Laminar Flow Water Jet Wave Segmentation and Additive Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies fail to selectively interrupt laminarity in laminar water jets without significant disruption, allow for discrete columnarization or segmentation, or provide enhanced illumination with additive drips that maintain the laminar flow's surface structure.

Innovation Solution

A controller and apparatus that introduce a controlled additive flood pulse or energetic wave into the laminar flow water jet to segment the tube, enhance illumination, and maintain the laminar flow's surface integrity by absorbing additives and air through capillary action, creating perturbations within the jet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a mechanical diversion or rotating wheel is used to interrupt the laminar flow, then columnarization or controlled interruption is achieved, but the flow jet is diverted or disrupted and the tube is broken up

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled interruption capabilityVSAvoidflow jet integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary substance (additive, dye, or particle) that is introduced into the laminar flow to create the interruption effect. This intermediary acts as a mediator that allows controlled segmentation without mechanically diverting or breaking the main flow jet, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving columnarization and maintaining flow integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical interruption methods (diverters, rotating wheels) with a non-mechanical approach using additive introduction. Instead of physically blocking or diverting the flow with mechanical components, the system uses chemical or physical additives to create the interruption effect, eliminating the mechanical disruption of the jet

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Illumination intensity

If additive is dripped into the cup to create perturbations, then illumination enhancement is achieved, but the laminar flow surface structure may be disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight reflection enhancementVSAvoidlaminar flow surface integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the parameters of additive introduction (rate, amount, type) to create the desired illumination effect without disrupting surface integrity. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves enhanced light reflection while maintaining the laminar flow's surface structure, resolving the contradiction between illumination enhancement and surface stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses partial action by introducing additive in controlled, limited amounts rather than excessive quantities. This partial introduction is sufficient to create the illumination enhancement effect through light reflection while avoiding excessive disruption to the laminar flow surface structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables selective interruption of laminarity for discrete segmentation and columnarization, provides enhanced illumination with varied light effects, and maintains the laminar flow's surface structure, offering a compact and cost-effective solution for water features with dynamic display features.

Implementation Method 1

absorbing additives and air through capillary action, creating perturbations within the jet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

introduce a controlled additive flood pulse or energetic wave into the laminar flow water jet to segment the tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWave propagation:

Implementation Method 3

The water tension of the flow issuing forth provides the tubular shape. The water tension forms an outer jacket around the laminar flow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS8763925B2Laminar flow water jet with wave segmentation, additive, and controller

Publication Date: 2014.07.01 PENTAIR WATER POOL & SPA INC

AI summary

A laminar flow water jet system has a housing with a water channel, the housing creating a laminar flow in the water channel from the water flowing through the housing. A lighting element is provided with a controller. The laminar flow passes through at least one jetting element having a cup portion and a nozzle portion and jetting a laminar flow tube from the laminar flow passing through the water channel in the housing at the base portion. The laminar flow tube is ejected from the nozzle as a laminar flow jet having a smoothed tubular surface jacket and being lit by the lighting element. An additive source drips additive into the cup portion at a rate controlled by the controller, the additive being absorbed by capillary action by the laminar flow tube as it is passed through the nozzle to become the laminar flow jet. The absorption process drawing in air from the surrounding atmosphere and creating perturbations or bubbles within the laminar flow tube. In a further mode either an energetic pulse or an additive wave formed by increasing the volume of additive in the cup portion of the jetting element creates a wave perturbation or interruption throughout the laminar flow tube creating a variation in the laminar flow tube and the smoothed tubular surface jacket of the resulting laminar flow jet.