Steam special effect sprayer and related special effect system

Abstract

A steam special effect sprayer includes a condensation cavity, a first ejector structure, and a second ejector structure, wherein one end of the condensation cavity is connected with a steam pipeline, and the other end is connected with the second ejector structure. The first ejector structure which is built inside the condensation cavity ejects the steam from the steam pipeline into the condensation cavity, where the steam forms microdroplets, and then the second ejector structure ejects the microdroplets to the external environment.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part patent application which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 087,888 filed Mar. 24, 2025, which is a continuation application that claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 705,855 filed on Mar. 28, 2022 (now U.S. Pat. No. 12,286,979), which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN 202120613899 filed on Mar. 26, 2021, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to steam effect generation equipment, and in particular, a steam special effect sprayer and a steam special effect system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] At present, steam special effects techniques on the market generally use two technologies to achieve: the use of real steam and the use of simulated steam.

[0004] Real steam is generated by directly heating water with conventional electric or gas-type steam boilers and then storing the production of high-temperature and high-pressure steam in a pressure vessel and releasing the steam through a pressure or flow regulating valve when needed. This method produces steam certainly with temperature and humidity, which can give the audience a very impressive scene effect. However, due to the low energy efficiency of this technology, it wastes a lot of energy, and it relies solely on the pressure of the steam itself to discharge from the special effect nozzle, so in order to increase the pressure, more energy is needed to provide the required pressure. Generally, the conventional steam special effect system needs to store steam at a pressure of about 5 kg / cm2, which means that the water temperature in the boiler and the temperature of the entire system need to be maintained at around 159 degrees Celsius, with the higher temperatures meaning higher heat loss.

[0005] Simulated steam uses a special effect smoke machine to evaporate the solution containing glycerin through a heating tube to generate a large amount of smoke to imitate steam. Because the smoke produced by the solution containing glycerin can stay in the air for a long time, a very dense steam special effect can be produced with relatively little energy. But it also has the disadvantage that it takes a relatively long time for the smoke to dissipate because the beads in the air contain oil that is not easily evaporated. In the scene of a short special effect show cycle, the smoke leftover from the previous show affects the effect of the next show. Because only a small amount of heat energy is used to produce the steam special effect, it lacks the temperature of real steam and cannot meet the special effect requirements of certain themes. Also, the smoke produced will have the sweet taste of glycerin, which will affect the audience's experience of special effects, give rise to health risks after long-term inhalation, and also pollute the show scene.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Aiming at the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a steam special effect sprayer and a steam special effect system. In order to achieve the above purposes, the present invention is realized by the following technical scheme.

[0007] A steam special effect sprayer comprises a condensation cavity, a first ejector structure, and a second ejector structure, wherein one end of the condensation cavity is connected with a steam pipeline, and the other end is connected with the second ejector structure. The first ejector structure which is built inside the condensation cavity ejects the steam from the steam pipeline into the condensation cavity, where the steam forms microdroplets, and then the second ejector structure ejects the microdroplets to the external environment.

[0008] Furthermore, the first ejector structure is an air jet nozzle, which comprises a nozzle, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end, wherein the nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, and the air inlet end is connected with the external air supply device, and the air outlet end faces the second ejector structure.

[0009] Furthermore, the nozzle itself is a linear cavity or a curved cavity with a certain length.

[0010] Furthermore, the second ejector structure comprises a nozzle, which is a cavity with an air outlet at its front end and an air inlet at its rear end, and the air inlet is connected with the condensation cavity, and the air outlet is a spray outlet, and a Venturi tube is set in the nozzle, with its inlet end and outlet end facing the nozzle's air inlet and air outlet respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the rear end of the nozzle is also provided with suction holes.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a direction-changing tube, which comprises a connecting part and a direction-changing part, wherein the connecting part and the direction-changing part are connected, and the end of the connecting part is connected with the nozzle, and the end of the direction-changing part is a free end, and this free end is a fog outlet end.

[0013] Furthermore, the angle between the connecting part and direction-changing part will be −90°<α<90°.

[0014] Furthermore, in the new configuration shown in FIGS. 3-5, the recalculated ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity, the air jet nozzle, and the throat of the Venturi tube is 1:0.152:1.524.

[0015] Furthermore, it includes a steam pipeline and an air supply pipeline, wherein one end of the steam pipeline is connected with a steam generator, while the other end is connected with the first ejector structure, and the steam pipeline is equipped with a safety valve, a drain valve, and a steam flow control valve and one end of the air supply pipeline is connected to the air source, while the other end is connected to the first ejector structure, and the air supply pipeline is equipped with a pressure regulator and an airflow control valve. The present invention has the advantages that:

[0016] 1) The fog spayed by this steam special effect sprayer provided by the present invention is a mixture of steam and compressed gas, and a snow-white dense fog can be made with only a small amount of steam, so it is more energy-saving and less emission, and the temperature of the sprayed fog temperature drops to a safe range so that it is safer and reliable.

[0017] 2) The first and second ejector structures enable twice liquefaction and twice ejection of steam located in the steam pipe, as well as the push and ejection of microdroplets located in the condensation chamber, and the increase in the volume of microdroplets located in the second ejector structure, therefore rapid fogging can be achieved, which can create a large amount of fog in a short time to meet the user requirements.

[0018] 3) At the same steam output flow, different visual effects can be achieved by controlling the mixture ratio of compressed air and steam to change the color and saturation of steam.

