Abrasive fluid jet with recycling system for abrasives and methods of use of same

1 . A method of operating an abrasive fluid jet system, the method comprising:

providing a first plurality of abrasive particles that collectively have an initial weight;

adding the first plurality of abrasive particles into a fluid jet to form an abrasive fluid jet;

processing a workpiece with the abrasive fluid jet;

capturing the first plurality of abrasive particles within a container;

removing the first plurality of abrasive particles from the container;

combining a second plurality of abrasive particles with the first plurality of abrasive particles to form a combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles, wherein the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles has a weight substantially equal to the initial weight;

adjusting one or more operating parameters of the abrasive fluid jet system to compensate for a change in cutting power of the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles compared to the first plurality of abrasive particles prior to their addition to the fluid jet; and

adding the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles into the fluid jet to form the abrasive fluid jet.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the container encloses a volume of fluid, the method further comprising:

drying the first plurality of abrasive particles after the first plurality of abrasive particles are removed from the container and before combining the second plurality of abrasive particles with the first plurality of abrasive particles.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

weighing the first plurality of abrasive particles after removing the first plurality of abrasive particles from the container and before combining the second plurality of abrasive particles with the first plurality of abrasive particles.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to combining the second plurality of abrasive particles with the first plurality of abrasive particles to form the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles, removing a portion of the first plurality of abrasive particles from a remainder of the first plurality of abrasive particles, wherein the first plurality of abrasive particles of the portion are below a predetermined size.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined size is a threshold below which a cutting power of the first plurality of abrasive particles is negligible.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles within the container; and

removing the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles from the container.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the fluid jet with a cutting head of the abrasive fluid jet system; and

generating the abrasive fluid jet with the cutting head of the abrasive fluid jet system.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of abrasive particles are a same material as the second plurality of abrasive particles.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

after removing the first plurality of abrasive particles from the container, the first plurality of abrasive particles have a first average size; and

prior to combining the second plurality of abrasive particles with the first plurality of abrasive particles, the second plurality of abrasive particles have a second average size, and the second average size is greater than the first average size.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein:

prior to adding the first plurality of abrasive particles into the fluid jet, the first plurality of abrasive particles have a third average size that is equal to the second average size.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

the one or more operating parameters include: a fluid pressure that forms the fluid jet and the abrasive fluid jet, cutting speed at which the fluid jet and the abrasive fluid jet translate relative to the workpiece, and flow rate at which the first plurality of abrasive particles are added into the fluid jet and at which the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles are added into the abrasive fluid jet; and

adjusting the one or more operating parameters of the abrasive fluid jet system includes: increasing the fluid pressure that forms the abrasive fluid jet compared to the fluid jet, decreasing the cutting speed at which the abrasive fluid jet translates compared to the cutting speed of the fluid jet, increasing the flow rate of the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles compared to the flow rate of the first plurality of abrasive particles, or any combination thereof.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:

adjusting the one or more operating parameters of the abrasive fluid jet system while continuously: 1) adding the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles into the abrasive fluid jet, and 2) processing the workpiece with the abrasive fluid jet.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

the one or more operating parameters include: an orifice size through which a fluid passes to generate the abrasive fluid jet, a mixing tube diameter through which the abrasive fluid jet passes, and a length of the mixing tube.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after adding the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles into the fluid jet to form the abrasive fluid jet, combining a third plurality of abrasive particles with the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles to form a combination of first, second, and third pluralities of abrasive particles, wherein the combination of first, second, and third pluralities of abrasive particles has a weight substantially equal to the initial weight;

adjusting the one or more operating parameters of the abrasive fluid jet system to compensate for a reduction in cutting power of the combination of first, second, and third pluralities of abrasive particles compared to the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles prior to their addition to the fluid jet; and

adding the combination of first, second, and third pluralities of abrasive particles into the fluid jet to form a second abrasive fluid jet.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing a batch of abrasive particles from the container, wherein the batch includes an amount of the first plurality of abrasive particles, an amount of abrasive particles made of a first material, and an amount of abrasive particles made of a second material, wherein the first material is different from the second material; and

prior to combining the first plurality of abrasive particles with the second plurality of abrasive particles to form the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles, separating the amount of abrasive particles made from the first material from the amount of abrasive particles made from the second material.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing a batch of abrasive particles from the container, wherein the batch includes an amount of the first plurality of abrasive particles, an amount of abrasive particles made of a first material, and an amount of abrasive particles made of a second material, wherein the first material is different from the second material; and

prior to combining the first plurality of abrasive particles with the second plurality of abrasive particles to form the combination of first and second pluralities of abrasive particles, blending the amount of abrasive particles made from the first material with the amount of abrasive particles made from the second material to form the second plurality of abrasive particles.