Cavity and apparatus for forming carbon dioxide blocks
By using a cavity designed with elastic seals in the dry ice production equipment, the problem of poor exhaust of gaseous carbon dioxide was solved, achieving safe and efficient production while reducing equipment complexity and maintenance costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIAMEN HOREC02 DRY ICE BLASTING EQUIP & SERVICE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-21
AI Technical Summary
In existing dry ice production equipment, gaseous carbon dioxide cannot be effectively discharged, leading to increased pressure, which may cause the equipment to explode or be damaged. Existing solutions are complex and costly.
A cavity design including a cavity body and an elastic seal is adopted. The pressure relief port and the air vent automatically open and close under air pressure through the elastic seal, which avoids blockage, simplifies the structure and reduces costs.
It enables the smooth discharge of gaseous carbon dioxide, avoids equipment blockage and explosions, reduces equipment complexity and maintenance costs, and improves production efficiency and equipment compactness.
Smart Images
Figure CN121893591A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of solid carbon dioxide manufacturing technology, and more specifically to cavities and equipment for forming carbon dioxide blocks. Background Technology
[0002] Solid carbon dioxide blocks, as a low-temperature solid material, are widely used in food refrigeration, experimental research, and cleaning. The working principle of its production equipment is relatively simple, mainly involving the conversion of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) into solid carbon dioxide blocks (i.e., dry ice). Dry ice production equipment typically includes core components such as a liquid carbon dioxide storage tank, pipelines, solenoid valves, and a pressing cylinder. The liquid carbon dioxide is kept at room temperature and high pressure in the storage tank and enters the pressing cylinder through pipelines and solenoid valves. At room temperature, some of the liquid carbon dioxide condenses directly into solid dry ice, while the rest becomes gaseous carbon dioxide. Inside the dry ice pressing cylinder, the condensed dry ice particles are compressed into blocks by a piston, forming the final dry ice product. However, during this process, uncondensed gaseous carbon dioxide accumulates inside the pressing cylinder. If not discharged in time, the accumulated gas can cause pressure increases, leading to internal explosions or even damage to the equipment.
[0003] To address the challenge of preventing the smooth escape of gaseous carbon dioxide from the extrusion cylinder, current dry ice production equipment typically employs the following two solutions:
[0004] One method involves creating a window on the outer wall of the extrusion cylinder and filling it with a low-density material (such as a porous material). Gaseous carbon dioxide can then naturally escape through the pores of this material during dry ice forming. However, this method has a significant drawback: during dry ice production, not only does gaseous carbon dioxide need to be released, but some incompletely compacted solid carbon dioxide particles remain. These particles may clog the pores of the low-density material over time, affecting the efficiency of gas release. Blockage can further impede gas flow and potentially lead to pressure problems.
[0005] Secondly, a dedicated vent is installed on the extrusion cylinder. A rigid component is installed around the vent, forming an exhaust channel between this component and the outer wall of the extrusion cylinder. This exhaust channel includes an exhaust port and a blow-out port. During the dry ice forming process, the exhaust port is responsible for removing excess gaseous carbon dioxide from the extrusion cylinder. After forming, the blow-out port blows air into the exhaust channel through an external air source, blowing any remaining carbon dioxide (including both solid and gaseous portions) back into the extrusion cylinder, preventing the exhaust channel from becoming clogged by carbon dioxide particles. This system design is relatively complex, with a large number of components, resulting in high production and maintenance costs. The vent, blow-out port, and surrounding rigid components require precision manufacturing and assembly, and the exhaust channel design involves multiple layers of sealing and airflow control, which inherently increases the overall manufacturing cost and technical complexity. Furthermore, with the increase in the number of components, the risk of equipment failure also increases, leading to relatively high maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a dry ice extrusion cylinder and dry ice forming machine that are simple in structure, low in cost, and can prevent the pressure relief port from being blocked.
[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block, comprising a cavity body and a first elastic seal; the cavity body includes a front end region and a rear end region, the front end region being disposed near the discharge end of the cavity body, and the rear end region being used to receive liquid carbon dioxide; the sidewall of the cavity body includes a front wall corresponding to the front end region, the front wall including a plurality of pressure relief ports spaced circumferentially; the first elastic seal elastically seals the pressure relief ports; the first elastic seal can be pushed by air pressure to undergo elastic deformation and move away from the pressure relief ports, so that the pressure relief ports are connected to the outside.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the front end region includes a feed head region and an exhaust region, the feed head region being disposed near the discharge end, the exhaust region being disposed adjacent to the feed head region, and the pressure relief port being disposed correspondingly on the exhaust region.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the pressure relief port is groove-shaped and extends axially along the cavity.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the width of the pressure relief port is approximately 0.2 mm.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the pressure relief port is orifice-shaped.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the length of the feed head area is approximately 50 mm to 60 mm.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the first elastic seal is sleeve-shaped, the first elastic seal is sleeved and abuts against the front end wall, and the first elastic seal abuts against and seals the outside of the pressure relief port.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, a recovery hood is further included, which covers the first resilient seal and is used to recover gaseous carbon dioxide.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall of the cavity includes a rear wall corresponding to the rear end region, the rear wall including a plurality of vents spaced apart along the circumference; the cavity also includes a second elastic seal, the second elastic seal elastically sealing the vents, the second elastic seal being able to be pushed by air pressure to generate elastic deformation and move away from the vents, so that the vents are connected to the outside.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the vent is groove-shaped and extends axially along the cavity; or, the vent is orifice-shaped.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the second resilient seal is sleeve-shaped, sleeved and abutting against the rear end wall, and abutting and sealing the outside of the vent.
[0018] The present invention also provides a cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block, comprising a cavity body and a first elastic seal; the cavity body includes a front end region and a rear end region, the front end region being disposed near the discharge end of the cavity body, and the rear end region being used to receive liquid carbon dioxide; the sidewall of the cavity body includes a front end wall corresponding to the front end region, and the front end wall includes a plurality of pressure relief ports disposed at circumferential intervals;
[0019] The sidewall of the cavity includes a rear wall corresponding to the rear end region, and the rear wall includes a plurality of vents spaced apart along the circumferential direction;
[0020] The first elastic seal elastically seals the pressure relief port and the vent port; the first elastic seal can be pushed by air pressure to generate elastic deformation and move away from the pressure relief port and / or vent port, so that the pressure relief port and / or vent port can be connected to the outside.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the first elastic seal is sleeve-shaped, and the first elastic seal is sleeved and abuts against the front end wall and the rear end wall, and the first elastic seal abuts and seals against the outside of the pressure relief port and the vent port.
[0022] The present invention also provides an apparatus for forming carbon dioxide blocks, including the aforementioned cavity for forming carbon dioxide blocks.
[0023] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0024] 1. The first elastic seal elastically seals the pressure relief port; the first elastic seal can be pushed by air pressure to elastically deform and move away from the pressure relief port, so that the pressure relief port can connect to the outside. When there is no gaseous carbon dioxide in the cavity that needs to be released, the first elastic seal always seals the pressure relief port. When the cavity is compressed, the pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide increases, and the air pressure can push open the first elastic seal to allow air to escape from the pressure relief port. The structure is relatively simple, requires no additional components, and can achieve the effect of preventing blockage, resulting in low cost.
[0025] 2. The recovery hood is installed outside the first elastic seal and is used to recover gaseous carbon dioxide. The recovery hood can form a collection space outside the wall, which can be connected to an exhaust gas collection system for the recovery and utilization of carbon dioxide. Since the collection space is isolated from the external atmosphere, water vapor condensation will not occur in the collection space, thus preventing water vapor condensation from sealing the pressure relief port.
[0026] 3. This application eliminates the need for additional rigid components, thus optimizing the overall volume of the cavity and making the entire device more compact. This improvement not only enhances the equipment's production efficiency but also maintains its structural compactness, preventing the equipment's size from expanding due to increased production volume.
[0027] Since the cavity volume remains unchanged, the specifications of the corresponding core power components, such as hydraulic cylinders and motors, can be reduced accordingly. With smaller hydraulic cylinders and motors, the equipment can make fuller use of the capabilities of the hydraulic and electrical systems, thereby increasing production efficiency without increasing energy consumption. Attached Figure Description
[0028] Figure 1 This is a side view of the device in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the cavity in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0031] See Figure 1 and Figure 2An apparatus for forming carbon dioxide blocks includes a liquid carbon dioxide storage tank, a pipe, an ice-spraying valve, a cavity 1, and a piston rod. The pipe connects the liquid carbon dioxide storage tank and the ice-spraying valve; the ice-spraying valve sprays liquid carbon dioxide into the cavity 1 to form gaseous carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide (dry ice). The piston rod compresses the dry ice particles located in the cavity 1 to form block-shaped dry ice, which is then discharged from the discharge end 113 of the cavity 1.
