Abstract
The present invention relates to the production of granulated solid carbon dioxide mainly for the purpose of cleaning surfaces of parts of various industrial equipment from operational and process surface contaminants and for the purpose of cooling various objects.
Provided herein methods, devices and a system for compacting the solid carbon dioxide particles produced by expanding liquid carbon dioxide, wherein the mechanical energy obtained by converting the pressure energy of the compressed gaseous carbon dioxide produced by said expanding of said liquid carbon dioxide is used for compacting.
Claims
1.-41. (canceled)
42. An apparatus for producing granulated carbon dioxide, comprising: at least one pressing block configured to receive liquid carbon dioxide and convert said liquid carbon dioxide into pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide within said pressing block, and said pressing block is configured to receive mechanical energy for pressing of said solid carbon dioxide into a granulated form; at least one power block configured to convert pressure energy of said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide into said mechanical energy.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the at least one pressing block is provided with at least one chamber configured to receive said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and said solid carbon dioxide; the at least one chamber is provided with at least one valve configured to receive said liquid carbon dioxide and convert said liquid carbon dioxide into said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and said solid carbon dioxide; said mechanical energy is transmitted from the at least one power block to the at least one pressing block for pressing said solid carbon dioxide into the granulated form.
44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said power block is provided with at least one gas cylinder; said gas cylinder comprising at least one pressing member and at least one sealing of said pressing member, said sealing contacts with said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and operates under temperature closed to temperature of said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide; said mechanical energy is transmitted by means of said pressing member;
45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one pressing block comprises two pressing blocks, and wherein said mechanical energy is transmitted from the at least one power block to said two pressing blocks for pressing said solid carbon dioxide into the granulated form.
46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one pressing block comprises four pressing blocks and the at least one power block comprises two power blocks, wherein said mechanical energy is transmitted from said two power blocks to said four pressing blocks for pressing said solid carbon dioxide into the granulated form.
47. A method for producing granulated carbon dioxide, said method comprising the steps of: converting liquid carbon dioxide into pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide within at least one pressing block; converting pressure energy of said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide into mechanical energy within at least one power block; pressing said solid carbon dioxide into a granulated form within the at least one pressing block by means of applying mechanical energy on said solid carbon dioxide.
48. The method of claim 47, further including the steps of: inflowing liquid carbon dioxide in the at least one pressing block from a source of said liquid carbon dioxide; releasing the granulated solid carbon dioxide from the at least one pressing block.
49. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of converting pressure energy comprises the step of transmitting said mechanical energy from the at least one power block to the at least one pressing block.
50. An apparatus for producing granulated carbon dioxide, comprising: at least one pressing block comprising at least one chamber configured to receive pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide; said chamber is provided with at least one valve configured to convert liquid carbon dioxide into said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and said solid carbon dioxide; at least one power block comprising at least one actuator having at least one pressing member movable in response to said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide applied to said actuator, wherein the movement of said pressing member compresses said solid carbon dioxide into a granulated form within said chamber.
51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one chamber has an end wall, said movement of the at least one pressing member compresses said solid carbon dioxide toward said end wall of the at least one chamber.
52. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said actuator is at least one gas cylinder; said gas cylinder comprising at least one said pressing member and at least one sealing of said pressing member, said sealing contact with said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and operates under temperature closed to temperature of said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide.
53. The apparatus of claim 50, further comprising at least one collecting member sealed connected with the at least one chamber and configured to receive said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide from the at least one chamber, said collecting member is connected with the at least one actuator by means of gas stream.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the at least one chamber has a filtering element configured to hold particles of said solid carbon dioxide within said chamber while said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide inflows in the at least one collecting member.
55. A method for producing granulated carbon dioxide, said method comprising the steps of: converting liquid carbon dioxide into pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide and solid carbon dioxide within at least one chamber of at least one pressing block; applying of said pressurized gaseous carbon dioxide on at least one actuator of at least one power block, wherein the at least one actuator has at least one pressing member movable in response to said applying; moving of said at least one pressing member for compressing of said solid carbon dioxide into a granulated form within the at least one chamber.
