US 12,269,070 B2
Flexible cavitation apparatus
Om Prakash, Bangalore (IN); Megha Sahu, Bangalore (IN); Sandeep Tripathi, Bangalore (IN); Kamaraj Kandhasamy, Bangalore (IN); and Carolyn L. Kupper, Summerville, SC (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/552,956.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/126,470, filed on Dec. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0184670 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B08B 3/10 (2006.01); B08B 3/12 (2006.01); B08B 9/027 (2006.01); B08B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 3/102 (2013.01) [B08B 3/12 (2013.01); B08B 9/027 (2013.01); B08B 13/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for removing adhered material from a surface of an object, comprising:
a fluid source,
a flexible carrier,
a supply line connected to the flexible carrier and configured to carry a fluid from the fluid source to the flexible carrier,
a tubular member having a plurality of apertures, in fluid communication with the supply line, fixed to the flexible carrier, and configured to generate cavitation bubbles proximate the surface of the object by releasing the fluid from an interior of the tubular member through the apertures to an external fluid environment of the tubular member, the object being disposed in the external fluid environment, and
a tank containing fluid, wherein the flexible carrier and tubular member are immersible in the fluid contained in the tank.