Patent · US Expired

Dry ice pellitizer

US5475981A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
4References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 1994
Grant dateDec 19, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC01B32/55
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention pertains to an apparatus and process for producing predetermined size and density dry ice pellets used for blasting operations. Liquid carbon dioxide is compressed into solid dry ice within a computer controlled piston and cylinder extruder. The applied pressure by the piston is controlled to produce solid dry ice at a predetermined pressure while forward movement is controlled in an intermittent start-stop cycle where the "start" mode controls the length of the dry ice extrudate while the "stop" mode enables an exterior cutting device to cut the extrudate to the predetermined length. Preferred pellets exhibit uniform dimensions such as cylindrical or cubic pellets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.