[0019] 4) The steam output effect can be maintained the same in different ambient temperatures and humidity or different seasons by adjusting the amount of compressed air.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the steam special effect sprayer of the present invention; and

[0021] FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the steam special effect system of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional plan view of a second embodiment of the condensation cavity having the air jet nozzle and the second nozzle configured to form the venturi tube of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the rear end of the second nozzle and the plurality of suction holes as air vents.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the assembled condensation cavity and second nozzle.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Different embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. Many different forms can be set forth and described embodiments should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms “center,”“up,”“down,”“left,”“right,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“inside,”“outside” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, for the convenience of the describing this application and simplifying the description only, and it does not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, therefore it cannot be construed as a limitation of this application. In addition, the terms “first,”“second” and “third” are used only for descriptive purposes only, which shall not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] Unless expressly specified and limited otherwise, the terms “installation,”“connected” and “connection” should be understood broadly, for example, it could be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; could be mechanically connected, or electrically connected; could be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; and could be the internal connection of two elements. For one of the ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood in specific situations.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a steam special effect sprayer provided by the present invention, and a steam special effect sprayer comprises a condensation cavity 1, a first ejector structure, and a second ejector structure. One end of the condensing cavity 1 is connected to the steam pipeline 2, while the other end is connected with the second ejector structure, and the first ejector structure is arranged in the condensation cavity 1.

[0029] The first ejector structure reduces the temperature of steam in the condensation cavity 1, to liquefy it into microdroplets, and pushes the microdroplets to rush out of the condensation cavity 1 at the same time, causing negative pressure in the condensation cavity 1, which ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2. The microdroplets rushed out of the condensation cavity 1 enter into the second ejector structure, and are expanded in volume, and then ejected to the external environment by the effect of the second ejector structure.

[0030] Specifically, the condensation cavity 1 is a cavity with an air inlet and an air outlet, and the shape of the condensation cavity 1 is not limited, therefore any shape of a cavity can be used. For example, cuboid, cube, cylinder, prism can be used.

[0031] The condensation cavity 1 is connected with the steam pipeline 2, and the steam in the steam pipeline 2 can spontaneously enter the condensation cavity 1, however, its moving speed is very slow in the steam pipeline 2 and the amount of fog discharged into the environment is too small to meet the user requirement, if only by the pressure of steam itself. Usually, it requires to consume a lot of energy at the steam supply end to improve the speed of steam generation, thereby a large amount of energy is wasted.

[0032] The first ejector structure has the functions of both condensation and ejection, that is, the steam in the condensation cavity 1 is cooled to be liquefied into microdroplets while driving the microdroplets to rush out from the condensation cavity 1, and the negative pressure of condensation cavity 1 ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2, which accelerates its flow rate.

[0033] The first ejector structure is an air jet nozzle 3, which comprises a nozzle, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end. The nozzle itself is a linear cavity or a curved cavity with a certain length, and the air inlet and outlet ends are located at both ends of the bar cavity or arc cavity respectively. The nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, and the air inlet end is connected with the external air supply device, and the air outlet end faces the second ejector structure. The connection between the air jet nozzle 3 and the condensation cavity 1 is a detachable connection, which is convenient for replacement.

[0034] The air supply provides compressed air to air jet nozzle 3, and the temperature and pressure of the compressed air can be adjusted according to the amount of fog to be generated and the surrounding environment, but the temperature of compressed air should be lower than the temperature of the steam so that the steam can be atomized.

[0035] The compressed air jetted from the air jet nozzle 3 has a rapid flow rate, so it generates turbulence, which can make the compressed air and steam fully mixed, and improve the conversion rate of steam to microdroplets, and it pushes the microdroplets in front of the condensation cavity 1 to move rapidly to enter the second pilot structure at a fast speed, and at the rear end of the air jet nozzle 3, negative pressure is generated ejecting new steam into the condensation cavity 1.

[0036] In short, the air turbulence makes the steam quickly and fully atomize into microdroplets, and drives the microdroplets to move quickly, so that in a short period, it can produce a large amount of fog, which has high density, high visibility, and brings a stunning visual effect to the external environment just like a wonderland.

[0037] The second ejector structure receives the microdroplets with a higher flow rate from the condensation cavity 1, and further condenses the microdroplets, to fully liquefy the steam mixed therein, and further increases the volume and flow rate of the microdroplets, to allow them to erupt rapidly into the external environment, and the microdroplets expand, which can further increase the amount of fog.

[0038] The second ejector structure comprises a nozzle 4, a Venturi tube 5, and a direction-changing tube 6.

[0039] Nozzle 4 is a cavity with an air outlet at its front end and an air inlet at its rear end, and the air inlet is connected with the condensation cavity 1, and the air outlet is a spray outlet to spray fog to the external environment, and the rear end of this cavity is also provided with several air suction holes.

[0040] A Venturi tube 5 is set in the nozzle, with its inlet end and outlet end facing the nozzle's air inlet and air outlet respectively. The shape and construction of the Venturi tube 5 can be any shape and structure in the prior art, as long as it has the function of generating a negative pressure, therefore, the simple modification and replacement of Venturi tube 5 are also included in the protection scope of this application.

