Frozen Gas Hydrate Manufacturing Process with Zoned Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing gas hydrates in frozen confections face issues with heterogeneous activity and diminishing gas concentration along the reaction vessel, leading to inconsistent fizzy sensations in products.
Innovation Solution
A process where a liquid aqueous phase flows over a heat exchanger surface under a pressurized water-soluble gas atmosphere, ensuring simultaneous gas dissolution and formation of gas hydrates across the entire surface, maintaining consistent gas activity throughout the product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If carbonated water is passed through a tubular heat exchange under pressure to form gas hydrates, then gas hydrate crystals are formed within an ice structure, but the activity of the particles decreases along the length of the tube because the water contains less and less CO2 the further along the tube it goes
Solution Approach 1:
The process divides the heat exchange surface into multiple zones (first, second, and third zones) with different cooling intensities. The first zone has high cooling intensity to form ice, the second zone has moderate cooling to form gas hydrates, and the third zone has low cooling intensity to prevent gas hydrate decomposition. This segmentation ensures uniform gas distribution throughout the particles.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heat exchange surface are assigned different thermal characteristics. The first zone is designed for rapid freezing, the second zone for hydrate formation, and the third zone for hydrate stabilization. This local differentiation of thermal properties ensures that each region performs its specific function optimally, maintaining consistent gas activity throughout the product.
2Ease of manufacture
If gas is injected into the mix at a specific point, then gas hydrates are formed, but the mix suffers a concentration reduction in the gas the further away from the point of injection it is
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of injecting gas at a single point in the vertical dimension, the process distributes gas saturation throughout the liquid phase before freezing. The liquid is saturated with CO2 under pressure, and then freezing occurs as the liquid flows over the heat exchange surface. This transforms the gas introduction from a point-source problem to a volumetric saturation approach, ensuring uniform distribution.
3Reliability
If the liquid aqueous phase is cooled to form ice, then gas hydrates are trapped within the ice structure, but the ice may cause decomposition of the hydrates during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange surface is divided into zones with different cooling intensities. The third zone specifically provides low cooling intensity to prevent gas hydrate decomposition while still maintaining the frozen state of the product. This localized thermal control allows the ice structure to protect hydrates without causing their decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The process carefully controls phase transitions at different zones. In the first zone, liquid water transitions to ice. In the second zone, CO2-saturated water transitions to gas hydrates. In the third zone, the temperature is controlled to prevent the hydrate phase from decomposing back to gas and liquid water, ensuring stable storage.
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 results in gas hydrates with consistent activity, providing a uniform fizzy sensation in products, as the gas is evenly distributed and retained throughout the manufacturing process, enhancing the industrial scalability and efficiency of gas hydrate production.
Implementation Method 1
simultaneous dissolution of the pressurised gas into the liquid aqueous phase
Implementation Method 2
formation of a solidified continuous phase from solidification of the liquid aqueous phase in contact with the heat exchanger surface
Implementation Method 3
Gas hydrate crystals trapped within an ice structure can be used to deliver a fizzy sensation to products. A gas hydrate (hydrates are also known as clathrates) is a crystalline solid which consists of gas molecules surrounded by cages of water molecules
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of frozen gas hydrates, the process comprising passing a liquid aqueous phase over a heat exchanger surface under an atmosphere of a pressurised water-soluble gas, characterised in that the conditions of the process are selected to ensure that there is simultaneous dissolution of the pressurised gas into the liquid aqueous phase, and the formation of a solidified continuous phase from solidification of the liquid aqueous phase in contact with the heat exchanger surface.