[0032] The cavity 1 includes a cavity 11, which contains a front end region and a rear end region 112. The front end region is located near the discharge end 113 of the cavity 11, and the rear end region 112 is used to receive liquid carbon dioxide. During the molding process, an ice-spraying valve sprays liquid carbon dioxide into the rear end region 112, where it forms dry ice and gaseous carbon dioxide. The piston column compresses the formed snowflake-shaped dry ice to gather it in the front end region until it is discharged from the discharge end 113. In the front end region, the dry ice forms a relatively compact block and can be pushed out of the discharge end 113 by the piston column.
[0033] The cavity 11 includes a front wall 114 corresponding to the front end region, the front wall 114 including a plurality of pressure relief ports 1141 spaced apart circumferentially. Gaseous carbon dioxide in the front end region can be discharged through the pressure relief ports 1141. In this embodiment, the pressure relief ports 1141 are groove-shaped and extend axially along the cavity 11, and the width of the pressure relief ports 1141 is approximately 0.2 mm, where "approximately" means that the width of the pressure relief ports 1141 can be determined within the range of 70% to 130% of 0.2 mm; in some simple variations, the pressure relief ports 1141 are orifice-shaped.
[0034] The front-end area includes a material head area 1111 and an exhaust area 1112. The material head area 1111 is located near the discharge end 113, and the exhaust area 1112 is located adjacent to the material head area 1111. The pressure relief port is correspondingly located on the exhaust area. Since some carbon dioxide blocks formed in the previous extrusion are retained in the material head area 1111, these retained carbon dioxide blocks can effectively prevent liquid carbon dioxide from directly spraying out of the discharge end 113 during this molding process. At the same time, because the retained carbon dioxide blocks are relatively dense, gas cannot be exhausted through the material head area 1111. The pressure relief port 1141 is located in the exhaust area 1112, making the exhaust process smooth and reliable, avoiding blockage problems caused by gas accumulation. Since the carbon dioxide particles in the front-end area have been compressed into blocks, the pressure relief port 1141 located in the exhaust area 1112 can also effectively prevent popping noises during exhaust, ensuring the stability and safety of the equipment operation. The length of the feed head zone is approximately 50 mm to 60 mm, where "approximately" means that the length of the feed head zone can be determined within 70% to 130% of 50 mm to 60 mm.
[0035] The cavity 1 further includes a first elastic seal 12, which elastically seals the plurality of pressure relief ports 1141. The first elastic seal 12 correspondingly blocks the pressure relief ports 1141; the first elastic seal 12 can be pushed by air pressure to elastically deform and move away from the pressure relief ports 1141, allowing the pressure relief ports 1141 to connect to the outside. The pressure relief ports 1141 are sealed by the first elastic seal 12, and when there is no gaseous carbon dioxide in the cavity 11 that needs to be released, the first elastic seal 12 always seals the pressure relief ports 1141. When the cavity 11 is compressed, the pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide increases, and the air pressure can push open the first elastic seal 12, allowing air to escape from the pressure relief ports 1141. In this embodiment, the first elastic seal 12 is sleeve-shaped, sleeved and abutting against the front end wall 114, and the first elastic seal 12 is made of materials such as rubber or silicone. Specifically, the first elastic seal 12 is made of silicone foam, which has good low-temperature resistance and low cost. The cavity 1 also includes a fastener for fixing the first elastic seal 12 to the side wall of the cavity 11; in this embodiment, the fastener is a ring clamp, which has a simple structure and low cost.
[0036] The sidewall of the cavity 11 includes a rear end wall 115 corresponding to the rear end region 112. The rear end wall 115 includes a plurality of vents 1142 spaced circumferentially. The cavity 1 also includes a second elastic seal 13, which elastically seals the vents 1142. The second elastic seal 13 can be pushed by air pressure to elastically deform and move away from the vents 1142, so that the vents 1142 connect to the outside. The vents 1142 are groove-shaped and extend along the axial direction of the cavity 11; or, the vents 1142 are orifice-shaped. The second elastic seal 13 is sleeve-shaped, sleeved and abutting against the outside of the rear end wall 115, and abutting and sealing the outside of the vents 1142.
[0037] The second elastic seal 13 elastically seals the plurality of vent ports 1142. The second elastic seal 13 correspondingly blocks the vent ports 1142; the second elastic seal 13 can be pushed by air pressure to elastically deform and move away from the vent ports 1142, allowing the vent ports 1142 to connect to the outside. The vent ports 1142 are sealed by the second elastic seal 13, and when there is no gaseous carbon dioxide to be released in the rear end region 112, the second elastic seal 13 always seals the vent ports 1142. When liquid carbon dioxide is received in the rear end region 112, the liquid carbon dioxide will flash evaporate, forming snowflake-shaped solid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide. At this time, the pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide increases, and the air pressure can push open the second elastic seal 13, allowing gas to escape from the vent ports 1142. In this embodiment, the second elastic seal 13 is sleeve-shaped, and the second elastic seal 13 is sleeved and abuts against the outside of the rear end wall 115. The second elastic seal 13 is made of materials such as rubber or silicone. Specifically, the second elastic seal 13 is made of silicone foam, which has good low-temperature resistance and low cost. The cavity 1 also includes another fastener for fixing the second elastic seal 13 to the rear end wall 115; in this embodiment, the fastener is a ring clamp, which has a simple structure and low cost.
