Modular benchtop cavitation generator for research
This technology is a research device for studying cavitation — the process where rapid pressure changes in a flowing liquid create and collapse tiny bubbles, which can be harnessed for cleaning, chemical reactions, water treatment, and more. The device is built from interchangeable modules so researchers can swap out the channel geometry, surface materials, and throat dimensions without rebuilding the whole apparatus, making it fast to test different configurations. Built-in transparent windows let scientists watch the cavitation process in real time, while pressure sensors and temperature controls let them tune and measure exactly what's happening inside. The result is a flexible, instrumented lab platform for systematically optimizing cavitation for a given application.
What you could build
A modular benchtop cavitation research instrument sold to university labs, government research facilities, and R&D teams in water treatment, chemical processing, or food technology companies who need to characterize and optimize cavitation for their specific process conditions.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based water utilities, environmental engineering firms, or defense-adjacent research labs (NSWC Dahlgren, for example) exploring cavitation for decontamination or materials testing would be plausible partners or licensees.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Mingming Ge, Olivier Coutier-Delgosha
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed May 9, 2024
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20250001383A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.