Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes
Patent
1988-04-07
1990-05-15
Kashnikow, Andres
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
239565, B05B 114
Patent
active
049250957
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of liquified gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen and particularly to an apparatus and method for balancing the discharge of such liquified gases through a multi-orifice manifold.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Liquified gases such as liquified nitrogen and liquified carbon dioxide are used extensively for the rapid chilling of various products, especially food products. Normally, food or other products to be chilled are moved by means of a conveyor belt through a freezing tunnel or enclosure containing an overhead arrangement of spray nozzles. The liquified gas is sprayed onto the products to be frozen as they pass through the freezing tunnel.
Liquified gases are stored under high pressures in order to maintain their liquified condition. Upon introduction into a manifold containing multiple discharge orifices, a considerable pressure reduction takes place. This results in a mixture of vapor and liquid. When the rate of flow within the manifold is not turbulent, the liquid and vapor separate with the liquid on the bottom and the vapor on the top. In this instance, the discharge orifice which is closest to the source of supply discharges liquid, and the discharge orifice farthest away from the supply discharges vapor. The intervening discharge orifices contain a mixture of liquid and vapor.
This condition is highly unsatisfactory, since it is desired to have equal amounts of liquid discharged from each of the discharge orifices of the manifold in order to provide rapid and balanced chilling of the product.
The above condition could be alleviated at least in part by sizing the discharge pipe for turbulent flow, or including pipe mixers or individual orifice mixers. However, these methods are not applicable to different orifice sizes, different orifice configurations, or differences in specific pressures. In addition, the extremely cold temperatures of the liquified gases can produce special problems. For example, such devices and methods could be unworkable due to the possibility of the production of ice in the case of liquid carbon dioxide which could freeze solid and plug the lines entirely.
As a consequence of the above problems, it is desirable to be able to control or balance the mass flow rate per orifice during the reduction of pressure. Ideally, such a solution should be relatively simple to avoid any problems with snow or ice buildup.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides such a solution. The manifold and discharge conduits were sized for laminar flow. The discharge conduits were then made perpendicular to the main conduit. Discharge of liquified gases was then made in positions whereby the discharge headers varied from straight down to straight up.
It was found that in the straight down position, the orifice closest to the supply line discharged liquid, and the orifice furthest from the supply line discharged vapor. This was consistent with prior art devices.
By contrast, when the discharge conduits were in the straight up position, the orifice closest to the supply line discharged vapor, and the orifice farthest from the supply line discharged liquid.
When the discharge orifices were rotated to a point approximately halfway between straight down and a horizontal position to produce an included angle of about 45.degree. as measured from the straight down position, it was found that discharges from a six orifice manifold with throttled pressure ranging from 300 psig to 185 psig produced a balanced, fairly uniform discharge of liquid and vapor from each orifice.
The addition of a 45.degree. elbow to which the discharge orifices were attached in order to provide straight down discharge, provided the same good results. It was also found that varying the size of the orifice did not alter the results.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the followng description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the invention.
BRIEF DESC
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Bethel George F.
Bethel Patience K.
Kashnikow Andres
Liquid Air Corporation
Weldon Kevin P.
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