COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD
In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that includes providing a liquid nitrogen storage system configured to cool a supply of liquid nitrogen to a temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen; coupling a piping system with the liquid nitrogen storage system to convey a portion of the supply of liquid nitrogen from the liquid nitrogen storage system; coupling the piping system with a liquid nitrogen control valve configured to control a flow of liquid nitrogen to at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head; disposing the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head above a conveyance device operable to convey an aggregate stream of a concrete batching plant during use; and disposing the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head in a position to dispense an output flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream of the concrete batching plant during use.
1 . A system for cooling aggregate for use in a concrete mixture when ingredients of the concrete mixture are being batched from a concrete batching plant, the system comprising:
a liquid nitrogen storage system configured to cool a supply of liquid nitrogen to a temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen;
a piping system coupled with the liquid nitrogen storage system to convey a portion of the supply of liquid nitrogen from the liquid nitrogen storage system;
at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head configured to receive the portion of liquid nitrogen via the piping system;
a liquid nitrogen control valve configured to control a flow of liquid nitrogen to the dispensing head;
wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head is configured to be disposed above a conveyance device to convey an aggregate stream of a concrete batching plant; and
wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head is configured to dispense an output flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream of the concrete batching plant during use.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen is a selected temperature that is selected to prevent the portion of liquid nitrogen from vaporizing while the portion of liquid nitrogen is conveyed to the dispensing head from the liquid nitrogen storage system.
3 . The system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a computerized control system communicatively coupled with the liquid nitrogen storage system;
wherein the computerized control system controls cooling of the supply of liquid nitrogen to a selected temperature below the vaporization temperature for liquid nitrogen.
4 . The system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a computerized control system communicatively coupled with a concrete batching plant controller wherein the computerized control system causes the portion of liquid nitrogen to be dispensed in response to a signal received from the concrete batching plant controller.
5 . The system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a computerized control system communicatively coupled with the liquid nitrogen storage system;
wherein the computerized control system controls conveyance of the portion of liquid nitrogen to the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head.
6 . The system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a nitrogen vapor removal device configured to remove nitrogen vapor from the piping system.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured to output liquid nitrogen from the liquid nitrogen dispensing head at a pressure between about 80 psi and 0 psi.
8 . A method comprising:
providing a liquid nitrogen storage system configured to cool a supply of liquid nitrogen to a temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen;
coupling a piping system with the liquid nitrogen storage system to convey a portion of the supply of liquid nitrogen from the liquid nitrogen storage system;
coupling the piping system with a liquid nitrogen control valve configured to control a flow of liquid nitrogen to at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head;
disposing the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head above a conveyance device operable to convey an aggregate stream of a concrete batching plant during use; and
disposing the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head in a position to dispense an output flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream of the concrete batching plant during use.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen is a selected temperature that is selected to prevent the portion of liquid nitrogen from vaporizing while the liquid nitrogen is conveyed to the at least one dispensing head from the liquid nitrogen storage system.
10 . The method of claim 8 and further comprising:
providing a computerized control system;
communicatively coupling the computerized control system with the liquid nitrogen storage system;
controlling cooling of the supply of liquid nitrogen to a selected temperature below the vaporization temperature for liquid nitrogen via the computerized control system.
11 . The method of claim 10 and further comprising:
providing a computerized control system;
communicatively coupling the computerized control system with a concrete batching plant controller;
dispensing the portion of liquid nitrogen in response to a first signal from the computerized control system upon the direction of the concrete batching plant controller.
12 . The method of claim 8 and further comprising:
providing a computerized control system;
communicatively coupling the computerized control system with the liquid nitrogen storage system; and.
controlling conveyance of the portion of liquid nitrogen to the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head via the computerized control system.
13 . The method of claim 8 and further comprising:
removing nitrogen vapor from the piping system with a nitrogen vapor removal device.
14 . The method of claim 8 and further comprising:
dispensing the portion of liquid nitrogen from the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head at a pressure between about 80 psi and about 0 psi.
15 . A system comprising:
a liquid nitrogen dispenser;
wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser is configured to be disposed above a conveyance device to convey an aggregate stream of a concrete batching plant; and
wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser is configured to dispense an output flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream carried by the conveyance device of the concrete batching plant during use.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser is configured to dispense the output flow of liquid nitrogen at a rate sufficient to reduce an initial average surface temperature of the aggregate in the aggregate stream by at least three degrees Fahrenheit.