[0041] The microdroplets ejected from the condensation cavity 1 enter nozzle 4, while the Venturi tube 5 located in nozzle 4 increases the flow rate of the microdroplets therein to produce a negative pressure effect, which not only ejects the microdroplets in the condensation cavity 1, and accelerates the flow rate of the microdroplets, but also further strengthens the negative pressure in the condensation cavity 1, and makes the air in the external environment enter the nozzle 4 through the suction holes of the nozzle 4 with the effect of negative pressure, and the air entering the nozzle 4 is mixed with the microdroplets in the nozzle 4, and the microdroplets are liquefied for a second time, so that the steam mixed therein is fully liquefied into microdroplets, increasing the volume of fog, therefore the nozzle 4 can discharge a large number of dense white fog, resulting in excellent visual effect in a short period.

[0042] It should be noted that the fog itself ejected from the condensation cavity 1 has a higher flow rate due to the acceleration of the first ejector structure, so after entering the Venturi tube 5, the negative pressure effect of Venturi tube 5 is enhanced, making the Venturi tube 5 have a better negative pressure effect.

[0043] The direction-changing tube 6 comprises a connecting part and a direction-changing part, wherein the connecting part and the direction-changing part are connected, and the end of the connecting part is connected with the nozzle, and the end of the direction-changing part is a free end, from which the produced fog is sprayed to the external environment. The fog spraying direction can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the free end as required. The angle between the connecting part and direction-changing part will be −90°<α<90°. The ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity 1, the air jet nozzle 3, and the throat of the Venturi tube 5 is 1:0.16:3.

[0044] In summary, the first ejector structure pushes the flow of steam in condensing cavity 1 and creates negative pressure to eject the steam in the steam pipeline 2 at an accelerated speed, while the second ejector structure uses the first acceleration by the first ejector structure to achieve a second acceleration of the gas. With the first acceleration, the steam condenses into microdroplets, and with the second acceleration, the microdroplets expand in volume, and the two effects interact, which not only improve the speed of fog but also create a denser white fog, making visual effects more real and shocking.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 2, the steam effect system comprises a steam pipeline 2, wherein one end of the steam pipeline is connected with the steam generator, while the other end is connected with the condensation cavity 1. Steam pipeline 2 is provided with a safety valve 7, a drain valve 8, and a steam volume control valve 9.

[0046] The steam effect system also comprises an air supply pipeline 10, wherein one end of the air supply pipeline 10 is connected with an air source, while the other end is connected with the first ejector structure. The air source is a device or equipment to produce compressed air. The air supply pipeline 10 is equipped with a pressure regulator 11 and an air volume control valve, which comprises a ball valve 12, a needle valve 13, and an air solenoid valve 14.

[0047] Working principle: the first ejector structure pushes the microdroplets group inside it to move quickly, and the negative pressure generated in the condensation cavity 1 ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2. The microdroplets group is ejected from the condensation cavity 1 and enters the second ejector structure, and again, due to the negative pressure, it is ejected from the second ejector structure for a second time at a very high speed. The first ejector structure atomizes steam into high-density microdroplets group, and then with the effect of the second ejector structure, the high-density microdroplets group expands in volume. Therefore, the steam special effect sprayer and the steam special effect system provided by the present invention can provide sufficient fog for users in a short period and are more energy-saving and environment-friendly, compared with the prior art.

[0048] The above content is a further detailed description of the present invention combined with the specific preferred embodiments, and it cannot be considered that the specific implementation of the present invention is only limited to these descriptions. For one of the ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, which shall be also regarded as falling within the scope of protection of the present invention.REFERENCE NUMBERS1—condensation cavity

[0050] 2—steam pipeline

[0051] 3—air jet nozzle

[0052] 4—nozzle

[0053] 5—Venturi tube

[0054] 6—direction-changing tube

[0055] 7—safety valve

[0056] 8—drain valve

[0057] 9—steam flow control valve

[0058] 10—air supply pipeline

[0059] 11—air pressure regulator

[0060] 12—ball valve

[0061] 13—needle valve

[0062] 14—solenoid valve

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a second embodiment of a portion of the first and second ejector structures is shown for use in the steam special effects sprayer. Reference numerals for those same components shown in FIGS. 3-5, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, are given the 100 series. The principles of operation and sequence of construction for these components shown in FIGS. 3-5 are similar as in the steam special effects sprayer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5 has a more compact and integrated construction and configuration with a shorter condensation cavity 100 in the primary or first injector structure. The air jet nozzle 103 is much closer to the discharge of the condensation cavity 100, e.g., proximal to the second nozzle 104 as illustrated.

[0064] The second nozzle 104 as part of the second ejector structure has a cone-shape single-wall structure 104a with a straight discharge 104b and the cone-shaped single-wall structure configured with the other components to form the venturi tube 105. There is no double horn-shaped piece inside a larger tube as shown for the second nozzle of FIGS. 1 and 2. In the configuration of FIGS. 3-5, as a non-limiting example, the recalculated ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity 100, the air jet nozzle 103, and the throat of the venturi tube 105 is 1:0.152:1.524. The condensation cavity 101 includes rear 101a and front 101b cone sections with a front straight section 101c operating as a discharge.

[0065] The steam special effect sprayer of this second embodiment includes the condensation cavity 100 and steam pipe 102 connected thereto (FIG. 5) to receive steam. The first ejector structure includes the air jet nozzle 103 within the condensation cavity 100 and configured to eject steam received into the condensation cavity as micro droplets. The second ejector structure is connected to the condensation cavity 100 opposite the steam pipe 102 and includes the second nozzle 104 and venturi tube 105 and configured to expand the micro droplets in volume and eject the micro droplets outward through the straight discharge 104b into an external environment. Other components, such as a direction changing tube, may be included, but are optional.

