Suspension plasma injector system and method of flushing the system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718075-B2
Application number	US-201514734059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Jun 12, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A thermal sprayer system includes an injector conduit in communication with an injector and a first valve for selectively directing a coating fluid through the injector conduit. A flush fluid conduit is in communication with the injector conduit for directing a flush fluid through the injector conduit. A pressurized air conduit is in communication with the injector conduit for directing a pressurized fluid through the injector conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal sprayer system comprising:
an injector conduit in communication with an injector;
a first valve for selectively directing a coating fluid through the injector conduit, wherein the first valve is located downstream of a reservoir for storing the coating fluid;
a flush fluid conduit in communication with the injector conduit for directing a flush fluid through the injector conduit;
a pressurized air conduit in communication with the injector conduit for directing a pressurized fluid through the injector conduit; and
a pressure sensor for monitoring a fluid pressure in the injector conduit, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to monitor a pressure of the injector conduit at a location of the injector conduit downstream of the first valve, the flush fluid conduit, and the pressurized air conduit.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vent for venting the coating fluid when a pressure in the injector conduit exceeds a predetermined operating level pressure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coating fluid is a zirconia ceramic particulate suspended in ethanol.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a circulation loop located upstream of the first valve for circulating the coating fluid when the first valve is in a first position.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first valve selectively directs the coating fluid to the reservoir in the first position and to the injector conduit when in a second position.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the circulation loop includes a pump for pumping the coating fluid.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the circulation loop includes a gas pressure source for driving the coating fluid.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flush fluid is water.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first valve includes a first outlet upstream of the reservoir.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first valve includes a second outlet downstream of the reservoir.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first valve is a three-way valve.

12. The system of claim 1 , including an injector conduit tee located upstream of the location of the pressure sensor monitoring a pressure of the injector conduit.

13. The system of claim 12 , including a flush system tee upstream of the injector conduit tee.

14. The system of claim 4 , wherein the circulation loop includes a fluid path connecting an outlet of the reservoir to an inlet of a pump, an outlet of the pump to the first valve, and an outlet of the first valve to the reservoir.

15. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pump is downstream of the reservoir.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Werkheiser William F
• Hazel Brian T

Classifications

• B05B7/222

  using an arc · CPC title

• B05B7/226

  the material being originally a particulate material · CPC title

• B05B15/55 Primary

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title

• C23C4/134

  Plasma spraying · CPC title

• B05B7/205

  the material to be sprayed being originally a particulate material · CPC title