Reverse Mushroom Fluidic Nozzle for Uniform Cold Spray
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluidic nozzles fail to perform effectively at low flow rates and in small-scale applications, particularly at cold temperatures with high viscosity fluids, leading to unstable spray profiles and excessive fluid waste.
Innovation Solution
A reverse mushroom-shaped fluidic nozzle insert with a compact design, featuring a fluidic oscillator geometry, a dome-shaped interaction region, and a manifold that does not share perimeter walls with the interaction region, along with power nozzles and feeds arranged to optimize fluid flow and distribution, ensuring stable and uniform spray patterns even at low temperatures and high viscosity conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fluidic nozzle designs are used, then the nozzle structure is simple, but the spray profile becomes unstable and spray fan collapses at low flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is divided into distinct functional regions: a manifold region for fluid distribution, a transition region with curved bottom walls, and an interaction region with power nozzles. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently for its specific function, maintaining spray stability at low flow rates while managing geometric complexity through functional zonation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the nozzle are given different geometric properties: the manifold region has a specific shape for fluid reception, the transition region has curved bottom walls to guide flow, and the interaction region has power nozzles oriented toward the side wall. This local differentiation of geometric qualities enables the nozzle to maintain stable spray profiles at low flow rates by optimizing each region's contribution to overall flow control.
2Reliability
If the manifold shares a wall with the interaction region, then the device complexity is reduced, but the spray performance deteriorates at low temperatures with high viscosity fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is extracted and positioned opposite the interaction region, separated by the curved bottom walls of the transition region. This spatial separation allows the manifold to be optimized for fluid reception while the interaction region is optimized for spray generation, enabling reliable performance with high viscosity fluids at cold temperatures without excessive structural complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the feed lines are oriented toward the center of the chip, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the spray distribution becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The power nozzles are oriented toward the side wall of the chip rather than the center, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetric arrangement of feed lines and power nozzles produces uniform spray distribution across the spray fan, achieving high manufacturing precision in spray pattern while the feed line configuration remains relatively simple to manufacture.
4Volume of moving object
If the nozzle is scaled down for small scale applications, then the device size is reduced, but the spray fan collapses and performance becomes non-functional
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle design incorporates specific dimensional relationships between components: the interaction region width is about 3 mm and length is about 2.2 mm, with power nozzles positioned at specific locations. These dimensional specifications maintain the spray fan structure in small-scale applications by ensuring adequate spacing and orientation of flow elements, preventing collapse while keeping the overall nozzle volume small for compact applications.
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 solution provides a compact, efficient, and uniform fluid distribution, maintaining performance across a range of flow rates and temperatures, preventing spray instability and fluid waste, and ensuring effective cleaning in small-scale applications.
Implementation Method 1
a fluidic oscillator geometry having an interaction region
Implementation Method 2
to distribute a oscillating fluid fan spray
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a compact sized low flow rate fluidic nozzle insert. The fluidic nozzle insert may include a fluidic oscillator chip on a front face having a flat-top interaction region, and a manifold on a back face, located opposite the front face, to house fluid. The fluidic nozzle insert may further include at least one feed having a u-shape connecting the front face and back face for the transport of fluid from the manifold, at least one power nozzle oriented toward the front face for directing fluid from the at least one feed to the interaction region of the fluidic oscillator chip, and a v-shaped outlet at the bottom of the interaction region defined by two flat walls for the passage of fluid from the interaction region to the outside of the fluidic nozzle insert in a fan pattern. The produced spray fan pattern may be uniform and fluid nozzle may work well with high viscosity fluids.