MXPA04003919A - Apparatus for rapid, high volume production of solid co2 pellets. - Google Patents

Abstract

A lightweight, highly mobile and efficient apparatus (34) for instantaneously producing a high volume of solid carbon dioxide (CO2) pellets. The apparatus utilizes liquid CO2 that is discharged and expanded through a nozzle or nozzles and expanded to reach a triple point condition where liquid, gaseous and solid phases can coexist and flash to a mixture of CO2 in a gaseous phase and particles of snow by a process well known in the art. The gaseous CO2 (80) is discharged into the atmosphere or recovered for converting back to liquid. The snow particles are aggregated into larger flakes and compressed into pellets in a compression structure by a rotor (82) with radially movable blades (90) forming variable volume pockets (92) associated with the interior of a housing to compress the flakes into pellets. The pellets may be discharged from the housing into an airlock which includes a rotor (118) to convey the pellets to an air discharge (142) that is isolated from the compression structure to facilitate conveyance of the pellets to a point of use, such as the site of a fire in order to extinguish the fire.

Description

Publishe l: For two-lelter codes and olher abbreviations, refer to the "Guid- - wit iniernalional search reporl ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearances at the beginning- - befare the expiralion of thc time limit for amending the ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazelte. claims and to be republished in the event of receipts of amendmenls APPARATUS FOR HIGH VOLUME QUICK PRODUCTION SOLID GRANULES OF C02 - Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a highly mobile and efficient lightweight apparatus for instantaneously producing a high volume of compacted solid carbon dioxide (C02) granules. The device uses the liquid CO2 that is discharged through the nozzles and expanded to reach a triple point conduction in which the solid, liquid and gaseous forms of the CO2 can coexist and change instantaneously to a mixture of CO2 in a gaseous phase and snow particles in a process well known in the art. The gaseous CO2 is discharged into the atmosphere or recovered from the reconversion to the liquid by means of a vacuum recovery system or to be used in the extinction of fires. The snow particles are aggregated into larger snow flakes, which are compressed into granules by an eccentrically supported rotor having radially moving propellers or blades mounted in radial grooves of the rotor. The rotor and the two blades form circumferentially moving bags associated with the inner surface of a partial rotor housing to compress the flakes into granules since the volume of the bags is reduced as the rotor and the blades rotate to a discharge point of granules. The blades include grooves extending to their outer edges which receive the dividers rigidly mounted in a partial housing to divide the elongated granules along the length of the rotor, the housing and the adjacent blades into smaller bags to form more granules. little ones . The smaller granules are discharged from the partial rotor housing into an air seal which includes a housing and a rotor with blades to transport the granules to a discharge that is isolated from the granule compression structure. The air seal includes an air discharge to facilitate the transportation of the granules to a point of use, such as the site of a fire, for the purpose of extinguishing the fire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The formation of CO2 granules from C02 snow is well known. These granules have been used for various purposes such as abrasive blowing when projected onto a surface, transporting materials, neutralizing hazardous substances in ambient air, rapid freezing of food or other similar materials. The following North American Patents describe various uses of liquid CO2 including apparatus for forming CO2 granules from liquid C02. 4,033,736 5,355,962 4,389,820 5,419,138 4,977,910 Although certain of the above patents describe apparatuses for forming CO2 granules, operating characteristics that include slow start, slow production volume and structural details that include heavy large components and power requirements for the operation have restricted the use of CO2 granules for different uses. For example, the North American Patent No. 4, 033, 736, therein the propeller 80 is mounted eccentrically with respect to the housing 30. The snow is formed from liquid C02 between the housing and the propeller. As the propeller rotates, the snow is displaced radially through the extrusion passages 52 in which the snow is essentially compacted by means of the reaction of the springs 76. In the present invention, the snow is compressed as it moves circumferentially between the rotor and the housing in the bags formed by the housing, the rotor and the blades moving radially in the rotor as the bags move circumferentially and are reduced in volume due to the eccentric ratio of the rotor and the housing. U.S. Patent No. 5,419,138 describes the use of a hydraulic ramp to compact the snow of CO2 into granules and explains the development of the above apparatuses to produce granules and snow of C02. The uses of said granules and snow and the operating parameters of the prior art. The production volume of the device is low and the starting time is long. Also, the structure is heavy and requires substantial power to operate. In contrast, the apparatus of the present invention provides the high volume instantaneous production of high density solid CO2 pellets and requires a small input of energy to produce the granules "at the point" where said granules are desired to suppress fires, reduce pollution and other different uses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Gaseous carbon dioxide with or without snow particles has been used for many years to suppress fires, especially under certain hazardous conditions. Until the development of the halon system, C02 was the only gaseous fire suppressant to effectively suppress fires of most materials, with the exception of certain metals and active materials that contain their own source of oxygen. Gaseous carbon dioxide is a desirable fire suppressant, since it is not combustible, does not produce its own decomposition products, it provides its own pressurization to discharge it from a storage container, thereby eliminating the need for initial pressurization , does not leave residues and therefore, prevents the need for agent cleaning, is relatively unreactive with most materials, provides three-dimensional protection because it is a gas under ambient conditions, is electrically non-conductive and can be used in the presence of energized electrical equipment. However, the use of gaseous CO2 has been somewhat restricted as a suppressor or fire extinguisher, due to the inability to deliver gaseous CO2 to the site of a fire for distances much greater than 3.05m to 4.57m (10 to 15 feet). Also, the articles of the prior art do not produce a sufficiently high volume of CO2 granules that can be delivered over long distances to fight fires and pollution effectively. Halon-based systems have been displaced due to regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which mandates the discontinuation of ozone depleting substances. Carbon dioxide is considered an alternative technology and the present invention provides the use of CO2 as a replacement for halon and other ozone depleting substances, which can be hazardous to the environment, such as different foaming agents and Similar. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for instantaneously producing a high volume of high density solid carbon dioxide granules from pressurized liquid carbon dioxide using a relatively small structure of low weight, which is highly mobile. One embodiment of the present invention has a total weight less than about 45,359 kg (100 pounds), and a height of about 76.2 cm (30 inches), and a width depth of about 15.24 cm to 30.48 cm (6 to 12 inches) , receives the supply by an electric motor of few horsepower. The aforementioned dimensions may vary depending on the desired production. Alternatively, the unit can be supplied with power by means of an energized machine. by gasoline or diesel of a few horses 8 of force. The above embodiment has the capacity to produce from approximately 272,155 kg to 362,874 kg 600 to 800 pounds) of CO2 granules per hour, depending on the size of the components, and the rotation speed of a rotor. The apparatus has a starting time of approximately 3 seconds thereby providing a rapidly suppressed, inexpensive and very effective fire suppression system. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing carbon dioxide granules according to the present invention, and the above objects, which includes a manifold that receives the pressurized liquid carbon dioxide that is discharged through a plurality. of nozzles inside square expansion tubes, in which the liquid carbon dioxide is transformed into a mixture of gaseous carbon dioxide and snow particles. Gaseous carbon dioxide is either vented to the atmosphere or discharged into a vapor recovery system. The snow particles formed in the tubes by the expansion of the CO2 are added in the bags of a rotor system and compressed in solid granules of carbon dioxide. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing solid carbon dioxide granules according to the above objects, in which the structure for the aggregate compression of snow particles into granules, includes a partial, generally cylindrical housing, having a cylindrical rotor with the axis of rotation being eccentric to the center of curvature of the partially cylindrical housing. The rotor includes radial grooves that receive radially moving helices or blades having outer edges which are held in close contact with the interior of the cylindrical partial housing to form a plurality of closed bags except for the slots in the blades, which receive Arched dividers in the housing. The blades move radially in relation to the rotor as it rotates and moves the blades along the inner surface of the cylindrical partial housing to move snow particles and flakes circumferentially within a solid carbon dioxide granule according to the bags Closed formed by the housing, the rotor and the blades, turn away from a large volume of input to a small output volume. The dividers in the housing cut the granules formed in each bag into a plurality of smaller granules which are discharged from the rotor. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus according to the above objects, in which the CO2 is introduced into a compressor through a nozzle in either side wall or both of the side walls including the nozzle a hole for make possible the expansion of the liquid CO to its triple point. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing carbon dioxide granules as defined in the above objects, in which a front wall is placed in opposite relation to the cylindrical partial housing and includes projecting fins , which are received in the slots of the blades to prevent snow particles from falling down past the rotor and the front wall. The apparatus also includes a source of pressurized air associated with the bags 11 as it moves beyond the ends of the divider to ensure removal of the compressed solid granules from the bags. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing carbon dioxide granules according to the above objects, in which the smaller granules are discharged from the rotor in an air seal to receive the solid granules. The air seal includes a cylindrical housing having a granule inlet, and a rotor with radial blades extending from the rotor into a continuous engagement with the inner surface of the housing. The rotor and the blades rotate about an axis concentric with the axis of the cylindrical housing and form a plurality of pockets having a constant volume. The housing includes a granule outlet remote from the granule inlet and also includes an air flow inlet and an outlet which communicates with the opposite ends of the air seal housing. The air flow through the housing enters the solid carbon dioxide granules and transports the 12 granules from the air seal to a point of use or storage. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing C02 granules in which the granules are discharged by gravity from a granule compressor and the liquid CO2 is expanded in a snow discharge tube into the bags in the compressor CO2 gas is collected for later use. Yet another additional object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus according to the above objects, in which the compressor rotor rotates about a central axis, and the compressor has an eccentric interior which cooperates with the rotor and the blades to compress the CO2 snow in granules. Still another very important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing carbon dioxide granules., which is light in weight, small in its overall size, with the ability to be easily transported, inexpensive to manufacture and operate, with quick and easy starting capacity, and operation and capacity to produce a high volume of carbon dioxide for effective use to suppress 13 fires or for other uses. These together with other objects and advantages that may be appreciated later, which reside in the details of construction and operation as described more fully below and claimed, with reference to the drawings that accompany this description and which are part of the same, where the similar reference numbers refer to similar parts.

Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a vertical partial sectional view of the apparatus taken along the axis of a rotor that can rotate to form carbon dioxide granules according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the granule expansion and compression components of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a detailed horizontal sectional view of the rotor, blades and housing taken along the axis of rotation of the rotor. Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation view 14 of one of the movable motor blades used in the granule compression structure. Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid CO2 manifold illustrating the structure of the expansion nozzles. Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the manifold illustrating the position of the expansion nozzles. Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation view of an upper end of a square expansion tube. Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation view of the front wall of the rotor support housing illustrating the fins on the surface thereof facing the rotor. Figure 8A is a side elevational view of the front wall of the support housing illustrating the configuration of the fins. Figure 9 is a detailed schematic view illustrating the relationships between the rotor blades and the fins. Figure 10 is a schematic view of one of the bags which receives the snow particles and the gaseous CO2. Figure 11 is a detailed view of one of the dividers which are mounted in the cylindrical partial housing. Fig. 12 is a view of a divider showing the bevelled top end for dividing the granule formed in a volume reduction bag into smaller granules. Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the association of an air inlet with the rotor and the bags to remove the granules from the rotor. Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view of an air seal for receiving compressed solid CO2 granules discharged from the rotor bags and controlling the discharge of granules from the apparatus. Figure 15 is a horizontal sectional view of the air seal illustrating an inlet and outlet of air flow. Figure 16 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, similar to that of Figure 1 illustrating another embodiment of the apparatus that uses a nozzle to introduce the CO2 into the compressor.

Figure 17 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 16. Figure 18 is a detailed view of a granule cutting bar used in this embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 is a vertical sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the rotor rotates about a central axis, and the housing includes an eccentric interior.

Detailed Description of the Invention Although only two preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are provided by way of illustration only. It is not intended that the present invention be limited in scope to the details of construction and adaptation of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Also, when describing the preferred modalities, specific terminology will be used for reasons of clarity. It should be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. The apparatus for the rapid production of a large amount of carbon dioxide granules according to the present invention is illustrated in the drawings., and is generally designated as reference number 10. The apparatus includes a housing 12 supporting a rotary CO2 compressor 14 communicated with a supply and an expansion assembly 16 for the liquid CO2 in a toothed area thereof and communicated with a closure 18 in a discharge area thereof for controlling the discharge of the compacted CO2 granules formed by the compressor 14. The housing 12. includes a bottom plate generally placed horizontally 19, a pair of generally parallel and spaced side walls extending upwards 20, and each of which is of generally rectangular configuration and is rigidly connected to the base plate 19. A vertical front wall 22 is rigidly connected to the base plate 19 and extends towards up between the side walls 20 and ends at an upper edge 24 substantially below the upper edge of the side walls 20, as is illustrated in Figure 2. Separated from, and generally parallel to, the front wall 22, there is a partial back wall 26 that extends vertically from the base plate 19, and extends rigidly connected between the side walls 20. , in spaced relation with the rear edges of the side wall 20. The upper end of the rear wall 26 terminates substantially below the upper edge 24 of the front wall 22 and is rigidly connected to a partially cylindrical arcuate rotor housing 28. , which has a border of the inner end 30 in alignment with the front surface of the rear wall 26, and is rigidly connected to the upper end of the rear wall 26. The cylindrical partial housing 28 extends between the side walls 20 and is connected rigidly with the walls 20 and includes a border of the upper end 32 which is offset laterally towards the rear edge of the the side walls in relation to the edge of the lower end 30 of the housing 28 as illustrated in Figure 2. Extending forwardly from the front wall 22, there is a closed collection chamber 34 for the gaseous C02 in the manner which will be described later. The collection chamber 34 includes a front wall 36 spaced apart from the front wall 22, a bottom wall 38, side walls 40, and an upward sloping top wall 42 extending from the upper edge of the front wall 36 to a point between the upper corners of the side walls 20 in spaced relationship with the upper edge 24 of the front wall 22 as illustrated in Fig. 2. The front wall 36 of the collection chamber 34 includes a tubular element 44 extending adjacent through it but in a separate relationship to the bottom wall 38 for venting the gaseous C02 from the collection chamber 34 to the atmosphere or to a vacuum recovery system. The supply and expansion assembly 16 for the liquid CO2 includes a supply hose or tube 46 which is connected to a pressurized tank 20 with valves (not shown) which contains a supply of liquid C02 which can pass through the tube 46 within of a transversely elongated manifold 48. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the manifold 48 includes an upper wall 50 having an opening 52 communicating with the supply pipe 46. The manifold 48 includes a central longitudinal passage 54 defined by a bottom wall 56, and the top wall 50. The horizontal passage 54 terminates in a spaced apart relationship to one end of the manifold and is provided with a plug closure 58 at the opposite end thereof. The bottom wall 56 includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced threaded bores 60 extending from the passage 54 to the bottom surface of the bottom wall 56. A nozzle 61 is mounted in each of the bores 60 to control the flow of liquid CO 2. Each of the lateral edges of the manifold includes a flange that depends on it 62. Supported between the flanges 62 is a plurality of square expansion tubes 64 each of which includes an upper end 66 of a reduced cross-sectional area on its surface external, such 21 and as illustrated in Figure 7, to enable the upper end portion 66 to be folded between the flanges 62 in the manifold and enable the tubes 64 to be rigidly fixed to the manifold 48. The tubes 48 expansion 64 receives the CO2 from the nozzles 61 and defines the expansion areas in which the liquid CO2 passing through the path of the restricted flow in each of the nozzles 61 makes it possible for the liquid CO2 to expand and reach its point triple where the C02 snow particles and the gaseous CO2 are formed to discharge them through the square tubes 64. The lower ends of the expansion tubes 64 are extended between the parallel inclined separate walls 68 and 70 which extend between the side walls 20 of the housing 12 and which are fixed rigidly to the side walls 20. The walls 70 and 68 extend upwards along a top portion. r of opposite surfaces of the tubes 64 and the tubes 64 are fixed rigidly to the walls 70 and 68. As illustrated in Figure 2, the walls 68 and 70 extend between the side walls 20 adjacent to the upper corner. of the same with the lower edge of the wall 70 generally in alignment with, but vertically separated from the upper edge 24 of the front wall 22. The upper wall 42 of the collection chamber 34 is connected to the portion of the lower edge of the wall 70. The other wall 68 extends downwardly and inwardly between the side walls 20 a greater distance than the wall 70 and includes laterally extending flanges 72 in the form of a plate having an upper edge turned upwards 74 secured to the portion of the lower edge of the wall 68, and a terminal edge portion 76 which lies and engages with the upper end of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 28, as illustrated in FIG. Figure 2. The supply and expansion assembly 16 extends upwardly from the housing 12, in a related angular position rather than vertically upwards therefrom in order to reduce the overall height of the apparatus and also to facilitate the aggregation of snow particles into larger particles or flakes according to the downward movement of the expanding CO2 and will propel them along the surface of the lower wall of the square tubes 64. The snow and the gaseous CO2 pass towards down in an angular direction within the area of the housing 12 separated above the compressor 14, as indicated by the arrows 78. The gaseous CO2 will separate from the snow particles and will be discharged into the collection chamber 34 through the space between the upper edge 24 of the front wall 22, and the lower edge of the wall 70, so that the gas can pass downwards inside the collection chamber 34, such and as indicated by the arrows 80 for discharging through the tubular outlet 44. The compressor 14 includes a generally cylindrical rotor 82 that extends between the side walls 20 of the housing 12, and includes a stop arrow 84 at each end of the screws. same, which extends through, and is adapted to, the side walls 20 by support bearings or bushings 86. The stop arrow 84 which is longer than the other is connected to a propulsion motor (not shown) in any way 24 known. The propulsion engine can be a small electric motor with a few horsepower, or a small gasoline or diesel engine with few horsepower, or another source of energy to spin the rotor at different speeds. The rotor 82 includes a plurality of radial grooves 88 which can be circumferentially spaced apart uniformly at the periphery of the rotor and which extends inwardly by an equal distance from the outer surface. Positioned in each of the slots 84 is a movable knife 90 of rectangular configuration with the blades 90 being capable of radial movement in the slots 88. The blades 90 are slightly longer than the distance between the side walls 20 and the ends of each. one of the blades is received in interior orientation cavities 92 on the opposite inner surface of the side walls 20, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. As illustrated in Figure 2, the inner periphery of each cavity 92 is generally tangential to the interior surface of the upper end portion of the front wall 22, and the outer periphery of the cavities 92 coincides with the inner surface of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 28. Therefore, as the ends of the blades 90 move in a circular path, the outer edges of the blades come to make a close contact with the inner surface of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 28 and the inner upper surface of the cavities 