Method of forming clathrate ice
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United State Department of Energy
InventorsToshiyuki Hino, Anthony J. Gorski
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Abstract
A method of forming clathrate ice in a supercooled water-based liquid contained in a vessel is disclosed. Initially, an oscillator device is located in the liquid in the vessel. The oscillator device is then oscillated ultrasonically so that small crystals are formed in the liquid. These small crystals serve as seed crystals for ice formation in the liquid and thereby prevent supercooling of the liquid. Preferably, the oscillating device is controlled by a thermostat which initiates operation of the oscillator device when the temperature of the liquid is lowered to the freezing point. Thereafter, the operation of the oscillator device is terminated when ice is sensed in the liquid by an ice sensor.
Claims6
A method of forming ice in a supercooled water-based clathrate liquid contained in a vessel comprising the steps of:
- locating an oscillator device having an oscillator plate in the liquid in the vessel;
- and
- oscillating the oscillator plate, ultrasonically to produce cavities in the liquid behind the plate thereby forming small crystals of clathrate in the liquid surrounding the cavities, which crystals serve as seed crystals for ice formation in the liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.