Degassing system for a cavitation chamber

Abstract

A method and apparatus for degassing the cavitation medium contained within a cavitation chamber is provided. The cavitation medium is pumped through the cavitation chamber through a pair of chamber inlets and an external conduit connecting the two inlets. The external conduit is coupled to a second chamber. The second chamber is a degassing chamber and is coupled to a vacuum pump. The cavitation medium can be continuously or intermittently circulated through the degassing system during chamber operation. The vacuum pump coupled to the degassing system can operate continuously or intermittently during system degassing. The cavitation medium circulation system can include a filter, preferably for removing contaminants that could disrupt the cavitation process.

1 . A cavitation system comprising: 
 a cavitation chamber;    a cavitation medium contained within said cavitation chamber;    means for cavitating said cavitation medium contained within said cavitation chamber, said cavitating means coupled to said cavitation chamber;    an inlet passing through a cavitation chamber wall of said cavitation chamber, wherein said cavitation medium passes through said inlet;    an outlet passing through said cavitation chamber wall, wherein said cavitation medium passes through said outlet;    a conduit coupling said inlet and said outlet;    a degassing chamber coupled to said conduit, wherein said cavitation medium passes through said degassing chamber;    a vacuum pump coupled to said degassing chamber; and    at least one pump coupled to said conduit, wherein said at least one pump circulates said cavitation medium through said cavitation chamber, said conduit and said degassing chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said cavitation chamber is filled with said cavitation medium during operation of said cavitation chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pump operates intermittently during operation of said cavitation chamber.  
   
   
       4 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pump operates continually during operation of said cavitation chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said cavitating means is comprised of at least one acoustic driver.  
   
   
       6 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter coupled to said conduit.  
   
   
       7 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one pump circulates said cavitation medium through said cavitation chamber, said conduit and said degassing chamber continually during operation of said cavitation chamber.  
   
   
       8 . A method of degassing a cavitation chamber, the method comprising the steps of: 
 pumping a cavitation medium through said cavitation chamber, wherein said cavitation medium passes into said cavitation chamber through an inlet and out of said cavitation chamber through an outlet;    continually circulating said cavitation medium through an external degassing chamber during operation of said cavitation chamber;    coupling a vacuum pump to said external degassing chamber;    evacuating said external degassing chamber before operation of said cavitation chamber; and    evacuating said external degassing chamber during operation of said cavitation chamber.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of evacuating said external degassing chamber during operation of said cavitation chamber is performed continually.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of evacuating said external degassing chamber during operation of said cavitation chamber is performed intermittently.