92. The rotor 82 is accommodated about an axis that is eccentric with respect to the center of the circular cavities 92, and the central axis of the inner surface partially cylindrical of the rotor housing 28. This causes the blades 90 to move radially inward from the extended position when the knives they are oriented to the expansion tubes 64 and the plate 72 towards the rotor 82 as they move along the inner surface of the cylindrical partial housing 28 to a discharge point defined by the edge of the end 30 of the cylindrical partial housing 28. The blades 20 move in a circular path having an axis spaced from the center of rotation of the rotor 82 during the rotational movement of the rotor 82 26 and the blades 90. The outer edges of the adjacent blades 90 and the outer surface of the rotor 82 they define pockets 94 that extend along the length of the rotor when the outer edge of the blades 90 comes into contact with the housing 28. The pockets 94 are divided by a plurality of dividers 96, preferably nine, which are mounted in a manner that rigid in flat grooves 97 in housing 28 and projecting into the partially cylindrical interior surface of the cylindrical partial housing of the rotor 28. Each of the dividers 96 includes an arcuate outer end 98 corresponding to the cylindrical partial grooves 97 on the inner surface of the cylindrical partial housing 28, and an inner circumferential edge 100 eccentric to the edge 98 and coinciding with the cylindrical outer surface of the rotor 82. The center of the circular surface of the rotor 82 is eccentric relative to the center of the cylindrical surface defined by the cavities 92, and the inner surface of the cylindrical partial housing 28. Each of the dividers 96 includes a discharge end 102 27 corresponding to and aligned with the edge of the end 30 of the cylindrical partial housing 28. Each divider 96 also includes a top end edge 104 that is bevelled from each side surface to a central point and which is aligned with the edge of the upper end 32 of the cylindrical partial housing 28 to cut the granules of each bag 94 into eight granules smaller ones of generally uniform size 95 to unload them from each bag 94. The edge of the end of Discharge 102 of each divider 96 is engaged by a retainer strip 103, which helps to retain the dividers 96 in place in the slots 97 in the cylindrical partial housing 28 as shown in Figure 3. Each of the blades 90 includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots 106, which extends to the outer end thereof and is aligned with and receives the dividers 96. As the blades 90 pass from a position in alignment with the upper edge 32 of the cylindrical partial housing 28 to a position in alignment with the edge of the lower end 30 of the cylindrical partial housing 28 28 and the retainer strip 103, the bags 94 are closed as soon as each pair of adjacent blades 90 passes the edge of the end 32 of the partial housing cylindrical 28. The closed bags decrease in volume progressively until they pass along the edge of the end 30 of the cylindrical partial housing 28 and the retainer strip 102, and the snow particles that are in the bags 94 will have been compacted and solidified as the bag 94 reduces its volume. The compacted snow pellets are then discharged downwardly from the pockets 94 along the surfaces defined by the front wall 22 and the back wall 26 through an opening 108 in the lower plate 19 to discharge them into the air seal 18. The inner surface of the front wall 22 is provided with a plurality of parallel spaced fins 110, as illustrated in Figures 2, 8, 8? and 9, which extends inwardly into the slots 106 in the blades 90 as the blades move upwardly beyond the fins 110. The fins 110 and the slots 106 prevent the snow 29 from falling through. the relatively wide empty slots 106 in the blades 90 and inside the granule chamber defined by the side walls 20, the back wall 26 and from the front wall 22 and come to mix with the granules 95 being discharged from the rotor 82 As the snow particles and gaseous CO2 are discharged from the square expansion tubes 64, the square configuration of the tubes becomes important, since the pockets 94 defined by the outer edges of the knives 90, which extend beyond the outer surface of the rotor 82, they include parallel surfaces defined by the adjacent blades and a longitudinal straight surface defined by the outer surface of the rotor. tor. Therefore, as the snow particles and gaseous material enter the bags 94, the gaseous material will reverse its flow path and will partially exit through the slots 106 of the blades, thus making it possible for the complete configuration Generally rectangular of the bags 94 is filled more evenly with the snow. Any gaseous C02 30 which remains trapped with the snow even after passing between the outer edge of the expansion tubes 64. Within the bags 92, it can migrate through the slot 106 inverting the flow, as illustrated in figure 10, thus leaving the bags completely filled with snow. As shown in Figure 13, in order to remove the solidified and compacted CO2 granules 95 from the bags 94 after the granules have been finely compressed, either or both of the side walls 20 are provided with an air inlet. 114 in alignment with each bag 94 just after the edge of the discharge end 30 of the cylindrical partial housing 28, and the retainer strip 103 passes. The air inlet 114 is communicated with a source of pressurized air so that when the blade 90 which is the main blade of a bag 94 passes along the edge of the end 30 of the housing 28 and the retainer strip 103, the air pressure will ensure that all the CO2 granules are discharged as the granules pass beyond the edge of the end 30 of the housing 28, the edges of the end 102 31 of the dividers 96 and the retainer strip 103, thus ensuring that all of the C02 granules will be dislodged and the bags 94 within the granule chamber, through the discharge opening 108 and within the air seal 18. As illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, the air seal 18 includes a cylindrical housing 116. having a rotor 118 accommodated therein and which is rotatably operated about an axis concentric with the housing 116. The rotor 118 includes a plurality of radial blades 120 that move radially in and extend from the slot 122 of the rotor 118 in contact with the inner surface 124 of the housing 116. The rotor 118, the blades 120 and the inner surface 124 of the housing 116, define a plurality of bags 126 that extend circumferentially. The cylindrical housing 116 includes an arcuately extending inlet opening 128 in the upper body thereof which is in alignment with the discharge opening 108 in the base plate 19 for receiving the granules 136 therein. A guide or dependent plate 130 depends on the base plate 19 at a position generally tangential to the housing 32 on the lower edge of the entry opening 128 for retaining the granules 136 in the bags 126 during rotation in the direction opposite to the rotor clock hands 118, as indicated by arrow 132. As illustrated, rotor 118 includes the six slots 122, and six blades 120 each blade being inclined outwardly in engagement with the inner surface 124 of the housing 116 by the zigzag or arcuate flat springs 134 between the lower portions of the grooves 122, and the inner edges of the blades 120. Therefore, the adjacent blades 120 combined with the outer surface of the rotor 118 and the inner surface 124 of the housing 116 define the plurality of circumferentially oriented bags 126. The rotor 118 can be operated by a small motor or operated from the same m The operating rotor 82 of the compressor 14. As the rotor 118 rotates, the compacted granules 136 which have been discharged from the compressor 14 fall downward by gravity into and fill the successive bags 126 as they align with the openings 108 and 33 128. The bags 126 are insulated as they move from a position aligned with the opening 128 to a lower portion of the housing 116. As shown in Figure 15 in the lower portion of the housing 116, a wall of the end thereof is provided with an air inlet 138, which is connected to a source of pressurized air in and on the opposite side of the housing 116, there is provided a granule and air outlet 140, which is slightly larger than the outlet 138. The flow of air through the housing 116 from the inlet 138 and out through the outlet 140 will introduce and discharge the granules and transport the granules to a point of use, similar storage area. If any air, under pressure, becomes trapped in the bag 126 when it is aligned with the inlet 138 and the outlet 140, it will be discharged through an air discharge opening 142 in the housing 116, as the bags become aligned with the discharge opening 142 prior to its alignment with the opening 128 during which the bags 126 will be refilled with solid carbon dioxide granules 136.

Figures 16 to 18 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, in which liquid C02 is introduced into a rotary compressor 210 that includes a housing 212 through an expansion nozzle 214 in either or both of the side walls 216. The nozzle 214 includes a projection 218 mounted in an opening 220 in the side wall 216 and includes an orifice of small diameter 222 through which the liquid CO2 passes and which expands and reaches its triple point with the snow particles and gaseous CO2 being discharged into chambers or pouches 224 similar to pouches 94 illustrated in Figures 1 to 12. Compressor 210 includes an eccentric motor 226 provided with radially moving blades 228 having radially outer edges which engage with the interior of the housing 212 to form closed chambers 224 for compressing the particles. of snow in large blocks of CO2 as the rotor rotates in a manner similar to that of figures 1 to 12. The blades 228 have the slots 230 in the outer edges thereof to receive the arched blocks 232 therein.

The blockers 232 extend an arcuate distance greater than the distance between the adjacent blades 228 to form an envelope for the slots 230 in order to prevent rapid discharge of the gaseous C02 into the atmosphere. A set of blockers 232 is placed on opposite sides of the nozzle 214 with the blockers 232 associated with the blades 226 approaching the nozzle 214 and being longer than the blockers 232 associated with the blades 228 coming out of the nozzle 214 and which they move towards a large discharge area of granules 234 in the housing 212 to retain the snow particles while restricting the flow of the gases to the atmosphere. The discharge area 234 extends from a diametrically opposed position generally to the nozzle 214 to approximately 135 ° around the periphery of the housing 212 in order to allow the granules to fall by gravity from the rotor, the blades and the housing. In the discharge area 234, a granule cutter 236 is positioned which has the shape of a bar 238 the projections of the housing 240 which extend into the notches 230 of the blades 228 to cut the compressed bugs granules, as illustrated in Figure 18. Also, the air assisted discharge as shown in Figure 13 can be used to assist in the discharge of the compressed granules from the chambers 224 in the discharge area 234 The apparatus for the rapid production of a large amount of carbon dioxide granules in accordance with the present invention illustrated in Figure 19, is generally designated by the reference numeral 310. The apparatus includes a housing 312 that supports a rotor of a rotary CO2 compressor 314 communicated with a supply and an expansion assembly 316 for the liquid CO2 in an inlet area thereof and an outlet 318 that makes it possible to discard The air-tightness of an air-seal is similar to that of Figure 2. The housing 312 includes a bottom plate 319 generally positioned horizontally, a pair of generally parallel and spaced side walls extending upwards 320 and each of which is generally rectangular in shape and is fixedly connected to the base plate 319. A front wall vertical 322 is rigidly connected to base plate 319 and extends upwardly from between side walls 320 and terminates at an upper edge 324 substantially below the upper edge of side walls 320 as illustrated in the figure 19. Separated and generally parallel to the front wall 322 is a partial rear wall 326 extending vertically from the base plate 319 and extending between and rigidly connected to the side walls 320 in a separate relationship with the rear edges of the side walls 320. The upper end of the rear wall 326 ends substantially balanced with the rear wall 326. to upper edge 324 of the front wall 322, and is rigidly connected to an arcuate partially cylindrical rotor housing 328, which has an end edge 330 in alignment with the rear wall 326, and is rigidly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall 326. cylindrical partial housing 328 extends between the side wall 320 and is rigidly connected to said wall 320. The housing 328 includes a 38 edge of the end 332 that is offset relative to the edge of the end 330 of the housing 328, as illustrated in Figure 19. Extending forwardly from the front wall 322 is a closed collection chamber 334 for gaseous CO2 and includes a front wall 336 spaced apart from the front wall 322, a bottom wall forming part of the bottom wall 319, side walls 340 and an upper wall 342 extending from the upper edge of the front wall 336 to the housing 328 adjacent to the edge of the end 332 and extends between the side walls 320 in a spaced relationship with the upper edge 324 of the front wall 322. The front wall 336 of the collection chamber 334 includes a tubular element 344 extending through it adjacent but in a separate relationship with the bottom wall 319 for venting the gaseous CO2 from the collection chamber 334 to the atmosphere, a vacuum recovery system or an apparatus for using the gaseous C02 to extinguish fires. The supply and expansion assembly 316 for the liquid CO2 includes a supply tube and a hose fitting 346 which. they are communicated with a pressurized tank with valves (not shown) which contains a supply of liquid C02 that can pass inside the elongated manifold 348 and into the expansion tube or tubes 350 supported by the support 352 supported from the bottom plate 319. multiple 348 includes a hole or holes (not shown) similar to those shown in Figures 5 and 6. The expansion tube or tubes 350 define expansion areas to enable the CO2 to expand and reach its triple point where the C02 snow particles and the gaseous CO2 are formed to discharge them towards the edge 332 of the rotor housing 328 through the collection chamber 334. The gaseous CO2 will separate from the snow particles and will be discharged into the chamber. collection 334, so that the gas can pass down into the collection chamber 334 to discharge it through the tubular outlet 344. The rotor of the compressor 314 is cylindrical and extends between the side walls 320 and includes a plurality of radial grooves 354 which are circumferentially spaced uniformly at the periphery of the rotor and which extend inwardly by an equal distance from the outer surface. Positioned in each of the slots 354 is a movable blade 356 of rectangular configuration, the blades 356 having the ability of a radial movement in the slots 354. The slots 356 are slightly longer than the distance between the side walls 320 and the slots 356. ends of each of the blades are received in inwardly oriented cavities 358 on the opposite inner surfaces of the side walls 320 in a manner similar to Figures 1 and 3. The outer periphery of each cavity 358 is the interior surface of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 328. Therefore, as the ends of the blades 356 move in a circular path, the outer edges of the blades come into close contact with the inner surface of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 328, and the upper surface interior of the cavities 358. The rotor 314 is accommodated around an axis that is eccentric with respect to the axis central of the interior surface 41 partially cylindrical of the rotor housing 328. This causes the blades 356 to move radially inwardly from an extended position when the blades 356 and the cavities 358 are oriented to the expansion area and the inlet defined by the edge 332 of the. housing 328 and edge 324 of wall 322 and moving inward towards rotor 314 as they move along the inner surface of cylindrical partial housing 328 to an unloading area - defined by the edge of end 330 of the partial housing cylindrical 328. The blades 356 move in a circular path having an axis spaced from