Three-Substance Nozzle Thermal Separation for Cooling Atomization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cooling and atomizing liquid or pasty substances using carbon dioxide often result in nozzle freezing, inefficient atomization, and temperature-sensitive substances being damaged due to excessive heat exposure, as well as requiring high-pressure systems and non-return valves to manage pressure and prevent crystallization.
Innovation Solution
A three-substance nozzle device where the substance, expansion medium, and atomizing gas are guided within a common housing to a common orifice, with the atomizing gas routed between the other two streams to maintain thermal separation and efficient mixing, using heating and cooling devices to control temperatures and prevent crystallization, while ensuring efficient expansion and atomization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the liquid substance is heated to above the crystallization temperature or the mixture is heated in a heat exchanger, then the mixing temperature is above the crystallization temperature and crystallization is prevented, but the temperature-sensitive substances are exposed to large amounts of heat and can be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a third substance (atomizing gas) as an intermediary between the liquid substance and the expansion medium. This gas layer acts as a thermal barrier that prevents direct thermal contact between the warm liquid substance and the cold expansion medium, allowing the liquid to be atomized without excessive heating while preventing crystallization during the expansion process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different temperature conditions to different parts of the system: the liquid substance and atomizing gas are maintained at warmer temperatures to prevent crystallization, while the expansion medium remains cold to provide cooling during atomization. This local differentiation of thermal conditions allows simultaneous prevention of crystallization and protection of temperature-sensitive substances
2Stability of the object's composition
If both streams are connected to have the same pressure, then the product streams can be mixed, but the product side must be designed for high pressure or high-pressure pumps are required, and non-return valves are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The atomizing gas serves as a mediator that enables the mixing of the liquid substance and expansion medium without requiring them to be at the same pressure. The gas flow facilitates the atomization process and allows independent pressure control of the liquid and expansion medium streams, eliminating the need for high-pressure pumps and non-return valves
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the pressure control for each substance stream independently. The liquid substance, atomizing gas, and expansion medium can each be supplied at different pressures through separate control mechanisms, allowing flexible pressure management without requiring the entire system to operate at high pressure
3Reliability
If thermal separation of warm substance flow and cold gas stream is performed within the nozzle arrangement, then the risk of nozzle freezing is reduced and cooling of liquid substance is improved, but the expansion energy of the expanding gas flow cannot be used as efficiently, resulting in larger particle diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The atomizing gas acts as a thermal intermediary that allows the warm liquid substance and cold expansion medium to coexist in the nozzle without direct thermal contact that would cause freezing. This intermediary layer enables efficient atomization with fine particle diameters while preventing nozzle freezing by controlling the thermal interaction between the warm and cold streams
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 minimizes nozzle freezing, achieves efficient atomization with finer particle sizes, and protects temperature-sensitive substances by maintaining optimal cooling and preventing crystallization, while allowing for independent control of material flow ratios and temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid or pasty substance is combined with liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and the resulting mixture is then expanded to ambient pressure. The liquid or pasty substance is atomized into fine particles as a result of the expansion that takes place during the expansion and is preferably cooled to a temperature below its solidification temperature
Implementation Method 2
a liquid or pasty substance is combined with liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and the resulting mixture is then expanded to ambient pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A known device for cooling and atomizing liquid or pasty substances comprises a nozzle arrangement connected by a supply line for a liquid or pasty product to be atomized, a supply line for an expansion medium, and a supply line for an atomizing gas. To increase the efficiency of the cooling and atomization, the invention provides that the nozzle arrangement is designed as a three-component nozzle, through whose housing supply lines for the product, the expansion medium, and the atomizing gas are guided and open with a common nozzle opening, wherein the supply lines are guided through the housing in the three-component nozzle such that the supply line for the atomizing gas runs between the supply lines for the substance and the expansion medium.