Cooling liquids
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorTerence E. Bridden
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Abstract
Liquid is cooled in a columnar vessel having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid. The cooling is effected by introducing liquid cryogen into the vessel through a pipe. The liquid cryogen vaporizes and crates turbulence in the liquid in the vessel. Perforated plates dampen the turbulence and disengage the vaporized cryogen from the liquid being cooled. Pressurized gas is introduced from an inlet into the liquid beneath the liquid cryogen. This pressurized gas crates turbulence in the region where the cryogen enters the liquid and thus is able to prevent local freezing of the liquid in the mouth of the pipe. The liquid is typically water and the liquid cryogen typically liquid nitrogen.
Claims13
Apparatus for cooling a liquid comprising a vessel for the liquid with means for liquid entry and exit having a first inlet for liquid cryogen in a lower region of the vessel whereby in use a violently turbulent mixture of liquid and vaporised cryogen is created, a second inlet for introducing pressurised gas into the liquid beneath the first inlet, whereby in use to create agitation of the liquid where the cryogen enters the liquid, means in an upper region of the vessel for damping the turbulence and disengaging vaporised cryogen from the liquid, and an outlet for the disengaged vaporised cryogen.
A method for cooling a liquid comprising charging a vessel with the liquid to be cooled, introducing liquid cryogen into the liquid at a lower region of the vessel and thereby creating a violently turbulent mixture of liquid and vaporised cryogen, introducing pressurised gas into the liquid beneath the first inlet whereby to create agitation of the liquid where the cryogen enters the liquid, damping the turbulence and disengaging the vaporised cryogen from the liquid in an upper region of the vessel and venting disengaged, vaporised, cryogen from the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.