Method and apparatus for agglomerating fine snow particles
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsTimothy Michael Lewis, Theodore Hall Gasteyer, III, Terry Traeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The device forms snow from pressurized carbon dioxide fluids. A supply conduit delivers a flow of pressurized fluid. An expansion member attached to the supply conduit contains a plurality of channels for reducing pressure on the fluid and converting the fluid with reduced pressure into a mixed-phase stream of gas and fine snow particles. The channels have an average diameter and an average length of at least twice its average diameter. An agglomeration chamber attached to the plurality of channels agglomerates the fine snow particles by contacting the fine snow particles together.
Claims18
A device for forming snow from pressurized fluids comprising:
- a supply conduit for delivering a flow of pressurized fluid,
- an expansion member attached across the supply conduit, the expansion member containing a plurality of channels for reducing pressure on the fluid for converting the fluid with reduced pressure into a mixed-phase stream of gas and fine snow particles, the plurality of channels having an average diameter and an average length of at least twice its average diameter, and
- an agglomeration chamber attached to the end of the supply conduit for agglomerating the fine snow particles by contacting the fine snow particles together, wherein the agglomeration chamber consists of (i) a cylindrically shaped snow horn for discharging agglomerated snow particles, said snow horn having a diameter of at least three times the diameter of the supply conduit, or (ii) a curved tubular member for directing the fine snow particles against a surface of the curved tubular member for the agglomerating of the fine snow particles, the tubular member having an open end.
A method for producing large snowflakes from pressurized fluid comprising the steps of:
- (A) providing a supply of pressurized fluid via a supply conduit;
- (B) sending the pressurized fluid to a low pressure chamber through a plurality of channels to create a mixture of fine snow particles and gas, the plurality of channels having an average diameter and an average length of at least twice its average diameter;
- and
- (C) agglomerating the fine snow particles into the snowflakes in an agglomeration chamber which consists of (i) a cylindrically shaped snow horn for discharging agglomerated snow particles, said snow horn having a diameter of at least three times the diameter of the supply conduit or (ii) a curved tubular member for directing the fine snow particles against a surface of the curved tubular member for the agglomerating of the fine snow particles, the tubular member having an open end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.