US3258931A - Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment Download PDF

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Publication number
US3258931A
US3258931A US326889A US32688963A US3258931A US 3258931 A US3258931 A US 3258931A US 326889 A US326889 A US 326889A US 32688963 A US32688963 A US 32688963A US 3258931 A US3258931 A US 3258931A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
compartment
valve
container
conduit
liquefied gas
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US326889A
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English (en)
Inventor
Edward J Kelly
Alvin M Cohodas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Air Products and Chemicals Inc
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Air Products and Chemicals Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Air Products and Chemicals Inc filed Critical Air Products and Chemicals Inc
Priority to US326889A priority Critical patent/US3258931A/en
Priority to BE656214D priority patent/BE656214A/xx
Priority to NL6413713A priority patent/NL6413713A/xx
Priority to DEA22850U priority patent/DE1950240U/de
Priority to GB48216/64A priority patent/GB1087726A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3258931A publication Critical patent/US3258931A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/10—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/10—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air
    • F25D3/102—Stationary cabinets
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/10—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air
    • F25D3/105—Movable containers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to method and apparatus for cooling a compartment, more particularly a compartment of the material storage type having a door that is frequently opened for the purpose of removing material or for the purpose of getting at things in the compartment.
  • the invention will be described and illustrated in connection with a refrigerated truck body, but it is to be specifically understood that the invention is not so limited but is applicable to a wide variety of portable and non-portable compartments.
  • the many uses for the present invention other than in connection with truck bodies is the prevention of room temperature aging of solution-heat-treated alloys before fabrication, such as certain aluminum alloys.
  • Another object of the present invention is the provision of methods and apparatus for cooling a compartment, in which special provision is made for the safety of persons entering the compartment.
  • Still another object of the present invention is the provision of methods and apparatus for cooling a compartment, characterized in that improved controls are provided.
  • Compartment 1 shows a compartment to be refrigerated indicated at 1, which in the illustrated embodiment represents a truck body of the van truck type.
  • Compartment 1 is designed to be a refrigerated compartment, and is accordingly provided with the usual insulation (not shown).
  • compartment 1 has a door 3 that may be opened and closed by the truck driver or other operator.
  • a container 5 for a liquefied gas that is, a gas that is normally in vapor phase at atmospheric temperature and pressure but which is in liquid phase at relatively low temperature.
  • the liquefied gas may for example be liquid nitrogen or liquefied carbon dioxide under relatively high pressure, liquid argon, or other gas.
  • the liquefied gas is relatively inert, noncombustible and non-toxic.
  • Container 5 may be of any suitable material such as stainless steel or other nickel steel or the like, or it may be of glass fiber impregnated with a thermosetting resin such as epoxide, phenol-aldehyde or polyester resin. Resin-impregnated glass fiber has the advantage that it has low specific heat and therefore boils off relatively little liquefied gas when the liquefied gas is first introduced into the relatively warm container, and is also little affected by the thermal shock of introducing relatively cold liquid into a relatively warm container.
  • a thermosetting resin such as epoxide, phenol-aldehyde or polyester resin.
  • container 5 will be surrounded by a suitably 3,258,931 Patented July 5, 1966 thick layer of insulation 7, which may be at atmospheric pressure or evacuated, and may comprise any of the usual insulating materials such as exfoliated vermiculite, ground cork, vapor-deposited metal on plastic film disposed in a multiplicity of layers, powder in vacuum or other suitable insulation.
  • insulating materials such as exfoliated vermiculite, ground cork, vapor-deposited metal on plastic film disposed in a multiplicity of layers, powder in vacuum or other suitable insulation.
  • a fill conduit 9 is provided extending from outside compartment 1 to the interior of compartment 1 and having a checkvalve 11 to prevent vapor or liquefied gas from leaving the compartment through conduit 9.
  • Conduit 9 communicates with a conduit 13 that extends down into container 5 to adjacent the bottom thereof and also extends a substantial distance out of container 5.
  • a vent conduit 15 for gas communicates with an upper portion of container 5.
  • Vent conduit 15 has a branch 17 controlled by a valve 19 for supplying vapor to the interior of the compartment, and a branch 21 controlled by a valve 23 for discharging vapor from an upper portion of container 5 to the outside of the compartment.
  • Valves 19 and 23 are controlled from outside the compartment; and to this end, a conduit 25 bleeds off a small portion of relatively high pressure vapor from vent conduit 15 and supplies it to a control valve 27 with a manual valve actuator disposed outside compartment 1.
  • Valve 19 is provided with a bleed on the control side of its diaphragm, between its diaphragm and valve 27, so that when valve 27 is closed, pressure from vent conduit 25 is cut off from diaphragm valve 19 and the pressure on the control side of the diaphragm quickly bleeds off so that valve 19 closes.
