EP3318825A1 - Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kühlen von gegenständen mittels einer kryogenen flüssigkeit mittels oszillierenden fluidseparationsdüsen - Google Patents

Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kühlen von gegenständen mittels einer kryogenen flüssigkeit mittels oszillierenden fluidseparationsdüsen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3318825A1
EP3318825A1 EP16020427.7A EP16020427A EP3318825A1 EP 3318825 A1 EP3318825 A1 EP 3318825A1 EP 16020427 A EP16020427 A EP 16020427A EP 3318825 A1 EP3318825 A1 EP 3318825A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
nozzle
cooling liquid
cryogenic cooling
internal space
cooled
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP16020427.7A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3318825B1 (de
Inventor
Ernst Miklos
Rudolf Berghoff
Alexander Alekseev
Andreas Rupieper
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Linde GmbH
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Linde GmbH
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Priority to EP16020427.7A priority Critical patent/EP3318825B1/de
Publication of EP3318825A1 publication Critical patent/EP3318825A1/de
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    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25DREFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/10Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cooling objects with a cryogenic liquid.
  • nozzles are being used for quickly and gently cooling various objects such as food, metals, plastics, agricultural products etc. by means of cryogenic liquids such as liquid Nitrogen (LIN) oder liquid air (LAIR) or other cryogenic temperature fluids such as CO 2 , O 2 , CH 4 etc.
  • cryogenic liquids such as liquid Nitrogen (LIN) oder liquid air (LAIR) or other cryogenic temperature fluids such as CO 2 , O 2 , CH 4 etc.
  • nozzles can be flat jet nozzles, single hole or multi hole nozzles, full cone nozzles, hollow cone nozzles, angled or wide angle nozzles etc.
  • cryogenic nozzles are used.
  • objects to be cooled are more or less homogeneously and evenly sprayed with the respective cryogenic liquid.
  • a specific characteristic of such a spraying process is the fact that the temperature difference between the cooling fluid (LIN, LAIR etc) and the object to be cooled is in the range of about 200°C which is extremely large (due to the fact that the boiling temperature of such cryogenic fluids is often lower than -180°C while the temperature of the objects to be cooled usually corresponds to the ambient (e.g. room) temperature).
  • This vapor layer has a heat-insulating effect and reduces a heat transfer between the cryogenic liquid and the object to be cooled.
  • the Leidenfrost phenomenon for instance explains why a water drop moves on a hot plate instead of evaporating instantly.
  • the reduced heat transfer caused by the Leidenfrost effect is bad for cooling and causes long cooling times and a less efficient use of cooling fluids.
  • the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cooling an object by means of a cryogenic liquid that allow an efficient and easy cooling of substances with a cryogenic fluid.
  • the method for cooling at least one object comprises the steps of: providing at least one object to be cooled, and spatially distributing a cryogenic cooling liquid using at least one nozzle onto said at least one object so that the at least one object is cooled, particularly frozen, wherein said at least one nozzle is a fluidic oscillating nozzle.
  • said at least one fluidic oscillating nozzle is configured to generate a spatially oscillating jet of said cryogenic cooling liquid while maintaining a constant flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid through the nozzle.
  • the spatial distribution of the cryogenic cooling liquid by means of the fluidic oscillating nozzle helps to reduce the negative impact of the Leidenfrost effect, since the insulating vapor barrier can be disrupted by the oscillating flow.
  • using a fluidic oscillating nozzle is less difficult than generating a pulsating jet or flow of a cooling agent using a cryogenic nozzle which may alternatively be used in order to reduce the Leidenfrost effect.
  • generating such pulsating jets is a relatively difficult task, since a corresponding device/mechanism is needed (e.g. a rotating nozzle rim or an ultrasound generator) which complicates the design and increases maintenance and costs.
  • the method according to the invention uses a plurality of such fluidic oscillating nozzles.
  • the nozzles can be equidistantly spaced with respect to one another.
  • the spatially oscillating jet of the cryogenic cooling liquid disturbs or even removes a vapor layer on the surface of the at least one object to be cooled so that the heat transfer away from the at least one object is increased.
  • a plurality of objects can be cooled with the present method according to the invention, wherein objects may be cooled successively (e.g. in a tunnel freezer, see below) or all at the same time (e.g. in a cabinet freezer, see below).
  • the at least one fluidic oscillating nozzle comprises no moving parts and is configured to generate said oscillating jet by means of its geometric design, i.e., the geometric design of the involved flow paths of the nozzle.
  • a fluidic nozzle is described in detail in US4955547 A (cf. e.g. Fig. 3).
  • this space can be an internal space of an enclosure such as a chamber of a cabinet freezer or a tunnel of a tunnel freezer) takes place due to evaporation of the cryogenic cooling liquid in the oscillating jet.
  • said cryogenic cooling fluid is one of or comprises one of: liquid nitrogen (LIN), liquid air (LAIR), liquid carbon dioxide (LIC), or any other suitable cryogenic cooling liquid.
  • said at least one object is one of: food, a plant (or a part therof), meat, seafood, fish, a beverage, an object formed out of a metal or comprising a metal, an object formed out of a synthetic material or comprising a synthetic material.
  • the step of providing said at least one object corresponds to transporting the at least one object with a transport velocity on a conveyor through a tunnel of a tunnel freezer, which tunnel freezer comprises said at least one nozzle (or said plurality of nozzles).
  • said nozzle(s) is/are configured to discharge the cryogenic cooling liquid downwards onto the at least one object or the plurality of objects to be cooled.
  • the cryogenic cooling liquid is provided upstream said at least one nozzle with an inlet pressure, wherein said inlet pressure is controlled depending on said transport velocity.
  • the cryogenic cooling liquid is discharged through the at least one nozzle with a flow rate, wherein said flow rate is controlled depending on said transport velocity, particularly said flow rate is a volumetric flow rate having the SI-unit m 3 /s.
  • said inlet pressure or flow rate can be controlled depending on the throughput of the objects to be cooled through the tunnel freezer.
  • the step of providing said at least one object corresponds to placing the at least on object (or a plurality of objects) in a chamber, particularly a chamber of a cabinet freezer, wherein said at least one nozzle is configured to discharge the cryogenic cooling liquid into said chamber.
  • evaporated cryogenic cooling liquid is distributed in a space adjacent said at least one object (e.g. an internal space of a tunnel freezer or of a chamber of a cabinet freezer) by means of at least one fan or a plurality of fans.
