US3728869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coolant system for heat removal apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-12-27
•
Granted: 1973-04-24
•
Expires: 1991-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A system and apparatus is provided for continuous coolant of products such as food products with liquid refrigerants which apparatus minimizes atmospheric contamination with gaseous refrigerant and is useful in the recovery of the condensable, normally gaseous refrigerant. The apparatus comprises a cooling chamber having inlet and outlet vestibules, conveying means for transporting products such as food products through the cooling chamber via the vestibules, means for applying and distributing refrigerant in liquid form to the food product while in said chamber, recovery traps associated with the vestibules for gravitational recovery of gaseous refrigerant, conduits leading from the traps to recirculate the gaseous refrigerant to a compressor, means for compression and liquification of the gaseous refrigerant and conduit means for conducting liquified refrigerant to the distributing means. A process for the cooling of food or other products is also provided which comprises passing units of product to be cooled in a continuous stream through a cooling zone chamber, provided with inlet and outlet vestibules, applying liquid refrigerant to products in the chamber, which refrigerant is normally gaseous and heavier than air at ambient operating temperatures, to thereby reduce the temperature of the produce, regulating the rate of introduction of refrigerant into said chamber to provide a slight positive refrigerant gas pressure in said chamber, recovering the gaseous refrigerant at inlet and outlet vestibules by gravitational separation from atmospheric air, liquifying the gaseous refrigerant and recycling the liquified refrigerant in the process.
Inventors
- 👤 H Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:37
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D3/00; F25D3/10; F25D3/11; F25D29/00; F25D29/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
An apparatus for cooling of product units by contact with liquid refrigerant materials which are normally gaseous and heavier-than-air at ambient room temperature conditions in a cooling chamber which, under normal operation conditions, contains said refrigerant in gaseous form at a positive pressure with respect to the atmosphere which apparatus comprises: a. a cooling chamber essentially closed to the atmosphere having at least one portal means for introduction and removal of product units, said chamber having direct communication to the surrounding atmosphere only at said portal means; b. a cooling zone and refrigerant contact means within said chamber for contacting said products with liquid refrigerant; c. means for introducing liquid refrigerant into said cooling zone and to said contact means; d. conveyor means for conveying products into and out of said chamber and cooling zone; e. trough-like trap means located outside the cooling chamber adjacent to, below and cooperating with said portal means for gravitationally recovering a heavier-than-air gaseous refrigerant emanating from said portal and maintaining the refrigerant separated from the atmospheric gases; f. means for conducting gaseous refrigerant from the trap means to a gaseous refrigerant liquifying means; g. means for liquifying a gaseous refrigerant recovered in said traps; and h. means for conducting and recirculating liquified refrigerant from said refrigerant liquifying means to the liquid refrigerant contact means in said cooling zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
224 words
An apparatus for cooling of product units by contact with liquid refrigerant materials which are normally gaseous and heavier-than-air at ambient room temperature conditions in a cooling chamber which, under normal operation conditions, contains said refrigerant in gaseous form at a positive pressure with respect to the atmosphere which apparatus comprises: a. a cooling chamber essentially closed to the atmosphere having at least one portal means for introduction and removal of product units, said chamber having direct communication to the surrounding atmosphere only at said portal means; b. a cooling zone and refrigerant contact means within said chamber for contacting said products with liquid refrigerant; c. means for introducing liquid refrigerant into said cooling zone and to said contact means; d. conveyor means for conveying products into and out of said chamber and cooling zone; e. trough-like trap means located outside the cooling chamber adjacent to, below and cooperating with said portal means for gravitationally recovering a heavier-than-air gaseous refrigerant emanating from said portal and maintaining the refrigerant separated from the atmospheric gases; f. means for conducting gaseous refrigerant from the trap means to a gaseous refrigerant liquifying means; g. means for liquifying a gaseous refrigerant recovered in said traps; and h. means for conducting and recirculating liquified refrigerant from said refrigerant liquifying means to the liquid refrigerant contact means in said cooling zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid refrigerant contact means are a spray distribution means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided to produce supplemental gaseous refrigerant and introduce the same into said chamber.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
212 words
An apparatus for continuous spray cooling of product units with liquid refrigerants in a cooling chamber which, under normal operation conditions, contains said liquid refrigerant in gaseous form at a positive pressure with respect to the atmosphere which apparatus comprises: a. a cooling chamber essentially closed to the atmosphere and having inlet and outlet portal means for passage of product units into and out of the chamber, said chamber having direct communication to the surrounding atmosphere only at said portal means; b. conveyor means for conducting product units through said chamber via the inlet and outlet means; c. spray means for contacting product units with liquid refrigerant while said product units are in transit through said chamber; d. trough-like recovery trap means adjacent to, below and cooperatively associated with said inlet and outlet means for gravitational recovery of a heavier-than-air gaseous refrigerant emanating through said portal from said chamber and maintaining said gaseous refrigerant separated from the atmosphere; e. conduit means for conducting gaseous refrigerant from the trap means to a gaseous refrigerant liquifying means; f. means cooperating with said conduit means for liquifying a gaseous refrigerant recovered in said traps; and g. conduit means for conducting and recycling a liquified refrigerant from the gas liquifying means to the spray contacting means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
212 words
An apparatus for continuous spray cooling of product units with liquid refrigerants in a cooling chamber which, under normal operation conditions, contains said liquid refrigerant in gaseous form at a positive pressure with respect to the atmosphere which apparatus comprises: a. a cooling chamber essentially closed to the atmosphere and having inlet and outlet portal means for passage of product units into and out of the chamber, said chamber having direct communication to the surrounding atmosphere only at said portal means; b. conveyor means for conducting product units through said chamber via the inlet and outlet means; c. spray means for contacting product units with liquid refrigerant while said product units are in transit through said chamber; d. trough-like recovery trap means adjacent to, below and cooperatively associated with said inlet and outlet means for gravitational recovery of a heavier-than-air gaseous refrigerant emanating through said portal from said chamber and maintaining said gaseous refrigerant separated from the atmosphere; e. conduit means for conducting gaseous refrigerant from the trap means to a gaseous refrigerant liquifying means; f. means cooperating with said conduit means for liquifying a gaseous refrigerant recovered in said traps; and g. conduit means for conducting and recycling a liquified refrigerant from the gas liquifying means to the spray contacting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein temperature sensor means are provided in said chamber and interconnected with a liquid refrigerant supply control means to control the quantity of liquid refrigerant conducted to said liquid refrigerant contact means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 which includes means for vaporizing liquid refrigerant and conduit means for conducting a stream of said vaporiZed gaseous refrigerant from the vaporizing means into the chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the outlet of the conduit means are positioned to discharge a gaseous refrigerant stream at a point adjacent a food conveyor inlet and outlet means of the chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein control means are provided to regulate and coordinate the supply of liquid refrigerant to the liquid refrigerant contact means and the vaporizer means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the control means are responsive to a temperature sensor means in said chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein shielded vestibule means associated with said trap means are provided at the conveyor inlet and outlet means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said vestibule comprises a baffel element disposed above said conveyor portal and a trough shaped trap means disposed below the portal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2015167A
Cited
US2059970A
Cited
US3413818A
Cited
US3368363A
Cited
US3369371A
Cited
US3507128A
Cited
US3605427A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-23 | 1976-10-23 | 1977-04-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-23 | 1980-10-23 | 1981-04-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-23 | 1984-10-23 | 1985-04-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |