CA2487309A1 - Apparatus and method for ice blasting - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for ice blasting Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2487309A1 CA2487309A1 CA002487309A CA2487309A CA2487309A1 CA 2487309 A1 CA2487309 A1 CA 2487309A1 CA 002487309 A CA002487309 A CA 002487309A CA 2487309 A CA2487309 A CA 2487309A CA 2487309 A1 CA2487309 A1 CA 2487309A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- ice
- particulates
- sheet
- tube
- drum
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000005422 blasting Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 39
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 38
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 35
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000003306 harvesting Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000010408 sweeping Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005054 agglomeration Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000002776 aggregation Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000003116 impacting effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 238000005507 spraying Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000012634 fragment Substances 0.000 abstract description 10
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 description 10
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 239000003082 abrasive agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004381 surface treatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002699 waste material Substances 0.000 description 2
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004809 Teflon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006362 Teflon® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000011089 carbon dioxide Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008021 deposition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005243 fluidization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000013467 fragmentation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006062 fragmentation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009499 grossing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012432 intermediate storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003754 machining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003973 paint Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrafluoroethene Chemical compound FC(F)=C(F)F BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000010257 thawing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
- B24C—ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL
- B24C1/00—Methods for use of abrasive blasting for producing particular effects; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods
- B24C1/08—Methods for use of abrasive blasting for producing particular effects; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods for polishing surfaces, e.g. smoothing a surface by making use of liquid-borne abrasives
- B24C1/083—Deburring
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
- B24C—ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL
- B24C1/00—Methods for use of abrasive blasting for producing particular effects; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods
- B24C1/003—Methods for use of abrasive blasting for producing particular effects; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods using material which dissolves or changes phase after the treatment, e.g. ice, CO2
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
Abstract
An apparatus (10) and method for continuously delivering ice particulates (20a) onto a substrate for treating a surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes a refrigerated curved surface (15) that is brought into contact with water to form a thin ice sheet (20) on the surface (15). A doctor-knife (22) intercepts a leading edge of the ice sheet to fragment the ice sheet to produce ice particulates which enter into a tube (30). The particulates are fluidized by air and carried to a hose (52) for delivery through a blasting nozzle (54) under pressure.
Description
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ICE BLASTING
This is a divisional of Canadian patent application 2,257,384 filed June 5, 1997.
Field of the Invention The invention provides an apparatus and method for blasting small ice particulates onto surfaces, for cleaning, decontaminating, debarring, or smoothing the surfaces. More particularly, the invention provides ice particulates within a narrow range of size distribution sc:pplied through an apparatus that makes these particulates and motivates them to a required velocity, without intermediate storage of the particulates.
Backeround of the Invention In recent years there has been increasing interest in the use of ice blasting techniques to treat surfaces. For certain applications, ice blasting provides significant advantages over chemical surface treatment, blasting with sand or other abrasive materials, hydro-blasting, and blasting with steam or dry ice. The technique can be used to remove loose material, blips and buns from production metal components, 1 S such as transmission channel plates after machining, and even softer material, such as organic polymeric materials, including plastic and rubber components. Because water in either frozen or liquid form is environmentally safe, and inexpensive,. ice blasting does not pose a waste disposal problem. The technique can also be used for cleaning surfaces, removing paint or stripping contaminants from a surface, without the use of chemicals, abrasive materials, high temperatures, or steam.
Because of these apparent advantages, ice blasting has generated significant commercial interest which lead to the development of a variety of technologies designed to deliver a high pressure spray containing ice particuiates for performing particular surface treatment procedures.. Some of these technologies are shown, for ..:.
This is a divisional of Canadian patent application 2,257,384 filed June 5, 1997.
Field of the Invention The invention provides an apparatus and method for blasting small ice particulates onto surfaces, for cleaning, decontaminating, debarring, or smoothing the surfaces. More particularly, the invention provides ice particulates within a narrow range of size distribution sc:pplied through an apparatus that makes these particulates and motivates them to a required velocity, without intermediate storage of the particulates.
Backeround of the Invention In recent years there has been increasing interest in the use of ice blasting techniques to treat surfaces. For certain applications, ice blasting provides significant advantages over chemical surface treatment, blasting with sand or other abrasive materials, hydro-blasting, and blasting with steam or dry ice. The technique can be used to remove loose material, blips and buns from production metal components, 1 S such as transmission channel plates after machining, and even softer material, such as organic polymeric materials, including plastic and rubber components. Because water in either frozen or liquid form is environmentally safe, and inexpensive,. ice blasting does not pose a waste disposal problem. The technique can also be used for cleaning surfaces, removing paint or stripping contaminants from a surface, without the use of chemicals, abrasive materials, high temperatures, or steam.
Because of these apparent advantages, ice blasting has generated significant commercial interest which lead to the development of a variety of technologies designed to deliver a high pressure spray containing ice particuiates for performing particular surface treatment procedures.. Some of these technologies are shown, for ..:.
example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,699,403; 4,389,820; 4,617,064; 4,703,590;
4,744,181;
4,96S,968; 5,203,794; and 5,367,838. Despite all the effort devoted to ice-blasting equipment, the currently available equipment still suffers significant shortcomings that lead to job interruption and downtime for equipment maintenance. This is a particular disadvantage in using ice blasting in a continuous automated production line to treat surfaces of machined parts.
In general, in the prior art equipment, the ice particulates are mechanically sized, a process that can cause partial thawing of ice partieulates so that they adhere together, producing larger particulates. As a result, there is not only a wide l0 distribution in the size of ice particulates produced, and the velocity at which these particulates are ejected from a nozzle onto the surface to be treated, but also frequent blockages that necessitate equipment downtime for clearing the blocked area.
Moreover, in the available equipment, the ice particulates are retained in storage hoppers, where they are physically at rest, while in contact with each other.
This results in ice particulates cohering to form Larger ice blocks that ultimately cause blockages with resultant stoppage of the ice blasting operation due to an insufficient supply of ice particulates to the blasting nozzle. In other equipment, the ice particulates flow along a path with abruptly varying cross-sectional area for flow.
This frequently causes the accumulation of fine ice parti:culates in certain low pressure areas. This accumulation also ultimately results in , blockage of the apparatus, causing the ice blasting operation to come to an unscheduled stop.
There yet exists a need for ice-blasting apparatus, and a method of ice blasting, that can be carried out continuously, with minimal risk of unscheduled stoppages due to ice blockages forming in the apparatus. Such an ~xpparatus, and method of its operation, will allow more efficient ice-blasting operations, reducing labor costs for unscheduled stoppages, labor casts incurred in freeing the equipment of blockages, and permit more ready integration of ice blasting into an automated production line.
Summary of the Invention The invention provides an apparatus for producing ice particulates within a narrow size distribution, and delivering these ice.particulates at a predetermined velocity onto a substrate, thereby treating the surface of the substrate to taemove contaminants, to deburr, or to otherwise produce a smooth, clean surface. The apparatus of the invention may be operated continuously, with significantly reduced 3 5 risk of blockage by accumulated ice, as compared to currently-available ice-blasting equipment.
In general, the invention provides an ice particulate-making apparatus that has a curved, refrigerated surface on which a thin ice sheet is formed, which is then fragmented into ice particulates that are fluidized and carried in a conduit of flowing air to impact onto the surface to be treated, The conduit is preferably smooth, and of substantially uniform cross-sectional area for flow, to minimize or eliminate ice particulate agglomeration and consequent clogging of the apparatus.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a refrigerated device with a curved surface, such as a cylindrical drum that is preferably rotatably mounted with outer surfaces adapted to form a thin layer of ice..
In one embodiment, the drum is horizontally mounted in a basin of water. As the drum, that is refrigerated to a surface temperature of at least 0°C, rotates in the basin, a thin curved ice sheet forms on the cylindrical outer surfaces of the drum.
An lee breaking tool, such as a doctor-knife, is mounted near the side of the drum that is ice-coated, and extends along the Length of the drum. The knife is oriented to intercept a leading edge of the ice sheet and fragment it into ice particulates as the drum rotates.