56. The method of claim 55 further including the steps of: inflowing liquid carbon dioxide in the at least one chamber of the at least one pressing block from a source of said liquid carbon dioxide; releasing the granulated solid carbon dioxide from the at least one chamber of the at least one pressing block.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0067] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a prior art system for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles.
[0068] FIG. 2 illustrates the prior art processes marked in a carbon dioxide TS-diagram for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles by a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide to a pressure close to the ambient pressure.
[0069] FIG. 3 illustrates a generalized schematic representation of a prior art device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0070] FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a prior art hydraulic device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0071] FIG. 5 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a prior art crank-shaft device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a prior art pneumatic device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0073] FIG. 7 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a prior art ring device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0074] FIG. 8 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a prior art blade-type device for producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
[0075] FIG. 9 illustrates a generalized schematic diagram of a device corresponding to claims 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 of the present invention.
[0076] FIG. 10 illustrates a generalized schematic diagram of a device corresponding to claim 17.
[0077] FIG. 11 illustrates an indicator diagram of pressure in the piston expander with the processes of inlet, pressure reduction and gas releasing.
[0078] FIG. 12 illustrates an indicator diagram of pressure in a linear gas cylinder with the processes of gas inlet and outlet.
[0079] FIG. 13 illustrates the processes of a method of the present invention marked in the carbon dioxide TS-diagram for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles by a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide to a pressure above the ambient pressure and below the carbon dioxide triple point.
[0080] FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles within the scope of the present invention, corresponding to claim 37 of the present invention;
[0081] FIG. 15 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of preferred embodiment No 1;
[0082] FIG. 16 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of preferred embodiment No 2;
[0083] FIG. 17 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of preferred embodiment No 3;
[0084] FIG. 18 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of preferred embodiment No 4;
[0085] FIG. 19 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of preferred embodiment No 5;
[0086] FIG. 20 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles with the recovery of gaseous carbon dioxide within the scope of the present invention, corresponding to claim 37 of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0087] Within the scope of the present invention methods, devices and a system are provided for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide by compacting the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles produced by means of expanding the liquid carbon dioxide (L), characterized by the fact that the mechanical energy (M) produced by converting the energy of pressure (P1) of the carbon dioxide gas (G) produced by said expansion of said liquid carbon dioxide (L) is used for granulating.
[0088] Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a more energy-efficient method for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide from the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles produced by expanding liquid carbon dioxide (L) and a device for implementing said process.
[0089] The technical result of the present invention is expressed in the implementation of a method with a reduced energy consumption for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide from solid carbon dioxide particles and in the implementation of devices based on said method, and is also expressed in implementing a system for the operability of the new device.
[0090] Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part that will become apparent upon examination of the invention.
[0091] For the purpose of proving the technical implementation of the apparatus of the present invention, five special technical solutions have been developed based on two methods for converting gas pressure energy into mechanical energy (M) best known to the skilled in the present field of invention, namely, volume displacing gas expanding and flowing gas expanding.
[0092] Volume displacing gas expanding includes piston gas expanders (for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,801,700)the devices configured to convert gas pressure energy into the reciprocating motion of the piston, which is mechanical energy.
[0093] FIG. 11 illustrates a cycle of operation of a piston expander which comprises: [0094] (a) a step of filling the chamber with gas at a constant pressure with a significant amount of produced mechanical energy (M) (C1-C2); [0095] (b) a step of gas pressure reduction in the chamber with a significant amount of produced mechanical energy (M) (C2-C3); [0096] (c) a step of releasing gas from the chamber (C3-C4); [0097] (d) a step of returning the piston to the upper return point via an external force (C4-C5).
The ideal work produced by gas by increasing its amount while reducing its pressure during expansion in a piston expander or turbo expander is identified as isentropic gas expansion work.
