Patent ID: 8984958
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: B08B,C02F,G02B

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for determining the adhesive strength of biofilms on protective coatings on underwater optical devices, and for determining water jet pressures and water jet speeds and configurations required to remove the biofilms and restore clarity to the optical devices, the apparatus comprising: a tank adapted to receive and retain a selected quantity of water, said tank being of a rectangular configuration with side and end walls upstanding from a planar bottom; rails mounted proximate upper edges of the side walls of said tank; a slide member slidably mounted on each of said rails and movable on said rails; rails extending widthwise of said tank and interconnecting said slide members; a nozzle carriage slidably disposed on said widthwise extending rails; a water delivery pipe extending upwardly from said nozzle carriage and in communication with a water delivery conduit; a water pressure regulator in communication with said water delivery conduit and adapted for connection to a water source; whereby said nozzle carriage is adapted to be moved lengthwise of said tank on said rails mounted proximate the side walls of said tank and is adapted to be moved widthwise of said tank on said rails extending widthwise of said tank; a discharge pipe extending from said nozzle carriage and toward said tank bottom, said discharge pipe being in communication with said delivery pipe; a nozzle of a selected size and configuration disposed on an end of said discharge pipe; and a test slide mount assembly disposed on the bottom of said tank whereby water is flowable through said water delivery conduit to said water pressure regulator; wherein a pressure sensor transducer is housed within said test slide mount assembly in order to calibrate a nozzle pressure, wherein the water pressure is limited to a selected range, thence to said water delivery pipe, said nozzle carriage, said discharge pipe, and said nozzle, to direct water at a selected pressure and exit stream configuration and velocity toward said test slide mount, whereby to impinge upon a test slide mounted on said test slide mount, said test slide being a replica of a surface of an underwater optical device having a protective coating and also covered by a biofilm, to determine the adhesive strength of the biofilm and the extent to which the selected water pressure and water stream configuration are adapted to remove the biofilm from the protective coating on the test slide.