Systems for abrasive jet piercing and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827649-B2
Application number	US-201514824010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 21, 2010
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments of abrasive jet cutting systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an abrasive jet system includes a cutting head configured to receive abrasives and pressurized fluid to form an abrasive jet. The system also includes an abrasive source configured to store abrasives that are supplied to the cutting head, as well as a fluid source configured to store fluid that is supplied to the cutting head. The system further includes a gas source configured to store pressurized gas that is selectively supplied to the cutting head. When supplied to the cutting head, the pressurized gas can advantageously affect, such as by at least partially diffusing, the abrasive jet.

First claim

We claim:

1. A waterjet system for forming an abrasive waterjet, the waterjet system comprising:
a cutting head including—
an orifice configured to receive pressurized liquid at a first pressure and to form a waterjet from the pressurized liquid;
a mixing region located downstream from the orifice;
an abrasive supply conduit configured to supply abrasive material to the mixing region to combine with the waterjet;
a mixing tube downstream from the mixing region, wherein the mixing tube includes—
a longitudinally elongate body having a fluid passageway extending axially therethrough, wherein the elongate body has a proximal end portion adjacent the mixing region and a distal end portion containing an abrasive waterjet outlet, the fluid passageway comprising—
a tapered inlet region at the proximal end portion; and
an axial passage extending downstream from the tapered inlet region to the abrasive waterjet outlet; and

a latitudinal passage located between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion and extending through the elongate body transverse to the axial passage, wherein the latitudinal passage intersects the axial passage and forms a first opening on a first side of the elongate body and a second opening on an opposite second side of the elongate body;

a conduit coupling encircling the mixing tube and having an interior surface that at least partially defines a cavity surrounding the first opening and the second opening;
a supply conduit configured to deliver pressurized gas to the conduit coupling at a second pressure, less than the first pressure, such that the delivered pressurized gas passes through the conduit coupling and into the latitudinal passage to intersect and mix with the abrasive waterjet in the axial passage upstream of the abrasive waterjet outlet; and
a valve coupled to the supply conduit, wherein the valve is operable to control a flow of pressurized gas through the supply conduit.

2. The waterjet system of claim 1 wherein the valve is operable to vary the second pressure.

3. The waterjet system of claim 1 , further comprising an abrasive container operably coupled to the cutting head via the abrasive supply conduit.

4. A waterjet system for processing a material, the waterjet system comprising:
a cutting head having an orifice positioned to form a waterjet, a mixing region downstream from the orifice configured to receive abrasive material and the waterjet, and a longitudinally elongate mixing tube downstream from the mixing region, wherein the mixing tube includes—
a proximal end portion adjacent the mixing region and having a tapered inlet region;
a distal end portion having an abrasive jet outlet;
an axial passage extending from the tapered inlet region to the abrasive jet outlet; and
a latitudinal passage positioned between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion and extending through the mixing tube transverse to the axial passage, wherein the latitudinal passage intersects the axial passage and defines a first opening on one side of the mixing tube and a second opening on an opposite side of the mixing tube;

a liquid source operably connected to the cutting head;
a liquid supply conduit operably disposed between the liquid source and the cutting head;
a gas conduit coupling encircling the mixing tube and having an interior surface that at least partially defines a cavity surrounding the first opening and the second opening;
a gas source operably connected to the gas conduit coupling;
a gas supply conduit operably disposed between the gas source and the gas conduit coupling;
a volume of gas within the gas supply conduit and flowing toward the gas conduit coupling, wherein the gas conduit coupling is shaped to direct gas from the volume of gas into the latitudinal passage to intersect an abrasive let in the axial passage; and
a valve coupled to the gas supply conduit and selectively operable to control a flow of the gas from the volume of gas through the gas supply conduit.

5. The waterjet system of claim 4 wherein the volume of gas is at a pressure, wherein the valve is operable to vary the pressure of the volume of gas and thereby vary a hydrostatic pressure of the waterjet.

6. The waterjet system of claim 4 , further comprising an abrasive container operably coupled to the cutting head.

7. The waterjet system of claim 4 wherein the volume of gas is at a pressure, and wherein the valve is operable to decrease the pressure of the volume of gas.

8. The waterjet system of claim 4 wherein the latitudinal passage includes a jet stream recess aligned with the axial passage, wherein the supply conduit delivers the pressurized gas to the jet stream recess.

9. The waterjet system of claim 8 wherein the jet stream recess at least partially encircles the axial passage.

10. The waterjet system of claim 4 wherein the cutting head operates in a first mode when the valve is fully opened, and wherein the cutting head operates in a second mode when the valve is not fully opened.

11. The waterjet system of claim 10 wherein the first mode provides the volume of gas at a first pressure during piercing operations, and wherein the second mode provides the volume of gas at a second pressure, lower than the first pressure, during cutting operations.

12. The waterjet system of claim 4 wherein the latitudinal passage is perpendicular to the axial passage.

13. A waterjet system, comprising:
a pressurized liquid source;
an abrasive supply conduit;
a cutting head configured to receive pressurized liquid from the pressurized liquid source, the cutting head having—
an orifice configured to produce a waterjet from the pressurized liquid;
a mixing region downstream from the orifice configured to receive abrasive material from the abrasive supply conduit that combines with the waterjet to form an abrasive waterjet; and
a mixing tube positioned downstream from the mixing region and having a longitudinally elongate body, wherein the mixing tube includes—
a proximal end portion adjacent the mixing region and having a tapered inlet region;
a distal end portion having an abrasive jet outlet;
an axial passage extending from the tapered inlet region to the abrasive jet outlet; and
a latitudinal passage positioned between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion and extending through the elongate body transverse to the axial passage, wherein the latitudinal passage intersects the axial passage and defines a first opening on one side of the elongate body and a second opening on an opposite side of the elongate body;

a gas conduit coupling encircling the mixing tube and having an interior surface that at least partially defines a cavity surrounding a segment of the mixing tube including the first opening and the second opening;
a pressurized gas source configured to provide pressurized gas to the conduit coupling;
a supply conduit operably coupling the pressurized gas source to the gas conduit coupling to deliver the pressurized gas to the cavity and the latitudinal passage; and
a valve positioned to control delivery of the pressurized gas to the cutting head via the supply conduit.

14. The waterjet system of claim 13 wherein the valve is configured to move between a fully open state during a piercing operation and a less than fully opened state during a cutting operation.

15. The waterjet system of claim 13 wherein the valve is operable to increase a flow of the pressurized gas to the cutting head during a piercing operation.

16. The waterjet system of claim 13 wherein the latitudinal passage includes a jet stream r

Assignees

• Omax Corp

Inventors

• Schubert Ernst H
• Liu Peter H -T
• Henning Axel H

Classifications

• B24C7/0084

  the abrasive material being fed in a mixture of liquid and gas (B24C7/0038, B24C7/0076 take precedence; blasting medium with additives B24C11/005) · CPC title

• B24C5/02

  Blast guns, e.g. for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets for cutting materials {(perforating by fluid jet B26F1/26)} · CPC title

• B24C1/045 Primary

  for cutting (energy dissipating devices therefor B26F3/008) · CPC title