Claims
- 1. A ground support system designed to deliver carbon dioxide to a carbon dioxide using device, for use as a cooling agent, which system comprises:an insulated first vessel for receiving and storing carbon dioxide liquid from a vehicle, first conduit means for supplying said liquid to said first vessel from said vehicle, an insulated second vessel for receiving said liquid or carbon dioxide vapor from said first vessel and for creating, accumulating and storing carbon dioxide cold liquid and slush to be supplied to said using device, second conduit means for the transfer of said liquid and of said vapor between said first vessel and said second vessel, a mechanical refrigeration system for condensing said vapor from said system when the pressure in said system exceeds a chosen figure, refrigeration means associated with said second vessel to cool said liquid therewithin or to create said slush therewithin, by removal of said vapor, measurement means for determining the density and amount of said cold liquid or of said slush within said second vessel, mixing chamber means for combining as desired said liquid, said cold liquid or said vapor or said slush in preselected proportions or preselected sequence, third conduit means connecting said first and second vessels to said chamber means, fourth conduit means for delivering said carbon dioxide in whichever form selected and refrigeration content selected and sequence selected to said using device from said chamber, means for operating and controlling said system so as to produce said liquid carbon dioxide at a desired temperature, or slush at a desired proportion of solid to liquid, or have vapor carbon dioxide available at a desired pressure, or to maintain the homogeneity of the slush, and for transferring said slush, said liquid, or said cold liquid or said vapor in any desired proportion, amount, and refrigeration content, and in any desired sequence said slush, said liquid, said cold liquid or said vapor to said using device, whereby, either said slush or said vapor or said liquid or said cold liquid of known refrigeration content and in known quantities and in known sequence can be delivered as desired to said using device as slush, vapor, cold liquid or liquid carbon dioxide or in a combination of each, or separately, and in any desired sequence, and whereby carbon dioxide at optimus flow and desired refrigeration conditions can be supplied to different using devices, and said conditions can be modified while said using devices are being supplied without cessation of flow.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first conduit and said first vessel includes means to scavenge air and other non-condenseables from the top of said first vessel and returning it to said vehicle delivering said liquid to said first vessel,whereby said air and other non-condenseables are removed from said system at the time of each replenishment with said liquid.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second vessel includes means to agitate slush therein by injecting said vapor or said liquid into the bottom of said second vessel,whereby said slush can be maintained in a near homogeneous state.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein means are included to pressurize said fourth conduit and the carbon dioxide conduit of said using device to a pressure at least 2 psi above the triple point pressure of carbon dioxide with said vapor before transfer of any said slush or said cold liquid to said using device,whereby the initial flow of said slush or said cold liquid is not impeded by the formation of dry ice in any conduit it is subsequently flowing through.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein means are included in said chamber so that said chamber can receive said liquid from said first vessel, said slush from said second vessel, said cold liquid from said second vessel and said vapor from said first vessel, passing through said second vessel, combined as desired, and in the sequence desired, and provide the same to said using device,whereby said liquid, said cold liquid, said vapor or said slush can be provided to said using device in the desired proportions and in the desired sequence.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 including means wherein the density of said slush within said second vessel is determined by determining both the volume of said slush and the weight of said slush,whereby direct and non-additive methods are utilized to monitor and control the percentage solid in the slush.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical refrigeration system has its carbon dioxide vapor condensing coils within said first vessel's upper volume, whereby carbon dioxide vapor may be directly condensed within said first vessel.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical refrigeration system removes the vapor to be condensed, condensing it outside either said first or said second vessel, and returning it to said ground support system as carbon dioxide liquid,whereby either said first or second vessel may be of the type without internal condensing coils.
- 9. A method of receiving carbon dioxide liquid and cooling said liquid to the extent that either slush or carbon dioxide cold liquid or carbon dioxide vapor can be supplied to a using device as a cooling agent, comprising the steps of:(a) receiving and storing said liquid in a first insulated vessel, (b) supplying said liquid to a second insulated vessel, (c) condensing carbon dioxide vapor exceeding a chosen pressure, (d) cooling said liquid in said second vessel to the extent that said slush or said cold liquid is formed, (e) mixing either said slush or said cold liquid or said liquid carbon dioxide or an intermediate temperature liquid carbon dioxide or vapor as desired, (f) delivering said mixture to a carbon dioxide using device, (g) measuring and controlling said receiving, said storing, said supplying, said condensing, said cooling, said mixing and said delivering, whereby either said vapor or said liquid or said cold liquid or said slush of a known refrigeration content and in known quantities and in known flow characteristics and in known sequence can be delivered as desired to said using device, as said vapor, said liquid, said cold liquid or said slush, or in a combination of each, or separately, and in a desired sequence, and whereby carbon dioxide at optimus flow and refrigeration conditions can be supplied to each using device, and said conditions can be modified while being so supplied.