An ice-receiving tube is located adjacent, and extends along the length of.
the doctor-knife and is oriented so that a longitudinal slot in the tube is able to receive the ice particulates formed. One end of the tube is coupled to a hose supplying cold air, and the other end is coupled Lo an ice delivery hose that applies suction to the interior space of the tube. The delivery hose terminates in an ice blasting nozzle. As ice particuiates enter into' the ice-receiving tube, the particulates are carried by a continuously flowing stream of cold air into the delivery hose and thence into the iee-blasting nozzle. The flow conduit of the ice particulates (tube and hoses) has a substantially smooth (i.e. free of obstructions and surface irregularities) inner surface, and substantially uniform cross-sectional area for flow, thereby avoiding low velocity spots where ice particulates may settle, accumulate, and cause blockages.
In another embodiment, the refrigerated drum is sprayed with water to form the thin ice sheet. The drum may be horizontally mounted, as preferred to form a uniform thickness ice-sheet, or may be inclined at an angle. In one such embodiment of the invention, the refrigerated drum is vertically-oriented and water is sprayed onto the drum to form a thin curved ice sheet. As. explained above, a doctor-knife extends along the length of the drum to fragment ice. particuIates from the sheet into an adjacent co-extensive ice-receiving tube.
In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the refrigerated cylindrical surface is the interior surface of an annulus. At least one spray nozzle is mounted to direct water onto the cylindrical walls of the annulus to form a thin ice sheet. As before, a doctor-knife extending along the length of the cylindrical wall is used to fragment ice particulates of narrow size distribution from the ice sheet into a slot in an ice-receiving tube that is adjacent to and co-extensive with the knife.
In a yet further alternative embodiment of the invention, the entire apparatus for making ice particulates is enclosed in a pressurized vessel. The vessel may be maintained at a pressure in the range from about 20 to about 150 prig. Moreover, in this embodiment of the invention pressurized air, or another gas, is supplied to the apparatus to fluidize the ice particulates, and carry the ice particulates to a nozzle, or a plurality of nozzles, for blasting onto a surface.
According to the method of the invention, ice particulates may be prepared by freezing water into a thin, curved sheet of ice. This thin, curved ice sheet, already stressed as a result of the curvature, is relatively easily fragmented into ice particulates that are sized dependent on ice sheet thickness and radius of curvature. These ice particulates are drawn by suction pressure into a stream of cold, dry air that fluidizes and sweeps the particulates into a smooth surfaced flow cor~duit having a Substantially constant cross-sectional area for flow. At a terminal end of this flow conduit the ice particulates a:re ejected onto a surface of a substrate through a nozzle at high velocity to perform deburring, cleaning, or other operations, depending upon the velocity of the ice particulate:a and air stream.
Thus, in a broad aspect the invention provides an apparatus for supplying and accelerating particulates, the apparatus comprising: (a) a refrigerated drum, the drum mounted to rotate about a central axis, the refrigerated drum -4a-able to cool a cylindrical surface of the drum to at least 0°C to cause an ice sheet to form on the cylindrical surface when water contacts the surface; (b) a doctor-knife mounted in close proximity to the cylindrical surface of the drum, the doctor-knife extending along the length of the cylindrical surface of the drum, the doctor-knife oriented to enable fragmenting of ice particulates from a thin ice sheet formed on the cylindrical surface when water contacts the cylindrical surface; (c) an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the doctor-knife, the tube having a longitudinal slot oriented to receive ice particulates formed by the doctor-knife when the knife fragments a thin icc=_ sheet from the cylindrical surface of the drum, the ice-receiving tube having a first end, the first end in fluid communication with a supply hose for supplying cold air to t:he tube to sweep ice particulates from the tube, and the tube having a second end, the second end in fluid communication with a delivery hose for carrying away ice particulates and a~_r from the ice-receiving tube; and (d) a nozzle at a tez-minal end of the hose for carrying away ice particulates from the outlet end of the ice-receiving tube, the nozzle able to control flow of ice particulates therethrough.
In another broad aspect the invention provides an apparatus for delivering ice particulates, the apparatus comprising: (a) a rotatable refrigerated device, the device able to cool a cylindrical surface thereof to at least 0°C;
(b) a doctor-knife mounted near the cylin.drioal surface of the device and extending along a length of the surface, the doctor-knife oriented and positioned to fragment ice particulates from an ice sheet on the cylindrical outer surfaces of the refrigerated device formed when water freezes on the cylindrical surface of the device; (c) an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the doctor-knife, the tube having -4b-a longitudinal slot oriented to receive ice particulates when the doctor-knife fragments particulates from an ice sheet, the ice-receiving tube having a first end, the first end in fluid communication with a supply hose for supplying cold air to the tube to sweep ice particulates from the tube, and the tube having a second end, the second end in fluid communication with a delivery hose for carrying away ice particulates and cold air from the ice-receiving tube; and (d) a nozzle at a terminal end of the delivery hose, the nozzle able to control a rate of flow of ice particulates therethrough.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of continuously producing a stream of ice particulates, the method comprising: a) continuously freezing water on a curved surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice,, a curvature of the surface causing fragmenting of the curved sheet of ice to form ice particulates; (b) continuously separating fragmented ice particulates from the curved surface by continuously sweeping the separated ice particulates directly into a stream of air sufficient to fluidize the particulates; (c) maintaining the ice particulates in a fluidized state; and (d) continuously ejecting the fluidized i.ce particulates under controlled velocity from a nozzle.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of continuously producing a stream of ice: particulates, the method comprising: (a) freezing water on a curve of surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, the curved sheet having a radius of curvature, the curvature causing sufficient internal stress in the curved sheet to result in self-fracture of the ice sheet; (b) harvesting self-fractured ice particulates directly from the curved surface; (c) maintaining the harvested ice particulates in a fluidized state, thereby preventing significant agglomeration of ice -4c-particulates; and (d) blasting the harvested, fluidized ice particulates from a nozzle at a controlled velocity onto a substrate.
In another aspect the invention provides a method for producing and accelerating ice particulates, the method comprising: (a) forming a thin curved sheet of ice on a surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, the ice sheet having a radius of curvature sufficient to induce self-fracturing of the ice sheet; (b) continuously harvesting the self-fractured ice particulates directly from the surfar_e of the drum into an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the surface of the drum, by supplying the tube with a sufficient amount of air to fluidize said harvested ice particulates, and sweeping the particulates into an ice-delivery conduit in fluid communication with the tube; and (c) expelling the ice particulates from a terminal end of the conduit, under controlled conditions, onto the surface of a substrate.
Brief Description of the Drawings The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is an illustration of a worker blasting a surface with ice particulates from an ice blasting device of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a simplified schematic of the ice particulate-making equipment of the invention;
-4d-FIGURE 3 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an iceblasting apparatus in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 4A is an end view of an embodiment of the invention showing details of the ice removal tool and ice-receiving tube of the invention;
FIGURE 4B is an end view of an embodiment of the invention including water spray nozzles for forming an ice sheet on a cylindrical surface of a rotating refrigerated drum;
4,744,181;
4,96S,968; 5,203,794; and 5,367,838. Despite all the effort devoted to ice-blasting equipment, the currently available equipment still suffers significant shortcomings that lead to job interruption and downtime for equipment maintenance. This is a particular disadvantage in using ice blasting in a continuous automated production line to treat surfaces of machined parts.
In general, in the prior art equipment, the ice particulates are mechanically sized, a process that can cause partial thawing of ice partieulates so that they adhere together, producing larger particulates. As a result, there is not only a wide l0 distribution in the size of ice particulates produced, and the velocity at which these particulates are ejected from a nozzle onto the surface to be treated, but also frequent blockages that necessitate equipment downtime for clearing the blocked area.
Moreover, in the available equipment, the ice particulates are retained in storage hoppers, where they are physically at rest, while in contact with each other.
This results in ice particulates cohering to form Larger ice blocks that ultimately cause blockages with resultant stoppage of the ice blasting operation due to an insufficient supply of ice particulates to the blasting nozzle. In other equipment, the ice particulates flow along a path with abruptly varying cross-sectional area for flow.
This frequently causes the accumulation of fine ice parti:culates in certain low pressure areas. This accumulation also ultimately results in , blockage of the apparatus, causing the ice blasting operation to come to an unscheduled stop.
There yet exists a need for ice-blasting apparatus, and a method of ice blasting, that can be carried out continuously, with minimal risk of unscheduled stoppages due to ice blockages forming in the apparatus. Such an ~xpparatus, and method of its operation, will allow more efficient ice-blasting operations, reducing labor costs for unscheduled stoppages, labor casts incurred in freeing the equipment of blockages, and permit more ready integration of ice blasting into an automated production line.