17 . The system of claim 15 and further comprising:
a concrete batching plant comprising the conveyance device to carry the aggregate stream for use in making concrete;
wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser is disposed in a position to dispense the flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream carried by the conveyance device during use.
18 . The system of claim 15 and further comprising:
a liquid nitrogen storage system configured to cool a supply of liquid nitrogen to a temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen.
19 . The system of claim 15 wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser comprises:
at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head.
20 . The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head outputs liquid nitrogen at a pressure between about 80 psi and 0 psi.
21 . The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head is adjustable to permit spraying liquid nitrogen at different angles of incidence relative to an aggregate carrying surface of the conveyance device.
22 . The system of claim 15 wherein the liquid nitrogen dispenser comprises:
a liquid-nitrogen-curtain-generator.
23 . The system of claim 22 and further comprising:
an end of the conveyance device located proximate to the liquid-nitrogen-curtain-generator;
wherein the conveyance device is configured to:
move some aggregate during use;
project from the end of the conveyance device at least a portion of the aggregate into the curtain of liquid nitrogen so as to form liquid-nitrogen-cooled-aggregate; and
deposit the liquid-nitrogen-cooled-aggregate into a mixing device.
24 . The system of claim 23 wherein the liquid-nitrogen-curtain-generator and the conveyance device are positioned so that a liquid-nitrogen-curtain is not positioned directly above the conveyance device.
25 . The system of claim 23 wherein during use the liquid-nitrogen-cooled-aggregate is able to carry liquid nitrogen into the mixing device.
26 . The system of claim 25 wherein during use the liquid nitrogen from a liquid-nitrogen-curtain is carried into the mixing device.
27 . The system of claim 22 wherein the liquid-nitrogen-curtain-generator comprises:
an input port to receive an input flow of liquid nitrogen, the liquid nitrogen being under a first pressure and having a first velocity during use;
a chamber under a second pressure, the second pressure lower than the first pressure;
a deflector located within the chamber, the deflector operative during use to deflect the input flow of liquid nitrogen;
an output port having an edge of pre-determined length to facilitate an output flow of liquid nitrogen;
wherein during use the output flow of liquid nitrogen flowing over the edge forms a liquid-nitrogen-curtain.
28 . The system of claim 15 and further comprising:
a piping system coupled with a liquid nitrogen storage system to convey a portion of a liquid nitrogen supply from the storage system to the liquid nitrogen dispenser.
29 . The system of claim 15 and further comprising:
a piping system coupled with the liquid nitrogen storage system to convey a portion of a supply of liquid nitrogen from the storage system; and
a liquid nitrogen control valve coupled with the piping system and configured to control an input flow of liquid nitrogen to the liquid nitrogen dispenser.
30 . A system for cooling aggregate, the system comprising:
a liquid nitrogen storage system configured to cool a supply of liquid nitrogen to a temperature below the vapor point of liquid nitrogen;
a nitrogen vapor removal device;
a liquid nitrogen control valve;
at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head;
a piping system coupling:
the liquid nitrogen storage system with the nitrogen vapor removal device;
the nitrogen vapor removal device with the liquid nitrogen control valve; and
the liquid nitrogen control valve with the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head;
a computerized liquid nitrogen control system communicatively coupled with the liquid nitrogen storage system and the liquid nitrogen control valve;
a concrete batching plant comprising:
a conveyance device to convey an aggregate stream to a concrete mixing device; and
a batching plant controller to control addition of concrete ingredients into the mixing device and communicatively coupled with the computerized control system;
wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head is disposed above the conveyance device of the concrete batching plant and configured to dispense an output flow of liquid nitrogen onto the aggregate stream of the concrete batching plant during use;
wherein the computerized liquid nitrogen control system is responsive to an input signal received from the batching plant controller;
wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head outputs liquid nitrogen at a pressure of about 15 psi; and
wherein the at least one liquid nitrogen dispensing head is adjustable to permit spraying liquid nitrogen at different angles of incidence relative to an aggregate carrying surface of the conveyance device.