[0098] Because of the pressure influence on solid carbon dioxide particles that should not decrease during the implementation of the compacting process, it is not possible to connect one piston expander to one pressing block. Since the process C2-C3 (FIG. 11) is capable of producing useful work, it is reasonable to use a multi-row scheme in which at least three piston expanders are connected kinematically to one energy node that can be formed as a crankshaft and which in turn equally distributes mechanical energy (M) over the pressing blocks. The necessary pressure of pressing and extruding in pressing blocks in a multi-row scheme is reached by superimposing of the energy produced in piston expanders in time. Since the multi-row scheme of piston expanders allows to implement a relatively more uniform rotation of the crankshaft, it is reasonable to connect a roller pressing block to the crankshaft.
[0099] The following sequence and relation of processes is suitable for volume displacing gas expanding: at the time when the piston of a piston expander or gas cylinder starts moving from the upper return point to the lower return point in the cylindrical pressing block, a process of pressing solid carbon dioxide particles (S) begins, and at the time when the piston comes close the lower return point and the density of packing solid carbon dioxide particles (S) by pressing has reached its maximum in accordance with the structures of the pressing chamber and the die, an extruding process begins.
[0100] A special case of a piston expander is a linear gas cylinder (for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,182, U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,670) produced by Airsystempneumatic, SMC, Camozzi, BoschRexroth or some other manufacturer.
[0101] FIG. 12 illustrates a cycle of operation of a linear gas cylinder, which comprises steps of: [0102] (a) filling the chamber with gas at a constant pressure with a significant amount of produced mechanical energy (M) (C1-C2); [0103] (b) releasing gas from the chamber (C2-C6); [0104] (c) returning the piston to the upper return point by means of an external force (C6-C5).
[0105] The specific work in a linear gas cylinder is less than the specific energy of a piston expander by an amount equal to the area of the C2-C3-C4-C6 contour illustrated in FIG. 9. Because of the pressure in the gas cylinder conventionally remains constant, it is reasonable to connect the gas cylinder directly to a piston-type pressing block.
[0106] The ideal work produced by gas by increasing its volume at its constant pressure in the gas cylinder is identified as isobar gas expansion work.
[0107] The minimum temperature of the most common types of air cylinders is 20 . . . 30 degrees Celsius, special gas sealings, for example, such as NRI or NRE FlexiSeal Parker, can be integrated into standard pneumatic cylinders to solve the problem of low operating temperatures.
[0108] For a good understanding of the claims of the present invention, the piston expander (306 of FIGS. 17 and 18) and the gas cylinder (306 of FIGS. 15 and 16) are devices of the group of actuators with an external member (308 of FIGS. 15-18) movable in response to said compressed gas (G, FIGS. 15-18) applied on said actuator, wherein the compressed gas (G, FIGS. 15-18) in case of the piston expander (306 of FIGS. 17 and 18) and the gas cylinder (306 of FIGS. 15 and 16) applies on the piston (307 of FIGS. 15-18), thereby urging it to move. In case of the gas cylinder (306 of FIGS. 15 and 16) an external element (308 of FIGS. 15 and 16) is conventionally a gas cylinder bar (308 of FIGS. 15 and 16) connected to a moving piston (307 of FIGS. 15 and 16). An external element (308 of FIGS. 17 and 18) in case of the piston expander (306 of FIGS. 17 and 18) is conventionally a bar (308 of FIGS. 17 and 18) connected to a moving piston (307 of FIGS. 17 and 18).
[0109] Devices for flowing gas expanding mainly include turbo expanders (for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,836). These devices convert gas pressure energy into the energy of rotation of the blade wheel, which is also mechanical energy. Conventionally, a high-speed shaft of a rotation speed reduction device is connected to the turbo expander in order to increase the torque value. Proceeding from this, the preferred embodiment has been offered, in which the turbo expander is mechanically connected to the roller pressing block via a rotation speed reduction device.