[0038] In some simpler alternatives, the first elastic seal 12 elastically seals the pressure relief port 1141 and the vent port 1142; the first elastic seal 12 can be pushed by air pressure to elastically deform and move away from the pressure relief port 1141 and / or the vent port 1142, so that the pressure relief port 1141 and / or the vent port 1142 connect to the outside. The first elastic seal 12 is sleeve-shaped, and the first elastic seal 12 is sleeved and abuts against the front end wall 114 and the rear end wall 115, and the first elastic seal 12 abuts and seals against the outside of the pressure relief port 1141 and the vent port 1142.
[0039] The cavity 1 further includes a recovery hood 14, which covers the first elastic seal 12 and is used to recover gaseous carbon dioxide. The recovery hood 14 can form a collection space 141, which can be connected to an exhaust gas collection system for the recovery and utilization of carbon dioxide. Since the collection space 141 is isolated from the external atmosphere, water vapor condensation will not occur in the collection space 141, thus preventing water vapor condensation from sealing the pressure relief port 1141.
[0040] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the design concept of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any non-substantial modifications made to the present invention by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention using this concept shall be deemed as an infringement of the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block, characterized in that, The device includes a cavity and a first elastic seal. The cavity includes a front end region and a rear end region. The front end region is located near the discharge end of the cavity, and the rear end region is used to receive liquid carbon dioxide. The sidewall of the cavity includes a front wall corresponding to the front end region. The front wall includes a plurality of pressure relief ports spaced apart circumferentially. The first elastic seal elastically seals the pressure relief ports. The first elastic seal can be pushed by air pressure to generate elastic deformation and move away from the pressure relief ports, so that the pressure relief ports can connect to the outside.
2. The cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The front-end area includes a material head area and an exhaust area. The material head area is located near the discharge end, and the exhaust area is located adjacent to the material head area. The pressure relief port is correspondingly located on the exhaust area.
3. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The pressure relief port is groove-shaped and extends along the axial direction of the cavity.
4. The cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The width of the pressure relief port is approximately 0.2 mm.
5. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The pressure relief port is orifice-shaped.
6. The cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The length of the feed head area is approximately 50 mm to 60 mm.
7. The cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The first elastic seal is sleeve-shaped, and is sleeved and abuts against the front end wall. The first elastic seal abuts against and seals the outside of the pressure relief port.
8. The cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a recovery hood, which is disposed outside the first resilient seal, and the recovery hood is used to recover gaseous carbon dioxide.
9. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The sidewall of the cavity includes a rear wall corresponding to the rear end region, and the rear wall includes a plurality of vents spaced apart along the circumference; the cavity also includes a second elastic seal, which elastically seals the vents and can be pushed by air pressure to generate elastic deformation and leave the vents, so that the vents are connected to the outside.
10. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The vent is groove-shaped and extends along the axial direction of the cavity; or, the vent is orifice-shaped.
11. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The second elastic seal is sleeve-shaped, and is sleeved and abuts against the rear end wall. The second elastic seal abuts against and seals the outside of the vent.
12. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block, characterized in that: The device includes a cavity and a first elastic seal; the cavity includes a front end region and a rear end region, the front end region is located near the discharge end of the cavity, and the rear end region is used to receive liquid carbon dioxide; the sidewall of the cavity includes a front wall corresponding to the front end region, and the front wall includes a plurality of pressure relief ports arranged circumferentially. The sidewall of the cavity includes a rear wall corresponding to the rear end region, and the rear wall includes a plurality of vents spaced apart along the circumferential direction; The first elastic seal elastically seals the pressure relief port and the vent port; the first elastic seal can be pushed by air pressure to generate elastic deformation and move away from the pressure relief port and / or vent port, so that the pressure relief port and / or vent port can be connected to the outside.
13. A cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The first elastic seal is sleeve-shaped, and is sleeved and abuts against the front end wall and the rear end wall. The first elastic seal abuts against and seals the outside of the pressure relief port and the vent port.
14. An apparatus for forming carbon dioxide blocks, characterized in that, Includes a cavity for forming a carbon dioxide block as described in any one of claims 1-13.