KR20070020368A - Organic cooling medium and its uses - Google Patents

Abstract

An organic refrigerant that contains a coolant and may further contain chloride salts. The coolant here is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, glycosides, maltodextrins, hydrogenated maltodextrins, starch hydrolysates, non-toxic oils and mixtures thereof.

Organic refrigerants, coolants, chloride salts, carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, glycosides

Description

Organic refrigerants and their use {ORGANIC COOLING MEDIUM AND ITS USES}

This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 499,803, filed Sep. 2, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The invention is used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, ice skating links and building sprinkler systems, cold storage systems, plate chillers, blowers, brine chillers, cooling towers, air conditioners and condensers, radiator cooling applications and heat exchangers, and the like. Relates to a refrigerant.

An example of use of the present invention is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, and as shown here, the primary cooling system 10 is operatively connected to the secondary cooling system 12, which system is an ice skating link 14. Can be used in a variety of applications, including cooling. The main cooling system 10 is a continuous loop system for circulating refrigerant through the system 10, using a compressor 16, a condenser 18, an expansion valve 20, an evaporator 22 and a tube 24. do. In operation, the coolant flows through the tube 24 as indicated by the directional arrow 26 and then through the compressor 16 to raise the pressure of the coolant. Refrigerant then flows through the condenser 18, where the refrigerant condenses from vapor to liquid form and releases heat in the process. After passing the condenser 18, the refrigerant flows through the expansion valve 20 where it experiences a temperature drop due to the pressure drop. Finally, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 22. The coolant draws heat from the evaporator 22 to cause vaporization of the coolant. In this example of use, the evaporator 22 draws in heat from the auxiliary cooling system 12. The vaporized refrigerant then rotates back through the compressor 16 and repeats this cycle.

The auxiliary cooling system 12 includes a tube 30 of considerable length that lies below the surface of the pump 28 and the ice skating link 14. The pump 28 circulates the refrigerant of the present invention described below along the length of the tube 30 as indicated by the directional arrow 32 to cool the ice skating link and maintain an appropriate ice temperature.

Another use of the present invention is a sprinkler system 48, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. The sprinkler system 48, shown schematically in FIG. 2, may be installed in the building 50. This sprinkler system 48 operates in a fire situation to provide fluid to the fire to extinguish the fire. As shown in FIG. 2, building 50 is schematically illustrated, but may include any type of building in which a sprinkler system is used or mounted. Sprinkler system 48 generally includes a fluid line or tube 52 that is operatively connected to fluid source 54. Fluid source 54 supplies fluid to a plurality of sprinklers 58 located throughout the building, as indicated by directional arrows 56. In the event of a fire, fluid is spread over the sprinkler 58 over the fire, turning off the fire. It is known to use brine solution as the fire extinguishing fluid. Known saline solutions are those having a low freezing point so that fluids do not freeze in the feed tube in low temperature environments. However, the present invention relates to the use of a refrigerant, as described below, as a fluid used in sprinkler system 48. In an alternative example as shown in FIG. 3, the ice rink 14 can be turned into an open tank 60. The material may be added directly to the tank 60 for freezing.

The refrigerant of the present invention provides a non-toxic alternative refrigerant unlike conventional refrigerants. Since the refrigerant of the present invention is non-toxic, it is particularly safely used in cooling systems used in food processing. Such refrigerants are described in detail in US patent application Ser. No. 10 / 654,590, filed Sep. 2, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to the use of refrigerants containing organic coolants, preferably with chloride salts. The chloride salt is preferably at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. In economic terms, the chloride salt is preferably sodium chloride. Calcium chloride is more generally preferred as it is believed to provide a solution that produces the lowest freezing point.

The organic coolant can be any suitable organic coolant. Preferred coolants include carbohydrates having a molecular weight in the range of 180 to 1500, sugar alcohols having a molecular weight in the range of 180 to 1500, glycosides having a molecular weight in the range of 180 to 1500, maltodextrin, hydrogenated maltodextrin, starch hydrolyzate, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, and Non-toxic oils, and any mixture of these and other organic coolants. Generally, no chloride salts or aqueous media are used together when the oil is used. At least some of the aforementioned organic coolants are believed to provide a beneficial effect that is estimated to improve mucosal layer retention when used in the freezing of edible marine animals and other foods. However, the present invention should not be considered to exhibit only such synergistic effects. In addition, some of the aforementioned coolants are believed to contribute to the lowering of the freezing point in addition to the overall decrease due to the presence of dissolved substances in the solution.

