example, Liz and I were working on an asphalt vacuum tower

along the Chickasaw River in Mobile, Alabama.

The primary ejector was making a surging sound, indicating a periodic loss of its
sonic boost. However, I also noted the
following:
The jet's discharge pressure was well below its
design critical discharge pressure.
My client had recently replaced the jet's steam
nozzle, even though the old one was in perfect
condition.
The gas rate to the jet was half of its design value.
The motive steam pressure was at design.
At each surge, the pressure in the vacuum tower jumped
far more than I expected from the loss of the sonic boost. Also,
changing the jet's discharge pressure or its gas rate did not
alter the two minute frequency of the surges.
Liz, who was monitoring the skin temperature of the jet's
mixing chamber (see Figure 7.1), noted the following:
The vacuum would break every two minutes as
the jet went very, very quiet.
The mixing chamber temperature would drop
from about 70F to exactly 32F.
After remaining quiet and cold for a minute, the
jet would suddenly come to life with a roaring
sound for a minute. It would heat back up and
the vacuum would be briefly restored.
The cycle would be repeated with great regularity

every two minutes no matter what other parameters we varied.

When the front portion of the ejector chilled to precisely
32F (0C), it did not become just quiet, it became silent. This