the center of rotation of the rotor 314 during the rotational movement of the rotor 314 and the blades 356. The inner surface of the housing 328, the adjacent blades 356 and the outer surface of the rotor 314 define the bags 359 extending along the length of the rotor 314 and the blades 356, when the outer edge of the blades 354 is in contact with the housing 328. The cavities 359 are divided by a plurality of dividers 360 which are rigidly mounted in the 42 flat grooves of the housing 328, and project inwardly from the partially cylindrical inner surface of the partial housing of the cylindrical rotor 328, as illustrated in the figures from 1 to 12. This embodiment of the rotor, blades and housing functions in a manner similar to that of Figures 1 to 18 and includes the same structures illustrated for discharge of the granules down to outlet 318. The mode of the present invention illustrated in Figure 20 includes a compressor for forming C02 granules generally designated by the reference number 410 and which inc a rotor housing 412 of a generally cylindrical configuration, but includes a straight portion or flat plate 414, in opposed relation to the center of the cylindrical inner surface 416 which extends around a larger portion of the housing 412. A rotor 418 is adapted on the end walls 420 of the housing 412 and rotates about its central axis which is coincident with the center of the cylindrical portion 416 of the housing 412. The housing 412 includes an inlet 422 in communication with a C02 supply assembly. 424 which includes a plate 426 having a nozzle or hole 428 through which the liquid CO2 passes and expands to form snow particles and gaseous CO2. The gaseous CO2 can escape at point 430 between the plate 426 and the plate 432 which has a bank connected to the housing 412 and which forms an entrance bank 422. The gaseous CO2 can also escape at point 434 between a shore of the plate 424 and the interior of the housing 412 adjacent to the inlet 422. The snow particles formed by the expansion of the liquid CO2 pass through the inlet 422 and into the bags 436 formed by the radial blades 438 mounted in the slots 440 in the rotor 418. The walls of the end of the housing 412 include annular cavities 413 which have a shape similar to the interior 416 of the housing 412, and the inner surface of the flat plate 414 to control the movement of the blades 438 in the slots 440 The radial grooves 440 make possible the radial movement of the blades 438 so that the outer edges of the blades 438 are in a constant closing relationship 44 with the inner surface 416 of the cylindrical portion of the housing 412 and with the straight inner surface 442 of the flat plate 414 in a manner similar to the end cavities of Figures 1 to 19. The housing 412 includes a discharge opening 444 in a diametrically opposite relation to the inlet 422. The discharge opening 444 includes a discharge tube 446 having an outward flared upper surface 448 connected to the opening 444 to facilitate the gravity discharge of the CO2 granules from the bags of the rotor 436 as the blades pass over the opening 444. This structure is simplified, since the outer edges of the radial blades 438 are. they engage with the inner surfaces 416 and 442 and control the position of the blades 438 and the size of the bags 436. The bags 436 remain the same size when the blades 438 are engaged with the cylindrical partial surface 416. However, because the inner straight surface 442 is eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor 418, the bags 436 will be reduced in volume until the blades pass the center of the plate 414 thereby compressing the snow particles in the bags 436. As the motor rotation continues in the clockwise direction, the blades 438 passing the center of the plate 414 toward the discharge opening 444 will cause the volume of the bags 436 to increase thereby freeing the compressed granules so that they fall through the opening 444 into the discharge tube 446 The junction between the cylindrical surface 416 and the eccentric surface 442 may include a curved transition surface 443 to provide smoother movement and less wear of the blades 438 and "the surfaces 442 and 443. The present invention provides the use of carbon dioxide granules as a replacement for halon oxygen suppressants or other ozone-depleting chemicals, which can be hazardous to the environment.The present invention also removes the restrictions for using carbon dioxide due to the inability of the prior art apparatuses to reach the fires at a long distance from the source of the carbon dioxide The present invention provides the high volume instantaneous production of high density solid carbon dioxide granules from pressurized carbon dioxide, without the use of hydraulic ramps or other large and heavy equipment to compress snow of carbon dioxide. in solid granules and eliminates the use of an extruder to extrude carbon dioxide snow into granules. The structure of the present invention is lightweight and has the ability to be portable and is provided with a motor with few horsepower for efficient operation. Also, the production capacity can be doubled or tripled by increasing the length of the compressor, the rotor and the related structures and the density of the granules 136 can be varied by varying the rotation speed of the broken one. As is well known, fire includes three elements, fuel, oxygen and heat. The carbon dioxide granules eliminate two of the three vital components required for a fire to be sustained, lowering the temperature and displacing oxygen. The film-forming foam can displace oxygen 47 but does not decrease the ignition point in the same way as carbon dioxide granules do. Other chemical agents separate the oxygen from the fire without reducing the ignition point and in high temperature fires, the chemicals can produce toxic conditions and deplete the ozone layer. Certain prior art apparatuses are relatively heavy and can weigh approximately 1,360,777 kg (3000 pounds), and will produce approximately 90,718 kg (200 pounds) of carbon dioxide per hour after a time start of 10 to 15 minutes. Another prior art unit weighing 3,628,796 kg (8,000 pounds) produces from 226,796 kg to 272,155 kg (500 to 600 pounds) of granules per hour after a starting period. These large prior art machines require engines of up to 20 horsepower or more to operate in order to produce the above quantities of granules. Said prior art machines are heavy, stationary units that will not become economically feasible, or effective enough to fight fires and control contamination. The structure of the present invention can weigh approximately 27,216 kg to 45,359 kg (60 to 100 pounds) or less, and has a height of less than 0.91 m (3 feet), and a width of approximately 30.48 citi (12 inches), and a depth of 15.24 cm (6 inches) and uses a small engine or less than one horsepower and has the ability to be highly mobile and produce approximately 362,874 kg (800 pounds) of carbon dioxide granules per hour and a start time of only about 2 seconds. This makes it possible for the present invention to be a very important and less expensive firefighting apparatus. Carbon dioxide in solid form also has a very limited shelf life, still under refrigeration. Therefore, it can not be produced beforehand and stored in inventories for fires or pollution control or other future uses. However, with the present invention this disadvantage is eliminated in view of its ability to produce a high volume of carbon dioxide granules with a very short starting time. For example, due to the size and small weight of the present invention and the speed of production of carbon dioxide granules 49"at