Refrigeration – Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture – Solidification
Patent
1997-05-23
1998-07-07
Capossela, Donald C.
Refrigeration
Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture
Solidification
62384, F25J 100
Patent
active
057751277
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus capable of producing carbon dioxide snowflakes for the purpose of cleaning optics and other delicate surfaces. Carbon dioxide tanks (10) send liquid carbon dioxide to nozzles (110) where the liquid is throttled into a mixture of carbon dioxide snowflakes and gas. The snowflakes grow as they move through drift tubes (120) and develop a soft, fluffy, structure capable of wiping a delicate optical surface clean without causing scratching. The flow of snowflakes and gas are scattered by a turbine head (152) which turns by means of a jet of nitrogen gas emerging from a tube (240). Both the nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide flows can be controlled by a nitrogen flow pneumatic valve (212) and a carbon dioxide flow pneumatic valve (42) respectively. Both of these pneumatic valves can ultimately be controlled by a computer (530).
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