[0066] The second ejector structure includes the second nozzle 104 formed as a cavity having front and rear ends, and a second air outlet at its front end, and a second air inlet at its rear end. The second nozzle 104 is configured with other components to form the venturi tube 105. The second air inlet is connected to the condensation cavity 101 and the second air outlet of the second nozzle may include a spray outlet as described above relative to FIGS. 1 and 2. The second nozzle 104 includes its cone-shaped single-wall structure 104a having the straight discharge 104b as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0067] The air jet nozzle 103 in this embodiment is positioned proximal to the second nozzle 104 near the start of a straight tubular front section 101c of the condensation cavity 101. The rear end 104c of the second nozzle 104 includes the plurality of suction holes as air vents 104d. This plurality of suction holes 104d as shown in FIG. 4 are arranged in a circular configuration so that they extend around an outer surface of the condensation cavity as best shown in FIG. 5 when the end of the condensation cavity is received within the second housing fitting 104e, and in an example, secured by a threaded connection.

[0068] It is possible to form the second embodiment of the condensation cavity 101 and second housing 105 shown in FIGS. 3-5 as a two-inch ASE nozzle, but it is also possible to form a larger three-inch ASE nozzle having similar dimensional proportions. In that larger three-inch nozzle, a 12 millimeter air jet nozzle 103 is part of the first ejector, instead of an 8 millimeter air jet nozzle used in the two-inch ASE nozzle. The drawings of FIGS. 3-5 show the general configuration whether a two or three-inch ASE nozzle configuration is used.

[0069] Proportional dimensions between the two and three-inch nozzles may vary, but for the smaller two-inch ASE nozzle, the length of the condensation cavity 101 may be about 235 millimeters and have a diameter of about 58 millimeters diameter at both ends. One end is received within the coupling 104e of the second nozzle 104. That coupling 104e may be threaded and about 64 millimeters diameter to receive the threaded end of the condensation cavity 101. The second nozzle 104 may be about 252 millimeters long and the diameter at the rear end 104e having the suction holes 104d may be about 135 millimeters. The straight discharge 104b may have a diameter of about 90 millimeters and length of about 117 millimeters, leaving its tapered portion about 135 millimeters, and a cylinder wall thickness of about 5 millimeters. The air holes, i.e., air vents 104d as shown in FIG. 4, may be about 20 millimeters in diameter. The rear cone section 101a at the rear of that condensation cavity 101 as part of the first ejector structure may be about 77 by 58 millimeters and the front cone section 101b about 58 by 77 millimeters. The length of the air jet nozzle 103 may be about 78 millimeters as non-limiting examples.

[0070] Increased dimensions with similar proportions may be included for the three-inch ASE nozzle, which also includes 20 millimeter air holes as vents 104d. The second nozzle 104 may be about 370 millimeters long with the straight section 104b about 200 millimeters. The diameter of the straight discharge 104b may be about 113 millimeters with the cone-shaped larger diameter about 220 millimeters for that rear end 104c of the second nozzle as compared to 135 millimeters for the smaller two-inch version. The rear cone section 101a at the condensation cavity 101 may be about 89 by 170 millimeters in the larger three-inch version with the total length of that condensation cavity of about 344 millimeters and the straight section 104b being about 120 millimeters. The front cone section 101b near the air jet nozzle 103 may also be about 89 by 170 millimeters. The total length of the assembled condensation cavity 101 and second nozzle 105 as shown in FIG. 5 for the smaller two-inch ASE version may be about 414 millimeters, and for the longer three-inch version may be about 612 millimeters. These are non-limiting examples. This configuration as explained forms a more compact configuration.

[0071] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0025]Different embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. Many different forms can be set forth and described embodiments should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art.

[0026]In the description of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms “center,”“up,”“down,”“left,”“right,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“inside,”“outside” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, for the convenience of the describing this application and simplifying the description only, and it does not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientatio...

PRIORITY APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part patent application which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 087,888 filed Mar. 24, 2025, which is a continuation application that claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 705,855 filed on Mar. 28, 2022 (now U.S. Pat. No. 12,286,979), which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN 202120613899 filed on Mar. 26, 2021, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to steam effect generation equipment, and in particular, a steam special effect sprayer and a steam special effect system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] At present, steam special effects techniques on the market generally use two technologies to achieve: the use of real steam and the use of simulated steam.

[0004] Real steam is generated by directly heating water with conventional electric or gas-type steam boilers and then storing the production of high-temperature and high-pressure steam in a pressure vessel and releasing the steam through a pressure or flow regulating valve when needed. This method produces steam certainly with temperature and humidity, which can give the audience a very impressive scene effect. However, due to the low energy efficiency of this technology, it wastes a lot of energy, and it relies solely on the pressure of the steam itself to discharge from the special effect nozzle, so in order to increase the pressure, more energy is needed to provide the required pressure. Generally, the conventional steam special effect system needs to store steam at a pressure of about 5 kg / cm2, which means that the water temperature in the boiler and the temperature of the entire system need to be maintained at around 159 degrees Celsius, with the higher temperatures meaning higher heat loss.