[0110] For a good understanding of the claims of the present invention, the turbo expander (306 of FIGS. 19 and 20) is a device of a group of actuators with an external element movable in response to said compressed gas applied to said actuator, where the compressed gas within the turbo expander is applied to the blades of the blade wheel, also configured to move within the turbo expander and connected to an external element, for example, to a shaft, thereby urging the blade wheel and, eventually, the shaft to rotate.
[0111] For a good understanding of the claims of the present invention, said single-piston expander, multi-row piston expander, gas cylinder and turbo expander are separately used as the basis for the respective power blocks and actuators.
[0112] FIG. 13 illustrates a TS-diagram and the related processes for a good understanding of a method for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide (S) within the scope of the present invention. Point B1, disposed on the saturation line a1-a2, characterizes the state of carbon dioxide in a liquid aggregate state (L) when being stored in a tank at a pressure, for example, 1.8 MPa. Line B1-B2 characterizes the process of a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) from point B1 to point B2, which describes the process of receiving of liquid carbon dioxide (L) by a chamber and the process of converting liquid carbon dioxide (L) into compressed gaseous carbon dioxide G) and solid carbon dioxide particles (S) in the claims of the invention. Point B2 illustrates the thermodynamics equilibrium of a mixture of solid carbon dioxide (S) at a pressure of 0.2 MPa (point B3) and gaseous carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.2 MPa (point B4), based on which it is possible to calculate the fraction of produced solid carbon dioxide, which is equal to the result of dividing the value of the length of B2-B4 segment by the value of the length of B3-B4 segment and is approximately 0.53 (53%). The obtained value of the fraction of the produced solid carbon dioxide is higher, since Point B2 in this diagram is higher than Point A2 in the diagram of FIG. 2. Further on, gaseous carbon dioxide without heating (point B4) or with heating (point B4) to exclude the production of solid carbon dioxide particles in the actuator is transferred into the power block. In the power block the energy of the compressed gaseous carbon dioxide is converted into mechanical energy (line B4-B5 or B4-B5). Point B5 and point B5 correspond to the used carbon dioxide gas at a pressure, for example, of 0.101 MPa. Further on, at Point B3, the solid carbon dioxide particles (S) are pressed by the first portion of the mechanical energy (M) generated in the power block or by the movement of the pressing member. Line B3-B6 characterizes the process of reduction of pressure of the extruded compacted solid carbon dioxide particles (S) from the die, which is implemented by the impact of the second fraction of the mechanical energy (M) generated in the power block or by the same movement of the pressing member. The processes of pressing and extruding do not have an exact time boundary between themselves, therefore, as in most of said patents, the processes are combined: mechanical energy (M) is assigned to compact solid carbon dioxide particles (S) or assigned to extrude solid carbon dioxide particles (S), because of extrusion is always accompanied by pre-pressing to a density necessary for extruding at a suitable pressing pressure; or the movement of the pressing member is assigned to compact solid carbon dioxide particles (S) or assigned to extrude solid carbon dioxide particles (S). After the extrusion process B3-B6, solid carbon dioxide loses 3% of its mass, which does not significantly affect the total fraction of solid carbon dioxide which is equal to 0.51 and obtained by multiplying 0.53 by 0.97. Thus, the total fraction of solid carbon dioxide in the current production process is equal to the fraction in a conventional ideal production process. The energy produced by the gaseous carbon dioxide in the expander can be increased by heating cold gaseous carbon dioxide from the ambient environment before being supplied to the expander.
[0113] It should be noted that solid carbon dioxide particles (S) can be pressed and extruded at the atmospheric pressure while being within the pressing block in case when after the outflow of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) under the intermediate pressure (P1) or solid carbon dioxide particles (S) will be moved to the pressing block at the atmospheric pressure (FIG. 9, 10) or the pressure in the pressing block will be reduced from the intermediate (P1) to the atmospheric (FIG. 9).
[0114] FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles of the present invention. The apparatus for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles 1 of the present invention is connected to the tank 2 for storing liquid carbon dioxide (L) through the line 4 configured to supply liquid carbon dioxide from the tank 2 to the apparatus 1. The apparatus 1 of the present invention consumes electricity from an external power source 9 for the operation of the following units of apparatus 1: a control system (PLC programmable logic controllers, microelectronics, valves, sensors, auxiliary actuators, etc.); a system for heating separate structural elements and other units that are not configured to apply mechanical energy to solid carbon dioxide particles for their compaction. Based on the design features of the apparatus of the present invention, there may be two ways to start them. The first method is without the use of the primary gaseous carbon dioxide (G2), the second method provides its use. In case of the first method, before the apparatus 1 reach the stationary mode of operation and during the stationary mode of operation, the mass balance of the apparatus 1 should correspond to the formula L=G+S, where L is the mass flow rate of liquid carbon dioxide (L), G is the mass flow of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) and S is the mass flow rate of solid carbon dioxide (S). In case of the second method, before the apparatus 1 reach the stationary mode of operation, the mass balance of the apparatus 1 should correspond to the formula L+G2=G+S+G2, where G2 is the mass flow of the primary gaseous carbon dioxide (G2) taking from the tank 2. The primary gaseous carbon dioxide flow (G2) can be created by the release of the saturated steam above the mirror of liquid carbon dioxide (L) in the tank 1, or by the gasification of liquid carbon dioxide (L) via external heat sources.
[0115] The phrase at least a gas portion and at least a part of the mass of particles in the claims of the present invention is used, for example, to indicate a partial use of the base mass flows of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) and solid carbon dioxide particles (S) indicated in the claims of the present invention: an insignificant part of solid carbon dioxide particles (S) conventionally passes through the filtering element; an insignificant part of carbon dioxide gas, which is under pressure in the pressing block, conventionally leaks into the environment. The phrase is at least partially converted and is at least partially transferred in the claims of the present invention is used to take into account, for example, the efficiency of mechanical operations. The above phrases, also said in the claims of the present invention, are not limited to said examples in the semantic content.
[0116] The apparatus of the present invention can be embodied in such a way that compacting can be implemented in at least two pressing chambers, such as in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,960 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,138.
[0117] FIG. 21 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles with the recovery of gaseous carbon dioxide in the scope of the present invention.
[0118] The conversion unit from claim 17 of the present invention can be a chamber in which liquid carbon dioxide expands to a pressure below the pressure of the triple point of carbon dioxide, or several chambers for multi-step expanding.
[0119] The mass flows of the compressed gaseous carbon dioxide may be in contact with other external flows, for example, with liquid carbon dioxide.
[0120] A chamber in which solid carbon dioxide particles are compressed can be a pre-compressing chamber, after which another chamber with a hydraulic or other actuator capable to compress particles stronger will be installed.
[0121] An important point in the production of granulated solid carbon dioxide is compression pressure and extrusion pressure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,138 (col. 12, line 63) states that a pressure of 2200 psi (about 15 MPa) is sufficient to produce granules for cooling purposes, and a pressure of 3200 psi (22 MPa) is sufficient to produce granules for blast cleaning; it is known from the experience of Russian engineers (Paragraph 5 of RU2350557) that to remove light contaminants, soft granules are also required, and in some cases large pieces of pressed solid carbon dioxide (not fine granules) for blast cleaning via a scraping device produced by ColdJet (WO2013116710A1) can be used. It is necessary to understand that the maximum pressure value does exist and this value is primarily physically limited by the ratio of the amount of gaseous carbon dioxide and the amount of the solid carbon dioxide particles produced after a sudden expansion of liquid carbon dioxide. When, unlike analogs, it is possible to supply with any amount of external energy to extrude a certain amount of solid carbon dioxide particles. The first additional technical result is the ability of the apparatus of the present invention to create the necessary pressure when pressing solid carbon dioxide particles to form a block (of a granulated form) of solid carbon dioxide with a density higher than the density of packing of particles in the pressing block chamber after expanding liquid carbon dioxide, the values of which range from 521 to 850 kg/m3 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,658A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,516). The density of the produced compressed gaseous carbon dioxide is within the range of 3.85-14.3 kg/m3 at the corresponding pressure of 0.15-0.5 MPa. For example, in accordance with preferred embodiment No. 1, in case of the equal length of a cylindrical chamber and gas cylinder, the ratio of the cross section of the cylinder filled with the produced gas to the cross section of the chamber filled with the produced particles is approximately 36-220, and the compression pressure for the whole theoretical movement of pressing member of the apparatus at said gas pressure is 18-33 MPa, because such pressure is provided for the whole movement of pressing member, the compression pressure is sufficient, according to the above data, for extruding through a member for extruding at least one granule, which is the second additional technical result. Similar relationships can also be calculated for roller pressing chambers. For expander (piston or turbo expander) power blocks the theoretical values of the pressure of compressing and extruding will be higher in accordance with FIG. 11-12. It should be understood that it is possible to create technically a member for extruding with any hydraulic resistance value (extruding resistance), as with a high value that will not allow to extrude granules, and as with a low value that will not hold the pressure in the pressing chamber. Thus, in order to implement the extruding of solid carbon dioxide particles (S), it is necessary, in addition to pressing, to select such a combination of density of packing of solid carbon dioxide particles (S) in the pressing block chamber after a sudden expansion of liquid carbon dioxide (L) and the geometry of a member for extruding in order to the minimum value of mechanical energy (M) generated by compressed gaseous carbon dioxide (G) in the pressing block (actuator), or the minimum path of movement of the pressing member actuated by a power block (actuator) on the consumption (impact) of the compressed carbon dioxide should provide (a combination of density and geometry) the necessary pressure applied to the solid carbon dioxide particles in the chamber for extruding them through a member for extruding, and the geometry of the member for extruding should provide the production of compressed carbon dioxide in case of the expansion of liquid carbon dioxide at a relative working pressure. Above this, in order to increase the extruding rate or to increase extruding pressure, it is reasonable to select such a member for extruding that has smallest of all possible variants of hydraulic resistance, namely has a geometry of truncated cone or one narrowing hole, which will also allow to produce solid carbon dioxide granule (S).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0122] FIGS. 15-19 illustrate a simplified schematic representation of specially developed embodiment for implementing the methods of the present invention for producing solid carbon dioxide granules. The apparatus has similar structure and comprises at least one pressing block 101 and at least one power block 102. The pressing block 101 can be presented in the form of piston-type or roller-type or another type if the structure of this chamber is provided for compacting, pressing and extruding solid carbon dioxide particles. The power block 102 can be represented as a piston expander or turbo expander, or as another device configured to convert the energy of pressure of gaseous carbon dioxide into the mechanical energy that applied on pressing block 101.
[0123] FIG. 15 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a apparatus based on a single line gas cylinder, which is preferred embodiment No. 1. The apparatus comprises one piston pressing block 101 and a power block 102 based on a gas line cylinder 306. The pressing block 101 comprises a case 201 with an inner chamber 202 of a cylindrical form, a extruding member 203 disposed in the case 201 at one end and a pressing member 206 disposed within the chamber 202, terminates the chamber 202 from the second end, the filtering element 204 formed in the case 201 connects the interior of the chamber 202 to the collecting device 205. The valve 404 is configured to supply liquid dioxide carbon into the chamber 202. The power block 102 comprises a gas line cylinder 306 working on gaseous carbon dioxide (G), the flow of which is controlled by the control unit 309. Supplying of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) into the gas cylinder 306 and releasing of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) from the gas cylinder 306 are performed via gas connections 305. Gaseous carbon dioxide (G) is supplied to the control unit 309 by an outflow of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) from the pressing block 101 through the collecting device 205. The pressing block 101 and the cylinder 306 are configured to hold the intermediate pressure (P1) of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) within itself. The control unit 309 comprises a PLC system, a gas valve control system and a gas buffer for intermediate storage of gaseous carbon dioxide (G). The inner movable piston 307 disposed within the gas cylinder 306 gas-proof divides inner volume of the gas cylinder 306 in two parts, the amount of which can vary depending on the position of the inner movable piston 307 in the gas cylinder 306. The linear force from the power block 102 is transferred to the pressing block 101 by filling that part of the interior of the gas cylinder 306 by carbon dioxide gas (G) which is disposed within the other side of the pressing block relative to the inner movable piston 307. The intermediate pressure (P1) of the carbon dioxide gas (G) is applied to the surface of the inner movable piston 307 and thereby a force is created and transmitted through the bar 308 to the pressing member 206. The apparatus is only capable of producing compacted solid carbon dioxide (S) intermittently, since it takes time to return the pressing member 206 to the reverse position to fill the chamber 202 by solid carbon dioxide particles.
[0124] FIG. 16 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a device based on two gas line cylinders, which is preferred embodiment No. 2. The device comprises two piston pressing blocks 101.1 and 101.2 and two power blocks 102.1 and 102.1, respectively, based on gas line cylinders 306.1 and 306.2, respectively. The pressing blocks 101.1 and 102 comprise a cases 201.1 and 201.2, respectively, with inner chambers 202.1 and 202.1 of a cylindrical form, where the extruding members 203.1 and 203.2 are disposed to each case 201.1 and 201.2 at one end, respectively, and the pressing members 206.1 and 206.2 disposed within the chambers 202.1 and 202.2, respectively, terminate each chamber 202.1 and 202.2 from the second end, the filtering elements 204.1 and 204.2 formed in each case 201.1 and 201.2, respectively, interiors of each chamber 202.1 and 202.2 connect to the collecting devices 205.1 and 205.2, respectively. The valves 404.1 and 404.2 are configured to supply separately liquid carbon dioxide to the chambers 202.1 and 202.2, respectively. Each power block 102.1 and 102.2 comprises a gas line cylinder 306.1 and 306.2, respectively, working via gaseous carbon dioxide, the flow of which is controlled by the control units 309. Supplying of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) into the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2 and releasing of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) from the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2 is performed via gas connections 305.1 and 305.2. Gaseous carbon dioxide (G) is supplied to the power block 309 at the intermediate pressure (P1) by an outflow of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) from the pressing blocks 101.1 and 101.2 through the collecting devices 205.1 and 205.2. The gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2 and the pressing blocks 101.1 and 101.2 are configured to hold the pressure of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) within itself. The control unit 309 comprises a PLC system and a gas valve control system. The inner movable pistons 307.1 and 307.2 disposed in the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2, respectively, gas-proof divide the interior of the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2 into two parts, the volume of which may vary depending on the position of the inner movable pistons 307.1 and 307.2 in the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2. The forces from the power blocks 102.1 and 102.2 are transferred to the pressing blocks 101.1 and 101.2 by filling the part of the interiors of the gas cylinders 306.1 and 306.2 with gaseous carbon dioxide (G) that are disposed on the other side of the pressing blocks 101.1 and 101.2 relative to the inner movable piston 307.1 and 307.2. The pressure of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) is applied to the surface of the inner movable pistons 307.1 and 307.2 and thereby forces are created and transferred alternately through the bars 308.1 and 308.2 to the pressing members 206.1 and 206.2. Gaseous carbon dioxide (G) is supplied crosswise at the intermediate pressure (P1), i.e., while a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) and the production of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) occur in one pressing block 101.1 or 101.2, the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles are compacted in the other pressing block 101.2 or 101.1 by supplying gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) to the power block 102.2 or 102.1, respectively, from the pressing block 101.1 or 101.2.
