IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,466,028
Granted Patent B2
US 12,466,028 · App. 17/856,934 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Damage tolerant cavitation nozzle

Inventors: Kandaudage Channa Ruwan De Silva (Madison, AL); Daniel Gordon Sanders (Cle Elum, WA); John K. Shimabukuro (Newcastle, WA); Hitoshi Soyama (Sendai, JP)
Assignees: The Boeing Company; Tohoku University
B24C5/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,466,028
App. No.
17/856,934
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cavitation nozzle is disclosed, including a plate, a hollow body, and a cap removably engaged with the hollow body and holding the plate against a distal end of the hollow body. The plate may have a central aperture and a distal surface, wherein the distal surface is bisected by a groove and the hollow body is configured to deliver high pressure fluid through the central aperture. The delivered high pressure fluid may be discharged as a cavitating jet.

Claims (31)

1 . A cavitation nozzle, comprising:

a plate having a distal face and a central aperture defining a fluid flow axis;

a hollow body configured to deliver high pressure fluid through the central aperture as a cavitating jet; and

a cap removably engaged with the hollow body, holding the plate against a distal end of the hollow body, wherein the cap has a slit bisecting a distal surface, exposing the central aperture of the plate,

wherein

the plate has a groove bisecting the distal face, the slit has a long axis, and the groove has a long axis perpendicular to the long axis of the slit.

2 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the central aperture has an hourglass-shaped cross-section along the fluid flow axis.

3 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the distal face of the plate forms an oblique angle relative to the fluid flow axis.

4 . A cavitation nozzle comprising:

a hollow body configured to deliver high-pressure fluid, the hollow body having a distal end;

a nozzle plate having a proximal face and a distal face, the proximal face secured against the distal end of the hollow body, the nozzle plate defining a central aperture extending between the proximal face and the distal face; and

a cap holding the nozzle plate against the distal end of the hollow body, wherein the cap has a slit bisecting a distal surface of the cap, wherein the nozzle plate has a groove bisecting the distal face of the nozzle plate, and wherein the groove has a long axis perpendicular to a long axis of the slit.

5 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the central aperture has an hourglass-shaped cross-section along the fluid flow axis.

6 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the distal face of the nozzle plate forms an oblique angle relative to the fluid flow.

7 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle plate includes a reinforced insert surrounding the central aperture.

8 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle plate is substantially planar.

9 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle plate has a substantially uniform thickness between the proximal face and distal face.

10 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle plate has substantially parallel proximal and distal faces.

11 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the distal face of the nozzle plate includes a linear groove bisecting the distal face.

12 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 11 , wherein the linear groove extends completely across the nozzle plate, from one edge to an opposite edge.

13 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle plate comprises a thickness dimension smaller than a radius of the nozzle plate.

14 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 8 , wherein proximate surface of the cap contacts the distal surface of the nozzle plate.

15 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle plate comprises diamond crystal material.

16 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle plate comprises cubic boron nitride, boron carbon nitride, metal boride, or nanostructured fullerene.

17 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the groove is curved.

18 . A cavitation nozzle comprising:

a hollow body configured to deliver high-pressure fluid, the hollow body having a distal end;

a nozzle plate having a proximal face and a distal face, the proximal face secured against the distal end of the hollow body, the nozzle plate defining a central aperture extending between the proximal face and the distal face; and

a cap holding the nozzle plate against the distal end of the hollow body, wherein the cap has a slit bisecting a distal surface of the cap, wherein the central aperture has an elongate opening, and wherein the central aperture has a long axis perpendicular to a long axis of the slit.

19 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 18 , wherein the nozzle plate has a groove bisecting the distal face of the nozzle plate, and wherein the groove has a long axis perpendicular to a long axis of the slit.

20 . The cavitation nozzle of claim 18 , wherein the elongate opening of the central aperture has an hour-glass shape comprising a symmetrically curved constriction and expansion along its long axis.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2022
From: DE SILVA, KANDAUDAGE CHANNA RUWAN; SANDERS, DANIEL GORDON; SHIMABUKURO, JOHN K.
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 060393/0048 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2022
From: SOYAMA, HITOSHI
To: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 060393/0052 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240001509A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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