[0005] Simulated steam uses a special effect smoke machine to evaporate the solution containing glycerin through a heating tube to generate a large amount of smoke to imitate steam. Because the smoke produced by the solution containing glycerin can stay in the air for a long time, a very dense steam special effect can be produced with relatively little energy. But it also has the disadvantage that it takes a relatively long time for the smoke to dissipate because the beads in the air contain oil that is not easily evaporated. In the scene of a short special effect show cycle, the smoke leftover from the previous show affects the effect of the next show. Because only a small amount of heat energy is used to produce the steam special effect, it lacks the temperature of real steam and cannot meet the special effect requirements of certain themes. Also, the smoke produced will have the sweet taste of glycerin, which will affect the audience's experience of special effects, give rise to health risks after long-term inhalation, and also pollute the show scene.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Aiming at the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a steam special effect sprayer and a steam special effect system. In order to achieve the above purposes, the present invention is realized by the following technical scheme.

[0007] A steam special effect sprayer comprises a condensation cavity, a first ejector structure, and a second ejector structure, wherein one end of the condensation cavity is connected with a steam pipeline, and the other end is connected with the second ejector structure. The first ejector structure which is built inside the condensation cavity ejects the steam from the steam pipeline into the condensation cavity, where the steam forms microdroplets, and then the second ejector structure ejects the microdroplets to the external environment.

[0008] Furthermore, the first ejector structure is an air jet nozzle, which comprises a nozzle, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end, wherein the nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, and the air inlet end is connected with the external air supply device, and the air outlet end faces the second ejector structure.

[0009] Furthermore, the nozzle itself is a linear cavity or a curved cavity with a certain length.

[0010] Furthermore, the second ejector structure comprises a nozzle, which is a cavity with an air outlet at its front end and an air inlet at its rear end, and the air inlet is connected with the condensation cavity, and the air outlet is a spray outlet, and a Venturi tube is set in the nozzle, with its inlet end and outlet end facing the nozzle's air inlet and air outlet respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the rear end of the nozzle is also provided with suction holes.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a direction-changing tube, which comprises a connecting part and a direction-changing part, wherein the connecting part and the direction-changing part are connected, and the end of the connecting part is connected with the nozzle, and the end of the direction-changing part is a free end, and this free end is a fog outlet end.

[0013] Furthermore, the angle between the connecting part and direction-changing part will be −90°<α<90°.

[0014] Furthermore, in the new configuration shown in FIGS. 3-5, the recalculated ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity, the air jet nozzle, and the throat of the Venturi tube is 1:0.152:1.524.

[0015] Furthermore, it includes a steam pipeline and an air supply pipeline, wherein one end of the steam pipeline is connected with a steam generator, while the other end is connected with the first ejector structure, and the steam pipeline is equipped with a safety valve, a drain valve, and a steam flow control valve and one end of the air supply pipeline is connected to the air source, while the other end is connected to the first ejector structure, and the air supply pipeline is equipped with a pressure regulator and an airflow control valve. The present invention has the advantages that:

[0016] 1) The fog spayed by this steam special effect sprayer provided by the present invention is a mixture of steam and compressed gas, and a snow-white dense fog can be made with only a small amount of steam, so it is more energy-saving and less emission, and the temperature of the sprayed fog temperature drops to a safe range so that it is safer and reliable.

[0017] 2) The first and second ejector structures enable twice liquefaction and twice ejection of steam located in the steam pipe, as well as the push and ejection of microdroplets located in the condensation chamber, and the increase in the volume of microdroplets located in the second ejector structure, therefore rapid fogging can be achieved, which can create a large amount of fog in a short time to meet the user requirements.

[0018] 3) At the same steam output flow, different visual effects can be achieved by controlling the mixture ratio of compressed air and steam to change the color and saturation of steam.

[0019] 4) The steam output effect can be maintained the same in different ambient temperatures and humidity or different seasons by adjusting the amount of compressed air.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the steam special effect sprayer of the present invention; and

[0021] FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the steam special effect system of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional plan view of a second embodiment of the condensation cavity having the air jet nozzle and the second nozzle configured to form the venturi tube of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the rear end of the second nozzle and the plurality of suction holes as air vents.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the assembled condensation cavity and second nozzle.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Different embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. Many different forms can be set forth and described embodiments should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms “center,”“up,”“down,”“left,”“right,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“inside,”“outside” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, for the convenience of the describing this application and simplifying the description only, and it does not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, therefore it cannot be construed as a limitation of this application. In addition, the terms “first,”“second” and “third” are used only for descriptive purposes only, which shall not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] Unless expressly specified and limited otherwise, the terms “installation,”“connected” and “connection” should be understood broadly, for example, it could be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; could be mechanically connected, or electrically connected; could be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; and could be the internal connection of two elements. For one of the ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood in specific situations.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a steam special effect sprayer provided by the present invention, and a steam special effect sprayer comprises a condensation cavity 1, a first ejector structure, and a second ejector structure. One end of the condensing cavity 1 is connected to the steam pipeline 2, while the other end is connected with the second ejector structure, and the first ejector structure is arranged in the condensation cavity 1.

[0029] The first ejector structure reduces the temperature of steam in the condensation cavity 1, to liquefy it into microdroplets, and pushes the microdroplets to rush out of the condensation cavity 1 at the same time, causing negative pressure in the condensation cavity 1, which ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2. The microdroplets rushed out of the condensation cavity 1 enter into the second ejector structure, and are expanded in volume, and then ejected to the external environment by the effect of the second ejector structure.

[0030] Specifically, the condensation cavity 1 is a cavity with an air inlet and an air outlet, and the shape of the condensation cavity 1 is not limited, therefore any shape of a cavity can be used. For example, cuboid, cube, cylinder, prism can be used.