  • valve 23 is a diaphragm-type valve provided with a bleed; and to control it, a conduit 29 conducts relatively high pressure vapor from conduit 25 through a valve 31 to the side of the diaphragm of valve 23 which is opposite the fluid flowing in branch conduit 21.
  • valve 31 Upon opening of valve 31, the pressure above the diaphragm of valve 23 is increased and valve 23 is accordingly opened; while upon closing valve 31, the pressure bleeds off from above the diaphragm of valve 23 and valve 23 closes.
  • valve 31 has a manual valve actuator disposed outside the compartment.
  • conduit 13 serves as a conduit for supplying liquefied gas to the interior of compartment 1.
  • conduit 13 is provided with a variable control valve 33 that lets down the pressure of liquefied gas passing through it to about or only a little above atmospheric pressure. Downstream of valve 33, conduits 13 and 17 merge in a conduit 35 that leads to a spray header 37 that is disposed along an upper portion of the compartment 1 for the purpose of spraying liquefied gas downwardly into the compartment to cool the compartment by direct heat exchange between liquefied gas and the material to be cooled in the compartment.
  • a control unit 39 variably controls the opening and closing of valve 33 pneumatically.
  • control valve 33 is a diaphragm-type valve provided with a bleed as are also valves 19 and 23, and gas under pressure is controllably supplied to the diaphragm side of valve 33 through a conduit 41. Gas under pressure, in turn, is supplied to control unit 39 through a conduit 43 that communicates with and receive gas under pressure from vent conduit 15.
  • a temperature sensor 45 is located within the material storage portion of compartment 1 and controls control unit 39.
  • temperature senser 45 reacts quantitatively and actuates control unit 39 variably in effect to open conduit 41 a suitable amount to the relatively high pressure fluid in conduit 43, so that pressure is supplied to the diaphragm of valve 33 to open valve 33 a suitable amount so that liquefied gas will be forced from container through conduit 13 into conduit 35 and then into spray header 37 at a suitable flow rate, whence it is sprayed in liquid phase over material in chamber 1 to cool the material.
  • temperature senser 45 reacts to this lower temperature by actuating control unit 39 to shut ofi conduit 41 from communication with conduit 43, whereupon the pressure in conduit 41 bleeds off and the pressure above the diaphragm of valve 33 accordingly drops and valve 33 closes to shut off the flow of liquid from container 5 to spray header 37.
  • Valve 33 is not simply a two-position open-closed valve, but rather is responsive to a variety of pressures in conduit 41 to open to a variety of positions to admit more or less fluid to spray header 37 thereby to respond to various temperatures in the compartment with greater sensitivity than if valve 33 were simply to hunt between fully open and fully closed positions.
  • Temperature senser 45 and control unit 39 are by themselves quite conventional in construction and need not be described in greater detail here.
  • valve 47 Also disposed in conduit 43 is a valve 47 operated by a plunger 49 in contact with door 3 of compartment 1. Valve 47 is open in the position shown in the drawing, in which door 3 is closed. But when door 3 opens,
  • valve 47 is released to move away from valve 47, thereby closing valve 47 and shutting off the flow of gas under relatively high pressure through conduit 43.
  • conduit 43 is the only source of relatively high pressure fluid for control unit 39 and conduit 41, the closing of valve 47 will drop the pressure on the diaphragm side of valve 33, thereby closing valve 33 and shutting oif the flow of liquid to spray header 37, regardless of what signal temperature senser 45 sends to control unit 39. In other words, when door 3 is opened, liquid cannot be supplied to spray header 37 even though the temperature in compartment 1 rises relatively quite high.
  • Conduit 43 is also provided with a manually operated valve (not shown) such that when the operator enters the compartment he can close conduit 43 manually, so that if door 3 should accidentally swing shut behind him he will not be sprayed with liquefied gas.
  • valves 19 and 23 will be closed and valve 33 will open only to permit the withdrawal of liquid from container 5.
  • a conduit 51 is provided which communicates between vent conduit 15 and the interior of compartment 1, and that is controlled by a pressure relief valve 53 set at a desired maximum pressure for container 5, say, 25 p.s.i. gage, so that upon attainment of that predetermined maximum pressure, valve 53 will open to vent the excess vapor from container 5 to the interior of compartment 1 thereby further cooling compartment 1.
  • the invention is embodied in a delivery truck for frozen material such as frozen foods.
  • the truck is loaded and liquid nitrogen is introduced through conduit 9 past check valve 11 into conduit 13 and thence into container 5.
  • Valves 19, 23 and 33 are initially closed.
  • the gas proceeds past open valve 19 into'branch conduit 17 and thence into conduit 35 and through spray header 37.
  • conduit 17 can communicate directly with the interior of the compartment, in which case the cold gas by-passes conduit 35 and spray header 37.
  • compartment 1 is provided with pressure relief valve means (not shown) by which excess vapor pressure in compartment 1 is vented to the ambient atmosphere, nevertheless, the release of a large body of boiling liquid nitrogen Within compartment 1 is obviously quite dangerous.