If carbohydrates are used, the carbohydrate can be any suitable carbohydrate, for example glucose, maltose, maltotriose, lactose, fructose, sucrose and mixtures thereof. The sugar may be selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, pentasaccharides, hexasaccharides and mixtures thereof. Sugar alcohols of the above-mentioned sugars such as sorbitol and maltitol or other sugar alcohols of the molecular weight ranges indicated may be used in the present invention. Carbohydrates can be provided as a pure solution, but are usually provided in a mixture with other materials in that industrial wastes containing carbohydrates are used as a source of such carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be obtained from various agricultural products, such as corn, wheat, barley, oats, sugar cane, sugar beet, and the like. Suitable sugars include, but are not limited to, corn starch sugar, cane sugar, sugar beet sugar, sugar cane sugar, maple sugar, wheat starch sugar, tapioca sugar, potato starch sugar, cassava sugar and manioca sugar. It doesn't happen.

According to an important aspect, the refrigerant has a freezing point of at least -5 degrees F or less, in another aspect -10 degrees F or less, in another aspect -20 degrees F or less, in another aspect -25 degrees F or less, in another aspect -30 degrees F or less, -35 ° F or less in another aspect, -40 ° F or less in another aspect, -45 ° F or less in another aspect, -50 ° F or less in another aspect, -55 ° F or less in another aspect,-in another aspect- Less than 60 ° F, less than -65 ° F in another view, less than -70 ° F in another view, less than -75 ° F in another view, less than -80 ° F in another view, less than -85 ° F in another view, and In another aspect, it is -90 ° F or less and in another aspect, -95 ° F or less.

In embodiments where the coolant is coolant alone without chloride salt, the coolant is about 10 to about 80 weight percent coolant, 15 to 75 weight percent in another aspect, 20 to 70 weight percent in another aspect, based on the weight of the refrigerant 25 to 65% by weight in terms of content, and 30 to 60% by weight in terms of another content.

In embodiments where the coolant is a mixture of coolant and chloride salts, the coolant may contain a coolant in the aforementioned range. Also, the refrigerant may be about 1 to about 94 weight percent chloride salt, 1 to about 40 weight percent chloride salt in another aspect, 5 to 30 weight percent in another aspect, 20 to 20 percent in another aspect, based on the weight of the refrigerant It may contain 30% by weight chloride salt.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention utilize an aqueous solution of molasses solids. Molasses is the mother liquor left after crystallization of sugars from materials such as sugar beet and sugar cane. Various grades of molasses are commercially available and one suitable grade is sugar desugared molasses, from which molasses is obtained from a second sugar fraction. When supplied commercially, this product contains 60 to 75% solids, which include carbohydrates, proteins, ash and other ingredients. More details on molasses solids can be found in US Pat. No. 6,080,330 to Bloomer. Most preferably such molasses solids are used with chloride salts.

In an important aspect, the refrigerant contains about 1 to about 25 weight percent molasses in another aspect, 10 to 20 weight percent in another aspect, and 12 to 16 weight percent in another aspect. In addition, the refrigerant may further contain about 16 to 40 weight percent chloride salt, in another aspect 20 to 30 weight percent, and in another aspect 22 to 26 weight percent.

Preferred embodiments of the solution are summarized in the following table, which is commercially available from Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa:

GEOMELT 55 Sugars Beets Molasses 55% GEOMELT 65 60 to 75% of sugar-free sugar beet molasses GEOMELT S Sugar-free beet molasses solid 27.5% / sodium chloride 11.5% GEOMELT M Sugar-free sugar beet molasses 27.5% / magnesium chloride 15%

A very preferred solution is one containing 14% sugar free molasses molasses and 25.6% calcium chloride.

The coolant may also be glycosides, specifically hydrocarbon aldosides. Suitable hydrocarbon aldosides may be glucoside, maltoside, maltotrioside and mixtures thereof. Hydrocarbon aldosides may be alkyl aldosides such as alpha-methyl glucoside, beta-methyl glucoside, methyl furanoside, methyl maltoside, methyl maltotriside and mixtures thereof. Hydrocarbon aldosides are preferably methyl glucosides.

The materials disclosed in the following patents can be used together in the present invention. US Patent 6,582,622; 6,440,325; 6,436,310; And 6,299,793 relate to deicing and anti-icing compositions containing carbohydrates having a molecular weight of less than about 15000. Here, carbohydrates include glucose / fructose, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, pentasaccharides, hexasaccharides, and mixtures thereof. The molecular weight of the carbohydrate is in the range of about 180 to 1500, preferably in the range of about 180 to 1000. Carbohydrates can be obtained in carbohydrates derived from various agricultural products such as corn, wheat, barley, oats, sugar cane, sugar beet, and the like.

US Pat. No. 6,468,442 relates to an ice making or ice making composition using a sugar-water mixture having about 15 to 80% by weight sugar solids containing about 2 to 60% by weight monosaccharides. Various sugars are disclosed here, such as corn starch sugar, potato sugar, sugar beet sugar, sugar cane sugar, maple sugar, wheat starch sugar, tapioca sugar, potato starch sugar, cassava sugar and manioca sugar.

US Pat. Nos. 6,544,434 and 6,315,919 relate to ice making compositions containing hydrocarbon aldosides including alkyl aldosides, furanosides, maltosides, maltotriosides, glucopyranosides and mixtures thereof. The disclosed alkyl aldosides are alpha-methyl glucoside, beta-methyl glucoside, methyl furanoside, methyl maltoside, methyl maltotrioside and mixtures thereof.

U.S. Patent 6,506,318 reportedly includes hydrocarbon aldosides, sorbitol and other hydrogenation products of sugars, monosaccharides, maltodextrins and sucrose, including glucosides, furanosides, maltosides, maltotriosides and glucopyranosides; Maltitol; Glycols; Monosaccharides; Glycerol; And an ice-making composition comprising a hydroxyl group-containing organic compound selected from the group consisting of a mixture thereof. Suitable hydrocarbon aldosides include glucopyranoside sucrose and alkyl aldosides such as alkyl glucoside, alkyl furanosides, alkyl maltosides, alkyl maltotrisides, alkylglucopyranosides and mixtures thereof. Other hydrogenation products of sugars, monosaccharides, maltodextrins and sucrose include maltitol, xylitol and mannitol.

US Patent 6,398,979 discloses a liquid ice maker composition containing molasses solids. The term "molasses solid" refers to the components of molasses except water, such as various carbohydrates (eg, sugars) and proteins. Suitable molasses include sorghum molasses, citrus molasses, wood molasses, cereal molasses, and mixtures thereof. US Pat. No. 6,416,648 relates to compositions useful for preventing the formation of ice or snow on a surface or for making ice or snowy surfaces. Such compositions are prepared from waste products (also known as saccharide removal molasses) in the process of separating sugars from molasses. Sugar can be separated from sugar beet or sorghum molasses or other types of molasses such as sugar cane or citrus.

Claims (19)

Contain a certain amount of coolant effective to provide a refrigerant having a freezing point of at least -5 ° F, wherein the coolant is carbohydrate, sugar alcohol, glycoside, maltodextrin, hydrogenated maltodextrin, starch hydrolyzate, hydrogenated starch hydrolyzate, non A refrigerant characterized by being selected from the group consisting of toxic oils and mixtures thereof. The coolant of claim 1, wherein the coolant contains about 10 to about 80 weight percent of coolant. The refrigerant of claim 1 wherein the carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of glucose, maltose, maltotriose, lactose, fructose, sucrose, and mixtures thereof. A refrigerant according to claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol is selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol and mixtures thereof. The refrigerant of claim 1 wherein the glycoside is selected from the group consisting of glucoside, furanoside, maltoside, maltotrioside, glucopyranoside, and mixtures thereof. Containing a certain amount of coolant and chloride salt effective to provide a refrigerant having a freezing point of at least -5 ° F, wherein the coolant is carbohydrate, sugar alcohol, glycoside, maltodextrin, hydrogenated maltodextrin, starch hydrolyzate, hydrogenated starch hydrolyzate And a non-toxic oil and mixtures thereof, wherein the chloride salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and mixtures thereof. The coolant of claim 6, wherein the coolant contains about 10 to about 80 weight percent of coolant. The refrigerant according to claim 6, wherein the refrigerant contains 1 to 40 wt% chloride salt. 7. The refrigerant of claim 6 wherein the carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of glucose, maltose, maltotriose, lactose, fructose, sucrose and mixtures thereof. The refrigerant according to claim 6, wherein the sugar alcohol is selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol and mixtures thereof. 7. The refrigerant of claim 6, wherein the glycoside is selected from the group consisting of glucoside, furanoside, maltoside, maltotrioside, glucopyranoside, and mixtures thereof. A refrigerant containing an amount of molasses effective to provide a refrigerant having a freezing point of at least -5 ° F. 13. The refrigerant according to claim 12, further comprising a chloride salt. The refrigerant according to claim 13, which contains 16 to 40% by weight of chloride salt. The refrigerant according to claim 13, wherein the chloride salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and mixtures thereof. A refrigerant according to claim 12, which contains 1 to 25% molasses. The refrigerant according to claim 12, wherein the molasses is sugar beet molasses. A cooling method comprising circulating a refrigerant according to claim 1, 6 or 12 through a main refrigerant system and an auxiliary refrigerant system. 13. A heat transfer method comprising contacting a refrigerant as defined in claim 1, 6 or 12 with a surface or material.

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