Patent US3750415A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3750415A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for drying a gas and chilling it to low temperatures
Assignee: WILSTAN Corp
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Filing: 1972-03-01
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Granted: 1973-08-07
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Expires: 1992-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for continuously drying and chilling a high temperature, pressurized gas such as air to subzero temperatures. The high temperature pressurized gas is passed alternately through each of two parallel heat exchangers containing cooling coils through which cold refrigerant from a refrigeration system is passed. While one of the heat exchangers is being cooled by the cold refrigerant, the hot, pressurized gas is passed through it in heat exchange relationship with the cooling coils. Simultaneously, the other heat exchanger is cleared of moisture and other condensables by passing hot refrigerant gas from the compressor of the refrigeration system through its cooling coils. Before reversing the function of the heat exchangers, the flow of hot refrigerant gas to the one being defrosted is terminated and replaced with the flow of cold refrigerant to cool it in order to prevent carryover of moisture on changing stages of operation. A continuous flow of cooled, dried pressurized gas is obtained from the two heat exchangers and can be passed through a third heat exchanger provided with refrigerated coils to further chill the gas to sub-zero temperature. Prior to being passed to the third heat exchanger, the cooled gas from the two parallel heat exchangers can be cycled through a preliminary heat exchanger to effect pre-cooling of the entering hot, pressurized gas.
Inventors
- 👤 W Peuchen
- 👤 G Pase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:28
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B39/00; F04B39/16; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/26; B01D53/265; D; D21; D21F; D21F1/00; D21F1/02; D21F1/54; F25; F25B; F25B47/00; F25B47/02; F25B47/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for continuously cooling and drying a pressurized gas comprising in combination first and second heat exchanger means adapted for cooling and condensing moisture from said pressurized gas; a third heat exchanger means adapted for further cooling and condensing moisture from the gas cooled and dried in said first and second heat exchangers; first and second refrigeration means operatively connected with and each adapted to provide, in a cyclic system, to said first and second heat exchangers and to said third heat exchanger, respectively, separate flows of hot, pressurized refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant and to receive a return flow of cold refrigerant gas from said heat exchangers; said first and second heat exchanger means being operatively disposed in parallel and each provided with operatively connected means for regulating And circulating alternating flows of hot refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant from said first refrigeration means through itself and returning the gas to the refrigeration means; said third heat exchanger means also being provided with means for regulating and circulating alternate flows of hot refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant from said second refrigeration means through itself and returning the refrigeration gas to the refrigeration means; said first and second heat exchanger means each being further provided with means operatively connected for alternately circulating and regulating a separate flow of high temperature, pressurized gas through itself in heat exchange relationship with said cold refrigerant and then to said third heat exchanger means where further circulating and regulating means are provided for conducting said gas through said heat exchanger means in heat exchange relationship with said cold refrigerant provided thereto.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for continuously cooling and drying a pressurized gas comprising in combination first and second heat exchanger means adapted for cooling and condensing moisture from said pressurized gas; a third heat exchanger means adapted for further cooling and condensing moisture from the gas cooled and dried in said first and second heat exchangers; first and second refrigeration means operatively connected with and each adapted to provide, in a cyclic system, to said first and second heat exchangers and to said third heat exchanger, respectively, separate flows of hot, pressurized refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant and to receive a return flow of cold refrigerant gas from said heat exchangers; said first and second heat exchanger means being operatively disposed in parallel and each provided with operatively connected means for regulating And circulating alternating flows of hot refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant from said first refrigeration means through itself and returning the gas to the refrigeration means; said third heat exchanger means also being provided with means for regulating and circulating alternate flows of hot refrigerant gas and cold refrigerant from said second refrigeration means through itself and returning the refrigeration gas to the refrigeration means; said first and second heat exchanger means each being further provided with means operatively connected for alternately circulating and regulating a separate flow of high temperature, pressurized gas through itself in heat exchange relationship with said cold refrigerant and then to said third heat exchanger means where further circulating and regulating means are provided for conducting said gas through said heat exchanger means in heat exchange relationship with said cold refrigerant provided thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises preliminary heat exchanger means provided with means operatively connected with said first and second heat exchangers for circulating the flow of cooled, high pressurized gas from said first and second heat exchangers through itself and then to said third heat exchanger means; said preliminary heat exchanger means being further provided with operatively disposed means for passing the stream of high temperature, pressurized gas from its source in heat exchange relationship with said cooled gas and then to said first and second heat exchanger means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
