System and method for fluid cavitation processing a part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12226875-B2
Application number	US-202217959993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2022
Priority date	Feb 13, 2019
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for surface treating an internal surface of a part. The system comprises a tank within which the part is locatable. The system also comprises a fluid within the tank and capable of submersing the part when the part is located within the tank. The system further comprises a nozzle submersed in the fluid and configured to generate a stream of cavitated fluid directed in a first direction. The system additionally comprises a deflection tool submersed in the fluid and comprising a deflection surface that redirects the stream of cavitated fluid from the first direction to a second direction. The first direction is away from the internal surface of the part and the second direction is toward the internal surface of the part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of surface treating an internal surface of a part, the method comprising:
directing a stream of cavitated fluid, by a nozzle, in a first direction away from the internal surface of the part and into contact with a deflection surface of a deflection tool, wherein the deflection tool is fixed, relative to the internal surface of the part, and the nozzle is movable, relative to the deflection tool;
deflecting the stream of cavitated fluid off of the deflection surface in a second direction toward the internal surface of the part; and
impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid deflected off of the deflection surface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises imparting a compressive stress to the part at the internal surface.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising introducing abrasive media into the stream of cavitated fluid, wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises impacting the internal surface of the part with the abrasive media introduced into the stream of cavitated fluid and reducing a surface roughness of the internal surface of the part with the abrasive media.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises imparting a compressive stress to the part at the internal surface.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the deflection tool is located within a recessed portion of the part; and
at least a portion of the recessed portion of the part defines the internal surface.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the stream of cavitated fluid is directed at least partially into the recessed portion of the part in the first direction.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the nozzle does not have line-of-sight with the internal surface of the part; and
the deflection surface has line-of-sight with the internal surface of the part.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
manipulating an orientation of the nozzle, relative to the deflection tool, to adjust the stream of cavitated fluid in a third direction away from the internal surface of the part and into contact with the deflection surface of the deflection tool, wherein:
the third direction is different from the first direction; and
the stream of cavitated fluid is deflected off of the deflection surface in the second direction toward the internal surface of the part.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an intensity of the stream of cavitated fluid to increase or decrease the impact of the stream of cavitated fluid on the internal surface of the part.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the intensity of the stream of cavitated fluid is based on one or more of:
a malleability of the part;
a surface roughness of the part;
a geometry of the part;
a desired surface roughness of the part; and
a desired residual stress level in the part.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting the deflection tool and the corresponding deflection surface in response to one or more of:
a geometry of the part;
a shape of the internal surface;
a location of the internal surface on the part; and
a material of the part.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein malleability of the deflection surface of the deflection tool is greater than malleability of the part.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deflection tool has at least two deflection surfaces, and the stream of cavitated fluid is deflected off of the at least two deflection surfaces in the second direction and a third direction, different than the second direction.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid further includes impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid for a corresponding period of time to achieve a desired surface treatment of the internal surface of the part.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stream of cavitated fluid is directed in the first direction away from the internal surface of the part and into contact with at least two deflection surfaces of the deflection tool;
a first portion of the stream of cavitated fluid is deflected off of a first one of the at least two deflection surfaces of the deflection tool in a second direction toward a first portion of the internal surface of the part;
a second portion of the stream of cavitated fluid is deflected off of a second one of the at least two deflection surfaces of the deflection tool in a third direction toward a second portion of the internal surface of the part;
the first portion of the internal surface of the part is impacted with the first portion of the stream of cavitated fluid deflected off of the first one of the at least two deflection surfaces; and
the second portion of the internal surface of the part is impacted with the second portion of the stream of cavitated fluid deflected off of the second one of the at least two deflection surfaces.

16. A method of surface treating an internal surface of a part, the method comprising:
directing a stream of cavitated fluid in a first direction away from the internal surface of the part and into contact with a deflection surface of a deflection tool, wherein the deflection tool is non-movably fixed, relative to the internal surface of the part, such that the deflection tool is not movable relative to the internal surface of the part, wherein the stream of cavitated fluid is directed by a nozzle;
deflecting the stream of cavitated fluid off of the deflection surface in a second direction toward the internal surface of the part;
impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid deflected off of the deflection surface; and
moving the nozzle relative to the deflection tool.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises imparting a compressive stress to the part at the internal surface.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising introducing abrasive media into the stream of cavitated fluid, wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises impacting the internal surface of the part with the abrasive media introduced into the stream of cavitated fluid and reducing a surface roughness of the internal surface of the part with the abrasive media.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein impacting the internal surface of the part with the stream of cavitated fluid comprises imparting a compressive stress to the part at the internal surface.

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein:
the nozzle does not have line-of-sight with the internal surface of the part; and
the deflection surface has line-of-sight with the internal surface of the part.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Sanders Daniel G
• Wickramaratne Amanda J
• Diep Hali T
• Ramsey Gregory L

Classifications

• B24C5/04

  Nozzles therefor (nozzles in general B05B) · CPC title

• B24C9/00

  Appurtenances of abrasive blasting machines or devices, e.g. working chambers, arrangements for handling used abrasive material · CPC title

• B24C7/0038

  the blasting medium being a gaseous stream · CPC title

• B29C2071/0045

  Washing using non-reactive liquids · CPC title

• B33Y40/20

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title