Portable cavitation peening method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11679454-B2
Application number	US-201916391237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2019
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A method of cavitation peening may include coupling a moveable water source to a portable nozzle, through a flexible conduit. The method may include positioning the nozzle adjacent a treatment surface and discharging a first and second stream of fluid through a first and second channel of the nozzle, with the second channel concentrically positioned around the first channel. The first stream may have a first pressure, and the second stream may have a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure and the two streams combining to generate a cloud of cavitation bubbles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of cavitation peening, comprising:
coupling a moveable fluid source to a portable nozzle through a flexible conduit, the nozzle having a first channel and a second channel concentrically positioned around the first channel,
positioning the nozzle adjacent a treatment surface of a work piece,
discharging toward the treatment surface, a first fluid stream through the first channel, and a second fluid stream through the second channel, the first fluid stream having a greater fluid pressure than the second fluid stream, wherein the first and second fluid streams combine to generate a cloud of cavitation bubbles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises a metallic material and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 10,000 pounds per square inch.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises aluminum and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 11,500 pounds per square inch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises titanium and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 14,000 pounds per square inch.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises steel and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 21,500 pounds per square inch.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises mid-strength steel and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 29,000 pounds per square inch.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment surface comprises high-strength steel and the fluid pressure of the first fluid stream is at least 49,000 pounds per square inch.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid stream exhibits predominantly laminar flow.

9. A portable fluid supply apparatus, comprising:
a base configured for transport,
a fluid reservoir supported by the base,
a temperature control device for maintaining a desired temperature of fluid contained in the reservoir,
a first pump device configured to receive fluid from the reservoir and to pump the fluid into a first flexible conduit at a first fluid pressure, and a second pump device configured to receive fluid from the reservoir and pump the fluid into a second flexible conduit at a second fluid pressure, the first fluid pressure being higher than the second fluid pressure such that a cavitation bubble cloud will be generated through a co-flow nozzle assembly connected to distal ends of the first and second flexible conduits, and
a controller programmed to maintain desired temperature and pressure of fluid carried by the flexible conduits.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the base is equipped with wheels for moving the apparatus between locations.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller receives temperature data sensed in the nozzle assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller receives pressure data sensed in the nozzle assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is programmed to alter a fluid discharge parameter at least partially based on identification of a characteristic of a work piece being treated.

14. A method of treating a work piece, comprising:
discharging a fluid stream through a nozzle assembly at a first pressure of at least 10,000 pounds per square inch,
translating a resulting cloud of cavitation bubbles across a treatment area of a work piece at a substantially constant stand-off distance.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nozzle assembly is portable, the treatment area is stationary, and the translating step is performed manually.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pressure is at least 12,000 pounds per square inch.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pressure is at least 15,000 pounds per square inch.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pressure is at least 22,000 pounds per square inch.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pressure is at least 30,000 pounds per square inch.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pressure is at least 50,000 pounds per square inch.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Sanders Daniel Gordon
• Thoreson Amanda Jean
• Diep Hali The

Classifications

• B05B9/0403

  with pumps for liquids or other fluent material (B05B9/043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24C7/0023

  of feed pressure · CPC title

• B24C5/04

  Nozzles therefor (nozzles in general B05B) · CPC title

• B05B1/08

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

• B24C3/12

  Apparatus using nozzles · CPC title