Abstract: A mass flow meter includes a hollow base pipe having an inlet adapted to be attached to the discharge line of an air compressor or like apparatus to be tested. The base pipe also has an outlet end which is fitted with one of a plurality of convergent nozzles of differing, known throat diameters. A pressure gauge is fitted to the base pipe, upstream of the nozzle, to sense the pressure therein. The pressure gauge has ring-shaped mass flow rate indicia thereon which are individually calibrated to conform to each of the sized nozzles to permit direct reading of mass flow rates as a function of pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pneumatically conveying solid materials such as soil, stones and the like. A hollow bored tube having an inlet end, a discharge end and an intermediate injector section is provided with at least one nozzle of the converging/diverging type within the injector section. A compressor supplies air at a pressure of about 90 psig to the nozzle to create an air stream within the tube directed toward the discharge end thereof, at a velocity in the supersonic regime. A strong vacuum is thus created in the region of the inlet end to provide rapid evacuation of the solids into the tube for conveyance therethrough and ejection at the discharge end thereof.

Abstract: Discrete volumes, or slugs, of liquid are accelerated to high velocities utilizing energy stored by compressing the liquid. Liquid is forced into a pressure vessel already filled with liquid to effect the compression. A slug of liquid is ejected from the pressure vessel into a cumulation nozzle by the energy stored in the compressed liquid when a valve is rapidly opened. The valve is unseated when an unseating force exceeds a closing bias. The valve is then opened rapidly by an opening force generated by the compressed liquid. By repetitively introducing highly pressurized liquid into the pressure vessel, the valve automatically cycles to generate a series of pulsed liquid jets. Rapid opening of the valve is aided by an extension on the valve member which sealingly slides inside the passage of the cumulation nozzle to block release of liquid until the valve member accelerates sufficiently that the required opening rate is achieved as the extension clears the nozzle passage.