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Title: Centrifugal accelerator, system and method for removing unwanted layers from a surface

Abstract

A cryoblasting process having a centrifugal accelerator for accelerating frozen pellets of argon or carbon dioxide toward a target area utilizes an accelerator throw wheel designed to induce, during operation, the creation of a low-friction gas bearing within internal passages of the wheel which would otherwise retard acceleration of the pellets as they move through the passages. An associated system and method for removing paint from a surface with cryoblasting techniques involves the treating, such as a preheating, of the painted surface to soften the paint prior to the impacting of frozen pellets thereagainst to increase the rate of paint removal. A system and method for producing large quantities of frozen pellets from a liquid material, such as liquid argon or carbon dioxide, for use in a cryoblasting process utilizes a chamber into which the liquid material is introduced in the form of a jet which disintegrates into droplets. A non-condensible gas, such as inert helium or air, is injected into the chamber at a controlled rate so that the droplets freeze into bodies of relatively high density.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Clinton, TN
  2. Heiskell, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870189
Patent Number(s):
5472369
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B08 - CLEANING B08B - CLEANING IN GENERAL
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B24 - GRINDING B24C - ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
centrifugal; accelerator; method; removing; unwanted; layers; surface; cryoblasting; process; accelerating; frozen; pellets; argon; carbon; dioxide; target; utilizes; throw; wheel; designed; induce; operation; creation; low-friction; gas; bearing; internal; passages; otherwise; retard; acceleration; move; associated; paint; techniques; involves; treating; preheating; painted; soften; prior; impacting; thereagainst; increase; rate; removal; producing; quantities; liquid; material; chamber; introduced; form; jet; disintegrates; droplets; non-condensible; inert; helium; air; injected; controlled; freeze; bodies; relatively; density; cryoblasting process; frozen pellets; controlled rate; process utilizes; liquid material; carbon dioxide; centrifugal accelerator; liquid argon; removing unwanted; wheel designed; inert helium; throw wheel; internal passage; accelerating frozen; accelerator throw; /451/134/

Citation Formats

Foster, Christopher A, and Fisher, Paul W. Centrifugal accelerator, system and method for removing unwanted layers from a surface. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Foster, Christopher A, & Fisher, Paul W. Centrifugal accelerator, system and method for removing unwanted layers from a surface. United States.
Foster, Christopher A, and Fisher, Paul W. Sun . "Centrifugal accelerator, system and method for removing unwanted layers from a surface". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870189.
@article{osti_870189,
title = {Centrifugal accelerator, system and method for removing unwanted layers from a surface},
author = {Foster, Christopher A and Fisher, Paul W},
abstractNote = {A cryoblasting process having a centrifugal accelerator for accelerating frozen pellets of argon or carbon dioxide toward a target area utilizes an accelerator throw wheel designed to induce, during operation, the creation of a low-friction gas bearing within internal passages of the wheel which would otherwise retard acceleration of the pellets as they move through the passages. An associated system and method for removing paint from a surface with cryoblasting techniques involves the treating, such as a preheating, of the painted surface to soften the paint prior to the impacting of frozen pellets thereagainst to increase the rate of paint removal. A system and method for producing large quantities of frozen pellets from a liquid material, such as liquid argon or carbon dioxide, for use in a cryoblasting process utilizes a chamber into which the liquid material is introduced in the form of a jet which disintegrates into droplets. A non-condensible gas, such as inert helium or air, is injected into the chamber at a controlled rate so that the droplets freeze into bodies of relatively high density.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1995},
month = {1}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Source of Uniformā€Sized Liquid Droplets
journal, October 1964


Apparatus for producing uniform solid spheres of hydrogen
journal, June 1977