Shridhar Gopalan

US Patent:

7357565, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Dec 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/015881

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Shawn Martin - Annapolis MD, US
Alan S. Romack - Columbia MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B01F 3/04
B01F 15/02
F02M 47/02
F02M 59/00
F02M 39/00
F02C 1/00

US Classification:

3661632, 3661741, 239 88, 2395332, 2395333

Abstract:

An improved injector which mixes a secondary fluid into a carrier fluid stream has (a) a body for directing the flow of the carrier fluid, this body having an internal wall forming a flow passage therethrough, a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a port for receiving the secondary fluid that is mixed with the carrier fluid, (b) a ramp-like restriction portion which is located downstream of the body's inlet and upstream of the secondary fluid port and configured so as to decrease the effective cross-sectional area of the flow passage in the direction of the flow of the carrier fluid, (c) a ramp-like expansion portion which is located downstream of the secondary fluid port and upstream of the body's outlet and configured so as to increase the effective cross-sectional area of the flow passage in the direction of the flow of the carrier fluid, (d) a throat portion which is situated between the restriction and expansion portions, and (e) a cavity in the throat that extends from its internal wall and into the body, with the port entering the flow passage at a location in the throat cavity, and wherein this cavity is configured so to promote a vortical flow of the secondary fluid in the cavity.

US Patent:

7472848, Jan 6, 2009

Filed:

Sep 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/900116

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Gregory Russell - Catonsville MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 1/08
B05B 17/04
F15C 1/08

US Classification:

2395891, 239 11, 239101, 239DIG 3, 137826

Abstract:

A fluidic oscillator suitable for use at colder temperatures for generating an exhaust flow in the form of an oscillating spray of fluid droplets has an inlet for pressurized fluid, a pair of power nozzles configured to accelerate the movement of the pressurized fluid, a fluid pathway that connects and allows for the flow of pressurized fluid between its inlet and the power nozzles, an interaction chamber which is attached to the nozzles and receives the flow from the nozzles, a fluid outlet from which the spray exhausts from the interaction chamber, and, at each power nozzle, a step in the height elevation of the floor of the power nozzle with respect to that of the interaction chamber for increasing the instability of the flow from the power nozzles.

US Patent:

7478764, Jan 20, 2009

Filed:

Sep 20, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/230948

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 17/04

US Classification:

239 11, 2395891, 239589, 239DIG 3, 239DIG 7, 137813, 137826

Abstract:

An improved fluidic insert, that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through the insert to generate a jet of liquid that flows from said insert and into the surrounding gaseous environment to form a spray of liquid droplets, includes: (a) a member having top, front and rear outer surfaces, (b) a fluidic circuit located within this top surface and having an inlet, an outlet and a channel whose floor and sidewalls connect the inlet and outlet, and a barrier located proximate the outlet that rises from the channel floor and is configured such that: (i) it divides the channel in the region of the barrier into what are herein denoted as two power nozzles, and (ii) each of these nozzles has a downstream portion that is configured so as to cause the liquid flowing from the nozzles to generate flow vortices behind the barrier that are swept out of the outlet in such a manner as to control the lateral rate of spread of liquid droplets from the insert.

US Patent:

7651036, Jan 26, 2010

Filed:

Oct 19, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/968749

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 17/04

US Classification:

239 11, 2395891, 239589, 239DIG 3, 137811, 137826

Abstract:

A fluidic oscillator suitable for use at colder temperatures for utilizing a pressurized liquid to generate a uniform spatial distribution of droplets has (a) an inlet for the pressurized liquid, (b) a set of three power nozzles that are fed by the pressurized liquid, (c) an interaction chamber attached to the nozzles and which receives the flow from the nozzles, wherein this chamber has an upstream and a downstream portion, with the upstream portion having a pair of boundary edges and a longitudinal centerline that is approximately equally spaced between the edges, and wherein one of the power nozzles is directed along the chamber's longitudinal centerline, (d) a throat from which the liquid exhausts from the interaction chamber, and (e) an island located in the interaction chamber, with this island being situated downstream of the power nozzle that is directed along the chamber's longitudinal centerline. In a preferred embodiment, this oscillator is further configured such that: (i) one of the power nozzles is located proximate each of the chamber's boundary edges, (ii) its nozzles are configured to accelerate the movement of the liquid that flows through the nozzles, (iii) its throat has right and left sidewalls that diverge downstream, and (iv) the power nozzles and island are oriented and scaled such as to generate flow vortices behind the island that are swept out of the throat in a manner such that these vortices flow alternately proximate the throat's right sidewall and then its left sidewall.