the point", the present invention or several units thereof could be mounted on a helicopter together with a liquid compressed carbon dioxide pellet tank to form an effective CO2 granule delivery system to fight forest fires. Alternatively, a large stationary unit may be placed at a site remote from the site of a fire, and the CO2 granules transported and discharged at a desired location from the fire site, by a large bucket or similar container, carried by a helicopter. The present invention could also be useful for extinguishing large chemical fires, fires in tall buildings and fires which can not be reached by other conventional means. The present invention also makes it possible for several chemical and service plants to rapidly suppress deadly chemical spills and neutralize hazardous vapors, such as ammonia vapor and the like. The present invention, due to its light weight and small size characteristics can be mounted on a small trailer, a pickup truck or other truck or even on a man's back to use it as for fire control and portable pollution. Even if the fire is on the surface of the water such as an oil or fuel fire, which floats on the water, the present invention will solve the problem since the granules will float in the water and extinguish the fire. In addition, the present invention is not restricted to combating fires, since several known problems can be solved by instantaneous freezing of liquids in solid mass, the solid mass then being recovered quickly and recycled before a serious danger is caused to the staff or environment. The present invention is particularly useful in association with petroleum tanks, cargo ships, subsea oil drilling platforms, petrochemical plants, petroleum refining plants and in many other varied locations where, fires, oil spills or oil spills may occur. release of toxic materials. The foregoing is considered only as illustrative of the principles of the present invention. In addition, because those skilled in the art will readily find numerous changes and modifications, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and consequently, suitable modifications and equivalents may be classified, as they are found. within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (24)

1. 52
2. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property:
3. CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for producing solid carbon dioxide granules, which comprises a housing having a cylindrical partial interior surface, a cylindrical rotor adapted adjacent the housing to rotate about an axis eccentric to the central axis of the partial interior surface cylindrical housing, a supply of liquid CO2 and an expansion assembly communicated with the housing and rotor, and receiving the liquid carbon dioxide from a pressurized source, allowing the liquid CO2 to become a gaseous or snow phase and discharging the snow on the rotor and venting the gaseous carbon dioxide, the rotor including a plurality of radially moving blades extending between the rotor and the cylindrical partial interior surface of the housing to form a plurality of bags receiving the snow of the supply and expansion assembly characterized by the rotation of the rotor around its eccentric shaft will move the bags and snow in a circumferential manner and reduce the volume of the bags to compress the snow into granules, including the housing a discharge area associated with the bags when they are in a minimum volume to discharge the solid granules compacted from the accommodation. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply and expansion assembly includes a supply conduit for the liquid carbon dioxide, an elongated manifold that receives the liquid carbon dioxide, a plurality of nozzles in the manifold. to enable the discharge and expansion of carbon dioxide, a plurality of generally square expansion tubes that receive the liquid carbon dioxide that expands from the nozzles to form a mixture of gaseous carbon dioxide and snow particles, having the tubes of expansion square discharge ends adjacent to the rotor to uniformly discharge snow particles 54 over and over the entire area of the pockets formed by the knives in the rotor and enable the escape of gaseous carbon dioxide. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, combined with an air seal that receives carbon dioxide granules from the rotor housing, including air sealing a cylindrical housing, a rotor in the cylindrical housing and that can rotate around of an axis that coincides with a central axis of the cylindrical housing, the rotor including in the air seal a plurality of blades extending radially and spring-biased engaging with the cylindrical housing to define upwardly opening bags receiving the solid carbon dioxide granules and transport them in insulated bags to a discharge area, and an air inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the cylindrical air seal housing in communication with the insulated bags in said discharge to discharge the granules from the isolated bags
4. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the cylindrical housing includes an air discharge separated from the granule discharge area to discharge the residual air from the bags in the rotor in the cylindrical housing before the bags become aligned with the discharge of solid granules of the granule forming rotor.
5. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing includes opposite side walls, each side wall including a circular cavity having a center concentric with the center of the cylindrical partial interior surface, and eccentric with the axis of rotation of the rotor, taking the extreme blades received in the cavities to maintain the outer edges of the blades adjacent to the partially cylindrical inner surface during rotation of the rotor to provide reduction of the volume of the bags and compression of the snow in the bags as the rotor moves in one position the bags being aligned consecutively with the supply and expansion assembly characterized in that the bags are of a maximum volume to a position in alignment with a discharge area where the bags are of a minimum volume and the snow particles of each of they are compacted into a granule.
6. 6. - The apparatus according to claim 5characterized in that each of the blades includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced parallel grooves extending to an outer edge thereof, the cylindrical partial housing including a plurality of parallel splitters spaced apart on the inner surface, the dividers extending into the grooves of the grooves. the blades for cutting the granules of each bag into a plurality of granules of equal dimensions as the blades, bags and snow move circumferentially along the cylindrical inner part of the housing.
7. 7. - The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that each divider is of arched configuration and includes an outer edge received in the grooves coinciding with the inner surface of the cylindrical partial surface and an inner edge coinciding with the outer surface of the rotor .
8. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the housing includes a front wall and a rear wall, and each of the dividers having a lower end aligned with the inner surface of an upper end of the rear wall, the cylindrical partial housing having an inner end connected to and aligned with the inner surface of an upper end of the rear wall, the partial cylindrical housing terminating at an upper edge less than 180 ° from the lower edge to expose an upper portion of the rotor and coact with the rotor blades to form bags that open upward to receive snow particles from the supply and expansion assembly.
