Dry wet blast media blasting system

Abstract

A wet dry blast system comprising having a source of pressurized air for providing a pressurized air flow, a source of pressurized water for providing a pressurized water flow, and an abrasive media source to provide an abrasive media flow. There is an abrasive release conduit for receiving the abrasive media flow, and an abrasive release orifice configured for directing the abrasive media flow along a desired or targeted portion of the abrasive release conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wet dry blast system comprising:
 a source of pressurized air for providing a pressurized air flow;   a source of pressurized water for providing a pressurized water flow;   an abrasive media source to provide an abrasive media flow;   an abrasive release conduit for receiving the abrasive media flow;   an abrasive release orifice [i.e., restrictor] configured for directing the abrasive media flow along a lower portion of the abrasive release conduit;   a water injection conduit downstream of the abrasive release conduit, and in fluid communication therewith, the water injection conduit configured to receive at least one of the pressurized air flow, the pressurized water flow, the abrasive media flow, and combinations thereof, to form a media mix therein;   a blast hose configured to convey the media mix received from the water injection conduit; and   a blast nozzle coupled with the blast hose, and configured to release and deliver the media mix from the blast hose to a work surface.   
     
     
         2 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 a water inlet chamber which is positioned outside of the water injection conduit and in communication therewith; and   a water release nozzle in the water inlet chamber, whereby the water release nozzle is spaced from and does not come in direct contact with an interior of the water injection conduit.   
     
     
         3 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising an air injector conduit coupled between the source of pressurized air and the abrasive release conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet chamber is oriented on an oblique angle relative to the water injection conduit, and wherein a water release end of the inlet chamber is directed toward the downstream flow of the water injection conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 2 , wherein an interior cross-sectional area of the water injection conduit has a larger interior diameter at water release nozzle end and a smaller interior diameter at an air flow injection end. 
     
     
         6 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 5 , wherein the different interior diameters are generated by one of: step components; or a gradual slope on the interior wall of the conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the interior diameter of the water release conduit at the release point of water delivery is larger than the interior diameter of an upstream portion of the water release conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 2 , wherein an interior cross-sectional area of the water injection conduit has a larger interior diameter at a downstream end and a smaller interior diameter at an upstream end. 
     
     
         9 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a valve system for selectively disabling the source of pressurized water such that a dry mixture of pressurized air and abrasive media is delivered to the blast nozzle. 
     
     
         10 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive media is introduced into an abrasive release conduit downstream of the source of pressurized air and upstream of the source of pressurized water. 
     
     
         11 . An air injection system for a wet dry blast system, comprising:
 an elongated, substantially cylindrical conduit having one end coupled to an air injector system and the other end coupled to a blast nozzle;   the air injector system adapted for supplying pressurized air flow flowing from said one end toward and out the nozzle at said other end;   the media delivery system for introducing media into the conduit and into the air flow downstream of said one end; and   a water delivery system for introducing water into the air/media mix downstream of the media delivery system for generating a wet media mix for release at the nozzle for providing a wet blasting mix.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the media delivery system includes a restrictor for directing the injected media to a predefined area of the conduit to provide more clear space for the injected water permitting the water to flow into and more fully saturate the released water into and more fully saturate the conduit cross-section. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein there is further comprised:
 a water inlet chamber which is positioned outside of the conduit and in communication therewith;   a water release nozzle in the chamber, whereby the water release nozzle is spaced from and does not come in direct contact with the interior of the conduit;   and, optionally,   wherein the water inlet chamber is on an oblique angle relative to the conduit with the water release end of the inlet chamber skewed toward the downstream flow of the conduit, minimizing backflow from the conduit flow path into the water release system.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the interior cross-sectional area of the conduit has a larger interior diameter at the nozzle end and a smaller interior diameter at the air flow injection end, reducing the likelihood of backflow. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the different interior diameters are generated by step components; or wherein the different interior diameters are created by a gradual slope on the interior wall of the conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the interior diameter of the conduit at the release point of the water delivery system is larger than the interior diameter of the conduit at the air injector end to further reduce the likelihood of back flow of media into the water delivery system. 
     
     
         17 . A wet dry blast system comprising:
 a source of pressurized air for providing a pressurized air flow;   a source of pressurized water for providing a pressurized water flow;   an abrasive media source to provide an abrasive media flow;   an abrasive release conduit for receiving the abrasive media flow;   an abrasive release orifice configured for directing the abrasive media flow along a targeted portion of the abrasive release conduit;   a water injection conduit downstream of the abrasive release conduit, and in fluid communication therewith, the water injection conduit configured to receive at least one of the pressurized air flow, the pressurized water flow, the abrasive media flow, and combinations thereof, to form a media mix therein;   a water inlet chamber which is positioned outside of the water injection conduit and in communication therewith;   a water release nozzle in the water inlet chamber, whereby the water release nozzle is spaced from and does not come in direct contact with an interior of the water injection conduit;   a blast hose configured to convey the media mix received from the water injection conduit; and   a blast nozzle coupled with the blast hose, and configured to release and deliver the media mix from the blast hose to a work surface.   
     
     
         18 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 17 , the system further comprising an air injector conduit coupled between the source of pressurized air and the abrasive release conduit. 
     
     
         19 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 18 , wherein the water inlet chamber is oriented on an angle relative to the water injection conduit, and wherein a water release end of the inlet chamber is directed toward the downstream flow of the water injection conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The wet dry blast system of  claim 19 , wherein an interior cross-sectional area of the water injection conduit has a larger interior diameter at water release nozzle end and a smaller interior diameter at an air flow injection end.