  • an apparatus for cooling, particularly freezing, an object by means of a cryogenic cooling liquid which apparatus is preferably used in the method according to the present invention, and which apparatus comprises: an internal space for receiving said at least one object to be cooled, at least one nozzle that is configured to discharge said cryogenic cooling liquid into the internal space and onto the object to be cooled when the latter is arranged in said internal space, wherein according to the invention, the at least one nozzle is a fluidic oscillating nozzle (e.g. as described above).
  • the apparatus may comprise a plurality of such nozzles arranged in said internal space.
  • the at least one nozzle or said plurality of nozzles are arranged such in said internal space that the cryogenic cooling liquid is discharged downwards onto the at least one object or the objects to be cooled.
  • said at least one fluidic oscillating nozzle is configured to generate a spatially oscillating jet of said cryogenic cooling liquid while maintaining a constant flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid through the nozzle.
  • the at least one nozzle is configured to provide said spatially oscillating jet of said cryogenic cooling liquid such that the heat distribution in said internal space takes place due to evaporation of the cryogenic cooling liquid in the oscillating jet.
  • said internal space is formed by a tunnel, particularly having an inlet for arranging objects to be cooled into the internal space of the tunnel and an outlet for taking cooled objects out of the internal space of the tunnel, wherein the apparatus further comprises a conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled through said internal space formed by the tunnel with a defined transport velocity (i.e. the velocity of the conveyor).
  • the apparatus comprises a control unit that is configured to control an inlet pressure of the cryogenic cooling liquid upstream said at least one nozzle or a flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid through the at least one nozzle, wherein said inlet pressure or flow rate is preferably controlled depending on said transport velocity.
  • said internal space is formed by a closable chamber, e.g., here said apparatus forms a cabinet freezer.
  • the apparatus comprises at least one fan (or a plurality of fans) for distributing evaporated cryogenic liquid inside the internal space of the apparatus (see also above).
  • Figures 1 and 2 show embodiments of an apparatus 1 according to the present invention that is configured to cool, particularly freeze, objects O.
  • Fig. 1 shows an apparatus in form of a tunnel freezer 1
  • Fig. 2 shows an embodiment where the apparatus 1 is formed as a cabinet freezer 1.
  • the present invention is in principle applicable to all kinds of apparatus that use discharging of a cryogenic cooling liquid L for cooling or freezing objects O.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises an internal space I for receiving the objects O to be cooled, particularly to be frozen, as well as at least one nozzle 100 or a plurality of such nozzles 100, wherein the at least one nozzle 100 is a fluidic oscillating nozzle 100 that is configured to generate a spatially oscillating jet F of said cryogenic cooling liquid L while preferably maintaining a constant flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid L through the nozzle 100.
  • the spatially oscillating jet F of the cryogenic cooling liquid L is made to disturb or even remove a vapor layer V that normally forms on the surface of the at least one object O to be cooled so that the heat transfer away from the at least one object O is increased.
  • the fluidic oscillating nozzle 100 preferably comprises no moving parts, but can be configured to generate said oscillating jet F by means of its geometric design.
  • the fluidic oscillating nozzle 100 may let a central flow L of the cryogenic cooling liquid interact with two other flows L', L" so that said oscillating jet F is achieved.
  • Alternative fluidic oscillating nozzle techniques may also be applied instead.
  • the internal space I is formed by a tunnel 2 of the apparatus 1 which is designed as a tunnel freezer 1.
  • the tunnel 2 comprises an inlet 2a for introducing objects to be cooled into the internal space I of the tunnel 2 and an outlet 2b for taking cooled objects O out of the internal space I of the tunnel 2.
  • the apparatus 1 further comprises a conveyor 5 for transporting objects O to be cooled through said internal space I formed by the tunnel 2 with a transport velocity u.
  • the direction D of the oscillations of the jet(s) F as indicated in the detail of Fig. 1 can be perpendicular to the direction of the velocity u, but may also be oriented parallel to said velocity u or may form some other angle with the velocity u.
  • the at least one nozzle 100 or said plurality of nozzles 100 are arranged such in said internal space I of the apparatus 1 that the cryogenic cooling liquid L is discharged downwards onto the at least one object O or the objects O to be cooled.
  • cryogenic cooling liquid L may be provided to the nozzle(s) 100 by a supply 8, e.g. a tank 8 that stores cryogenic cooling liquid L, which supply 8 may be connected to the nozzle(s) 100 via a valve 9.
  • the apparatus 1 can comprise a control unit 6 that is configured to control an inlet pressure of the cryogenic cooling liquid L upstream said nozzle(s) 100 or a flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid L through the nozzle(s) 100, wherein said inlet pressure or flow rate is preferably controlled depending on said transport velocity u.
  • the control unit 6 may receive said velocity u from a suitable sensor of the conveyor 5 and may cooperate with an actuator that actuates the valve 9.
  • the apparatus 1 may also be formed as a cabinet freezer that comprises a closable chamber 7 which forms the internal space I of the apparatus 1.
  • the objects O to be cooled are placed into the internal space I and the chamber is closed.
  • at least one fluidic oscillating nozzle 100 or several such nozzles 100 which may be formed as shown in the detail of Fig. 1 are used to generate an oscillating jet F (or several such jets) of the cryogenic cooling liquid L that particularly disturbs or removes the vapor layer V forming around the objects O upon cooling as described before.
  • the inlet pressure or flow rate of the cryogenic cooling liquid may be controlled depending on one or several parameters such as the temperature inside the internal space I etc.
  • cryogenic cooling liquid L may be one of liquid nitrogen (LIN), liquid air (LAIR), or liquid carbon dioxide (LIC).
  • LIN liquid nitrogen
  • LAIR liquid air
  • LIC liquid carbon dioxide
  • the gaseous phase G of the coolant that is generated upon evaporation of the used cryogenic cooling liquid L is preferably distributed in the internal spaces I by means of at least one or a plurality of fans 4 that may be arranged in the respective internal space I.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
EP16020427.7A 2016-11-02 2016-11-02 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kühlen von gegenständen mittels einer kryogenen flüssigkeit mittels oszillierenden fluidseparationsdüsen Active EP3318825B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP16020427.7A EP3318825B1 (de) 2016-11-02 2016-11-02 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kühlen von gegenständen mittels einer kryogenen flüssigkeit mittels oszillierenden fluidseparationsdüsen