[0125] FIG. 17 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a crank-shaft apparatus based on a multi-row piston expander, which is preferred embodiment No. 3. The device comprises at least three piston pressing blocks 101.1, 101.2 and 101.3, as a same amount of power blocks 102.1, 102.2 and 102.3 based on gas piston expanders 306.1, 306.2 and 306.3, all the pressing blocks 101.1, 101.2 and 101.3 and all the power blocks 102.1, 102.2 and 102.3 are connected to each other via a crankshaft 405 that has a fixed axis 406 and cranks 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 208.1, 208.2 and 208.3. The pressing blocks 101.1, 101.2, 101.3 comprise bodies 201.1, 201.2 and 201.3, respectively, with inner chambers 202.1, 202.1 and 202.3 of a cylindrical form, where the extruding members 203.1, 203.2 and 203.3 disposed to each case 201.1, 201.2 and 201.3 from one end, respectively, and the pressing members 206.1, 206.2 and 206.3 disposed within the chambers 202.1, 202.2 and 202.3, respectively, terminate the corresponding chamber 202.1, 202.2 and 202.3 from the second end, the filtering elements 204.1, 204.2 and 204.3 formed in each case 201.1, 201.2 and 201.3, respectively, connect the interiors of the corresponding chamber 202.1, 202.2 and 202.3 with the corresponding collecting devices 205.1, 205.2 and 205.3. The valves 404.1, 404.2 and 404.3 are configured to supply separately liquid carbon dioxide (L) to the chambers 202.1, 202.2 and 202.3, respectively. The mechanical energy (M) is produced in the power block 102.1, 102.2 and 102.3 by supplying the piston expanders 306.1, 306.2 and 306.3 with gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) by means of the control unit 309 with an equal time difference between the piston expanders. Gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) is applied to the working surface of the internal movable pistons 307.1, 307.2 and 307.3 and thereby forces are created and transferred alternately through the bars 308.1, 308.2 and 308.2 and through the cranks 311.1, 311.2 and 311.3 to the crankshaft 405, which in turn transfers the same mechanical energy (M) via the cranks 208.1, 208.2 and 208.3 and the bars 207.1, 207.2 and 207.3 to the pressing members 206.1, 206.2 and 206.3 with an equal time difference between the pressing blocks 101.1, 101.2 and 101.3. The control unit 309 comprises a PLC system and a gas valve control system.
[0126] FIG. 18 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a roller apparatus based on a multi-row piston expander which is preferred embodiment No. 4. The apparatus comprises a roller pressing block 101 and a power block 102 based on a multi-row piston expander. If necessary, a speed reduction device may be included in the power block 102. The roller pressing block 101 comprises a cylindrical pressing chamber 201 an annular extruding die 203 is formed in. Within the cylindrical pressing chamber 201 there are pressing members 206 that roll on the inner surface of the annular extruding die 203 and rotate around an axis that coincides with the axis of the cylindrical pressing chamber 201. A collecting device 205 is formed in the case of the pressing chamber 201, so that the interior of the pressing chamber 201 is connected to the interior of the collecting device 205 via a filtering element 204 to hold the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles produced by a sudden reduction of pressure of the liquid carbon dioxide (L) supplied to the pressing chamber 202 through the valve 404. The gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) produced by a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide, is supplied through the gas channels 305 into the piston expanders 306.
[0127] FIG. 19 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a roller device based on a turbo expander which is preferred embodiment No. 5. The device comprises a roller pressing block 101 and a power block 102 based on a turbo expander 306. The roller pressing block 101 comprises a cylindrical pressing chamber 201 an annular extruding die 203 is coaxially formed in. Within the cylindrical pressing chamber 201 there are pressing members 206 that roll on the inner surface of the annular extruding die 203 and rotate around an axis that coincides with the axis of the cylindrical pressing chamber 201. A collecting device 205 is formed in the case of the pressing chamber 201, so that the interior of the pressing chamber 201 is connected to the interior of the collecting device 205 via a filtering member 204 to hold the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles produced by a sudden reduction of pressure of the liquid carbon dioxide (L) supplied to the pressing chamber 202 through the device 404. The gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the intermediate pressure (P1) produced by a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide, is supplied into the turbo expander 306 through the gas channel 305. The mechanical energy (M) produced by the turbo expander 306 is transferred to the pressing block 101 through a rotation speed reduction device 312.
ABBREVIATIONS
[0128] Line is a text line in the patent; col. is a text column in the patent; claim is a formula claim in the patent; paragraph is a text paragraph in the patent; in Eng. is in English.