- 10. The method of claim 9 comprising the additional step of once said second vessel contains a body of slush, supplying said cold liquid to a using device at the same time that said liquid is being supplied from said first vessel to said second vessel,whereby a much greater quantity of said cold liquid may be supplied to said using device than that quantity stored in said second vessel.
- 11. The method of claim 10 comprising the additional step of supplying warmer liquid carbon dioxide from said first vessel to said chamber,whereby said cold liquid carbon dioxide can be warmed to a desired intermediate temperature.
- 12. The method of claim 9 comprising the additional step of agitating said slush in said second vessel so that said slush remains in a homogeneous mass,whereby slush with consistent flow properties may be supplied to said using device.
- 13. The method of claim 12 comprising the additional step of causing said agitation by injecting said vapor or liquid into the bottom of said second vessel,whereby slush stored in said second vessel can be agitated without the use of mechanical devices.
- 14. The method of claim 13 comprising the additional step of injecting said vapor in periodic bursts,whereby the agitation effect of said vapor injection is increased.
- 15. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of supplying said vapor at a pressure of at least 2 psi above carbon dioxide's triple point pressure to any conduit used for delivery of said slush or cold liquid before either said cold liquid or said slush is released into said delivery conduit,whereby either said cold liquid or said slush do not form dry ice in said conduit during delivery to said using device while flowing from said second vessel.
- 16. A ground support system designed to receive carbon dioxide liquid and convert it to slush or carbon dioxide cold liquid, capable of supplying said slush or said cold liquid or carbon dioxide vapor, in combination or separately, and in sequence, as desired, to a using device, for use as a cooling agent, which system comprises,an insulated vessel, including conduit means, for receiving said vapor or said liquid, liquid level measurement means of the level of either said liquid or said slush within said vessel, means to weigh said vessel and its contents, refrigeration means, including second conduit means, which removes vapor from said vessel, thereby causing said liquid therewithin to change to said cold liquid and said slush, separating means in the lower portion of said vessel to create a region where said slush cannot enter, but said cold liquid can, third conduit means, one portion of which connects to that part of said vessel arranged to contain only said cold liquid and one portion connects that part of said vessel arranged to contain said slush, and one portion of which connects to said liquid, where mixing of said slush, of said cold liquid, of said liquid may occur, as desired, measurement and control means for said system, whereby slush with known refrigeration properties and flow characteristics can be created in said vessel, and then supplied to a using device singly or in combination and in any sequence, as desired.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said vessel includes means to agitate said slush therein by injecting said vapor into said slush near the bottom of said vessel,whereby said slush can be maintained in a near homogeneous state.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein means are included to pressurize said third conduit to a pressure at least 2 psi above the triple point pressure of carbon dioxide with carbon dioxide vapor before transfer of said slush or said cold liquid to said using device,whereby the initial flow of said slush or said cold liquid to said using device is not impeded by the formation of dry ice in any conduit they subsequently flow through.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein means are included in said third conduit so that said slush or said cold liquid or said vapor may be combined as desired, and in the sequence desired for provision to said using device,whereby slush or cold liquid or vapor may be provided to a using device having the desired refrigeration properties and flow characteristics, and in the desired sequence.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein means are included in said vessel and sid controls, to determine the slush density by determining both the volume and the weight of said slush,whereby direct and non-additive methods are utilized to monitor and control the percentage solid in said slush.
- 21. The method of depositing dry ice in a bunker of a cargo carrying vehicle, including but not limited to rail cars, trucks and containers, said dry ice to be used for the subsequent cooling of said cargo, comprising the steps of:(a) creating a slush mixture of solid and liquid carbon dioxide within a vessel, (b) utilizing a conduit to convey said slush from said vessel to said bunker, (c) maintaining the pressure in said conduit to at least 2 psi above carbon dioxide's triple point pressure, (d) expanding said slush to near atmospheric pressure so as to deposit said dry ice in said bunker, whereby both the convenience of conveying liquid carbon dioxide to a bunker within a vehicle by means of conduit, and the conversion to dry ice efficiency of utilizing slush carbon dioxide are provided.
- 22. The method of claim 21 comprising the additional step of:determining the weight of the carbon dioxide contents of said vessel during the period of time that said slush is being utilized for depositing dry ice in said bunker, whereby the weight of said slush can be determined during the period that said slush is being utilized, and the amount of said slush used being managed.
- 23. The method of claim 22 comprising the additional step of:determining the proportion of liquid carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide comprising said slush mixture within said vessel before and while said slush is being utilized for depositing said dry ice in said bunker, whereby the amount of dry ice to be deposited within said bunker by said slush expanding can be determined and controlled, and whereby the pre-determined amount of dry ice required for the desired cooling enroute of said cargo can be deposited in said bunker.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Priority for the present invention is based upon prior filed Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/106,898 of Lewis Tyree, Jr. entitled COMBINATION LOW TEMPERATURE CARBON DIOXIDE LIQUID OR SLUSH GROUND SUPPORT SYSTEM filed on Nov. 3, 1998.
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Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/106898 |
Nov 1998 |
US |