Patent attributes
A fluidic oscillator suitable for use at colder temperatures for generating an exhaust flow in the form of an oscillating spray of fluid droplets has an inlet for pressurized fluid, a pair of power nozzles configured to accelerate the movement of the pressurized fluid, a fluid pathway that connects and allows for the flow of pressurized fluid between its inlet and the power nozzles, an interaction chamber which is attached to the nozzles and receives the flow from the nozzles, a fluid outlet from which the spray exhausts from the interaction chamber, and a means for increasing the instability of the flow from the power nozzles, with this means being situated in a location chosen from the group consisting of a location within the fluid pathway or proximate the power nozzles. In a first preferred embodiment, the flow instability generating means comprises a protrusion that extends inward from each side of the fluid pathway so as to cause a flow separation region downstream of the protrusions. In a second preferred embodiment, the flow instability generating means comprises a step in the height elevation of the floor of the power nozzles with respect to that of the interaction chamber.