Terminating the flow of hot refrigerant gas from the compressor through said cooling coils of the second heat exchanger and replacing it with a flow of cold refrigerant from the condenser while continuing to also pass said cold refrigerant through the coils of said first of said heat exchangers in heat exchange relationship with said high pressure gas introduced into said first heat exchanger;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
Terminating the flow of hot refrigerant gas from the compressor through said cooling coils of the second heat exchanger and replacing it with a flow of cold refrigerant from the condenser while continuing to also pass said cold refrigerant through the coils of said first of said heat exchangers in heat exchange relationship with said high pressure gas introduced into said first heat exchanger;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said refrigeration means comprises in combination condenser means and compressor means operatively connected to provide a flow of hot, compressed refrigerant gas to said condenser means and alternately gas from said compressor through the cooling coils of the second of said heat exchangers to melt substances previously condensed from the high pressure gas;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
134 words
Terminating the flow of high pressure gas into the first heat exchanger and directing it instead into said second heat exchanger where it is passed through in heat exchange relationship cooling coils containing cold refrigerant from said refrigerant source; simultaneously terminating the flow of cold refrigerant to the cooling coils of said first heat exchanger and passing instead through said coils hot refrigerant gas from the compressor to melt substances previously condensed from the high pressure gas; to each of said first and second heat exchangers; said condenser means being further adapted to receive said hot, compressed refrigerant from said compressor means and to condense and cool it to a refrigerant liquid; means operatively connected to said condenser for regulating and circulating said refrigerant liquid to each of said first and second heat exchangers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
134 words
Terminating the flow of high pressure gas into the first heat exchanger and directing it instead into said second heat exchanger where it is passed through in heat exchange relationship cooling coils containing cold refrigerant from said refrigerant source; simultaneously terminating the flow of cold refrigerant to the cooling coils of said first heat exchanger and passing instead through said coils hot refrigerant gas from the compressor to melt substances previously condensed from the high pressure gas; to each of said first and second heat exchangers; said condenser means being further adapted to receive said hot, compressed refrigerant from said compressor means and to condense and cool it to a refrigerant liquid; means operatively connected to said condenser for regulating and circulating said refrigerant liquid to each of said first and second heat exchangers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hot, pressurized gas is air which emerges from said apparatus at a temperature below 0* F.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
Terminating the flow of hot refrigerant gas from the compressor through the cooling coils of said first heat exchanger, and replacing it with a flow of cold refrigerant from the refrigerant source while continuing to also pass said cold refrigerant through the coils of said second heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with said high pressure gas; said high pressure gas being removed from the two heat exchangers separately during each of the four steps of the process and being continuously combined into a common stream and cooled further to sub-zero temperature by being passed through a third heat exchanger provided with chilled refrigerant from a refrigeration source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
108 words
Terminating the flow of hot refrigerant gas from the compressor through the cooling coils of said first heat exchanger, and replacing it with a flow of cold refrigerant from the refrigerant source while continuing to also pass said cold refrigerant through the coils of said second heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with said high pressure gas; said high pressure gas being removed from the two heat exchangers separately during each of the four steps of the process and being continuously combined into a common stream and cooled further to sub-zero temperature by being passed through a third heat exchanger provided with chilled refrigerant from a refrigeration source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said air is cooled to -60* F.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which is operatively connected to provide cold, pressurized air to a device for blow-molding plastic articles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A four-stage continuous process for cooling hot, high pressure gas comprising the steps of:
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A four-stage continuous process for cooling hot, high pressure gas comprising the steps of:
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the hot refrigerant gas is pre-cooled in a preliminary heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with the stream of gas carried off continuously from said heat exchangers which is then directed to said third heat exchanger.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said high pressure gas is air which emerges from said third heat exchanger at about -60* F.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-06 | 1977-02-05 | 1977-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-06 | 1981-02-05 | 1981-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-06 | 1985-02-05 | 1985-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |