Method for cooling volatile liquids

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF COOLING A FIRST LIQUID STREAM CONTAINING A VOLATILE LIQUID WHICH COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (A) PASSING THE SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM THROUGH A SERIES OF THREE OR MORE STAGES, EACH OF A SUCCESSIVELY LOWER PRESSURE; (B) FLASH EVAPORATION OF A PART OF SAID VOLATILE LIQUID FROM SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM IN EACH OF SAID STAGES WITH CONSEQUENT COOLING THEREOF; (C) PASSING THROUGH ANOTHER PART OF EACH OF THE SAID SERIES OF STAGES, COUNTER-CURRENTLY TO THE ORDER OF THE FLOW OF SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM, A SECOND LIQUID STREAM QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF FIRST LIQUID STREAM, WHICH SECOND LIQUID STREAM IS AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE IN EACH STAGE THAN IS THE SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM ON THE SAME STAGE; WHEREIN THE SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM DISCHARGES ON EACH STAGE INTO ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW WITH LARGE SURFACE AREAS OF DROPLETS, FILMS, OR STREAMS EXPOSED TO THE VAPORS FORMED IN SAID FLASH EVAPORATION; AND SAID ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW ARE THEN ALLOWED TO FLOW TOGETHER TO BECOME A STREAM WHICH IS FORCED TO THE STAGE OF NEXT HIGHER PRESSURE, WHEREIN THE PROCESS IS REPEATED; (D) CONDENSING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE VAPORS FORMED BY SAID FLASH EVAPORATION OF SAID VOLATILE LIQUID IN SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM, SAID VAPORS HAVING A TEMPERATURE NO HIGHER THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM ON THE SAME STAGE, AND SAID CONDENSING OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE SAID VAPORS FORMED ON ONE STAGE BEING ACCOMPLISHED IN A SINGLE CONTACTING ON THE SAME STAGE WITH THE SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM IN ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW WITH LARGE SURFACE AREAS EXPOSED, WITH CONSEQUENT (E) HEATING OF SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF COOLING A FIRST LIQUID STREAM CONTAINING A VOLATILE LIQUID WHICH COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (A) PASSING THE SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM THROUGH A SERIES OF THREE OR MORE STAGES, EACH OF A SUCCESSIVELY LOWER PRESSURE; (B) FLASH EVAPORATION OF A PART OF SAID VOLATILE LIQUID FROM SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM IN EACH OF SAID STAGES WITH CONSEQUENT COOLING THEREOF; (C) PASSING THROUGH ANOTHER PART OF EACH OF THE SAID SERIES OF STAGES, COUNTER-CURRENTLY TO THE ORDER OF THE FLOW OF SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM, A SECOND LIQUID STREAM QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF FIRST LIQUID STREAM, WHICH SECOND LIQUID STREAM IS AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE IN EACH STAGE THAN IS THE SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM ON THE SAME STAGE; WHEREIN THE SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM DISCHARGES ON EACH STAGE INTO ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW WITH LARGE SURFACE AREAS OF DROPLETS, FILMS, OR STREAMS EXPOSED TO THE VAPORS FORMED IN SAID FLASH EVAPORATION; AND SAID ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW ARE THEN ALLOWED TO FLOW TOGETHER TO BECOME A STREAM WHICH IS FORCED TO THE STAGE OF NEXT HIGHER PRESSURE, WHEREIN THE PROCESS IS REPEATED; (D) CONDENSING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE VAPORS FORMED BY SAID FLASH EVAPORATION OF SAID VOLATILE LIQUID IN SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM, SAID VAPORS HAVING A TEMPERATURE NO HIGHER THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST LIQUID STREAM ON THE SAME STAGE, AND SAID CONDENSING OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE SAID VAPORS FORMED ON ONE STAGE BEING ACCOMPLISHED IN A SINGLE CONTACTING ON THE SAME STAGE WITH THE SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM IN ELEMENTS OF OPEN FLOW WITH LARGE SURFACE AREAS EXPOSED, WITH CONSEQUENT (E) HEATING OF SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM.