Patent ID: 6073864
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: C01B,F25D

Abstract:
An expansion nozzle (20) for making carbon-dioxide snow from liquid carbon dioxide for spraying refrigerated or frozen items (2), wherein the nozzle has a discharge direction and comprises:an integrated metering valve (30) including a discharge aperture (32), an intake-side valve seat (33) and a valve needle (31) adjustable relative to the valve seat (33), the needle being adapted to close the metering valve (30) in the discharge direction; the needle projecting into the discharge aperture (32) of the metering valve (30) in a closed state of the metering valve;the valve seat (33) including a short discharge channel (35);a jet shaper (60) adjoining the discharge channel (35), in which the liquid carbon dioxide expands in a jet shape, the let shaper including a nozzle segment having a cross section widened at an end thereof;the jet shaper (60) including on a valve side thereof a short, cylindrical channel (61) acting as a nozzle throat (61), and adjoining thereto an expansion region (62) including a diverging cross section having dimensions being a function of the desired let shape; andwherein the expansion region (62) comprises a rectangular flow cross section.