  • valve 19 when the operator estimates that the end point of filling may be approaching, he can close valve 19 and open valve 23. He has pre-cooled the system during the time that valve 19 was open; and when he close-s valve 19 he is able to test for the end point of filling, for as soon as container 5 is full, excess liquid Will be able to escape only through conduit 15, which communicates with the outside of the truck. As soon as liquid nitrogen emerges from conduit 15 outside the truck, the operator can see this condition and discontinue filling.
  • container 5 may be provided with liquid level gage means responsive to difierences in pressure between the top and the bottom of the container thereby to determine the hydrostatic head in the container and indicate the depth of the liquid.
  • liquid level gage means responsive to difierences in pressure between the top and the bottom of the container thereby to determine the hydrostatic head in the container and indicate the depth of the liquid.
  • valve 47 closes and valve 33 is therefore maintained closed, so that the operator cannot be showered with liquid nitrogen regardless of how high the temperature rises in compartment 1 when the door is open.
  • a manually controlled valve can be provided in conduit 43, which the operator can manually close and open when he enters and leaves the compartment, respectively.
  • temperature senser 45 is again effective to operate control unit 39 to open valve 33, so that a rise in temperature can be quickly corrected by a direct spray of liquid nitrogen.
  • pressure relief valve 53 tends to assure that the fluid in container 5 will be maintained under pressure, so that the pressure of fluid in container 5 tends to be adequate to force liquid through conduit 13 and out of spray header 37.
  • the pressure of the vapor in conduit 15 will be maintained at a sufficiently high level that the pressure of the vapor withdrawn through conduits 25 and 43 will be adequate to actuate the diaphragm valves 19, 23, and 33.
  • all of the main flow conduits of the present invention are disposed substantially entirely internally of the compartment so that they can be well insulated against heat influx. Only the pneumatic control conduits extend far away appreciable distance outside the insulation.
  • valves and other controls of the present invention can be electrically actuated or hydraulically actuated or, in certain cases, mechanically actuated.
  • the method of cooling a compartment to be refrigerated comprising the steps of introducing into a container a normally gaseous liquefied gas, withdrawing vapor from an upper portion of .the container during the introduction step and conducting the same through a passageway into the interior of the compartment, discontinuing the flow of vapor through said passageway, and thereafter withdrawing liquefied gas from a lower portion of said container and conducting the withdrawn liquefied gas through another passageway into the interior of the compartment, the last-named step occurring at least in part after the end of said introduction step.
  • Refrigeration apparatus comprising means defining a compartment having a door, a container for a body of liquefied gas having a boiling point below the temperature of the compartment,
  • valve-controlled conduit means communicating with an upper portion of the container for conducting vapor from said liquefied gas into the interior of the compartment
  • Refrigeration apparatus comprising means defining a compartment to be refrigerated
  • valve-controlled conduit means communicating with an upper portion of the container for conducting vapor from said liquefied gas into the interior of .the compartment,
  • vapor discharging means for discharging vapor of the liquefied gas from an upper portion of the container to the exterior of the compartment
  • Refrigeration apparatus comprising means defining a compartment to be refrigerated
  • vapor discharging means for discharging vapor of the liquefied gas from an upper portion of the container to the interior of the compartment
  • Refrigeration apparatus comprising means defining a compartment .to be refrigerated,
  • first conduit means communicating with an upper portion of the container for conducting vapor from said liquefied gas into the interior of the compartment
  • first valve means controlling said first conduit means
  • means in fluid communication with said container for utilizing vapor of said liquefied gas under pressure of fluid in the container to operate said first valve means
  • second conduit means communicating with a lower portion of the container for conducting liquefied gas into the interior of the compartment
  • Refrigeration apparatus as defined in claim 5, and further comprising means in fluid communication with said container for utilizing vapor of said liquefied gas under pressure of fluid in the container to operate said second valve means.
  • Refrigeration apparatus as defined in claim 6, and further comprising third conduit means, communicating with an upper portion of said container for conducting excess liquefied gas to the exterior of the compartment.
  • Refrigeration apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said first conduit means and said third conduit means are branches of a single conduit means which communicates with an upper portion of the container.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
US326889A 1963-11-29 1963-11-29 Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment Expired - Lifetime US3258931A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US326889A US3258931A (en) 1963-11-29 1963-11-29 Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment
BE656214D BE656214A (xx) 1963-11-29 1964-11-25
NL6413713A NL6413713A (xx) 1963-11-29 1964-11-25
DEA22850U DE1950240U (de) 1963-11-29 1964-11-27 Vorrichtung zur kuehlung eines raumes.
GB48216/64A GB1087726A (en) 1963-11-29 1964-11-27 Improvements in refrigeration methods and apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US326889A US3258931A (en) 1963-11-29 1963-11-29 Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3258931A true US3258931A (en) 1966-07-05

