Abrasive Slurry Blasting System with Pneumatic Acceleration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for blasting large objects, especially those made of stainless steel, face challenges in maintaining a constant high abrasive concentration and preventing abrasive settlement, which can lead to system clogging and inconsistent surface quality, particularly when using insoluble abrasive materials and high-pressure water jets that cause wear and damage to pumps.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a blasting medium comprising a mixture of a transport liquid and an abrasive material not soluble in the liquid, with a high concentration of abrasive material (preferably 70-90%) and pressurized air to accelerate the blasting fluid, incorporating a circulation and homogenization mechanism to maintain a homogeneous abrasive concentration and prevent settling, using a network of pumps and collection reservoirs to ensure consistent supply and storage of the blasting fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If high-pressure water jets are used to accelerate the blasting fluid, then the blasting force is improved, but the pumps suffer from wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical water jet acceleration system with a pneumatic system. Compressed air is used to accelerate the blasting fluid through a nozzle, eliminating the need for high-pressure water pumps that suffer from abrasive wear. This substitution of mechanical propulsion with pneumatic propulsion resolves the contradiction between achieving high blasting force and maintaining pump reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs compressed air (pneumatics) to accelerate the blasting fluid instead of using high-pressure water jets (hydraulics). The pneumatic system introduces air through an air inlet into the blasting fluid in the storage reservoir, creating a two-phase flow that is accelerated through a nozzle. This pneumatic approach provides the necessary blasting force without the mechanical wear problems associated with hydraulic pump systems handling abrasive slurries.
2Quantity of substance
If insoluble abrasive material is used in high concentration, then the abrasive effect is improved, but the abrasive settles causing system clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic agitation mechanisms to keep the high-concentration insoluble abrasive material suspended in the blasting fluid. A stirrer or agitator is installed in the storage reservoir to continuously mix the slurry, preventing sedimentation. This dynamic approach maintains the high abrasive concentration needed for effective blasting while preventing settling that would cause clogging and system failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs vibration or pulsation mechanisms to prevent abrasive settlement in the storage reservoir. A vibratory element or pulsating flow system keeps the dense abrasive particles in constant motion, preventing them from settling at the bottom of the reservoir. This mechanical vibration approach maintains homogeneous high-concentration slurry without clogging the supply lines to the blasting nozzle.
3Adaptability or versatility
If large objects are blasted, then the applicability is improved, but maintaining homogeneous abrasive concentration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the storage reservoir into multiple zones or compartments, each equipped with its own agitation or circulation system. This segmentation allows independent control of abrasive distribution in different regions, ensuring homogeneous concentration throughout the entire reservoir even when treating large objects. The segmented approach prevents localized settling and maintains consistent blasting performance across the entire surface of large workpieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous circulation and agitation systems that operate throughout the entire blasting process. Pumps continuously circulate the blasting fluid from the reservoir through the blasting nozzle and back, while agitators continuously mix the slurry. This continuous action prevents any interruption in homogeneous abrasive distribution, ensuring consistent blasting quality across large objects regardless of treatment duration or reservoir size.
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 system achieves reliable and consistent high-quality blasting of large objects with a controlled surface roughness, preventing abrasive settlement and clogging, while maintaining a high abrasive concentration, ensuring both aesthetic and technical surface requirements are met, and effectively handling large objects with a balance between cleanliness and smoothness.
Implementation Method 1
air or any other gas or gas mixture under high pressure is supplied to the blasting head via a gas inlet, which gas is combined with the blasting fluid thus constituting the blasting medium which is squirted with force to the object
Implementation Method 2
system for blasting objects, via at least one blasting head, with a blasting medium which is constituted by a blasting fluid, comprising a mixture of a transport liquid, e.g. water, and an abrasive material
Implementation Method 3
the blasting medium which is squirted with force to the object
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
System and method for blasting, via a blasting head (2), objects with a blasting medium that includes a blasting liquid comprising a mixture of water and a not soluble abrasive material, which blasting liquid is supplied to the blasting head. Furthermore compressed air is supplied to the blasting head, which is combined there with the blasting liquid, constituting together the blasting medium, which is squirted with force to the object to be blasted. The blasting liquid is collected via collecting means and stored in storage means. The collecting means comprise a collecting floor (3) and a collection reservoir (5). A first pumping circuit (PS1) pumps the blasting liquid to the storage reservoir (6); a second pumping circuit (PS2) pumps the blasting liquid to the blasting head. Further pumping circuits (PS3, PS4, PS5) provide circulating and/or keeping in motion the blasting liquid, causing that it keeps a homogeneous constitution with a constant abrasive concentration at all relevant locations of the system, thus assuring that a high and constant blasting quality and reliable operation of the system can be guaranteed.