In many desktop compact designs and patents in field of medical devices which use hydrodynamic cavitation as working principle, they require a compact and portable water pump to achieve “60 to 100 bar” or above with low flow rate since the nozzle is usually has a diameter measured in microns.
what are my options to choose a pump for this kind of applications?
Cavitation is the process used to break up Kidney Stones.
Normally cavitation is something to be avoided at all costs in a pump. The collapse of the cavitation bubble can very quickly lead to pitting, corrosion and disintegration of the working surface. This does not seem like something you want to put into a medical device.
Please provide one or two of the references you are refering to in the question.
Craig Law Thanks for the reply,
the cavitation inside the pump is not desired as you stated, you can check US patent numbered “US8986322” for such apparatus.
You can also check this article “ Effect of Nozzle Outlet Shape on Cavitation Behavior of Submerged High-Pressure Jet”. I would like to conduct the experiment for these kind of articles myself.
I am trying to study cavitation behavior in my clinical settings and I need to build a compact setup to conduct the experiments.
Ah, you were refering to the medical device. You want to look for a positive displacement pump. You will need a reservoir to damp out the pulsing of the pump but it should give you the very high pressure and low flow rate you are looking for. If you're on a budget, see if you can find an old second hand oil pump from an IC Engine. Won't be as efficient but should give you enough pressure to prove the concept before investing significant funds.
Have you thought of generating an expansion wave or focusing a shock wave instead?
Dear Craig, your attention to this thread is much appreciated.
Good suggestion, well I would consider prototyping with an oil pump.
regarding the expansion/shock wave suggestion, well I am trying to achieve “acoustic streaming” by benefiting from shock waves generated by explosion of cavitation bubbles.
I don’t know if there is any other option to achieve propagation of energetic waves through water medium in micro-channels, i need this phenomenon to promote mechanical cleaning of the channel inner surface with continuous shock wave assisted irrigation.
any suggestion or advice to start studying the matter further is greatly appreciated.
Have a look at the literature on Lithotripsy. It is essentially the art of focusing a shock wave in a liquid at a specific point. Laser-Shock Peening is also a way to produce a shock in a liqud. Blast waves are usually a shock wave followed by a expansion - it all depends on your initial conditions.
You may want to find a tame Aerospace Engineer to work with you on this one.
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