Method and apparatus for producing frozen particles using an entrapment zone of atomized cryogenic liquid droplets
Assignee:
Inventors:
Nicholas R. Fermani, Mark G. Fletcher
Patent:
Cryogenic ultrasonic nozzle
This invention relates to an apparatus and process for producing frozen particles of a liquid product having an ultrasonic nozzle for introducing liquid product droplets to be frozen and a plurality of cryogenic ultrasonic nozzles for introducing a cryogenic liquid directed away from the liquid product droplets.
Attached figure depict an ultrasonic spray nozzle suitable for use as the liquid product nozzle of the present invention. The ultrasonic nozzle is directed downwardly into the housing so as to discharge liquid product in a vertically downward direction and designed so that a gas from a source not shown, but depicted by arrow, such as nitrogen or air, is forced under pressure through an annular channel, which surrounds a centrally located tube, through which the liquid product, shown by arrow, is discharged under pressure, such that the gas breaks up the discharging liquid product into the liquid product droplets. Nitrogen is the preferred inert gas for use in the atomization nozzle. The end of the atomization nozzle through which the liquid product is discharged is tapered inwardly providing a thin annulus through which the gas escapes at high velocity disposed about the liquid product. Such ultrasonic nozzles are generally useful for producing droplets in the size range of about 8 to about 4300 μm.
