Patent ID: 9050604
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: B02C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a chamber having an internal surface and a longitudinal axis; a gas inlet configured so that a stream of gas is directed substantially tangentially to the internal surface of a cross-section of the chamber and configured to introduce a high-velocity stream of gas into the chamber, the gas inlet being disposed and arranged so as to effectuate a vortex of the stream of gas circulating within the chamber, the vortex rotating at a supersonic speed about the longitudinal axis of the chamber; a material inlet configured to introduce a material to be processed into the chamber, the material inlet being disposed proximal to the gas inlet, the material being processed within the chamber by nonabrasive mechanisms facilitated by shockwaves within the chamber; and an outlet configured to emit the gas and processed material from the chamber, the outlet being disposed at one end of the chamber that is opposite to a second end of the chamber where the gas inlet and the material inlet are disposed; wherein the gas inlet includes an inlet nozzle disposed within the gas inlet, the inlet nozzle being configured to emit the stream of gas at a supersonic speed, to emit shockwaves in the stream of gas emitted from the inlet nozzle, and to control shockwaves introduced into the chamber to occur at different frequencies.