[0031] The condensation cavity 1 is connected with the steam pipeline 2, and the steam in the steam pipeline 2 can spontaneously enter the condensation cavity 1, however, its moving speed is very slow in the steam pipeline 2 and the amount of fog discharged into the environment is too small to meet the user requirement, if only by the pressure of steam itself. Usually, it requires to consume a lot of energy at the steam supply end to improve the speed of steam generation, thereby a large amount of energy is wasted.

[0032] The first ejector structure has the functions of both condensation and ejection, that is, the steam in the condensation cavity 1 is cooled to be liquefied into microdroplets while driving the microdroplets to rush out from the condensation cavity 1, and the negative pressure of condensation cavity 1 ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2, which accelerates its flow rate.

[0033] The first ejector structure is an air jet nozzle 3, which comprises a nozzle, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end. The nozzle itself is a linear cavity or a curved cavity with a certain length, and the air inlet and outlet ends are located at both ends of the bar cavity or arc cavity respectively. The nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, and the air inlet end is connected with the external air supply device, and the air outlet end faces the second ejector structure. The connection between the air jet nozzle 3 and the condensation cavity 1 is a detachable connection, which is convenient for replacement.

[0034] The air supply provides compressed air to air jet nozzle 3, and the temperature and pressure of the compressed air can be adjusted according to the amount of fog to be generated and the surrounding environment, but the temperature of compressed air should be lower than the temperature of the steam so that the steam can be atomized.

[0035] The compressed air jetted from the air jet nozzle 3 has a rapid flow rate, so it generates turbulence, which can make the compressed air and steam fully mixed, and improve the conversion rate of steam to microdroplets, and it pushes the microdroplets in front of the condensation cavity 1 to move rapidly to enter the second pilot structure at a fast speed, and at the rear end of the air jet nozzle 3, negative pressure is generated ejecting new steam into the condensation cavity 1.

[0036] In short, the air turbulence makes the steam quickly and fully atomize into microdroplets, and drives the microdroplets to move quickly, so that in a short period, it can produce a large amount of fog, which has high density, high visibility, and brings a stunning visual effect to the external environment just like a wonderland.

[0037] The second ejector structure receives the microdroplets with a higher flow rate from the condensation cavity 1, and further condenses the microdroplets, to fully liquefy the steam mixed therein, and further increases the volume and flow rate of the microdroplets, to allow them to erupt rapidly into the external environment, and the microdroplets expand, which can further increase the amount of fog.

[0038] The second ejector structure comprises a nozzle 4, a Venturi tube 5, and a direction-changing tube 6.

[0039] Nozzle 4 is a cavity with an air outlet at its front end and an air inlet at its rear end, and the air inlet is connected with the condensation cavity 1, and the air outlet is a spray outlet to spray fog to the external environment, and the rear end of this cavity is also provided with several air suction holes.

[0040] A Venturi tube 5 is set in the nozzle, with its inlet end and outlet end facing the nozzle's air inlet and air outlet respectively. The shape and construction of the Venturi tube 5 can be any shape and structure in the prior art, as long as it has the function of generating a negative pressure, therefore, the simple modification and replacement of Venturi tube 5 are also included in the protection scope of this application.

[0041] The microdroplets ejected from the condensation cavity 1 enter nozzle 4, while the Venturi tube 5 located in nozzle 4 increases the flow rate of the microdroplets therein to produce a negative pressure effect, which not only ejects the microdroplets in the condensation cavity 1, and accelerates the flow rate of the microdroplets, but also further strengthens the negative pressure in the condensation cavity 1, and makes the air in the external environment enter the nozzle 4 through the suction holes of the nozzle 4 with the effect of negative pressure, and the air entering the nozzle 4 is mixed with the microdroplets in the nozzle 4, and the microdroplets are liquefied for a second time, so that the steam mixed therein is fully liquefied into microdroplets, increasing the volume of fog, therefore the nozzle 4 can discharge a large number of dense white fog, resulting in excellent visual effect in a short period.

[0042] It should be noted that the fog itself ejected from the condensation cavity 1 has a higher flow rate due to the acceleration of the first ejector structure, so after entering the Venturi tube 5, the negative pressure effect of Venturi tube 5 is enhanced, making the Venturi tube 5 have a better negative pressure effect.

[0043] The direction-changing tube 6 comprises a connecting part and a direction-changing part, wherein the connecting part and the direction-changing part are connected, and the end of the connecting part is connected with the nozzle, and the end of the direction-changing part is a free end, from which the produced fog is sprayed to the external environment. The fog spraying direction can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the free end as required. The angle between the connecting part and direction-changing part will be −90°<α<90°. The ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity 1, the air jet nozzle 3, and the throat of the Venturi tube 5 is 1:0.16:3.

[0044] In summary, the first ejector structure pushes the flow of steam in condensing cavity 1 and creates negative pressure to eject the steam in the steam pipeline 2 at an accelerated speed, while the second ejector structure uses the first acceleration by the first ejector structure to achieve a second acceleration of the gas. With the first acceleration, the steam condenses into microdroplets, and with the second acceleration, the microdroplets expand in volume, and the two effects interact, which not only improve the speed of fog but also create a denser white fog, making visual effects more real and shocking.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 2, the steam effect system comprises a steam pipeline 2, wherein one end of the steam pipeline is connected with the steam generator, while the other end is connected with the condensation cavity 1. Steam pipeline 2 is provided with a safety valve 7, a drain valve 8, and a steam volume control valve 9.

