Frequency-synchronized fluidic oscillator array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085469-B2
Application number	US-201816157460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2018
Priority date	Oct 11, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

Various implementations include a fluidic oscillator array including at least two fluidic oscillators, each including an interaction chamber, fluid supply inlet, outlet nozzle, and feedback channels. The interaction chambers have a first and second attachment wall. Fluid streams flow from the fluid supply inlets, into the interaction chambers, and exit through the outlet nozzles. A feedback channel is coupled to each of the first and second attachment walls. Each feedback channel is in fluid communication with the interaction chamber and has an intermediate portion disposed between a first and second end of the feedback channels. Fluid from the fluid stream flows into the first ends of the respective feedback channels, causing the fluid stream to oscillate between the first and second attachment walls. Adjacent feedback channels of adjacent fluidic oscillators share a common intermediate portion, causing the exiting fluid streams of each fluidic oscillator to oscillate at the same frequency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic oscillator array comprising:
at least two fluidic oscillators, each of the at least two fluidic oscillators comprising:
a first portion, a second portion, and a middle portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the middle portion comprises:
an interaction chamber having a first attachment wall and a second attachment wall opposite and spaced apart from the first attachment wall,
a fluid supply inlet for introducing a fluid stream into the interaction chamber,
a single outlet nozzle downstream of the fluid supply inlet, wherein the fluid stream exits the interaction chamber through the single outlet nozzle, and
a feedback channel coupled to each of the first attachment wall and second attachment wall and in fluid communication with the interaction chamber, each feedback channel having a first end, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and second end, wherein the first end is adjacent the single outlet nozzle and the second end is adjacent the fluid supply inlet, wherein the first attachment wall and second attachment wall of the interaction chamber are shaped to allow fluid from the fluid stream to flow into the first ends of the respective feedback channels, causing the fluid stream to oscillate between the first attachment wall and second attachment wall of the interaction chamber;

wherein each of the at least two fluidic oscillators includes an interaction chamber plane extending between the first attachment wall and the second attachment wall of the at least two fluidic oscillators,
wherein the first portion of each fluidic oscillator is disposed on an opposite side of the interaction chamber plane of the respective fluidic oscillator from the second portion of the respective fluidic oscillator,
wherein the interaction chamber plane of the at least two of the fluidic oscillators are parallel with each other such that the first portion of at least one of the fluidic oscillators is disposed adjacent the second portion of at least one other fluidic oscillator, and
wherein adjacent feedback channels of adjacent fluidic oscillators share a common intermediate portion such that the adjacent feedback channels are in fluid communication with each other, causing the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzle of each of the at least two fluidic oscillators to sweep such that the exiting fluid streams oscillate at the same frequency.

2. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 1 , wherein fluid from the fluid stream of one fluidic oscillator flows from the first end of one of the feedback channels of the one fluidic oscillator and through the first end of one of the feedback channels of an adjacent fluidic oscillator.

3. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 1 , wherein the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzles of the at least two fluidic oscillators oscillate in phase with each other.

4. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 1 , wherein the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzles of the at least two fluidic oscillators oscillate with a 180 degree phase difference.

5. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 1 , wherein adjacent fluidic oscillators share common intermediate portions of two feedback channels such that the two feedback channels are in fluid communication with each other.

6. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 1 , further comprising a central axis extending from the fluid supply inlet to the single outlet nozzle of the at least two fluidic oscillators, wherein the central axes of the at least two fluidic oscillators are parallel to each other.

7. A fluidic oscillator array comprising:
a first fluidic oscillator and a second fluidic oscillator, each of the first fluidic oscillator and second fluidic oscillator comprising:
an interaction chamber having a first attachment wall and a second attachment wall opposite and spaced apart from the first attachment wall,
a fluid supply inlet for introducing a fluid stream into the interaction chamber,
a single outlet nozzle downstream of the fluid supply inlet, wherein the fluid stream exits the interaction chamber through the single outlet nozzle, and
a first feedback channel coupled to the first attachment wall and a second feedback channel coupled to the second attachment wall, the first feedback channel and second feedback channel being in fluid communication with the interaction chamber, each of the first feedback channel and second feedback channel having a first end, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and second end, wherein the first end is adjacent the single outlet nozzle and the second end is adjacent the fluid supply inlet, wherein the first attachment wall and second attachment wall of the interaction chamber are shaped to allow fluid from the fluid stream to flow into the first ends of the first feedback channel and second feedback channel, respectively, causing the fluid stream to oscillate between the first attachment wall and second attachment wall of the interaction chamber;

wherein the first fluidic oscillator is disposed relative to the second fluidic oscillator such that the first feedback channel of the first fluidic oscillator is closer to the second feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator than to the first feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator, and
wherein the first feedback channel of the first fluidic oscillator and the second feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator share a common intermediate portion such that the adjacent feedback channels are in fluid communication with each other, causing the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzle of the first fluidic oscillator and second fluidic oscillator to sweep such that the exiting fluid streams oscillate at the same frequency.

8. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , wherein fluid from the fluid stream of the first fluidic oscillator flows from the first end of the first feedback channel of the first fluidic oscillator and through the first end of the second feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator.

9. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , wherein the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzles of the first fluidic oscillator and the second fluidic oscillator oscillate in phase with each other.

10. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , wherein the fluid streams exiting the single outlet nozzles of the first fluidic oscillator and the second fluidic oscillator oscillate with a 180 degree phase difference.

11. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , wherein the second feedback channel of the first fluidic oscillator and the first feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator share a common intermediate portion such that the second feedback channel of the first fluidic oscillator and the first feedback channel of the second fluidic oscillator are in fluid communication with each other.

12. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , further comprising a central axis extending from the fluid supply inlet to the single outlet nozzle of both the first fluidic oscillator and the second fluidic oscillator, wherein the central axis of the first fluidic oscillator and the central axis of the second fluidic oscillator are parallel to each other.

13. The fluidic oscillator array of claim 7 , further comprising a central axis extending from the fluid supply inlet to the single outlet nozzle of both the first fluidic oscillator and the second fluidic oscillator, wherein the central axis of the first fluidic oscillator and the central axis o

Assignees

• Ohio State Innovation Foundation

Inventors

• Tomac Mehmet
• Gregory James

Classifications

• B05B1/08 Primary

  of pulsating nature, e.g. delivering liquid in successive separate quantities · CPC title

• Y10T137/2251

  And multiple or joined power-outlet passages · CPC title

• F15C1/22 Primary

  Oscillators · CPC title

• Y10T137/212

  System comprising plural fluidic devices or stages · CPC title

• Y10T137/2229

  Device including passages having V over T configuration · CPC title