Summary of the Invention The invention provides an apparatus for producing ice particulates within a narrow size distribution, and delivering these ice.particulates at a predetermined velocity onto a substrate, thereby treating the surface of the substrate to taemove contaminants, to deburr, or to otherwise produce a smooth, clean surface. The apparatus of the invention may be operated continuously, with significantly reduced 3 5 risk of blockage by accumulated ice, as compared to currently-available ice-blasting equipment.
In general, the invention provides an ice particulate-making apparatus that has a curved, refrigerated surface on which a thin ice sheet is formed, which is then fragmented into ice particulates that are fluidized and carried in a conduit of flowing air to impact onto the surface to be treated, The conduit is preferably smooth, and of substantially uniform cross-sectional area for flow, to minimize or eliminate ice particulate agglomeration and consequent clogging of the apparatus.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a refrigerated device with a curved surface, such as a cylindrical drum that is preferably rotatably mounted with outer surfaces adapted to form a thin layer of ice..
In one embodiment, the drum is horizontally mounted in a basin of water. As the drum, that is refrigerated to a surface temperature of at least 0°C, rotates in the basin, a thin curved ice sheet forms on the cylindrical outer surfaces of the drum.
An lee breaking tool, such as a doctor-knife, is mounted near the side of the drum that is ice-coated, and extends along the Length of the drum. The knife is oriented to intercept a leading edge of the ice sheet and fragment it into ice particulates as the drum rotates.
An ice-receiving tube is located adjacent, and extends along the length of.
the doctor-knife and is oriented so that a longitudinal slot in the tube is able to receive the ice particulates formed. One end of the tube is coupled to a hose supplying cold air, and the other end is coupled Lo an ice delivery hose that applies suction to the interior space of the tube. The delivery hose terminates in an ice blasting nozzle. As ice particuiates enter into' the ice-receiving tube, the particulates are carried by a continuously flowing stream of cold air into the delivery hose and thence into the iee-blasting nozzle. The flow conduit of the ice particulates (tube and hoses) has a substantially smooth (i.e. free of obstructions and surface irregularities) inner surface, and substantially uniform cross-sectional area for flow, thereby avoiding low velocity spots where ice particulates may settle, accumulate, and cause blockages.
In another embodiment, the refrigerated drum is sprayed with water to form the thin ice sheet. The drum may be horizontally mounted, as preferred to form a uniform thickness ice-sheet, or may be inclined at an angle. In one such embodiment of the invention, the refrigerated drum is vertically-oriented and water is sprayed onto the drum to form a thin curved ice sheet. As. explained above, a doctor-knife extends along the length of the drum to fragment ice. particuIates from the sheet into an adjacent co-extensive ice-receiving tube.
In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the refrigerated cylindrical surface is the interior surface of an annulus. At least one spray nozzle is mounted to direct water onto the cylindrical walls of the annulus to form a thin ice sheet. As before, a doctor-knife extending along the length of the cylindrical wall is used to fragment ice particulates of narrow size distribution from the ice sheet into a slot in an ice-receiving tube that is adjacent to and co-extensive with the knife.
In a yet further alternative embodiment of the invention, the entire apparatus for making ice particulates is enclosed in a pressurized vessel. The vessel may be maintained at a pressure in the range from about 20 to about 150 prig. Moreover, in this embodiment of the invention pressurized air, or another gas, is supplied to the apparatus to fluidize the ice particulates, and carry the ice particulates to a nozzle, or a plurality of nozzles, for blasting onto a surface.
According to the method of the invention, ice particulates may be prepared by freezing water into a thin, curved sheet of ice. This thin, curved ice sheet, already stressed as a result of the curvature, is relatively easily fragmented into ice particulates that are sized dependent on ice sheet thickness and radius of curvature. These ice particulates are drawn by suction pressure into a stream of cold, dry air that fluidizes and sweeps the particulates into a smooth surfaced flow cor~duit having a Substantially constant cross-sectional area for flow. At a terminal end of this flow conduit the ice particulates a:re ejected onto a surface of a substrate through a nozzle at high velocity to perform deburring, cleaning, or other operations, depending upon the velocity of the ice particulate:a and air stream.
Thus, in a broad aspect the invention provides an apparatus for supplying and accelerating particulates, the apparatus comprising: (a) a refrigerated drum, the drum mounted to rotate about a central axis, the refrigerated drum -4a-able to cool a cylindrical surface of the drum to at least 0°C to cause an ice sheet to form on the cylindrical surface when water contacts the surface; (b) a doctor-knife mounted in close proximity to the cylindrical surface of the drum, the doctor-knife extending along the length of the cylindrical surface of the drum, the doctor-knife oriented to enable fragmenting of ice particulates from a thin ice sheet formed on the cylindrical surface when water contacts the cylindrical surface; (c) an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the doctor-knife, the tube having a longitudinal slot oriented to receive ice particulates formed by the doctor-knife when the knife fragments a thin icc=_ sheet from the cylindrical surface of the drum, the ice-receiving tube having a first end, the first end in fluid communication with a supply hose for supplying cold air to t:he tube to sweep ice particulates from the tube, and the tube having a second end, the second end in fluid communication with a delivery hose for carrying away ice particulates and a~_r from the ice-receiving tube; and (d) a nozzle at a tez-minal end of the hose for carrying away ice particulates from the outlet end of the ice-receiving tube, the nozzle able to control flow of ice particulates therethrough.
In another broad aspect the invention provides an apparatus for delivering ice particulates, the apparatus comprising: (a) a rotatable refrigerated device, the device able to cool a cylindrical surface thereof to at least 0°C;
(b) a doctor-knife mounted near the cylin.drioal surface of the device and extending along a length of the surface, the doctor-knife oriented and positioned to fragment ice particulates from an ice sheet on the cylindrical outer surfaces of the refrigerated device formed when water freezes on the cylindrical surface of the device; (c) an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the doctor-knife, the tube having -4b-a longitudinal slot oriented to receive ice particulates when the doctor-knife fragments particulates from an ice sheet, the ice-receiving tube having a first end, the first end in fluid communication with a supply hose for supplying cold air to the tube to sweep ice particulates from the tube, and the tube having a second end, the second end in fluid communication with a delivery hose for carrying away ice particulates and cold air from the ice-receiving tube; and (d) a nozzle at a terminal end of the delivery hose, the nozzle able to control a rate of flow of ice particulates therethrough.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of continuously producing a stream of ice particulates, the method comprising: a) continuously freezing water on a curved surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice,, a curvature of the surface causing fragmenting of the curved sheet of ice to form ice particulates; (b) continuously separating fragmented ice particulates from the curved surface by continuously sweeping the separated ice particulates directly into a stream of air sufficient to fluidize the particulates; (c) maintaining the ice particulates in a fluidized state; and (d) continuously ejecting the fluidized i.ce particulates under controlled velocity from a nozzle.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of continuously producing a stream of ice: particulates, the method comprising: (a) freezing water on a curve of surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, the curved sheet having a radius of curvature, the curvature causing sufficient internal stress in the curved sheet to result in self-fracture of the ice sheet; (b) harvesting self-fractured ice particulates directly from the curved surface; (c) maintaining the harvested ice particulates in a fluidized state, thereby preventing significant agglomeration of ice -4c-particulates; and (d) blasting the harvested, fluidized ice particulates from a nozzle at a controlled velocity onto a substrate.
In another aspect the invention provides a method for producing and accelerating ice particulates, the method comprising: (a) forming a thin curved sheet of ice on a surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, the ice sheet having a radius of curvature sufficient to induce self-fracturing of the ice sheet; (b) continuously harvesting the self-fractured ice particulates directly from the surfar_e of the drum into an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the surface of the drum, by supplying the tube with a sufficient amount of air to fluidize said harvested ice particulates, and sweeping the particulates into an ice-delivery conduit in fluid communication with the tube; and (c) expelling the ice particulates from a terminal end of the conduit, under controlled conditions, onto the surface of a substrate.
