US3810508A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low pressure storage of metabolically active material with open cycle refrigeration
Assignee: Grumman Allied Industries Inc
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Filing: 1972-01-05
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Granted: 1974-05-14
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Expires: 1992-01-05
Abstract
Abstract A controlled refrigerated storage environment conducive to preservation of stored respiring food tissue or other respiring matter is produced. Without the use of closed cycle refrigeration, by expanding atmospheric air and raising its relative humidity by passing it through a body of water while heating the body of water (except when the cooling demand exceeds the cooling capacity of the equipment) so that the air is cooled by its expansion and by evaporation of said water only to a preservation-conducive temperature (higher than the capacity of the equipment with that pressure drop at that rate of flow in the absence of such heating) and flowing the cooled expanded watersaturated air around the stored matter to sweep away gaseous products of metabolic reaction emitted from said matter. Heat input to the water is made responsive to cooling of the air in the vacuum chamber below a preservation-conducive temperature level and may be via an electric resistance element, e.g., immersed in the body of water, by heat exchange from an oil, water or air cooling system of a vacuum pump which serves as the air expansion means or from atmospheric air.
Inventors
- 👤 S Burg
- 👤 W Hentschel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:26
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B4/00; A23B4/06; A23B4/066; A23B2/00; A23B2/80; A23B2/805; A23B7/00; A23B7/14; A23B7/144; A23B7/148
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
Open cycle refrigeration equipment for storing metabolically active tissue comprising insulated walls forming a closed chamber, a liquid tank, a body of vaporizable liquid contained in said tank having its surface in communication with the interior of said chamber, means including a pressure reducing element and vacuum pump for causing a flow of ambient atmospheric air at subatmospheric pressure into and out of said body of liquid to vaporize said liquid into said air and thence into and out of said chamber at a selected rate of flow and at a selected internal subatmospheric pressure conducive to preservation of said tissue but at a temperature lower, as a consequence of the cooling effect incident to expansion of the air and evaporation of said liquid, than that conducive to best preservation of said tissue, means for elevating the temperature of said flowing air to a higher preservation-conducive temperature for said tissue while maintaining the rate of flow and pressure conditions at said selected preservation-conductive values, control means, including a temperature sensor in said chamber operatively coupled to said temperature elevating means, for actuating said temperature elevating means responsive to a drop in the internal temperature of said chamber below said higher temperature to maintain the internal temperature in said chamber at said higher temperature, and means for replenishing the liquid in said tank as it is consumed by evaporation into said flowing air.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
Open cycle refrigeration equipment for storing metabolically active tissue comprising insulated walls forming a closed chamber, a liquid tank, a body of vaporizable liquid contained in said tank having its surface in communication with the interior of said chamber, means including a pressure reducing element and vacuum pump for causing a flow of ambient atmospheric air at subatmospheric pressure into and out of said body of liquid to vaporize said liquid into said air and thence into and out of said chamber at a selected rate of flow and at a selected internal subatmospheric pressure conducive to preservation of said tissue but at a temperature lower, as a consequence of the cooling effect incident to expansion of the air and evaporation of said liquid, than that conducive to best preservation of said tissue, means for elevating the temperature of said flowing air to a higher preservation-conducive temperature for said tissue while maintaining the rate of flow and pressure conditions at said selected preservation-conductive values, control means, including a temperature sensor in said chamber operatively coupled to said temperature elevating means, for actuating said temperature elevating means responsive to a drop in the internal temperature of said chamber below said higher temperature to maintain the internal temperature in said chamber at said higher temperature, and means for replenishing the liquid in said tank as it is consumed by evaporation into said flowing air.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the temperature elevating means includes a heating element immersed in said body of liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid tank is located within the insulated walls of said vacuum chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of said body of liquid communicates with the interior of said chamber through a Venturi discharge nozzle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein said liquid tank communicates through a closed circuit with a heat exchange unit into which air is discharged from said Venturi nozzle, said closed circuit including a liquid pump for circulating the liquid contained in said tank through said closed circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1 including a heat exchanger outside the insulated walls of said chamber for passing air flowing out of said chamber into said vacuum pump into heat exchange relation with air flowing towards said pressure reducing element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating means is an electrical resistance element immersed in said body of liquid and said equipment includes a temperature sensor and associated electrical control circuit for energizing said heating element responsive to a drop in temperature in said vacuum chamber below a predetermined level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum pump has a circulating sealing liquid and said equipment includes means for circulating said sealing liquid into anD out of heat exchange relation with the body of liquid in said tank responsive to a drop in temperature in said chamber below a predetermined level to heat the liquid in said tank and cool said sealing liquid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Equipment as claimed in claim 8 wherein the vacuum pump is an oil seal pump and the circulating liquid is an oil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
Equipment for conditioning a storage chamber comprising air expansion means, including a pressure regulating valve, a closed chamber, and a vacuum pump, air humidifying means including a body of water, conduits for conducting ambient air through said valve, said body of water, and into and out of said chamber responsive to operation of said pump, means for regulating the rate of flow of said air through said chamber, and means for heating said flowing air responsive to a drop in temperature in said chamber below a predetermined temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
Equipment for conditioning a storage chamber comprising air expansion means, including a pressure regulating valve, a closed chamber, and a vacuum pump, air humidifying means including a body of water, conduits for conducting ambient air through said valve, said body of water, and into and out of said chamber responsive to operation of said pump, means for regulating the rate of flow of said air through said chamber, and means for heating said flowing air responsive to a drop in temperature in said chamber below a predetermined temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
128 words
Apparatus for open cycle refrigeration of the interior of a closed chamber comprising means for causing flow of outside atmospheric air into the interior of said chamber, means for reducing the pressure of said atmospheric air as it flows into said chamber a body of water, means for causing said air to contact said body of water whereby cooling capacity is provided consequent to expansion of said air and evaporation of said water, means for controlling the rate of flow of said air means for controlling the pressure drop of said air whereby cooling capacity may be provided in excess of that required to maintain the internal temperature of said chamber at a desired temperature, and means for heating said air in said chamber to control its temperature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
128 words
Apparatus for open cycle refrigeration of the interior of a closed chamber comprising means for causing flow of outside atmospheric air into the interior of said chamber, means for reducing the pressure of said atmospheric air as it flows into said chamber a body of water, means for causing said air to contact said body of water whereby cooling capacity is provided consequent to expansion of said air and evaporation of said water, means for controlling the rate of flow of said air means for controlling the pressure drop of said air whereby cooling capacity may be provided in excess of that required to maintain the internal temperature of said chamber at a desired temperature, and means for heating said air in said chamber to control its temperature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
Equipment for conditioning a storage chamber for respiring matter comprising means for maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure in said chamber, means for admitting air to said chamber and reducing the pressure of said air as it flows into said chamber and expands, a supply of water, means for humidifying said air by evaporating water and refrigerating the contents of said chamber, and means for heating said water.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
Equipment for conditioning a storage chamber for respiring matter comprising means for maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure in said chamber, means for admitting air to said chamber and reducing the pressure of said air as it flows into said chamber and expands, a supply of water, means for humidifying said air by evaporating water and refrigerating the contents of said chamber, and means for heating said water.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3116610A
Cited
US3406743A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-13 | 1977-11-12 | 1978-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-13 | 1981-11-12 | 1982-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-13 | 1985-11-12 | 1986-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |