Patent · US Active

Nozzle for spraying sublimable solid particles entrained in gas for cleaning surface

US7762869B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
26References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 3, 2008
Grant dateJul 27, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 29, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24C1/003
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A nozzle for spraying sublimable solid particles and preventing frost from forming at surfaces of the nozzle. The nozzle includes: a cleaning agent block for phase-changing a cleaning agent into a snow containing sublimable solid particles; a nozzle block for growing the cleaning agent snow through adiabatic expansion and spraying the grown cleaning agent snow onto a surface of an object; a carrier gas block for supplying a carrier gas to the nozzle block to mix with the cleaning agent snow; and a heater for heating at least a portion of the carrier gas supplied from the carrier gas supply source. Fine dry ice particles and liquid CO2, passing through a solenoid valve from a CO2 reservoir tank and a pressure drop of a flow rate regulation valve, are introduced into the spray nozzle and then mixed with the carrier gas, such as N2 or purified air, and discharged.

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