Brief Description of the Drawings The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is an illustration of a worker blasting a surface with ice particulates from an ice blasting device of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a simplified schematic of the ice particulate-making equipment of the invention;
-4d-FIGURE 3 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an iceblasting apparatus in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 4A is an end view of an embodiment of the invention showing details of the ice removal tool and ice-receiving tube of the invention;
FIGURE 4B is an end view of an embodiment of the invention including water spray nozzles for forming an ice sheet on a cylindrical surface of a rotating refrigerated drum;
FIGURE 4C is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the ice-receiving tube of the invention, equipped with an optio~'al window;
FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the ice particulate-making apparatus of the invention wherein the rotating refrigerated drum is vertically oriented and receives a water spray to form an ice sheet on the outer surfaces of the drum;
FIGURE b is yet another preferred embodiment of the ice particulate-making device of the invention wherein the rotating drum has a cylindrical internal surface on which a thin ice sheet is formed and fragmented into an ice-receiving tube;
IO FIGURE 7 is a schematic cross-sectional illuistration of an ice-particulate receiving tube, divided into two sections, for supplying two streams of fluidized ice particulates;
FIGURE $ is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention enclosed in a pressure vessel, and supplied with cornpr~essed air.
Detailed Description of the Preferred l~mbodiment The invention provides an apparatus, and method, of continuously producing ice particulates, and continuously delivering these ice particulates at a controlled high velocity .onto a substrate. Tlae ice particulates are forrned from fragmenting a "thin curved sheet" of ice. In the specification and claims, this means a sheet of such curvature and thickness that, as a result, the sheet has residual stresses and a thermal gradient so that it is predisposed to ready fragmentation. An example of such a cylindrical sheet is-a sheet about 1.5 mm thick and with a radius of curvature of about 100 mm. Preferably, this sheet is from about I .U to albout 2.U mm thick, and has a radius of curvature of about 50 mm to about 150 rnm. Clearly, larger or smaller apparatus are also useful and are within the scope of the invention.
The ice particulates are kept in constant motion (and are °'fluidfz~ed"), according to the invention, so that they do not come to rest relative to any part of the apparatus and do not come into stationary contact with ~:ach other to cohere and form larger ice particulate blocks that may cause blockages in the apparatus.
Moreover, the flow path along which the ice particulates are carried by a fluidizing gas, such as cold air, is smooth and devoid of such abrupt changes in flow cross-sectional area as may lead to the deposition and subsequent accumulation of ice particulates to form blockages. Preferably, the flow conduit has a diameter of about 2S to about 30 mm.
In order to minimize any melting of the ice particulates that may lead to subsequent coherence or adherence and blockage, components of 'the apparatus that come into contact with ice particulates are preferably fabricated from materials that are smooth and have low thermal conductivity. Plastic materials are preferred, especially non-stick plastics such as TEFLON, that may be used as an inner coating.
The apparatus of the invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying figures that schematically represent preferred embodiments 'of the apparatus for making ice particulates and delivering these through a nozzle onto the surface of a substrate. Clearly, other embodiments are also within the scope of the invention, but reference to the preferred embodiments of the figures facilitate an explanation of aspects of the invention.
FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates the ice-bhisting operation. In accordance with the invention, a unique ice maker 10 that produces ice particulates with controlled dimensions, as will be described later, sub~plies fluidized ice partieulates into an ice and air medium delivery hose 52 to which is connected a nozzle 54 attached to a high pressure hose 56 that receives pressured air from device 58, either a compressor or a pressurized cylinder. The high pressure air is supplied, through hose ~6 to the nozzle 54 and creates a suction behind its entry point in the nozzle that draws ice particulates into the delivery hose 52, as will be explained later, and accelerates the speed of travel of the ice particulates so that they may be ejected from the nozzle 54, under the control of an operator (or under automated control), onto a surface 80 that is to be treated by ice-blasting. As vvill become apparent later, the unique ice maker 10 of the invention is not necessarily itself pressurized (although it may be in some embodiments), but in the illustrated embodiment air is-drawn into it through hose 50,. and an air-ice particulate mixture is delivered from it through .
delivery hose ~2 to the nozzle 54. it is imporwnt to maintain a sufficient pressure drop between the air inlet 30a of tube 30 and air outlet 30b to cause sufficient air flow to fluidize the ice particulates formed and acxelerate the particulates (see FIGURE 2).
Referring to the preferred embodiment of FIGURES 2, 3, 4A and 4B, an ice maker 10 includes a housing 12 partially filled with water 13. A cylindrical drum 14 with an axial shaft 16 is rotatably mounted such that a portion of its outer cylindrical surface 15 is covered with water, when the housing contains an operating volume of water. The drum is refrigerated, usually by a plurality of channels in the interior of the .cylindrical drum that carry a refrigerant (not shown.). As illustrated, the drum 14 rotates in a counterclockwise direction around its axial shaft 1 S that is coupled to an electric drive motor 18 at a rate that allows the formation of a suitably thick layer of ice on its surface. As the refrigerated drum rotates, water in contact with its outer -7_ cylindrical surface freezes to form a thin sheet of ice ~!0. This sheet of ice is carried around to another side of the drum for removal as i.ce particulates 20a. The ice-cleared drum surface then continues to rotate and re-enters the water to form an ice sheet.
S It should be noted that the thin curved ice sheet is subject to stress as a result of its shape and a temperature gradient that extends through its thickness so that it is predisposed to fragment into ice particulates. The size distribution of these ice particulates is dependent upon the thickness, temperature, and the radius of curvature of the ice sheet, which are in turn dependent upon the rate of rotation and temperature of the drum, and the radius of the drum 14.
The components of the apparatus that fragment the ice sheet are more clearly shown in FIGURES 4A and 4B. An ice-removal tool, or doctor-knife 22 is mounted on a support 24 so that the tip of the tool extends at an angle of about 4S° to intercept a leading edge of the ice sheet 20. The doctor-knife 22 and its support 24 extend 1 S substantially along the entire length of the cylindrical drum 14, as shown in FIGURES 2 arid 3. Thus, as the ice sheet leading edge encounters the tip of the doctor-knife 22, the stressed ice sheet fragments into ice particulates 20a.
The ice particulates 20a then enter a tube of preferably substantially uniform inside cross-sectional area for flow, with a smooth inner surface, a:. shown in FIGURES 4A
and 4C. Within these constraints, the tube may have any one of many possible designs that may readily occur to one of skill in the art who has read this disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, these ice particulates enter into a slot 28 of an ice-receiving tube 30 that extends substantially along the entire length. of the drum 14.
The smooth inner-surfaced tube 30, shown in more detail in F'1GURE 4C, is mounted so that one longitudinal edge 26 of the longitudinal slot is in contact with, and sealed against an upper end of the doctor-knife 22 by mechanical pressure. The other longitudinal edge 27 of the slot 28 curves over above the ice sheet and backward toward the leading edge of the ice sheet while extending downward to a position in touching relationship with the ice sheet 20. The edge 27 is therefi~re sealed against the surface of the ice sheet. Thus, ice particulates 20a are captured m the slot and enter the ice-receiving tube 30 where they are immediately fluidized and carried away, as will be explained later. In order to allow inspection of the :interior of the ice-receiving tube 30, the tube is optionally equipped with a longitudinal glass window 34 held in a frame 35. This optional glass window 34 extends along a substantial length of the upper surface of the ice-receiving tube 30, where a corresponding section of the tube has been removed. The ice-receiving tube is affixed to a support bracket 40, that _8-extends along its upper outer surface. The bracket 40 is mounted to the housing 12 and is interconnected with an optional warning system, described below.
The apparatus of the invention preferably has a warning system for detecting when the ice-receiving tube has been overfilled, or is being blocked. Under these circumstances, the continual rotation of the drum, forcing additional partieulates into an already full tube, causes the tube 30 to lift away from the drum 14 thereby urging bracket 40 upward. This bracket is held in place, flush with the upper surface of the housing 12, by a series of pairs of compression-retaining bolts 42. Each of these bolts has a surrounding coil spring 44 that it maintains under compression between an upper surface of the bracket 40 and a washer near the top of the retaining bolt 42.
Thus, as the bracket is urged upward, the springs compress, This compression is detected by a sensor 45 and automatically sounds an alarm. This system allows early detection of potential or actual blockage so that necessary maintenance can be performed. As explained, however, such blockage should very rarely occur because the ice particulates formed are maintained in a fluidized state, in constant motion, and are not allowed to settle and cohere so that blockages are usually not able to form.
However, blockages can result from inadequate fluidizing air supply or misaligned doctor-knife resulting in inadequate fracturing of the ice sheet.
