Patent ID: 7802583

Claim:
A method for altering a flow of fluid, the method comprising: receiving fluid from a fluid source, receipt of the fluid occurring at a fluid flow control apparatus; inducing the fluid received from the fluid source to have a rotational motion about an axis via a flow path of the fluid flow control apparatus, the flow path situated between an inlet and an outlet of the fluid flow control apparatus, the flow path including a cross-sectional area that progressively decreases from the inlet to a region of maximum constriction and progressively increases from the region of maximum constriction to the outlet, wherein the cross-sectional area includes both a region of increasing diameter and a region of decreasing diameter between the inlet and the region of maximum constriction and further includes both a region of increasing diameter and a region of decreasing diameter between the region of maximum constriction and the outlet; and expelling from the fluid flow control apparatus the fluid received from the fluid source, the expelled fluid including a vortical motion resulting from the induced rotation about the axis, and wherein a pressure differentiation is induced in the fluid between the receipt and expulsion of the fluid, the differentiation induced while the fluid traverses the fluid flow control apparatus.