[0046] The steam effect system also comprises an air supply pipeline 10, wherein one end of the air supply pipeline 10 is connected with an air source, while the other end is connected with the first ejector structure. The air source is a device or equipment to produce compressed air. The air supply pipeline 10 is equipped with a pressure regulator 11 and an air volume control valve, which comprises a ball valve 12, a needle valve 13, and an air solenoid valve 14.

[0047] Working principle: the first ejector structure pushes the microdroplets group inside it to move quickly, and the negative pressure generated in the condensation cavity 1 ejects the steam in the steam pipeline 2. The microdroplets group is ejected from the condensation cavity 1 and enters the second ejector structure, and again, due to the negative pressure, it is ejected from the second ejector structure for a second time at a very high speed. The first ejector structure atomizes steam into high-density microdroplets group, and then with the effect of the second ejector structure, the high-density microdroplets group expands in volume. Therefore, the steam special effect sprayer and the steam special effect system provided by the present invention can provide sufficient fog for users in a short period and are more energy-saving and environment-friendly, compared with the prior art.

[0048] The above content is a further detailed description of the present invention combined with the specific preferred embodiments, and it cannot be considered that the specific implementation of the present invention is only limited to these descriptions. For one of the ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, which shall be also regarded as falling within the scope of protection of the present invention.REFERENCE NUMBERS1—condensation cavity

[0050] 2—steam pipeline

[0051] 3—air jet nozzle

[0052] 4—nozzle

[0053] 5—Venturi tube

[0054] 6—direction-changing tube

[0055] 7—safety valve

[0056] 8—drain valve

[0057] 9—steam flow control valve

[0058] 10—air supply pipeline

[0059] 11—air pressure regulator

[0060] 12—ball valve

[0061] 13—needle valve

[0062] 14—solenoid valve

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a second embodiment of a portion of the first and second ejector structures is shown for use in the steam special effects sprayer. Reference numerals for those same components shown in FIGS. 3-5, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, are given the 100 series. The principles of operation and sequence of construction for these components shown in FIGS. 3-5 are similar as in the steam special effects sprayer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5 has a more compact and integrated construction and configuration with a shorter condensation cavity 100 in the primary or first injector structure. The air jet nozzle 103 is much closer to the discharge of the condensation cavity 100, e.g., proximal to the second nozzle 104 as illustrated.

[0064] The second nozzle 104 as part of the second ejector structure has a cone-shape single-wall structure 104a with a straight discharge 104b and the cone-shaped single-wall structure configured with the other components to form the venturi tube 105. There is no double horn-shaped piece inside a larger tube as shown for the second nozzle of FIGS. 1 and 2. In the configuration of FIGS. 3-5, as a non-limiting example, the recalculated ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity 100, the air jet nozzle 103, and the throat of the venturi tube 105 is 1:0.152:1.524. The condensation cavity 101 includes rear 101a and front 101b cone sections with a front straight section 101c operating as a discharge.

[0065] The steam special effect sprayer of this second embodiment includes the condensation cavity 100 and steam pipe 102 connected thereto (FIG. 5) to receive steam. The first ejector structure includes the air jet nozzle 103 within the condensation cavity 100 and configured to eject steam received into the condensation cavity as micro droplets. The second ejector structure is connected to the condensation cavity 100 opposite the steam pipe 102 and includes the second nozzle 104 and venturi tube 105 and configured to expand the micro droplets in volume and eject the micro droplets outward through the straight discharge 104b into an external environment. Other components, such as a direction changing tube, may be included, but are optional.

[0066] The second ejector structure includes the second nozzle 104 formed as a cavity having front and rear ends, and a second air outlet at its front end, and a second air inlet at its rear end. The second nozzle 104 is configured with other components to form the venturi tube 105. The second air inlet is connected to the condensation cavity 101 and the second air outlet of the second nozzle may include a spray outlet as described above relative to FIGS. 1 and 2. The second nozzle 104 includes its cone-shaped single-wall structure 104a having the straight discharge 104b as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0067] The air jet nozzle 103 in this embodiment is positioned proximal to the second nozzle 104 near the start of a straight tubular front section 101c of the condensation cavity 101. The rear end 104c of the second nozzle 104 includes the plurality of suction holes as air vents 104d. This plurality of suction holes 104d as shown in FIG. 4 are arranged in a circular configuration so that they extend around an outer surface of the condensation cavity as best shown in FIG. 5 when the end of the condensation cavity is received within the second housing fitting 104e, and in an example, secured by a threaded connection.

[0068] It is possible to form the second embodiment of the condensation cavity 101 and second housing 105 shown in FIGS. 3-5 as a two-inch ASE nozzle, but it is also possible to form a larger three-inch ASE nozzle having similar dimensional proportions. In that larger three-inch nozzle, a 12 millimeter air jet nozzle 103 is part of the first ejector, instead of an 8 millimeter air jet nozzle used in the two-inch ASE nozzle. The drawings of FIGS. 3-5 show the general configuration whether a two or three-inch ASE nozzle configuration is used.

[0069] Proportional dimensions between the two and three-inch nozzles may vary, but for the smaller two-inch ASE nozzle, the length of the condensation cavity 101 may be about 235 millimeters and have a diameter of about 58 millimeters diameter at both ends. One end is received within the coupling 104e of the second nozzle 104. That coupling 104e may be threaded and about 64 millimeters diameter to receive the threaded end of the condensation cavity 101. The second nozzle 104 may be about 252 millimeters long and the diameter at the rear end 104e having the suction holes 104d may be about 135 millimeters. The straight discharge 104b may have a diameter of about 90 millimeters and length of about 117 millimeters, leaving its tapered portion about 135 millimeters, and a cylinder wall thickness of about 5 millimeters. The air holes, i.e., air vents 104d as shown in FIG. 4, may be about 20 millimeters in diameter. The rear cone section 101a at the rear of that condensation cavity 101 as part of the first ejector structure may be about 77 by 58 millimeters and the front cone section 101b about 58 by 77 millimeters. The length of the air jet nozzle 103 may be about 78 millimeters as non-limiting examples.