Referring back to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, an air hose ~0 is connected to an air inlet end 30a of the ice-receiving tube 30, and a media dice and air) delivery hose 52 is connected to the other end 30b of the tube. Thus, cold compressed air supplied in hose ~0 fluidizes ice particuIates 20a, that are fragmented into tube 30, and carry these particulates into the media delivery hose 52. As will be explained below, the ice-receiving tube 30 is not subjected to high pressure differentinl between its inside and the surroundings but is at close to atmospheric pressure in some embodiments.
In other embodiments, as explained below, the entire apparatus may be enclosed in a pressurized vessel. Of more importance is the difference in pressure between tube air inlet and air outlet.
Preferably, there is a smooth transition from tube 30 to delivery hose ~2 so that there are no intema! obstructions to ice flow that may cause ice particulates to settle, adhere, cohere, and forsn blockades. The delivery hose, preferably with a smooth inner lining, terminates in an ice-blasting nozzle S4, that can be manually controlled by an operator or automatically operated. When the nozzle is shut off, a diverter valve 62 reroutes the media through hose b9~ to waste disposal. Thus, the 3S ice-making apparatus is able to operate continuously without an accumulation of particulates 20a when blasting operations cease temporarily. This avoids the necessity to restart the apparatus, and the unsteady state operation associated with start up, and facilitates recommencing blasting operations.
In.the illustrated embodiment, a high pressure air hose 56 is joined to the rear of the nozzle 54 to draw ice into the nozzle by suction and to impel the particulates at a controlled velocity through the nozzle 54. The connection to the rear of the nozzle, with air directed to the nozzle tip, creates a suction-effect behind the nozzle so that ice particulates are drawn from the ice-receiving tube 30 and propelled to the nozzle S4. Thus, the tube 30 is not pressurized by air entering through hose 50, but air is drawn in by suction through hose SO air and this air maintains the ice particulates in constant motion in a fluidized state.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGURE 4B, the drum 14 does not rotate in a container of water. Instead, the drum 14 is mounted in a container along with at least vne spray nozzle that is oriented to spray water onto cylindrical surfaces of the drum, and thereby form an ice sheet on the refrigerated surface. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 4B, water distributors 72 extend longitudinally along the length of the horizontally-oriented drum 1.4, and 'spray water from nozzle 70 onto the outer surface of the drum. Any excess water collects in the bottom of the container, and may be drained and recycled to the nozzles 70.
Clearly, while horizontal orientation of the drum 14 is preferred, to form a thin ice sheet of substantially uniform thickness, other orientations are also possible:
An alternative embodiment of the ice-maker apparatus is shown in FIGURE 5. In this embodiment, the drum i4 is vertically-oriented and rotates about a central shaft 16, At least one spray nozzle 70, mounted near the cylindrical drum, directs a spray of water onto the cold .(at Least 8° C) cylindrical outer surfaces 1S of the drum. This spray of water freezes upon contact with the surfaces into an ice sheet. Once again, the curved ice sheet is broken into ice particulates when a Leading edge of the sheet impacts against a front edge of a doctor-knife. The knife is mounted on a support (not shown), and preferably extends substantially along the length of the cylindrical surface parallel to the axial shaft of the drum. An ice-receiving tube 30 extends along the length of the doctor knife, and a longitudinal slot of the tube intercepts ice particulates, directing these into the space within the tube 30, as explained before.
As before, an air hose 50 is attached to an upper open end 30a of the tube 30, while a media delivery hose 52 is connected to the lower open .end 30b of the receiving tube 30. Thus, air drawn in through hose ~0 ftuidizes ice partieulates in the tube 30 and carries the fluidized particulates into delivery hose ~2, and thence to a delivery nozzle 54, as explained above.
In a yet further embodiment according to the invention shown in FIrGURE 6, the ice sheet is formed on an internal cylindrical surface of a refrigerated cylindrical annulus 17. In this embodiment, the refrigerated annulus 17 has an internal cylindrical space 75 surrounded by cylindrical walls. The annulus is held, by friction between three rotating shafts 80 disposed in a triangular array against its outer surfaces so that it rotates at a controlled speed as the shafts rotate. Water, preferably from nozzles on a distributor 76, parallel to the central axis of the annulus 17, is sprayed onto the cold surrounding internal cylindrical waDls of annulus 17.
This water freezes into an ice sheet that is fragmented by a . longitudinally extending doctor-knife tool, that is mounted to intercept the leading edge of the ice sheet inside the inner cylindrical space. As explained above, the ice particulates are captured in an ice-receiving tube 30 through a longitudinally extending slot in the tu_ be that extends substantially along the entire length of the surrounding cylindrical surface.
An upper end 30a of the tube 30 is in fluid communication with an air supply hose ~0, while a lower end 30b of the tube is in fluid communication with a media delivery hose 56. Thus, air is sucked into the upper open end of the tube, fluidiz~es ice particulates within the tube, and carries the fluidized ice parti~culates into the delivery hose 52 to an ice-blasting nozzle 54.
The apparatus also optionally includes a diverter valve 62 for diverting ice particulates into a hose 64 when the nozzle 54 is shut off so that the ice making process is continuous.
Clearly, the invention is not limited to the use of a single ice pac~ticulate receiving tube 30. Instead, a series of tubes may be used, such that each tube is able to supply a continuous stream of ice particulates for ice-'blasting, or a single tube may be divided into at least two, and possibly a plurality, of tube sections, each able to operate relatively independently. Thus, far example, when the front and rear surfaces of a substrate must be ice blasted, the invention allows simultaneous blasting of both sides. In certain embodiments, nozzles may be mounted on either side of the substrate, to automatically traverse both surfaces, thereby treating both front and rear surfaces of the substrate. In the embodiment shown in FIGtJItE 7, an ice particulate receiving tube 30 is divided by a central diaphragm 30c into two tube sections and 33, respectively. Thus, an air supply hose SSa enters into the inlet 31a of tube section 31, near the diaphragm 30c. Preferably, the hose SSa is equipped with a control valve 57a to assist in controlling the flow of air through tube section 31. As explained above, an ice particulate discharge hose 52b is connected to the open end 31 b of tube section 31, so that ice particulates are continuously drawn from tube section 31 into hose 52b, and expelled through the nozzle. Similarly, tube section 33 has an air inlet hose SSb attached to its inlet 33a. The outlet of the tube section 33b is coupled to an ice particulate delivery hose S2a, that draws fluidi~ed ice particulates to the nozzle for ice blasting. Thus, it is clear, that receiving tube 30 can be divided into a series of sections for supplying a series of nozzles with ice particulates.
Moreover, because the air supply to each nozzle can be individually controlled, the velocity of the ice particulates expelled from a nozzle connected to an ice tube section, can be individually controlled.
As indicated above, nozzles can be connected to mechanical/electronic systems to automatically traverse surfaces of a stationary, or moving substrate. Thus, the method and apparatus of the invention are not limited to manual operation of an ice blast nozzle to treat a surface. instead, the apparatus is ideally suited for 1 S automated cleaning of a continuous series of parts produced on a production line, such as is common in, for example, the automobile industry where the ice blasting apparatus of the invention may be used to deburr, or otherwise treat part surfaces.
The invention provides the significant advantage of continuous operation far lengthy periods of time, thereby overcoming a significant problem encountered in prior art apparatus and methods.
As indicated before, fluidization of the ice particulates depends upon maintaining a pressure drop from the air inlet to the air outlet of the tube 30. In general, for a given tube cross-sectional area for flow, the higher the pressure drop, the more the fluidized air that is being supplied. Also, the greater the amount of 2S fluidized air per unit cross-sectional area for flow, the higher the pressure at which the ice particulates leave the tube 30, and the laigher the pressure at tire delivery nozzle S4 (for a given length of delivery hose S2).
In accordance with the embodiment of FIGURE 8, an apparatus substantially as described above, is enclosed in a pressurized vessel 7~ preferably f teed with a pressure gauge 74. However, in this instance, air is supplied to tube 30 through a hose 74, carrying cold compressed fluid, such as.air., Thus, whip the tube 30 is pressurized, the apparatus is enclosed in 'a pressure vessel, 72, so that the differential pressure between the inside and the outside of tube 30 is maintained at a level that the tube is able to tolerate, without fracture. As the pressurized cold air is introduced 3S into the inlet end of the tube, it fluidizes and carries away ice particulates from the outlet end 30b of the tube, which is in fluid communication with the delivery hose ~2 and thence the nozzle 54.
