Improvements in Apparatus for Cooling and Drying Air to be Used in Storage Chambers containing Perishable Produce
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897.
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Improvements in Apparatus for Cooling and Drying Air to be
Used in Storage Chambers containing Perishable Produce."
1, FRANCIS WILLIAM LORD of New Wharf, Hobart in the Colony of Tasmania,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement―
The object of this invention is to provide apparatus for reducing the temperature
of air, for extracting its moisture, and ridding such air of dampness or fog, preparatory
to its distribution in a storage chamber containing perishables. It is found that the
inoisture contained in ordinarily chilled air if allowed to circulate amongst the
perishable produce has an injurious effect upon it-my invention is designed to
obviate this objection. I employ a cooling chamber in which the air is
refrigerated or brought below the required temperature and at the same time robbed
of a portion of its moisture, and a "warming "chamber (into which the refrigerated
air passes from the cooling chamber) where it is slightly warmed and raised to the
required temperature, and has its humidity lessened before being delivered into the
storage chamber.
In order to make my invention clear I shall now refer to the accompanying sheet
of drawings in which-
Figure 1 shews a vertical section of the apparatus and
Figure 2 a plan of same.
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"+
"A" is the cooling box which is divided into compartments "a¹, a², a³" by
plates B, B." Tubes "C, C" are set within the plates and form a communication
between the compartments "a" and "a³." Circulating medium such as brine
or air from the refrigerator enters the compartment, "a2" through the pipes "D"
and circulating around the tubes "C, C" returns to the refrigerating machine by the
exit pipe "F." Atmospheric air is admitted into the chamber "at" by the pipe "E"
and after passing through the tubes "C, C" flows into the chainber a" whence it
is conducted by the pipe "G" to a warining chamber. A valve "D" is placed in
the pipe "D" to regulate the supply of the medium from the refrigerator, and drain
pipes "H, H1" are connected with the bottoms of the compartments "a" and "a³"
respectively to carry away any moisture that may condense in or about the
tubes C, C" or their plates from the atmospheric air. Doors "V" are provided to
the compartment "a" and "a3" to permit of the insertion of thermometers.
The warming chamber "N" is divided by tube plates "K, K1" into three com-
partments viz. the steam chamber "n", the air chamber "n" and the exhaust
chamber "n³ ".
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A number of tubes "L, L" connect the steain and exhaust
chambers. "P" represents a pipe for introducing steam or other warming
medium into the chamber "n" and "S" a pipe which is placed in such a position
that the exhaust chamber drains into it, and by which condensed water or the cir-
culatory medium is conducted away. The cooled and dried air is conducted by pipe
"T" to the chamber in which the perishable produce is stored, a door "T" being
provided in this pipe for the purpose of inserting wet and dry bulb thermometers to
test the temperature and humidity of the air.

page_text: The modus operandi of the invention may be described as follows-
Ordinary atmospheric air enters the chamber "a1" through the pipe "E", where
some of the moisture held in suspension will be condensed and carried away by the
drain pipe "H", from thence it passes through the tubes "C, C, C" which are kept
cold by circulating medium from the refrigerator and this further condenses any
moisture held in suspension, which is conducted away by the drain pipe "H¹" in the
compartment "a". The cooled air now passes from the cooling box through the
pipe "G" to the warming chamber "Ñ" where it circulates around the tubes
"L, L" and being subjected to the warmth of these tubes is raised slightly in
temperature before passing away by the outlet pipe "T" to the storage chamber. I
have found by experiment that if the air be taken from the pipe "G" that it is
foggy or damp, but that after such air has passed through the chamber "N" the air
will have absorbed the moisture or fog associated with it and is rendered fit for use
in the storage chamber.
The heating medium introduced by "P" may be either live or exhaust steam or
the details of the drying chamber may be so varied as to allow of the use of hot water
from the condenser of the propelling or refrigerating engine or elsewhere instead of
steam, or any other warm or comparatively warm medium might be employed, as for
instance when a very low degree of temperature is required, ordinary water might
be introduced with effect by "P":
I do not confine myself to any arbitrary or particular degree of temperature nor
the proportion of temperature of one part of the apparatus to the other but 1 prefer
to cool the ordinary air down to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooler and moisture
extractor and to raise its temperature when in the warming chamber "N" to about
60 degrees Fahrenheit.
The air when treated by my apparatus may in some cases be circulated around
hollow walls constituting the cooling room such walls being provided with apertures
to permit circulation and in some cases the air after having so circulated may if
required be returned to the inlet pipe "E" and have added thereto as much fresh air
as may be ded advisable from time to time by the attendant in charge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In apparatus for cooling and drying air.
A chamber as "N" through which steam or other warming medium passes in
enclosed spaces and into which air previously reduced in temperature enters and
circulates against the heated surfaces and is so raised in temperature substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2. In apparatus for cooling and drying air-
In combination a cooling chamber as "A" wherein atmospheric air is reduced in
temperature and has its moisture partially extracted, a drying chamber as "N" which
is divided into three compartments as n¹ n², n³" the compartments "n¹" and "n³"
being in communication by tubes as "L, L" and connected with a source of heat, the
compartment "2" being in communication with the cooling chamber and having
lead away pipe to the storage chamber substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. The combination and arrangement of the several parts constituting my
improvements in apparatus for cooling and drying air substantially as and for the
purposes described and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 15th day of November 1897.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 Chancery Lane London Chartered Patent Agent, for Applicant.