Gas core vortex ring generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867208-B2
Application number	US-202117489438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Sep 29, 2021
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A method is provided for producing a vortex ring in a liquid medium. The method includes concatenating pairs of insulated anode and cathode rings into a stack; inserting the stack into a vertically oriented chamber; disposing a cylindrical cavity below the chamber; inserting a piston into the cavity; connecting the chamber to the medium; and raising the piston to displace the medium while the stack produces an annular bubble that induces the vortex ring. In particular, the medium is water and the stack separates the medium into hydrogen and oxygen gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a gaseous core vortex ring in a liquid medium, said method comprising:
concatenating pairs of insulated anode and cathode rings into a stack;
inserting said stack into a vertically oriented chamber;
disposing a cylindrical cavity below said chamber;
inserting a piston into said cavity;
connecting said chamber to the medium; and
raising said piston to displace the medium while said stack produces an annular bubble that induces the vortex ring.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the medium is water and said stack separates the medium into hydrogen and oxygen gas.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said anode and cathode rings have a respective difference potential of at least 1.23 V.

4. A device for producing a vortex ring in a liquid medium, said device comprising:
a housing containing a cylindrical chamber oriented vertically;
a column having a cylindrical cavity disposed beneath said chamber;
a piston contained within and movable along said cavity, said piston being movable by an external influence; and
a stack of interweaving anode and cathode rings, each ring having a circular through-hole, wherein
said stack is contained within said chamber,
said cavity and said through-hole in said each ring forming a continuous circular channel, and
said influence causes said piston to translate from said cavity into said stack to induce motion in the medium for said stack to generate a gas bubble around which the vortex ring forms.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the medium is water and said anode and cathode rings separate said water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis.

6. The device according to claim 4 , wherein said anode and cathode rings comprise copper.

7. The device according to claim 4 , wherein said anode and cathode rings have a respective difference potential of at least 1.23 V.

8. The device according to claim 4 , wherein an insulator ring separates each said anode and cathode ring from each other in said stack.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein said insulation ring comprises a non-conductive polymer.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein said insulation ring comprises polytetrafloroethylene.

11. The device according to claim 8 , wherein said insulation ring comprises polyvinyl chloride.

Assignees

• Weiland Christopher J
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Weiland Christopher J

Classifications

• F15D1/009 Primary

  by means of vortex rings · CPC title

• Y10T137/2087

  Means to cause rotational flow of fluid [e.g., vortex generator] · CPC title