This particular embodiment of the invention is particularly useful for large industrial applications. In this event, the discharge end of a compressor supplies compressed air to hose 70, and may also be used, . with a control system and gauge 74, to regulate and maintain the pressure of the pressure vessel 7~. .
The invention also provides a method of ice-blasting surfaces with ice particulates. In accordance with the method, water is frozen into a thin curved sheet of ice, preferably by freezing the water onto a cylindrical surface. The sheet of ice is of such a thickness that temperature differences between its opposing~curved faces results in stress that predisposes the ice sheet to being fragmented into ice particulates. This stress-cracked ice sheet is fragmented by impacting,a leading edge of the ice sheet with a device, such as a doctor-knife, that extends along the leading edge of the ice sheet. The leading edge of the ice sheet is preferably of substantially uniform thickness along its length for more uniformly-sized ice particulates.
Fragmented ice particulates are drawn," through suction, into a tube where the ice particulates are fluidized in cold air or in an other gas without melting. The fluidized ice particulates are then carried away into a delivery hose from which the ice particulates are e,~ected through a nozzle onto a surface that is being iae-blasted. In order to fluidize, carry and accelerate the speed of the ice particulates entering the tube, in one embodiment high pressure air is introduced into the nozzle, thereby .
creating an area of low pressure behind its entry point in the nozzle. The low pressure area is in fluid communication with the delivery hose and draws, by suction, ice particulates from the fragmenting step into the tube and thence into the delivery hose. The higher pressure at the vicinity of the nozzle tip, ahead of the entry point of the high pressure air, accelerates the ice particulates for the ice-blasting operation. In another embodiment, compressed air/gas is used to fluidize the ice particulates in the tube and carry the particulates to a nozzle tip.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention.
Accordingly, aII such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function elapses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function, and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
Thus, -1.3-although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden workpieces together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden workpieces, a nail and a screw may nevertheless be equivalent structures.
FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the ice particulate-making apparatus of the invention wherein the rotating refrigerated drum is vertically oriented and receives a water spray to form an ice sheet on the outer surfaces of the drum;
FIGURE b is yet another preferred embodiment of the ice particulate-making device of the invention wherein the rotating drum has a cylindrical internal surface on which a thin ice sheet is formed and fragmented into an ice-receiving tube;
IO FIGURE 7 is a schematic cross-sectional illuistration of an ice-particulate receiving tube, divided into two sections, for supplying two streams of fluidized ice particulates;
FIGURE $ is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention enclosed in a pressure vessel, and supplied with cornpr~essed air.
Detailed Description of the Preferred l~mbodiment The invention provides an apparatus, and method, of continuously producing ice particulates, and continuously delivering these ice particulates at a controlled high velocity .onto a substrate. Tlae ice particulates are forrned from fragmenting a "thin curved sheet" of ice. In the specification and claims, this means a sheet of such curvature and thickness that, as a result, the sheet has residual stresses and a thermal gradient so that it is predisposed to ready fragmentation. An example of such a cylindrical sheet is-a sheet about 1.5 mm thick and with a radius of curvature of about 100 mm. Preferably, this sheet is from about I .U to albout 2.U mm thick, and has a radius of curvature of about 50 mm to about 150 rnm. Clearly, larger or smaller apparatus are also useful and are within the scope of the invention.
The ice particulates are kept in constant motion (and are °'fluidfz~ed"), according to the invention, so that they do not come to rest relative to any part of the apparatus and do not come into stationary contact with ~:ach other to cohere and form larger ice particulate blocks that may cause blockages in the apparatus.
Moreover, the flow path along which the ice particulates are carried by a fluidizing gas, such as cold air, is smooth and devoid of such abrupt changes in flow cross-sectional area as may lead to the deposition and subsequent accumulation of ice particulates to form blockages. Preferably, the flow conduit has a diameter of about 2S to about 30 mm.
In order to minimize any melting of the ice particulates that may lead to subsequent coherence or adherence and blockage, components of 'the apparatus that come into contact with ice particulates are preferably fabricated from materials that are smooth and have low thermal conductivity. Plastic materials are preferred, especially non-stick plastics such as TEFLON, that may be used as an inner coating.
The apparatus of the invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying figures that schematically represent preferred embodiments 'of the apparatus for making ice particulates and delivering these through a nozzle onto the surface of a substrate. Clearly, other embodiments are also within the scope of the invention, but reference to the preferred embodiments of the figures facilitate an explanation of aspects of the invention.
FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates the ice-bhisting operation. In accordance with the invention, a unique ice maker 10 that produces ice particulates with controlled dimensions, as will be described later, sub~plies fluidized ice partieulates into an ice and air medium delivery hose 52 to which is connected a nozzle 54 attached to a high pressure hose 56 that receives pressured air from device 58, either a compressor or a pressurized cylinder. The high pressure air is supplied, through hose ~6 to the nozzle 54 and creates a suction behind its entry point in the nozzle that draws ice particulates into the delivery hose 52, as will be explained later, and accelerates the speed of travel of the ice particulates so that they may be ejected from the nozzle 54, under the control of an operator (or under automated control), onto a surface 80 that is to be treated by ice-blasting. As vvill become apparent later, the unique ice maker 10 of the invention is not necessarily itself pressurized (although it may be in some embodiments), but in the illustrated embodiment air is-drawn into it through hose 50,. and an air-ice particulate mixture is delivered from it through .
delivery hose ~2 to the nozzle 54. it is imporwnt to maintain a sufficient pressure drop between the air inlet 30a of tube 30 and air outlet 30b to cause sufficient air flow to fluidize the ice particulates formed and acxelerate the particulates (see FIGURE 2).
Referring to the preferred embodiment of FIGURES 2, 3, 4A and 4B, an ice maker 10 includes a housing 12 partially filled with water 13. A cylindrical drum 14 with an axial shaft 16 is rotatably mounted such that a portion of its outer cylindrical surface 15 is covered with water, when the housing contains an operating volume of water. The drum is refrigerated, usually by a plurality of channels in the interior of the .cylindrical drum that carry a refrigerant (not shown.). As illustrated, the drum 14 rotates in a counterclockwise direction around its axial shaft 1 S that is coupled to an electric drive motor 18 at a rate that allows the formation of a suitably thick layer of ice on its surface. As the refrigerated drum rotates, water in contact with its outer -7_ cylindrical surface freezes to form a thin sheet of ice ~!0. This sheet of ice is carried around to another side of the drum for removal as i.ce particulates 20a. The ice-cleared drum surface then continues to rotate and re-enters the water to form an ice sheet.
S It should be noted that the thin curved ice sheet is subject to stress as a result of its shape and a temperature gradient that extends through its thickness so that it is predisposed to fragment into ice particulates. The size distribution of these ice particulates is dependent upon the thickness, temperature, and the radius of curvature of the ice sheet, which are in turn dependent upon the rate of rotation and temperature of the drum, and the radius of the drum 14.
The components of the apparatus that fragment the ice sheet are more clearly shown in FIGURES 4A and 4B. An ice-removal tool, or doctor-knife 22 is mounted on a support 24 so that the tip of the tool extends at an angle of about 4S° to intercept a leading edge of the ice sheet 20. The doctor-knife 22 and its support 24 extend 1 S substantially along the entire length of the cylindrical drum 14, as shown in FIGURES 2 arid 3. Thus, as the ice sheet leading edge encounters the tip of the doctor-knife 22, the stressed ice sheet fragments into ice particulates 20a.
The ice particulates 20a then enter a tube of preferably substantially uniform inside cross-sectional area for flow, with a smooth inner surface, a:. shown in FIGURES 4A
and 4C. Within these constraints, the tube may have any one of many possible designs that may readily occur to one of skill in the art who has read this disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, these ice particulates enter into a slot 28 of an ice-receiving tube 30 that extends substantially along the entire length. of the drum 14.
The smooth inner-surfaced tube 30, shown in more detail in F'1GURE 4C, is mounted so that one longitudinal edge 26 of the longitudinal slot is in contact with, and sealed against an upper end of the doctor-knife 22 by mechanical pressure. The other longitudinal edge 27 of the slot 28 curves over above the ice sheet and backward toward the leading edge of the ice sheet while extending downward to a position in touching relationship with the ice sheet 20. The edge 27 is therefi~re sealed against the surface of the ice sheet. Thus, ice particulates 20a are captured m the slot and enter the ice-receiving tube 30 where they are immediately fluidized and carried away, as will be explained later. In order to allow inspection of the :interior of the ice-receiving tube 30, the tube is optionally equipped with a longitudinal glass window 34 held in a frame 35. This optional glass window 34 extends along a substantial length of the upper surface of the ice-receiving tube 30, where a corresponding section of the tube has been removed. The ice-receiving tube is affixed to a support bracket 40, that _8-extends along its upper outer surface. The bracket 40 is mounted to the housing 12 and is interconnected with an optional warning system, described below.
