region above the liquid free surface within the cavitation fluid reservoir. A second valve allows the two unfilled chamber volumes to either be coupled to the cavitation fluid reservoir by the second conduit, or be coupled to a third conduit, the third conduit leading either to the ambient atmosphere or to a high pressure gas source. The cavitation system also includes at least one acoustic driver.

High pressure cavitation chamber with dual internal reflectors

A cavitation chamber separated into two volumes by a gas-tight and liquid-tight seal, the seal formed by the combination of a rigid acoustic reflector and a flexible member, is provided. The rigid reflector improves the cavitation characteristics of the chamber while the flexible member insures that the reflector can move during the cavitation process. One of the two chamber volumes is filled, or at least partially filled, with cavitation fluid while the other chamber volume remains devoid of cavitation fluid during system operation. A conduit couples a region above the liquid free surface in one cavitation volume to the second, unfilled chamber volume, thus preventing the reflector from being subjected to undue pressures. An acoustic driver, such as a ring of piezoelectric material, is coupled to the chamber and used to drive cavitation within the cavitation fluid contained within the chamber.

Cavitation chamber with flexibly mounted reflector

A method of operating a cavitation system in which the cavitation chamber is separated into at least three distinct chamber volumes by, for example, first fabricating and then installing a pair of gas-tight and liquid-tight seals into the cavitation chamber, is provided. Each chamber volume seal is fabricated from a rigid reflector and a flexible member. During chamber operation, only one of the three volumes contains cavitation fluid, the other two chamber volumes remaining devoid of cavitation fluid. By controlling the pressure within the two unfilled chamber volumes, the rigid reflectors can be used as a means of increasing the static pressure within the fluid-filled chamber volume.

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Grass Valley, CA, United States of America

Richard D Satterwhite