Semi-closed air-cycle refrigeration system and a positive-pressure snow removal cyclone separator therefor

1. A refrigeration system for cooling a semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber containing air that contains water vapor, comprising:

an air-cycle refrigeration loop for drawing air from the semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber and returning the air to the semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber, said air-cycle loop including:

machinery for compressing, removing heat from, and expanding the air drawn from the semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber so as to cool the air and form ice particles from the water vapor; and

a positive-pressure cyclone separator, located downstream of said machinery, for removing the ice particles from the air cooled by said machinery, said positive-pressure cyclone separator including:

a cyclone vessel that includes a sidewall having a frusto-conical portion defining a frusto-conical separation chamber having a longitudinal central axis and an open central separation region immediately surrounding and extending along said central axis;

a scraper confronting said sidewall at said frusto-conical portion and configured to lie radially outward from said open central separation region, wherein said scraper is movable relative to said sidewall so as to scrape a buildup of ice particles from said frusto-conical portion during operation of the refrigeration loop; and

a scraper support system supporting said scraper so that none of said scraper support system is located along said longitudinal central axis of said cyclone vessel and so that none of said support system is located within said open central separation region of said cyclone vessel.

2. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , wherein said machinery includes a rapid expansion stage located immediately upstream of said positive-pressure cyclone separator.

3. A refrigeration system according to claim 2 , wherein said rapid expansion stage produces ice particles in the range of 10 microns to 100 microns during operation of said air-cycle refrigeration loop and said positive-pressure cyclone separator is configured to remove at least a portion of the ice particles during operation of said air-cycle refrigeration loop.

4. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , wherein said positive-pressure cyclone separator has a lower end and further comprises a heater located proximate said lower end.

5. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more intercoolers connected to said air-cycle refrigeration loop so as to remove heat from the air.

6. A refrigeration system according to claim 5 , further comprising a boost compressor for compressing air received directly from the semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber.

7. A refrigeration system according to claim 6 , wherein said machinery includes a compression stage and an expansion stage and a first intercooler is located between said boost compressor and said compression stage and a second intercooler is located between said compression stage and said expansion stage.

8. A refrigeration system according to claim 7 , further comprising a recuperator configured to transfer heat from a first portion of said air-cycle refrigeration loop located between said compression stage and said expansion stage to a second portion of said air-cycle refrigeration loop located upstream of said boost compressor.

9. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , wherein said sidewall further includes a cylindrical portion located above and joined to said frusto-conical portion, said scraper extending along each of said frusto-conical portion and said cylindrical portion.

10. A refrigeration system according to claim 9 , wherein said scraper includes a plurality of helical flights conformally confronting said sidewall so as to provide scraping action during operation of said scraper.

11. A refrigeration system according to claim 9 , wherein said positive-pressure cyclone separator has a height and said scraper includes at least one scraper blade having a longitudinal axis extending along said height and said sidewall at each of said frusto-conical portion and said cylindrical portion.

12. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism connected to said cyclone vessel, said drive mechanism for moving said scraper within said cyclone vessel.

13. A refrigeration system according to claim 9 , wherein said support system includes a pair of support rings spaced along said longitudinal central axis and conformally confronting said sidewall, and said scraper extending between said pair of support rings.

14. A refrigeration system according to claim 13 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism drivingly engaging at least one support ring of said pair of support rings.

15. A refrigeration system according to claim 14 , wherein said scraper comprises a plurality of helical flights confronting said sidewall of said cyclone vessel, said scraper drive mechanism designed and configured so as to rotate said scraper about said longitudinal central axis in a direction that, when particulate matter has built up on said sidewall and said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, pushes the particulate matter downward.

16. A refrigeration system according to claim 9 , wherein said frusto-conical portion tapers to an outlet and the refrigeration system further comprises a melting chamber, wherein when said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, said melting chamber is located below said cyclone vessel and fluidly communicates with said cyclone vessel via said outlet.

17. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , wherein said support system includes a pair of support rings spaced along said longitudinal central axis and conformally confronting said sidewall and said scraper extending between said pair of support rings.

