US2921832A

US2921832A - Method of vaporizing

Info

Publication number: US2921832A
Application number: US597138A
Authority: US
Inventors: James H Holther
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-07-11
Filing date: 1956-07-11
Publication date: 1960-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1977-01-19

Description

Jan- 19, 1960 J. H. HOLTHER METHOD oF vAPoRIzING Filed July 1l, 1956 Am/56. Afan/5e,

IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O 2,921,832 METHOD F vAPoRIzlNG James n. neither, santa Am, Calif. Application July 11, 1956, serial No. 597,138

z claims. `(c1. z1s3) A portable apparatus of this type is commonly in domestic use` and is provided with various interchange able attachments for utilizing the discharged air stream for various specific purposes. For example, one attachment may be used as a nozzle to create an air jet to dislodge dust from inaccessible crevices. Another attachment may be a hair drier.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an accessory interchangeable'with such attachments for increasing the utility of the apparatus by making possible the additional function of effectively diffusing a bacteria-inhibiting agent into the atmosphere.

The invention is specifically directed to the problem of diffusing triethylene glycol into the atmosphere to such extent as to decisively inhibit bacteria growth on dust particles oating in'lthe atmosphere. Heretofore, an attempt has been made to solve this problem by wetting a pervious' member with triethylene glycol and exposing the member to the airs'tream discharged from the blower apparatus. This procedure has the advantage of insuring that the triethylene glycol is thoroughly vaporized, but it' has the fatal defect of being inherently incapable of releasing the chemical at an adequate rate to sterilize a room space of even moderate volume.

It has been suggested heretofore that an aqueous solution be sprayed or otherwise introduced into the air stream in finely divided liquid form, but it has been found that a temperature of the order of magnitude of 110 F. or higher is required for adequate vaporization, and some provision must be made, no t only to generate the 'required heat, but also to permit effective transfer of the heat to the linelywdivided liquid agent.-

The present invention solves the problem without the addition of any special heating means whatsoever, and does so by taking advantageof the fact that, when such an air stream discharged from a blower is retarded by a relatively fine mesh screen, or other suitable means, a zone of relatively high temperature is created, the heat being theiheat of compression ofthe air. The complete solution to the problem consists in first restricting the discharged air stream to create-a low pressure zone for the introduction of the Vliquid agent into the air stream by suction, and then retarding the air stream for the dual purpose of providing the highw temperature zone and of keepingthe finely divided chemical or liquid entrained in 2,921,832 Patented Jan. 19, 1960 passage member to create a local increase in velocity and corresponding local reduction of pressure. A reservoir 1s united with the passage means for holding a supply of the liquid solution and a fluid duct of small cross section extends from the reservoir to the region of the restriction for feeding the liquid agent into the air stream. Finally, means such as a line mesh screen is provided to resist the discharge of air from the passage means for the purpose of creating the required high temperature zone.

The preferred practice of the invention is further characterized by the mounting of an annular solution reservoir around the passage means to be supported thereby, and the use of transparent or semitransparent plastic material for fabricating both the reservoir and the passage means. Such an arrangement makes the interior lof the passage means, as well as the interior of the reservoir, visible for observation during the vapozing operation.

The features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description considered with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

Fig. l is a longitudinal, sectional View of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 is interchangeable with attachments that are commonly used on a portable air circulating apparatus in com.

munication with the outlet thereof. Fig. l shows a tubular portion 10 of such an apparatus that forms its discharge outlet, the tubular portion being provided with three peripheral lugs 12 for cooperation with corresponding bayonet slots of the attachments.

The particular embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l comprises a passage member 14 having an eng. larged lower end portion 15 that forms an internal cirthe tubular portion 10 in such a manner as to cause the the heated air for a sufficient-time interval for effective heat transfer and complete vapor-ization of the liquid agent.

The presently preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a passage member for communication with the outlet of the blower apparatus with a restriction in the edge or rim 22 of the tubular portion 10 to compress the ring 18 against the shoulder 16 in a sealing manner.

The passage member 14 discharges into the atmosphere and has a restricted portion for local increase in the lvelocity of the air stream therethrough with consequent local drop in the static pressure of the air stream. For this purpose, the passage member 14 may be of substantially uniform tubular conguration with a restrictingmember 24 mounted therein to form a restricting throat for the creation of a looal low pressure region. In the construction shown, the restricting member 24 is a ringshaped member of the configuration shown that is suitably bonded in place.

vA small Huid duct or tube 25 terminates in the lowy pressure region inside the venturi ring 24 to supply the liquid agent solution to the air stream and to serve as a discharge nozzle for the liquid agent. This supply tube 25 for the liquid agent may be placed in communication'.V` with a' body of the .liquid agent inany suitable manner, arid'preferably will be'provided with an adjustment Valve d to vary the rate of flow of the liquid agent therethrough.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the tube 25 is in communication with a supply reservoir 26 of annular configuration that encircles the tubular portion 10 and is united therewith for support thereby. The

reservoir 26 has an annular bottom Wall 28, a cylindricalV peripheral wall 30, and an annular top wall 32. The

top wall 32v isprovided with a. convenient iill. opening that is normally closed by a removable plug 34.

