Apparatus and method for vaporizing a liquid cryogen and superheating the resulting vapor
US5598709A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1995 |
| Grant date | Feb 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D2700/10
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Both an apparatus and method are provided for vaporizing a liquid cryogen and super heating the resulting vapor into a heated gas. The apparatus includes a combustion-type heat source which may burn a fuel such as propane that generates water-containing combustion gases, and a vaporizer coil having an inlet conduit for receiving a flow of a liquid cryogen, such as liquid carbon dioxide, and an outlet conduit for expelling vaporized cryogen. An annular casing surrounds but is spaced apart from the vaporizer coil. The casing isolates the vaporizer coil from contact with water-containing combustion gases generated by the heat source, thereby preventing the formation of unwanted water and ice on the coil, while at the same time transferring heat from these gases to the coil by thermal radiation. A superheating coil is serially connected to the vaporizer coil to further heat the vaporized cryogen. Both the vaporizer coil and super heater coil are compactly configured and disposed within a heat-insulating housing for minimizing heat losses. The device is particularly well adapted for use as a defroster or a heater in a mobile cryogenic refrigeration system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.