The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 09, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1997
Luis Simas, Palos Park, IL (US);
George Rhoades, La Grange, IL (US);
Steve McCarty, Glendale Heights, IL (US);
Praxair Technology, Inc., Danbury, CT (US);
Abstract
A system for producing a flow of fine snow particles includes a conduit for providing a pressurized flow of a cryogenic liquid and a nozzle coupled to the conduit, the nozzle having an outlet and an inlet pathway in communication with the conduit. An expansion member is positioned within a the nozzle and covers the inlet pathway. The expansion member provides multiple fine channels for passage of the cryogenic fluid into a region of lower pressure, thereby enabling expansion of the cryogenic fluid during passage through the expansion member. In a preferred embodiment, the cryogenic fluid is carbon dioxide and the system parameters are set to enable the cryogenic fluid to enter a solid phase at or near the outlet surface of the expansion member and to exit therefrom as a fine snow particulate.