In the construction shown, the tube 25 for discharging the liquid agent into the venturi throatextends through the Wall of the tubular passage member 14 from a valve body 35 that has a manually adjustable needle valve member 36. A second similar small tube 38 extendsv small streams, and, for this purpose, may be a perforatev Screens of 20 to.

member such as a screen or the like. 120 mesh have been found acceptable for this purpose, the test for acceptance being whether or not provision of such a ow-retarding means causes the temperature of lthe air stream to be of a minimum of the order of magnitude of 110 F. Apparently, this temperature of the air stream between the venturi member 24 and the screen 40` is derived from the heat of compression generated# inthe blower apparatus. The screen 40 may be a'wire cloth disk clamped between the rim of the passage member 14 and a retaining ring 42, the retaining ring being removably mounted on the rim bymeans of small screws 44.

Preferably, the device, including the passage member 14 and the reservoir 26, is made of transparent or semitransparent plastic material to make visible not only the interior of the reservoir, but also to make visible the interior of the passage member 14. The valvebody 35 comprises a triangular block of such plastic material with a suitable bore therethrough throttled by the valve member 36.

The manner in which the device serves its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description.

AA suitable liquid agentis placed inthe reservoir 26, for

example a solution of one part triethylene glycol to approximately l or more parts of water. mounted on the blower outlet by the described bayonet connection and the portable blower is energized to force a stream of air through the passage member 14. The reduction in pressure in the region of the Venturi throat member 24 causes a pressure diiferential between the interior of the reservoir 26 and the interior of the passage member to cause the liquid agent to flow through the.

tubes 38 and 25 for discharge into the air stream.

The air stream contains substantial heat of compression generated by the blower, and the provision of the screen 40 retards the air stream in a manner to conserve the heat of compression to the extent, at least, of maintaining a temperature of approximately 110 F. on the upstream side of the screen 40. The screen 40 is positioned far enough away from the liquid supply tube 25 and the venturi throat member 24 to provide a time Ainterval in the heated portion of the air stream to permit suficient heat transfer from the air stream to the finely divided liquid agent to cause the desired vaporization of the liquid agent at the desired rate. As a result, a sufficient quantity of the triethylene glycol is evaporated into the heated air stream to result in the atmosphere ofthe surrounding room space reaching a concentration of at leastone part of triethylene glycol to four hundred million parts of atmosphere. This concentration is sucient to inhibit bacteriological .growth on dust `in the The device is 4 atmosphere. Since the liquid agent should be'uniformly distributed throughout the atmosphere, the blower ap. paratus should run for a substantial period of time with the feed of the liquid agent retarded by the needle valve member 36 suticient for continuous dispensation throughout the prolonged time period.

If the temperature of they airstream on the upstream side of the screen 4,1)V is not relatively highthe triethylene glycol precipitates and thus defeats itsvpurpose. The minimum temperature varieswithV the humidity, and, for average humidity,4 should 4been the orderof 110 F. The use of an -mesh screen 40 with a typical'portable blower-type air circulatingapparatus has been found to result in a temperature on the order of 120- F. in the heat-transfer region of the passage member.

Final vaporization is accomplished by the flashing of the finely divided liquid;l particles as they" escape from the screen into the lower pressure, ofthe; atmosphere.

My description in detail of the; selectedembodiment of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departuresy frommy disclosure that properly lie within the Vspirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention,v I claim:

`l. A method of introducing a vapor ofa volatile liquid into a room space, characterized bythe use of a recirculating compressing blower means for discharging a stream of air into the. room space, saidvmethod including the steps of: confining said discharge stream of air in a region and providing numerous small 'openings for restricted release of the air stream -fromf the region into the atmosphere of the room thereby. to provide resistance to'discharge of air from theregion to maintain the pres,- sure yof the air stream in the Vregiongabove atmospheric pressure for conserving the heat ofpcompression of the air stream to maintaina temperature ofV at least F. in the region; Vrestricting thestream in said region at an intermediatezoneof the region to provide a local low pressure in said zone; and introducing saidy liquid into said low pressure zone to cause the liquid to be entrained by the -air stream whereby heat yis transferred from the air stream in said region to lthe liquid for vaporization of at least a portion lof the entrained liquid in said region. y k

2. A method as set forth lin ,claimV l in which said' liquid is fed into said low pressure `zone at a rate for vaporization of a portion of the Vliquid in said region by `heat transfer theretoand vaporization of an additional portion by flashing action outside said region immediately downstream from said restricted openings.'

References Cited intheleof thisA vpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER' REFERENQEs VChemical Engineers HalltlDQOlr 10h11 Perry, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, pp. 40G-401,.

Claims

1. A METHOD OF INTRODUCING A VAPOR OF A VOLATILE LIQUID INTO A ROOM SPACE, CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF A RECIRCULATING COMPRESSING BLOWER MEANS FOR DISCHARGING A STREAM OF AIR INTO THE ROOM SPACE, SAID METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: CONFINING SAID DISCHARGE STREAM OF AIR IN A REGION AND PROVIDING NUMEROUS SMALL OPENINGS FOR RESTRICTED RELEASE OF THE AIR STREAM FROM THE REGION INTO THE ARMOSPHERE OF THE ROOM THEREBY TO PROVIDE RESISTANCE TO DISCHARGE OF AIR FROM THE REGION TO MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR STREAM IN THE REGION ABOVE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE FOR CONSERVING THE HEAT OF COMPRESSION OF THE AIR STREAM TO MAINTAIN A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 110* F. IN THE REGION, RESTRICTING THE AIR STREAM IN SAID REGION