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US326889A Expired - Lifetime US3258931A (en) 1963-11-29 1963-11-29 Method and apparatus for cooling a compartment

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3258931A (xx)
BE (1) BE656214A (xx)
DE (1) DE1950240U (xx)
GB (1) GB1087726A (xx)
NL (1) NL6413713A (xx)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3403530A (en) * 1966-10-18 1968-10-01 Colonial Sugar Refining Co Liquid carbon dioxide refrigeration
US3410109A (en) * 1967-01-09 1968-11-12 Howard R. Maryland Iceless freezer chest
US3693371A (en) * 1971-01-25 1972-09-26 Revco Inc Auxiliary refrigerating apparatus
US3699694A (en) * 1969-10-27 1972-10-24 Shipowners Cargo Res Assoc Liquid nitrogen refrigeration system
JPS4954215U (xx) * 1972-08-24 1974-05-14
EP0075913A2 (en) * 1981-09-28 1983-04-06 George E. Weasel, Jr. Refrigerated transport unit
US4986086A (en) * 1989-08-18 1991-01-22 Fridev Refrigeration Systems, Inc. CO2 temperature control system for transport vehicles
US5406803A (en) * 1993-11-29 1995-04-18 Casto, Ii; Arlos F. Devices for instantly freezing good products through the application of gaseous materials
US5660046A (en) * 1993-10-12 1997-08-26 Fridev Refrigeration Systems Inc. Cryogenic temperature control system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3012210B1 (fr) * 2013-10-23 2015-12-25 Air Liquide Calculateur embarque pour le suivi de la consommation de cryogene d'un vehicule de transport cryogenique

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2479840A (en) * 1945-11-13 1949-08-23 Shell Dev Process and apparatus for refrigeration
US3005321A (en) * 1959-08-25 1961-10-24 Philco Corp Multiple temperature refrigerator
US3109296A (en) * 1961-09-29 1963-11-05 Chemetron Corp Apparatus and method for refrigeration by carbon dioxide
US3114247A (en) * 1960-07-06 1963-12-17 Cutler Hammer Inc Cryogenic pump for a refrigerator system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2479840A (en) * 1945-11-13 1949-08-23 Shell Dev Process and apparatus for refrigeration
US3005321A (en) * 1959-08-25 1961-10-24 Philco Corp Multiple temperature refrigerator
US3114247A (en) * 1960-07-06 1963-12-17 Cutler Hammer Inc Cryogenic pump for a refrigerator system
US3109296A (en) * 1961-09-29 1963-11-05 Chemetron Corp Apparatus and method for refrigeration by carbon dioxide

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3403530A (en) * 1966-10-18 1968-10-01 Colonial Sugar Refining Co Liquid carbon dioxide refrigeration
US3410109A (en) * 1967-01-09 1968-11-12 Howard R. Maryland Iceless freezer chest
US3699694A (en) * 1969-10-27 1972-10-24 Shipowners Cargo Res Assoc Liquid nitrogen refrigeration system
US3693371A (en) * 1971-01-25 1972-09-26 Revco Inc Auxiliary refrigerating apparatus
JPS4954215U (xx) * 1972-08-24 1974-05-14
EP0075913A2 (en) * 1981-09-28 1983-04-06 George E. Weasel, Jr. Refrigerated transport unit
EP0075913A3 (en) * 1981-09-28 1983-10-05 George E. Weasel, Jr. Refrigerated transport unit and method of processing and transporting produce
US4986086A (en) * 1989-08-18 1991-01-22 Fridev Refrigeration Systems, Inc. CO2 temperature control system for transport vehicles
US5660046A (en) * 1993-10-12 1997-08-26 Fridev Refrigeration Systems Inc. Cryogenic temperature control system
US5406803A (en) * 1993-11-29 1995-04-18 Casto, Ii; Arlos F. Devices for instantly freezing good products through the application of gaseous materials

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6413713A (xx) 1965-05-31
BE656214A (xx) 1965-05-25
GB1087726A (en) 1967-10-18
DE1950240U (de) 1966-11-24

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