Ultrasonic generation of a submicron aerosol mist
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a mist comprising:
- a nozzle body having an interior cavity and a nozzle outlet opening into the interior cavity;
a piezoelectric crystal disposed within the interior cavity spaced oppositely from said nozzle outlet, said piezoelectric crystal having a surface circumscribed by a periphery for receiving a liquid to be atomized and being vibratible at a selected frequency so as to atomize the liquid received thereon into droplets;
a mixing chamber disposed between said piezoelectric crystal and said nozzle outlet and for receiving the droplets of atomized liquid from the surface of said piezoelectric crystal;
an annular flow control washer disposed adjacent to the periphery of said piezoelectric crystal for distributing the liquid to be atomized over the surface thereof, said control washer comprising a compressible wick-like material;
means for selectively compressing said control washer;
means for delivering the liquid to be atomized through the nozzle body to said control washer; and
means for injecting a low pressure gas into said mixing chamber at a desired rate as a carrier gas for entraining and carrying the droplets of atomized liquid through said nozzle outlet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic piezoelectric aerosol submicron mist generator is disclosed having a high-frequency, piezoelectric crystal (18) which is vibratible at a selected frequency to atomize a liquid (24) that has been evenly distributed over the crystal (18) via an annular flow control washer (28). The atomized liquid (24) forms a mist (20) thereafter received into a mixing chamber (30) wherein the mist (20) is entrained into a low pressure gas (36). The low pressure gas (36) transports the entrained mist (20) about a separator plate (32), whereby the mist (20) must change flow direction in order to exit a nozzle outlet (42) thus forcing droplets (40) larger than the desired size to separate from the low pressure gas (36) before reaching the nozzle outlet (42).
-
Citations
8 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for generating a mist comprising:
-
a nozzle body having an interior cavity and a nozzle outlet opening into the interior cavity; a piezoelectric crystal disposed within the interior cavity spaced oppositely from said nozzle outlet, said piezoelectric crystal having a surface circumscribed by a periphery for receiving a liquid to be atomized and being vibratible at a selected frequency so as to atomize the liquid received thereon into droplets; a mixing chamber disposed between said piezoelectric crystal and said nozzle outlet and for receiving the droplets of atomized liquid from the surface of said piezoelectric crystal; an annular flow control washer disposed adjacent to the periphery of said piezoelectric crystal for distributing the liquid to be atomized over the surface thereof, said control washer comprising a compressible wick-like material; means for selectively compressing said control washer; means for delivering the liquid to be atomized through the nozzle body to said control washer; and means for injecting a low pressure gas into said mixing chamber at a desired rate as a carrier gas for entraining and carrying the droplets of atomized liquid through said nozzle outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
Specification