9. 9. - The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the front wall includes an inner surface aligned closely adjacent to the path of movement of the outer edges of the blades as they move upward toward the supply assembly and expansion, the front wall including a plurality of 58 parallel fins spaced apart on their inner surface, and extending into the slots of the blades to prevent snow movement of the supply and expansion assembly downstream of the rotor and into the rotor. discharge area
10. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the side walls includes an air inlet aligned with a closed bag containing solid CO2 granules as the closed bag passes to the lower end of the bag. partial cylindrical housing, the air inlet being adapted to receive pressurized air au speed to discharge the solid CO2 granules from the bags as they pass through the lower end of the dividers and the cylindrical partial housing and discharge said granules to an air seal.
11. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the front wall of the housing includes a gas collection chamber on the front surface, the gas collection chamber forming a shell of a portion of the upper end of the walls. of the housing to collect all the gaseous CO2 discharged from the supply and expansion assembly, including the gas collection chamber, a ventilator located through a wall of the gas collection chamber.
12. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the supply and expansion assembly extends upwards in the angular relationship included to the rotor and housing to reduce the size of the apparatus and improve the aggregation of smaller snow particles. in larger flakes of snow to discharge them by gravity into the bags with an upward opening between the adjacent blades of the rotor.
13. 13. - The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the bags that open upwards defined by the adjacent blades when they extend upwards from the rotor, define continuous bags with continuous wall surfaces, having the square tubes lower end configured to discharge snow in all areas of each of the opening bags upwards.
14. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, combined with an air seal that receives carbon dioxide granules from the rotor housing, including air sealing a cylindrical housing, a rotor in the cylindrical housing which can rotate about an axis coincident with a central axis of the cylindrical housing, the rotor including in the air seal a plurality of radially extending blades which are spring-biased in engagement with the cylindrical housing to define the up-opening bags they receive the solid carbon dioxide granules and transport them in insulated bags to the discharge area, and an air inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the cylindrical housing of the air seal in communication with the insulated bags in said discharge area to discharge the granules of the insulated bags.
15. 15. The apparatus according to claim. 14, characterized in that the cylindrical housing includes an air discharge separated from the granule discharge area to discharge the residual air from the bags in the rotor in the cylindrical housing before the bags become aligned with the discharge of granules. Granule forming rotor solids.
16. 16. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the cylindrical partial housing includes a sealing strip extending in the width and closing the lower ends of the groove and forming a stop for that portion of the lower end of the groove. each divider received in the slots.
17. 17. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that each divider includes a beveled upper end that extends radially in the entire depth of each slot of each blade to cut the granule of each bag into smaller granules.
18. 18. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply and expansion assembly includes a nozzle that extends through a side wall of the housing, the nozzle communicating with a source of pressurized CO2 and making possible the expansion inside. of the bags, such as snow for compression in granules and discharge from the shelter.62
19. 19. An apparatus for compressing a material that can be compressed as the material is circumferentially moved, which comprises a housing having at least a cylindrical partial interior surface having a central axis, a cylindrical rotor rotatably operated about of an axis separated from the central axis of said cylindrical partial interior surface, the rotor including a plurality of radial grooves, and the blade moving radially in each slot co-acting with the rotor and the cylindrical partial surface to form radial pockets to receive the material which can be compressed in an inlet area as the bags are aligned with the inlet area and compressing the material as the bag material is moved circumferentially and compressed as the bags reduce in volume towards a discharge area at one end of the bag. partial cylindrical housing closest to the axis of rotation of the rotor that at the end of the bags adjacent to the entrance area, thereby eliminating the extrusion of the material that can be compressed radially through the holes.
20. 20. The apparatus according to claim 63, characterized in that each of the blades includes a plurality of grooves extending to an outer edge thereof, said cylindrical partial surface including a plurality of arched blockers, each having one an inner edge received in one of the slots to stop the CO2 gas from escaping through the slots of the blade.
21. 21. The apparatus according to claim. 20, characterized in that the housing includes side walls, each side wall having a circular cavity in an inner surface thereof, and each of the blades having the ends of the sides received in a guided manner within the cavities, the cavities having a central axis that coincides with the central axis of the cylindrical partial surface to move the blades radially in relation to the rotor as the rotor is rotated about said axis separated from the central axis of the cavities and the cylindrical partial interior surface of said housing .
22. 22. The apparatus according to claim 64, characterized in that the housing includes a cutting blade that extends towards the rotor in the discharge area to remove the compressed material from said bags.
23. 23. An apparatus for compressing a material that can be compressed as the material is circumferentially moved, which comprises a housing having at least a cylindrical partial interior surface having a central axis, a cylindrical rotor rotatably operated about an axis coincident with the central axis of the cylindrical partial interior surface, the rotor including a plurality of radial grooves, a blade of radial movement in each groove that coact with the rotor and the cylindrical partial surface to form radial pockets to receive the material that can be compressed in an inlet area as the bags are aligned with the entrance area, the housing including a surface in eccentric relation with and closer to the axis of rotation of the rotor than the cylindrical surface for compressing the material into granules conforming to the material of the bags and the. bags are reduced in volume as the bags move along the eccentric surface towards a discharge area of the housing in spaced relation to the entry area for gravity discharge of the compressed granules.
24. 24. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that the entrance area includes a nozzle through which the liquid CO2 passes and expands to form particles of snow added in the bags, where the blades are hooked with the cylindrical partial surface of said housing. 66 SUMMARY A low weight, efficient and highly mobile device (34) to instantly produce a high volume solid carbon dioxide (CO2) granules. The device uses liquid CO2 that is discharged and expanded through a nozzle or nozzles and expanded to reach a triple point condition where the liquid, gaseous and solid phases can co-exist and ignite to a mixture of CO2 in the gas phase and snow particles by a process well known in the art. The gaseous CO2 (80) is discharged into the atmosphere and recovered to convert it back into liquid. The snow particles are aggregated into larger flakes and compressed into granules in a rotor compression structure (82) having radially moving blades (90) forming variable volume bags (92) associated with the interior of a housing for compress the flakes into granules. The granules can be discharged from the housing within an air seal which includes a rotor (118) for transporting the granules to an air discharge (142) which is isolated from the compression structure to facilitate the transportation of the granules to a point of use, such as the site of a fire, in order to extinguish the fire.