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP16020427.7A EP3318825B1 (de) 2016-11-02 2016-11-02 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kühlen von gegenständen mittels einer kryogenen flüssigkeit mittels oszillierenden fluidseparationsdüsen

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EP3318825A1 true EP3318825A1 (de) 2018-05-09
EP3318825B1 EP3318825B1 (de) 2021-12-29

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Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4955547A (en) 1987-09-02 1990-09-11 Spectra Technologies, Inc. Fluidic oscillating nozzle
DE19852185A1 (de) * 1998-08-04 2000-02-10 Mg Chorzow Spolka Z O O Trockenschneekanone
CN2555098Y (zh) * 2002-07-30 2003-06-11 何念民 射流自激脉冲振荡器
US20110107774A1 (en) * 2009-11-12 2011-05-12 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Self-Powered Refrigeration Apparatus
US20130118202A1 (en) * 2011-11-14 2013-05-16 Michael D. Newman Co2 freezing apparatus
EP2884206A1 (de) * 2013-12-16 2015-06-17 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Energiewandlerkühlsystem und Verfahren dafür

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN201229084Y (zh) * 2008-05-23 2009-04-29 大连理工大学 一种反馈式振荡射流制冷机
CN201229083Y (zh) * 2008-05-23 2009-04-29 大连理工大学 一种变气容调频自激振荡射流制冷机
CN101294750B (zh) * 2008-05-23 2011-04-27 大连理工大学 反馈式振荡射流制冷机
CN101294751B (zh) * 2008-05-23 2010-12-01 大连理工大学 变气容调频自激振荡射流制冷机

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4955547A (en) 1987-09-02 1990-09-11 Spectra Technologies, Inc. Fluidic oscillating nozzle
DE19852185A1 (de) * 1998-08-04 2000-02-10 Mg Chorzow Spolka Z O O Trockenschneekanone
CN2555098Y (zh) * 2002-07-30 2003-06-11 何念民 射流自激脉冲振荡器
US20110107774A1 (en) * 2009-11-12 2011-05-12 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Self-Powered Refrigeration Apparatus
US20130118202A1 (en) * 2011-11-14 2013-05-16 Michael D. Newman Co2 freezing apparatus
EP2884206A1 (de) * 2013-12-16 2015-06-17 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Energiewandlerkühlsystem und Verfahren dafür

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