Microfluidic Oscillator Nozzle for Wide Spray With Less Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower heads and faucet spray heads consume a large amount of water while attempting to deliver water efficiently to a specified area, and they often fail to provide a pleasant shower experience with effective cleaning and rinsing, as well as non-stinging spray.
Innovation Solution
The development of 3D and 2D microfluidic oscillator nozzles with a nozzle body featuring an exterior and interior surface defining a three-dimensional space, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet, where the three-dimensional space is in flow communication with the inlet and outlet, and includes intersecting fluid interaction regions and feedback flow paths, which are designed to provide efficient water distribution and oscillating spray patterns, reducing water consumption while maintaining a pleasant experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a large number of nozzles are employed to deliver water to a specified area, then the water coverage area is improved, but the water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle employs dynamic oscillation of the fluid stream to expand water coverage area. The fluidic oscillator generates alternating jet directions that dynamically sweep across the target area, allowing a single nozzle to cover the same area that would traditionally require multiple static nozzles, thereby reducing water consumption while maintaining coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes periodic oscillation of the fluid jet at controlled frequencies to achieve widespread coverage. The periodic switching between different jet directions creates a sweeping pattern that covers a larger area over time, replacing the need for multiple simultaneous nozzles and reducing overall water usage.
2Device complexity
If conventional nozzle designs are used to provide shower experience, then the structure is simple, but the cleaning and rinsing effect is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fluidic oscillator creates dynamic fluid patterns with alternating jet directions and varying flow characteristics. This dynamic action enhances the cleaning and rinsing effect by continuously changing the impingement points and angles on the user's body, providing more effective coverage compared to static conventional nozzles, while the device itself remains relatively simple in structure.
3Productivity
If high water flow is used to provide effective rinsing, then the rinsing effect is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillating jet delivers concentrated water flow dynamically across different areas, maintaining high rinsing effectiveness through focused alternating streams rather than dispersed continuous flow. This dynamic concentration of water delivery achieves effective rinsing with less total water consumption compared to conventional high-flow designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic oscillation concentrates water delivery into alternating pulses that systematically cover different areas over time. This periodic action ensures thorough rinsing coverage while using less water overall, as the same water volume is redistributed across multiple target areas through temporal sequencing rather than requiring simultaneous high-volume delivery to all areas.
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
The microfluidic oscillator nozzles enable water-saving shower heads and faucet spray heads that effectively deliver water to a specified area, providing a pleasant shower experience with improved cleaning and rinsing effects while minimizing water usage and reducing splashing.
Implementation Method 1
the three-dimensional space comprises a first fluid interaction region fluidly coupled to a first pair of feedback flow paths, and a second fluid interaction region fluidly coupled to a second pair of feedback flow paths
Data Source
AI summary
A microfluidic oscillator nozzle, comprising a nozzle body comprising an exterior surface; an interior surface defining a three-dimensional space therein; a fluid inlet; and a fluid outlet, wherein the three-dimensional space, the fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet are inflow communication, the three-dimensional space comprises a first fluid interaction region fluidly coupled to a first pair of feedback flow paths, and wherein a largest nozzle dimension is less than about 20.0 mm.