US Patent:

7775456, Aug 17, 2010

Filed:

Jun 18, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/820044

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Gregory Russell - Catonsville MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 17/04

US Classification:

239 11, 2395891, 2392841, 137809, 137812

Abstract:

A fluidic device, that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it to generate an oscillating spray having desired three-dimensional flow characteristics, includes a member that has fabricated within it at least two liquid flow channels that are configured in the form of a fluidic circuit having an inlet and an outlet and a centerline therebetween. These flow channels are further configured so that the straight line projections of their centerlines, that extend from their outlets, intersect at a prescribed intersection angle, Θ, and the outlets are separated by a characteristic separation distance, “w. ” We have found that the values of the intersection angle, Θ, and separation distance, “w,” can be are chosen so as to yield the desired three-dimensional flow characteristics of the spray.

US Patent:

8172162, May 8, 2012

Filed:

Mar 3, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/380880

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Gregory Russell - Catonsville MD, US
Daniel Eugene Steerman - Harpers Ferry WV, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corp. - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 1/08
B05B 1/10
B05B 1/02

US Classification:

2395891, 2392841

Abstract:

An improved fluidic oscillator, that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through the oscillator to generate a liquid jet that flows into the surrounding gaseous environment to form of an oscillating spray of liquid droplets, includes: a member into which is fabricated a two-portion, flow channel, with its first portion configured so as to create the flow phenomena in the member that yields the spray's oscillating nature, and its second portion includes a splitter that is used to divide the jet into component sprays whose centerlines assume a specified yaw or pitch angle relative to the centerline of the oscillator.

US Patent:

8348606, Jan 8, 2013

Filed:

Jun 9, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/481357

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Alan Romack - Columbia MD, US
Chunling Zhao - Laurel MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corp. - Columbia MD

International Classification:

F04D 29/00

US Classification:

415206, 416175, 416198 R, 416243, 4174233, 4174239, 41742312, 41742314, 4174241

Abstract:

An enhanced pump assembly includes an impeller and volute casing designed to provide high operating pressures (“P”) and flow rates (“Q”) with low energy usage. The impeller has a central shaft carrying radially projecting curved primary vanes, and each primary vane also has a twist in the radial direction. Secondary impeller vanes define triangular connecting fillet-like wall segments connecting each primary vane to the impeller shaft. The casing of the pump has a slight spiral deviation so that the pump chamber's radial sidewall flares away from the swept area of the impeller's vanes to define a fluid outlet that contributes to higher P-Q performance, especially when pumping colder fluids.

US Patent:

7267290, Sep 11, 2007

Filed:

Nov 1, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/979032

Inventors:

Shridhar Gopalan - Westminster MD, US
Gregory Russell - Baltimore MD, US

Assignee:

Bowles Fluidics Corporation - Columbia MD

International Classification:

B05B 1/08
B05B 17/04
F15C 1/08

US Classification:

2395891, 239 11, 239101, 239DIG 3, 137826

Abstract:

A fluidic oscillator suitable for use at colder temperatures for generating an exhaust flow in the form of an oscillating spray of fluid droplets has an inlet for pressurized fluid, a pair of power nozzles configured to accelerate the movement of the pressurized fluid, a fluid pathway that connects and allows for the flow of pressurized fluid between its inlet and the power nozzles, an interaction chamber which is attached to the nozzles and receives the flow from the nozzles, a fluid outlet from which the spray exhausts from the interaction chamber, and a means for increasing the instability of the flow from the power nozzles, with this means being situated in a location chosen from the group consisting of a location within the fluid pathway or proximate the power nozzles. In a first preferred embodiment, the flow instability generating means comprises a protrusion that extends inward from each side of the fluid pathway so as to cause a flow separation region downstream of the protrusions. In a second preferred embodiment, the flow instability generating means comprises a step in the height elevation of the floor of the power nozzles with respect to that of the interaction chamber.