METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING LIQUIDS AND CONDUCTING SONOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a liquid comprising the steps of:
- (a) passing a flow of the liquid from an inlet channel through at least one local constriction and into an outlet channel, the flow of liquid having a velocity of at least 1.4 m/s at the exit end of the outlet channel;
(b) creating at least one liquid jet containing cavitation bubbles beyond the local constriction in the outlet channel; and
(c) collapsing the cavitation bubbles by subjecting the cavitation bubbles to a water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure, said water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure resulting from periodically closing the outlet channel, each said closing of the outlet channel occurring within a time period calculated using the equation;
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Abstract
A method of processing a liquid including (a) passing a flow of the liquid through a local constriction into an outlet channel, the flow of liquid having a velocity of at least 1.4 m/s at the exit end of the outlet channel, the flow of liquid in the outlet channel containing cavitation bubbles, and (b) collapsing the cavitation bubbles by subjecting the cavitation bubbles to a water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure resulting from periodically rapidly closing the outlet channel. A device for practicing the method is also disclosed.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of processing a liquid comprising the steps of:
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(a) passing a flow of the liquid from an inlet channel through at least one local constriction and into an outlet channel, the flow of liquid having a velocity of at least 1.4 m/s at the exit end of the outlet channel; (b) creating at least one liquid jet containing cavitation bubbles beyond the local constriction in the outlet channel; and (c) collapsing the cavitation bubbles by subjecting the cavitation bubbles to a water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure, said water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure resulting from periodically closing the outlet channel, each said closing of the outlet channel occurring within a time period calculated using the equation; - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 10. A device for processing a liquid comprising a housing, a channel element and a rotor, the channel element being mounted in the housing, the channel element having a cylindrical external surface, a longitudinal axis and a plurality of passageways, each passageway extending radially along a line which (a) originates at a point on the longitudinal axis and (b) extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each passageway comprising a local constriction and an outlet channel, the rotor being mounted on a shaft and being located within the housing, the rotor having a cylindrical internal surface facing the channel element cylindrical external surface, the rotor having a plurality of radially-extending rotor channels, the rotor being rotatable about the channel element such that, as the rotor rotates, each rotor channel will periodically line up with each outlet channel so that the outlet channel is open.
Specification