CO2 Carrier-Medium Cooling to Prevent Particle Coagulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems using carbon dioxide particles and a carrier medium face issues with coagulation, leading to potential blockages and irregular cooling performance in the temperature range between -56°C and -79°C.
Innovation Solution
A method where liquid carbon dioxide is mixed with a carrier medium at a pressure above the triple point of carbon dioxide, then expanded to separate the carbon dioxide, which is recycled and reused, ensuring a homogeneous mixture and minimizing coagulation risks, with the carrier medium passing through different pressure levels for efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon dioxide particles are suspended in a carrier medium for cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but coagulation of particles occurs leading to blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter to above the triple point of carbon dioxide during mixing, which fundamentally alters the phase behavior of carbon dioxide. This parameter change prevents particle formation and coagulation by maintaining carbon dioxide in a liquid state that mixes homogeneously with the carrier medium, thereby eliminating blockages while preserving cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the conventional approach of creating a suspension of solid particles in a liquid carrier medium, the patent inverts the approach by mixing liquid carbon dioxide with the carrier medium at elevated pressure. This inversion of the conventional suspension method eliminates the solid-liquid interface that causes coagulation, while the cooling effect is achieved through subsequent expansion and phase change.
2Temperature
If carbon dioxide is expanded to low pressure for cooling, then temperature is reduced, but carbon dioxide particles coagulate and block lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary mixing of carbon dioxide with the carrier medium at high pressure (above triple point) before expansion. This preliminary homogeneous mixing ensures that when expansion occurs and temperature drops, the carbon dioxide remains uniformly distributed in the carrier medium rather than forming coagulating particles, thus preventing blockages while achieving the required low temperature.
3Reliability
If carbon dioxide is mixed with carrier medium at triple point pressure, then suspension is formed, but homogeneity is poor leading to irregular cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from the triple point pressure to a pressure above the triple point during the mixing process. This parameter change transforms the system from forming a heterogeneous suspension to forming a homogeneous liquid mixture, which dramatically improves cooling performance consistency by eliminating local variations in composition and thermal properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach prevents coagulation and ensures consistent cooling performance, allowing for efficient temperature control down to -85°C, with the ability to recycle and reuse carbon dioxide for enhanced process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
liquid carbon dioxide is mixed with a carrier medium at a pressure above the triple point of carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
the mixture of carrier medium and liquid carbon dioxide is then expanded to a pressure while cooling, in which at least part of the carbon dioxide evaporates
Implementation Method 3
at least part of the carbon dioxide evaporates
Implementation Method 4
the mixture being the expansion and/or the carrier medium from the separator passes through a heat exchanger in which it is brought into thermal contact with a medium to be cooled
Implementation Method 5
the expanded mixture is then fed to a separator in which evaporated carbon dioxide is separated from the carrier medium
Implementation Method 6
the separated carrier medium is pressurized again and recycled for mixing with liquid carbon dioxide
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves mixing liquid carrier medium with liquid carbon-di-oxide under pressure, and providing the mixture in liquid state. The liquid carrier medium and the liquid carbon-di-oxide mixture is expanded under cooling to specific pressure at which portion of carbon-di-oxide is vaporized. The expanded mixture is fed into a separator (10) that separates the vaporized carbon-di-oxide from the liquid carrier medium. The relaxed and/or separated mixture from the carrier medium is used for heat exchange with a to-be-cooled medium by heat exchangers (9,17). An independent claim is included for a device for cooling object in low temperature range.