Patent ID: 6055824
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: F24F,F28F,Y02B

Abstract:
A method for refrigerating a fluid, comprising the steps of:(a) adding a volatile liquid mist to a flow of a gas to saturate the cooling gas with vapor of the said volatile liquid, to cause a large amount of misty minute liquid drops of said volatile liquid to float in the gas and to form a cooling gas;(b) passing the cooling gas through first flow channels of a cross flow type heat exchanger having first and second flow channels, the first flow channels being non-porous and being separated from the second flow channels;(c) passing the fluid through the second flow channels of the heat exchanger, so that heat from the fluid is transferred to the cooling gas, while the cooling gas passes through the first flow channels of the heat exchanger to elevate the temperature of the cooling gas;(d) allowing a portion of the minute liquid drops floating in the cooling gas to vaporize in the heat exchanger due to the elevated temperature of the cooling gas;(e) continuously lowering the temperature of the cooling gas by the heat of vaporization of the minute liquid drops evaporated in step (d); and(f) continuously refrigerating the fluid through heat exchange with the cooling gas having a temperature continuously lowered in step (e).