Cavitation Chamber Degassing System

Abstract

A system and method for degassing a cavitation fluid is provided. The cavitation system of the invention includes a cavitation chamber with one or more cavitation drivers and a degassing system coupled to the chamber. One or more heaters, such as resistive heaters, are coupled to an external surface of the cavitation chamber such that heat from the heaters is transmitted through the wall of the cavitation chamber and into localized regions of the cavitation fluid contained within the cavitation chamber. The heater or heaters increase the temperature of the localized regions of the cavitation fluid to a temperature above the boiling temperature of the cavitation fluid, thereby creating vapor bubbles which capture gas trapped within the cavitation fluid through a rectified diffusion process. A cavitation fluid cooler can be used to insure that the average temperature of the cavitation fluid is below that of the boiling temperature.

1 . A cavitation system comprising:
 a cavitation chamber;   a cavitation fluid within said cavitation chamber, said cavitation fluid having a boiling temperature;   at least one cavitation driver coupled to said cavitation chamber;   degassing means coupled to said cavitation chamber; and   at least one heater coupled to an external surface of said cavitation chamber,   wherein during cavitation system degassing said at least one heater heats at least one region within said cavitation chamber to a temperature above said boiling temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said external surface of said cavitation chamber includes at least one recess, and wherein said at least one heater is mounted within said at least one recess. 
     
     
         3 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one heater is a resistive heater. 
     
     
         4 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said external surface of said cavitation chamber is the lowermost surface of said cavitation chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein said degassing means further comprises a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         6 . A cavitation system comprising:
 a cavitation chamber;   a cavitation fluid within said cavitation chamber, said cavitation fluid having a boiling temperature;   at least one cavitation driver coupled to said cavitation chamber;   degassing means coupled to said cavitation chamber;   a cooler thermally coupled to said cavitation chamber, wherein during cavitation system degassing said cooler maintains said cavitation fluid at an average temperature below said boiling temperature; and   at least one heater coupled to an external surface of said cavitation chamber,   wherein during cavitation system degassing said at least one heater heats at least one region within said cavitation chamber to a temperature above said boiling temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said external surface of said cavitation chamber includes at least one recess, and wherein said at least one heater is mounted within said at least one recess. 
     
     
         8 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one heater is a resistive heater. 
     
     
         9 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said external surface of said cavitation chamber is the lowermost surface of said cavitation chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said cooler at least partially surrounds said cavitation chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The cavitation system of  claim 10 , wherein said cooler further comprises a cooling chamber coupled to a refrigeration system, wherein said cavitation chamber is enclosed within said cooling chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The cavitation system of  claim 10 , wherein said cooler further comprises at least one cooling coil wrapped around said cavitation chamber, said at least one cooling coil coupled to a refrigeration system. 
     
     
         13 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said external surface of said cavitation chamber includes at least one recess, and wherein said cooler is thermally coupled to said at least one recess. 
     
     
         14 . The cavitation system of  claim 6 , wherein said degassing means further comprises a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         15 - 24 . (canceled)