[0070] Increased dimensions with similar proportions may be included for the three-inch ASE nozzle, which also includes 20 millimeter air holes as vents 104d. The second nozzle 104 may be about 370 millimeters long with the straight section 104b about 200 millimeters. The diameter of the straight discharge 104b may be about 113 millimeters with the cone-shaped larger diameter about 220 millimeters for that rear end 104c of the second nozzle as compared to 135 millimeters for the smaller two-inch version. The rear cone section 101a at the condensation cavity 101 may be about 89 by 170 millimeters in the larger three-inch version with the total length of that condensation cavity of about 344 millimeters and the straight section 104b being about 120 millimeters. The front cone section 101b near the air jet nozzle 103 may also be about 89 by 170 millimeters. The total length of the assembled condensation cavity 101 and second nozzle 105 as shown in FIG. 5 for the smaller two-inch ASE version may be about 414 millimeters, and for the longer three-inch version may be about 612 millimeters. These are non-limiting examples. This configuration as explained forms a more compact configuration.

[0071] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0025]Different embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. Many different forms can be set forth and described embodiments should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art.

[0026]In the description of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms “center,”“up,”“down,”“left,”“right,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“inside,”“outside” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, for the convenience of the describing this application and simplifying the description only, and it does not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientatio...

Claims

1. A steam special effect sprayer comprising:a condensation cavity and a steam pipe connected thereto to receive steam therefrom;a first ejector structure having an air jet nozzle within the condensation cavity configured to eject steam received into the condensation cavity as microdroplets; anda second ejector structure connected to the condensation cavity opposite the steam pipe and having a venturi tube and configured to expand the microdroplets in volume and eject the microdroplets to an external environment.

2. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 1, wherein the condensation cavity comprises a tube having opposing ends, said steam pipe connected to an end opposite the venturi tube.

3. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity, the air jet nozzle and throat of the venturi tube is 1:0.152:1.524.

4. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 1, wherein the air jet nozzle includes a first nozzle, a first air inlet end, and a first air outlet end; andwherein the first nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, the first air inlet end configured to connect to an external air supply device, and the first air outlet end faces the second ejector structure.

5. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 4, wherein the first nozzle comprises a linear cavity or a curved cavity.

6. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 4, wherein the second ejector structure includes a second nozzle formed as a cavity having front and rear ends, and a second air outlet at its front end and a second air inlet at its rear end and said second nozzle configured to form said venturi tube; andwherein the second air inlet is connected to the condensation cavity, and the second air outlet comprises a spray outlet.

7. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 6, wherein the second nozzle comprises a cone-shaped single-wall structure having a straight discharge.

8. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 6, wherein the air jet nozzle is positioned proximal to the second nozzle.

9. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 6, wherein the rear end of the second nozzle includes a plurality of suction holes.

10. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 9, wherein the plurality of suction holes are arranged in a circular configuration around an outer surface of the condensation cavity.

11. A steam special effect system comprising:a steam pipeline;an air supply pipeline;a steam generator connected to one end of the steam pipeline and a first ejector structure connected to the other end of the steam pipeline and configured to form microdroplets;wherein the steam pipeline is equipped with a safety valve, a drain valve, and a steam flow control valve; andan air source connected to one end of the air supply pipeline and wherein the first ejector structure is connected to the other end of the air supply line, and the air supply pipeline includes a pressure regulator and an airflow control valve.

12. The steam special effect system of claim 11, comprising a condensation cavity having opposing ends, one end connected to the steam pipeline to receive steam therefrom, said first ejector structure contained within the condensation cavity to form microdroplets therein.

13. The steam special effect system of claim 12, comprising a second ejector structure connected to the other end of the condensation cavity opposite the steam pipeline and configured to expand the microdroplets in volume and eject the microdroplets to an external environment.

14. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 12, wherein the first ejector structure includes an air jet nozzle having a first nozzle, a first air inlet end, and a first air outlet end; andwherein the first nozzle is arranged in the condensation cavity, the first air inlet end connected with an external air supply pipeline, and the first air outlet end faces the second ejector structure.

15. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 14, wherein the first nozzle comprises a linear cavity or a curved cavity.

16. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 13, wherein the second ejector structure includes a second nozzle formed as a cavity having front and rear ends, and a second air outlet at its front end and a second air inlet at its rear end and configured to form a venturi tube; andwherein the second air inlet is connected to the condensation cavity, and the second air outlet comprises a spray outlet.

17. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 16, wherein the second nozzle comprises a cone-shaped single-wall structure having a straight discharge.

18. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 16, wherein the air jet nozzle is positioned proximal to the second nozzle.

19. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 16, wherein the rear end of the second nozzle includes a plurality of suction holes.

20. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 19, wherein the plurality of suction holes are arranged in a circular configuration around an outer surface of the condensation cavity.

21. The steam special effect sprayer of claim 16, wherein the ratio of the inner diameters of the condensation cavity, the air jet nozzle, and throat of the venturi tube is 1:0.152:1.524.

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