Method of low-temperature liquid containment and transport
AssigneeH-O-H Water Technology, Inc.
InventorHenry A. Becker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The freezing point of a liquid in a chilled liquid containment system is decreased by the addition of a mixture of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. Solutions of nitrite/nitrate in a ratio of 1.0:1 to 3.0:1 at a concentration of at least 25% lowers the freezing point of water to as low as −33° C. or lower, permitting water to remain liquid well below its ambient freezing point and preventing pipes containing the nitrite/nitrate solution from bursting when exposed to subzero temperatures. This allows liquids to remain liquid at much lower temperatures than normal, allowing the circulation of the liquids at lower temperatures and protecting their containment systems from the damage that could occur when the liquids freeze into their solid state while within the containment systems.
Claims19
A method of water storage in freezing temperatures, comprising:
- preparing a solution consisting of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate;
- and
- placing the prepared solution in a water containment system,
- wherein a first crystallization point of the prepared solution is below −15° C., the first crystallization point being the temperature at which ice crystals form in the prepared solution.
A method of liquid containment at freezing temperatures, comprising:
- preparing a liquid consisting of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate;
- and
- placing the prepared liquid in a closed liquid containment system,
- wherein a first crystallization point of the prepared liquid is at least 10° C. lower than the liquid prepared without the sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate solution, the first crystallization point being the temperature at which ice crystals form in the prepared solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.