ULTRASONIC LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

An ultrasonic apparatus and method for regulating the flow of a pressurized liquid through an orifice by applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the pressurized liquid. The apparatus (100) includes a die housing (102) which defines a chamber (104) adapted to receive a pressurized liquid and a means for applying ultrasonic energy (116) to a portion of the pressurized liquid. The die housing (102) further includes an inlet (110) adapted to supply the chamber with the pressurized liquid, and an exit orifice (112) defined by the walls of a die tip (136). The exit orifice (112) is adapted to receive the pressurized liquid from the chamber (104) and pass the liquid out of the die housing (102). When the means for applying ultrasonic energy (116) is excited, it applies ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid without applying ultrasonic energy to the die tip (136) and modifies the flow rate of the pressurized liquid through the exit orifice (112). The method involves supplying a pressurized liquid to the foregoing apparatus (100), applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid but not the die tip (136) while the exit orifice (112) receives pressurized liquid from the chamber to modify the flow rate of the pressurized liquid through the exit orifice (112), and passing the pressurized liquid out of the exit orifice (112) in the die tip (136) at the modified flow rate.