18. A refrigeration system according to claim 17 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism drivingly engaging at least one support ring of said pair of support rings through said sidewall of said cyclone vessel.

19. A refrigeration system according to claim 18 , wherein said scraper comprises a plurality of helical flights confronting said sidewall of said cyclone vessel, said drive mechanism being designed so as to rotate said scraper about said longitudinal central axis in a direction that, when particulate matter has built up on said sidewall and said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, pushes the particulate matter downward.

20. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , further comprising the semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber, wherein said semi-closed air-refrigerated chamber is of a human walk-in type.

21. A positive-pressure cyclone separator for use with air containing a plurality of particulates consisting essentially of water, the cyclone separator comprising:

a cyclone vessel that includes a sidewall having an upper end, a lower end, and a frusto-conical portion defining a frusto-conical separation chamber having a longitudinal central axis and an open central separation region immediately surrounding and extending along said central axis;

a scraper confronting said sidewall at said frusto-conical portions and configured to lie radially outward from said open central separation region, wherein said scraper is movable relative to said sidewall so as to scrape a buildup of ice particles from said frusto-conical portion during operation of the positive-pressure cyclone separator;

a scraper support system supporting said scraper so that none of said scraper support system is located alone said longitudinal central axis of said cyclone vessel and so that none of said support system is located within said open central separation region of said cyclone vessel;

an inlet located and oriented to provide the air to said cyclone vessel so as to cause a cyclonic flow within said open central separation region; and

an outlet at said lower end of said sidewall for receiving ice from the buildup scraped from said sidewall by said scraper during use.

22. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 21 , further comprising a melting chamber located proximate said outlet for melting the ice received by said outlet.

23. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 22 , wherein said melting chamber is thermally insulated from said cyclone vessel.

24. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 21 , wherein said sidewall of said cyclone vessel further includes a cylindrical portion located above and joined to said frusto-conical portion, said scraper extending along each of said frusto-conical portion and said cylindrical portion.

25. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 24 , wherein said scraper includes a plurality of helical flights conformally confronting said sidewall so as to provide scraping action during operation of said scraper.

26. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 24 , wherein said cyclone vessel has a height and said scraper includes at least one scraper blade having a longitudinal axis extending along said height and said sidewall at each of said frusto-conical portion and said cylindrical portion.

27. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 26 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism connected to said cyclone vessel, said drive mechanism for moving said scraper within said cyclone vessel.

28. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 21 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism connected to said cyclone vessel, said drive mechanism for moving said scraper within said cyclone vessel.

29. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 24 , wherein said support system includes a pair of support rings spaced along said longitudinal central axis and conformally confronting said sidewall, and said scraper extending between said pair of support rings.

30. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 29 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism drivingly engaging at least one support ring of said pair of support rings.

31. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 30 , wherein said scraper comprises a plurality of helical flights confronting said sidewall of said cyclone vessel, said scraper drive mechanism designed and configured so as to rotate said scraper about said longitudinal central axis in a direction that, when particulate matter has built up on said sidewall and said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, pushes the particulate matter downward.

32. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 24 , wherein said frusto-conical portion tapers to an outlet and the refrigeration system further comprises a melting chamber, wherein when said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, said melting chamber is located below said cyclone vessel and fluidly communicates with said cyclone vessel via said outlet.

33. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 21 , wherein said support system includes a pair of support rings spaced along said longitudinal central axis and conformally confronting said sidewall and said scraper extending between said pair of support rings.

34. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 33 , further comprising a scraper drive mechanism drivingly engaging at least one support ring of said pair of support rings through said sidewall of said cyclone vessel.

35. A positive-pressure cyclone separator according to claim 34 , wherein said scraper comprises a plurality of helical flights confronting said sidewall of said cyclone vessel, said drive mechanism being designed so as to rotate said scraper about said longitudinal central axis in a direction that, when particulate matter has built up on said sidewall and said longitudinal central axis is oriented vertically, pushes the particulate matter downward.