Reducing small colloidal particle concentrations in feed and/or byproduct fluids in the context of waterjet processing

摘要

A waterjet system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a pressurizing device configured to pressurize a fluid, a cutting head downstream from the pressurizing device, and a catcher positioned to collect a jet from the cutting head. The system can further include a treatment assembly configured to treat a feed fluid to the pressurizing device and/or a byproduct fluid from the catcher, such as by removing submicron colloidal particles from the feed fluid and/or from the byproduct fluid. For example, the treatment assembly can include a coagulation unit, such as a chemical coagulation unit or an electrocoagulation unit, configured to coagulate the submicron colloidal particles. The pressurizing device, the cutting head, and the treatment assembly can be at different respective portions of a fluid-recycling loop.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
pressurizing a fluid to a pressure greater than 30,000 psi at a first portion of a fluid-recycling loop; forming the fluid into a jet and directing the jet toward a workpiece such that the jet impacts the workpiece and abrasive particles within the jet break apart into submicron fragments at a second portion of the fluid-recycling loop, the second portion being downstream from the first portion during a pass through the fluid-recycling loop originating at the first portion; and treating the fluid at a third portion of the fluid-recycling loop, the third portion being downstream from the second portion and upstream from the first portion during the pass through the fluid-recycling loop, wherein treating the fluid includes—
coagulating the submicron fragments to form coagulated submicron fragments in the fluid, wherein coagulating the submicron fragments includes coagulating at least 90% by count of all of the submicron fragments of sieve diameter within a range from 0.005 to 0.2 microns in a given volume of the fluid, anddecreasing a concentration of the coagulated submicron fragments in the fluid.