The apparatus of the invention preferably has a warning system for detecting when the ice-receiving tube has been overfilled, or is being blocked. Under these circumstances, the continual rotation of the drum, forcing additional partieulates into an already full tube, causes the tube 30 to lift away from the drum 14 thereby urging bracket 40 upward. This bracket is held in place, flush with the upper surface of the housing 12, by a series of pairs of compression-retaining bolts 42. Each of these bolts has a surrounding coil spring 44 that it maintains under compression between an upper surface of the bracket 40 and a washer near the top of the retaining bolt 42.
Thus, as the bracket is urged upward, the springs compress, This compression is detected by a sensor 45 and automatically sounds an alarm. This system allows early detection of potential or actual blockage so that necessary maintenance can be performed. As explained, however, such blockage should very rarely occur because the ice particulates formed are maintained in a fluidized state, in constant motion, and are not allowed to settle and cohere so that blockages are usually not able to form.
However, blockages can result from inadequate fluidizing air supply or misaligned doctor-knife resulting in inadequate fracturing of the ice sheet.
Referring back to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, an air hose ~0 is connected to an air inlet end 30a of the ice-receiving tube 30, and a media dice and air) delivery hose 52 is connected to the other end 30b of the tube. Thus, cold compressed air supplied in hose ~0 fluidizes ice particuIates 20a, that are fragmented into tube 30, and carry these particulates into the media delivery hose 52. As will be explained below, the ice-receiving tube 30 is not subjected to high pressure differentinl between its inside and the surroundings but is at close to atmospheric pressure in some embodiments.
In other embodiments, as explained below, the entire apparatus may be enclosed in a pressurized vessel. Of more importance is the difference in pressure between tube air inlet and air outlet.
Preferably, there is a smooth transition from tube 30 to delivery hose ~2 so that there are no intema! obstructions to ice flow that may cause ice particulates to settle, adhere, cohere, and forsn blockades. The delivery hose, preferably with a smooth inner lining, terminates in an ice-blasting nozzle S4, that can be manually controlled by an operator or automatically operated. When the nozzle is shut off, a diverter valve 62 reroutes the media through hose b9~ to waste disposal. Thus, the 3S ice-making apparatus is able to operate continuously without an accumulation of particulates 20a when blasting operations cease temporarily. This avoids the necessity to restart the apparatus, and the unsteady state operation associated with start up, and facilitates recommencing blasting operations.
In.the illustrated embodiment, a high pressure air hose 56 is joined to the rear of the nozzle 54 to draw ice into the nozzle by suction and to impel the particulates at a controlled velocity through the nozzle 54. The connection to the rear of the nozzle, with air directed to the nozzle tip, creates a suction-effect behind the nozzle so that ice particulates are drawn from the ice-receiving tube 30 and propelled to the nozzle S4. Thus, the tube 30 is not pressurized by air entering through hose 50, but air is drawn in by suction through hose SO air and this air maintains the ice particulates in constant motion in a fluidized state.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGURE 4B, the drum 14 does not rotate in a container of water. Instead, the drum 14 is mounted in a container along with at least vne spray nozzle that is oriented to spray water onto cylindrical surfaces of the drum, and thereby form an ice sheet on the refrigerated surface. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 4B, water distributors 72 extend longitudinally along the length of the horizontally-oriented drum 1.4, and 'spray water from nozzle 70 onto the outer surface of the drum. Any excess water collects in the bottom of the container, and may be drained and recycled to the nozzles 70.
Clearly, while horizontal orientation of the drum 14 is preferred, to form a thin ice sheet of substantially uniform thickness, other orientations are also possible:
An alternative embodiment of the ice-maker apparatus is shown in FIGURE 5. In this embodiment, the drum i4 is vertically-oriented and rotates about a central shaft 16, At least one spray nozzle 70, mounted near the cylindrical drum, directs a spray of water onto the cold .(at Least 8° C) cylindrical outer surfaces 1S of the drum. This spray of water freezes upon contact with the surfaces into an ice sheet. Once again, the curved ice sheet is broken into ice particulates when a Leading edge of the sheet impacts against a front edge of a doctor-knife. The knife is mounted on a support (not shown), and preferably extends substantially along the length of the cylindrical surface parallel to the axial shaft of the drum. An ice-receiving tube 30 extends along the length of the doctor knife, and a longitudinal slot of the tube intercepts ice particulates, directing these into the space within the tube 30, as explained before.
As before, an air hose 50 is attached to an upper open end 30a of the tube 30, while a media delivery hose 52 is connected to the lower open .end 30b of the receiving tube 30. Thus, air drawn in through hose ~0 ftuidizes ice partieulates in the tube 30 and carries the fluidized particulates into delivery hose ~2, and thence to a delivery nozzle 54, as explained above.
In a yet further embodiment according to the invention shown in FIrGURE 6, the ice sheet is formed on an internal cylindrical surface of a refrigerated cylindrical annulus 17. In this embodiment, the refrigerated annulus 17 has an internal cylindrical space 75 surrounded by cylindrical walls. The annulus is held, by friction between three rotating shafts 80 disposed in a triangular array against its outer surfaces so that it rotates at a controlled speed as the shafts rotate. Water, preferably from nozzles on a distributor 76, parallel to the central axis of the annulus 17, is sprayed onto the cold surrounding internal cylindrical waDls of annulus 17.
This water freezes into an ice sheet that is fragmented by a . longitudinally extending doctor-knife tool, that is mounted to intercept the leading edge of the ice sheet inside the inner cylindrical space. As explained above, the ice particulates are captured in an ice-receiving tube 30 through a longitudinally extending slot in the tu_ be that extends substantially along the entire length of the surrounding cylindrical surface.
An upper end 30a of the tube 30 is in fluid communication with an air supply hose ~0, while a lower end 30b of the tube is in fluid communication with a media delivery hose 56. Thus, air is sucked into the upper open end of the tube, fluidiz~es ice particulates within the tube, and carries the fluidized ice parti~culates into the delivery hose 52 to an ice-blasting nozzle 54.
The apparatus also optionally includes a diverter valve 62 for diverting ice particulates into a hose 64 when the nozzle 54 is shut off so that the ice making process is continuous.
Clearly, the invention is not limited to the use of a single ice pac~ticulate receiving tube 30. Instead, a series of tubes may be used, such that each tube is able to supply a continuous stream of ice particulates for ice-'blasting, or a single tube may be divided into at least two, and possibly a plurality, of tube sections, each able to operate relatively independently. Thus, far example, when the front and rear surfaces of a substrate must be ice blasted, the invention allows simultaneous blasting of both sides. In certain embodiments, nozzles may be mounted on either side of the substrate, to automatically traverse both surfaces, thereby treating both front and rear surfaces of the substrate. In the embodiment shown in FIGtJItE 7, an ice particulate receiving tube 30 is divided by a central diaphragm 30c into two tube sections and 33, respectively. Thus, an air supply hose SSa enters into the inlet 31a of tube section 31, near the diaphragm 30c. Preferably, the hose SSa is equipped with a control valve 57a to assist in controlling the flow of air through tube section 31. As explained above, an ice particulate discharge hose 52b is connected to the open end 31 b of tube section 31, so that ice particulates are continuously drawn from tube section 31 into hose 52b, and expelled through the nozzle. Similarly, tube section 33 has an air inlet hose SSb attached to its inlet 33a. The outlet of the tube section 33b is coupled to an ice particulate delivery hose S2a, that draws fluidi~ed ice particulates to the nozzle for ice blasting. Thus, it is clear, that receiving tube 30 can be divided into a series of sections for supplying a series of nozzles with ice particulates.
Moreover, because the air supply to each nozzle can be individually controlled, the velocity of the ice particulates expelled from a nozzle connected to an ice tube section, can be individually controlled.
