Patent ID: 8297540

Claim:
A nozzle for generating a cavitating jet of pressurized liquid, the nozzle having a body comprising: a main channel extending through the body, the main channel having a main inlet for receiving the pressurized liquid and a main outlet for discharging the pressurized liquid from the nozzle, the main channel including a mixing chamber disposed between the inlet and the outlet; a flow-reversing channel having: a first liquid-diverting inlet for diverting a portion of the pressurized liquid from a main stream flowing through the main channel; and a reverse-flow outlet connected to the mixing chamber for discharging a reverse flow of pressurized liquid into the mixing chamber to thereby create shear forces between the main stream and the reverse flow that generate cavitating bubbles in the main stream of pressurized liquid in the mixing chamber, thereby generating the cavitating jet; and a shroud-generating channel having a second liquid-diverting inlet for receiving pressurized liquid from the mixing chamber and a shroud-jet outlet disposed radially outwardly of the main outlet of the main channel, the shroud jet outlet discharging an annular shroud jet that enshrouds the cavitating jet discharged from the main outlet.