US1041973A - Brine-cooler. - Google Patents

Description

0. C. DE FOSSET.

BRINE COOLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1911.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

OSCAR (3. DE FQSSET, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIG.

, BRINE-QOOLER.

Specification of Eetters ratent.

Patented (lot. 22, 1912..

Application filed April 1, 1911. Serial No. 618,340..

To aZL whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, OSCAR C. DE Fossn'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brine-Coolers, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to tubular brine coolers for flooded refrigerating systems.

The object of my invention is to construct a tubular brine cooler which is more efiicient than the coolers now in use, and one in which the tubular cooling surface is greatly increased without proportionately increasing the size of the cooler.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used in ice manufacturing plants where these comparatively small brine coolers are placed in the tank which holds the brine,

and in which the cans of water are placed in the usual manner.

'My invention consists in a brine cooler having two chambers connected together by means of a plurality of pipes, said pipes and chambers adapted to contain ammonia, an'd constructed to prevent the leakage of ammonia therefrom.

My invention consists more specifically in the combination with a tank adapted to hold brine and cans suitably mounted therein, of a brine cooler consisting of flat elongated box shaped chambers, tubes connecting said chambers together, said chambers and tubes adapted to carry ammonia, and suitable supply pipes and drainage pipes connected to said chambers.

My invention also consists in certain novel details of construction and in its combination and arrangement of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin which serves to illustrate my invention; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brine tank, hav ing my improved brine cooler mounted therein, parts of the tank bein broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view 0 my improved brine cooler, part of the top being broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved brine cooler, part being in section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, showing the tubes connected between the upper and lower chambers of the cooler.

In the embodiment of my invention and which shows a preferred construction, 1 illustrates a tank of the ordinary construction for holding brine, having a suitable framework 2, which is adapted to hold cans 3 in the usual manner. The tank is'divided into compartments in the usual manner, one compartment having a propeller 4 adjacent thereto adapted to force the brine therethrough, and adapted to be driven by means of a pulley 5 mounted on a shaft 6.

At one end of the tank 1, and within the same, I provide my improved brine cooler, which consists of the upper rectangular box shaped chamber 7 at the top thereof, and a corresponding chamber 8 at the bottom. These two chambers 7 and 8 are connected together by means of tubes 9, which are suitably attached, preferably by means of screw threads at the bottom and being rolled into the chamber 7 at the top as best shown in Fig. 4. If rolled into the upper chamber 7 it will be necessary for holes to be placed in the upper surface of the chamber 7 to allow the roller to pass through, the holes being closed by means of plugs 10 when the operation is completed. This it is seen will form a better and more safe connection, and will absolutely prevent leakage, which isa very essential provision in a device of this character. However these tubes may be connected in any suitable manner desired. The tubes 9 may be staggered throughout the cooler in order to intercept the flow of brine therebetween and thereby cause it to flow more slowly therethrough. This arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 will cool the brine more readily than otherwise and produce a more eficient cooler.

Connected to the lower chamber 8, I provide the ammonia supply pipe 11., which is connected at the other end to a condenser such as is commonly used in plants of this character. At 12 I provide a gage of the ordinary construction, which is connected to the upper and lower chambers 7 and 8 by means of pipes 13. Pipe 11 is provided with a valve 14, as are also pipes 13 provided with similar valves 15. Connected at one end of the lower chamber 8, I provide a drain pipe 16 which is preferably placed at the lowermost end of the chamber 8 for the purpose of draining ofi weak liquid or oil.

A pipe 17 extends from the upper chamber 7 to a separator 18, it being the purpose of the separator to separate the li uid ammonia from the gas as it comes rom the tanks 7 and 8. The liquid ammonia returns from the separator 18 to the chamber 7 by means of return pipe 19 and a pipe 20 extends from the top of the se arator to the compressor.

In the manufacture of ice and in operating devices of this character, a compressor is employed which is adapted to compress a low pressure gas to a high pressure gas. The pipe 20 carries the low pressure gas to the compressor where it is compressed to a high pressure gas, and is then carried to the condenser, and from the condenser carried to the brine cooler again by means of pipe 11. The compressor and condenser are in common use in this form of cooler, and it is, therefore, not considered necessary to illustrate same.

The flow of liquid ammonia is as follows: My improved brine cooler belongs to what is known as the flooded type, that is, a cooler which is maintained partly full of liquid ammonia. As the liquid ammonia arriving by pipe 11 fills the chamber 8 it rises part way up the tubes 9. This liquid boils away or is vaporized due to the heat received from the brine and to the low pressure maintained by the compressor through the suction pipe 20-17. It extends into a low pressure gas and passes through pipes 17 to the separator, which is adapted to separate the gas from the liquid. The compressor draws the ammonia from the separator and cooler by means of suction pipe 20, the compressor compressing said low pressure gas into high pressure gas, and then forcing it to the condenser, where it is condensed and carried by means of pipe 11 back to the brine cooler again.

The advantage I derive by use of my improved brine cooler is that I am'enabled to increase the amount of contact surfaces for the brine in the cooler, thereby insuring a more rapid cooling of the brine. Of course the brine is kept in circulation by the usual manner by means of the propeller 4, a suitable partition 21 beingprovided to compel the brine to pass between the tubes 9 of the cooler to reach the opening 22, through which it has to pass to enter the tank 1.

Many modifications of my invention may be made without departing from its spiri and scope, and I do not wish to be confined to the exact details shown.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A brine cooler comprising a plurality of box shaped chambers located one directly above the other, a plurality of pipes connecting said chambers together, said tubes being staggered to interrupt the flow of brine therebetween, and suitable pipe connections in said c amber, substantially as set forth and for t e purposes specified.

2. In combination with a tank for holding ice cans and brine, of a cooler having a box shaped chamber at the top and bottom thereof, respectively, vertical tubes directly connecting said chambers together, means for gaining access to said tube, an ammonia inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe for said chambers, substantially as and for the purposes set -forth.

3. In combination with a brine tank for holdingbrine and ice cans, of a cooler, comprising a plurality of box shaped receptacles adapted to hold ammonia, tubes connecting said receptacles and removable plugs in the Walls of one of said tanks opposite said tubes for gaining easy access thereto, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

OSCAR C. DE FOSSET.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, J. G. DE Fossn'r.

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