As indicated above, nozzles can be connected to mechanical/electronic systems to automatically traverse surfaces of a stationary, or moving substrate. Thus, the method and apparatus of the invention are not limited to manual operation of an ice blast nozzle to treat a surface. instead, the apparatus is ideally suited for 1 S automated cleaning of a continuous series of parts produced on a production line, such as is common in, for example, the automobile industry where the ice blasting apparatus of the invention may be used to deburr, or otherwise treat part surfaces.
The invention provides the significant advantage of continuous operation far lengthy periods of time, thereby overcoming a significant problem encountered in prior art apparatus and methods.
As indicated before, fluidization of the ice particulates depends upon maintaining a pressure drop from the air inlet to the air outlet of the tube 30. In general, for a given tube cross-sectional area for flow, the higher the pressure drop, the more the fluidized air that is being supplied. Also, the greater the amount of 2S fluidized air per unit cross-sectional area for flow, the higher the pressure at which the ice particulates leave the tube 30, and the laigher the pressure at tire delivery nozzle S4 (for a given length of delivery hose S2).
In accordance with the embodiment of FIGURE 8, an apparatus substantially as described above, is enclosed in a pressurized vessel 7~ preferably f teed with a pressure gauge 74. However, in this instance, air is supplied to tube 30 through a hose 74, carrying cold compressed fluid, such as.air., Thus, whip the tube 30 is pressurized, the apparatus is enclosed in 'a pressure vessel, 72, so that the differential pressure between the inside and the outside of tube 30 is maintained at a level that the tube is able to tolerate, without fracture. As the pressurized cold air is introduced 3S into the inlet end of the tube, it fluidizes and carries away ice particulates from the outlet end 30b of the tube, which is in fluid communication with the delivery hose ~2 and thence the nozzle 54.
This particular embodiment of the invention is particularly useful for large industrial applications. In this event, the discharge end of a compressor supplies compressed air to hose 70, and may also be used, . with a control system and gauge 74, to regulate and maintain the pressure of the pressure vessel 7~. .
The invention also provides a method of ice-blasting surfaces with ice particulates. In accordance with the method, water is frozen into a thin curved sheet of ice, preferably by freezing the water onto a cylindrical surface. The sheet of ice is of such a thickness that temperature differences between its opposing~curved faces results in stress that predisposes the ice sheet to being fragmented into ice particulates. This stress-cracked ice sheet is fragmented by impacting,a leading edge of the ice sheet with a device, such as a doctor-knife, that extends along the leading edge of the ice sheet. The leading edge of the ice sheet is preferably of substantially uniform thickness along its length for more uniformly-sized ice particulates.
Fragmented ice particulates are drawn," through suction, into a tube where the ice particulates are fluidized in cold air or in an other gas without melting. The fluidized ice particulates are then carried away into a delivery hose from which the ice particulates are e,~ected through a nozzle onto a surface that is being iae-blasted. In order to fluidize, carry and accelerate the speed of the ice particulates entering the tube, in one embodiment high pressure air is introduced into the nozzle, thereby .
creating an area of low pressure behind its entry point in the nozzle. The low pressure area is in fluid communication with the delivery hose and draws, by suction, ice particulates from the fragmenting step into the tube and thence into the delivery hose. The higher pressure at the vicinity of the nozzle tip, ahead of the entry point of the high pressure air, accelerates the ice particulates for the ice-blasting operation. In another embodiment, compressed air/gas is used to fluidize the ice particulates in the tube and carry the particulates to a nozzle tip.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention.
Accordingly, aII such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function elapses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function, and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
Thus, -1.3-although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden workpieces together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden workpieces, a nail and a screw may nevertheless be equivalent structures.
Claims (13)
1. A method of continuously producing a stream of ice particulates, the method comprising:
a) continuously freezing water on a curved surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, a curvature of the surface causing fragmenting of the curved sheet of ice to form ice particulates;
(b) continuously separating fragmented ice particulates from the curved surface by continuously sweeping the separated ice particulates directly into a stream of air sufficient to fluidize the particulates;
(c) maintaining the ice particulates in a fluidized state; and (d) continuously ejecting the fluidized ice particulates under controlled velocity from a nozzle.
a) continuously freezing water on a curved surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, a curvature of the surface causing fragmenting of the curved sheet of ice to form ice particulates;
(b) continuously separating fragmented ice particulates from the curved surface by continuously sweeping the separated ice particulates directly into a stream of air sufficient to fluidize the particulates;
(c) maintaining the ice particulates in a fluidized state; and (d) continuously ejecting the fluidized ice particulates under controlled velocity from a nozzle.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuously freezing comprises freezing into a cylindrically curved sheet.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating and sweeping the ice particles comprises drawing the ice particulates into the stream of air by suction pressure.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) and step (c) are carried out without such melting of the ice particulates as to cause significant coherence of ice particulates.
5. A method of continuously producing a stream of ice particulates, the method comprising:
(a) freezing water on a curve of surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, the curved sheet having a radius of curvature, the curvature causing sufficient internal stress in the curved sheet to result in self-fracture of the ice sheet;
(b) harvesting self-fractured ice particulates directly from the curved surface;
(c) maintaining the harvested ice particulates in a fluidized state, thereby preventing significant agglomeration of ice particulates; and (d) blasting the harvested, fluidized ice particulates from a nozzle at a controlled velocity onto a substrate.
(a) freezing water on a curve of surface into a thin, curved sheet of ice, the curved sheet having a radius of curvature, the curvature causing sufficient internal stress in the curved sheet to result in self-fracture of the ice sheet;
(b) harvesting self-fractured ice particulates directly from the curved surface;
(c) maintaining the harvested ice particulates in a fluidized state, thereby preventing significant agglomeration of ice particulates; and (d) blasting the harvested, fluidized ice particulates from a nozzle at a controlled velocity onto a substrate.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the freezing of water of step (a) comprises freezing on a rotating cylindrical drum.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the harvesting of the ice particulates comprises impacting a leading edge of the self-fractured ice sheet with a knife edge to separate ice particulates from the cylindrical drum.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the harvesting of the ice particulates comprises sweeping the ice particulates into an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the knife edge, the tube having a longitudinal slot oriented along a length of the drum to receive ice particulates.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the ice-receiving tube is supplied with air at a rate sufficient to sweep collected ice particulates continuously from the tube into a conduit in fluid communication with said tube, and to maintain the ice particulates in a fluidized state.
10. A method for producing and accelerating ice particulates, the method comprising:
(a) forming a thin curved sheet of ice on a surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, the ice sheet having a radius of curvature sufficient to induce self-fracturing of the ice sheet;
(b) continuously harvesting the self-fractured ice particulates directly from the surface of the drum into an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the surface of the drum, by supplying the tube with a sufficient amount of air to fluidize said harvested ice particulates, and sweeping the particulates into an ice-delivery conduit in fluid communication with the tube; and (c) expelling the ice particulates from a terminal end of the conduit, under controlled conditions, onto the surface of a substrate.
(a) forming a thin curved sheet of ice on a surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, the ice sheet having a radius of curvature sufficient to induce self-fracturing of the ice sheet;
(b) continuously harvesting the self-fractured ice particulates directly from the surface of the drum into an ice-receiving tube adjacent to the surface of the drum, by supplying the tube with a sufficient amount of air to fluidize said harvested ice particulates, and sweeping the particulates into an ice-delivery conduit in fluid communication with the tube; and (c) expelling the ice particulates from a terminal end of the conduit, under controlled conditions, onto the surface of a substrate.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming comprises forming on a drum mounted horizontally in a container partially filled with water.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming comprises forming by spraying water onto a cylindrically curved surface of a vertically mounted drum.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising maintaining the ice particulates, after harvesting into the ice-receiving tube, in a fluidized state without significant agglomeration before the expelling of said particulates from the terminal end of the conduit.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/660,905 | 1996-06-07 | ||
| US08/660,905 US5913711A (en) | 1996-06-07 | 1996-06-07 | Method for ice blasting |
| CA002257384A CA2257384C (en) | 1996-06-07 | 1997-06-05 | Apparatus and method for ice blasting |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002257384A Division CA2257384C (en) | 1996-06-07 | 1997-06-05 | Apparatus and method for ice blasting |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2487309A1 true CA2487309A1 (en) | 1997-12-11 |
Family
ID=34137128
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002487309A Abandoned CA2487309A1 (en) | 1996-06-07 | 1997-06-05 | Apparatus and method for ice blasting |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2487309A1 (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-06-05 CA CA002487309A patent/CA2487309A1/en not_active Abandoned
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