U.S. patent application number 11/280470 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-17 for gn2 exhaust muffler.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honeywell International Inc.. Invention is credited to Gus W. Cutting, Nicholas A. Hartney, Winston S. Webb.
Application Number | 20070107983 11/280470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38039592 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070107983 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cutting; Gus W. ; et
al. |
May 17, 2007 |
GN2 exhaust muffler
Abstract
A GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler
includes a first pipe and a second pipe. The first pipe has a first
end and a second end. The first end of the first pipe is capped.
The first pipe also includes a plurality of apertures that are
positioned near the capped first end. The second end of the first
pipe is adapted to receive a flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust. The second
pipe encases a portion of the first pipe such that the capped end
and the plurality of apertures are housed in the second pipe.
Moreover, the second pipe has an exhaust outlet adapted to output
the GN.sub.2 exhaust.
Inventors: |
Cutting; Gus W.; (Palm
Harbor, FL) ; Hartney; Nicholas A.; (St. Petersburg,
FL) ; Webb; Winston S.; (Key Largo, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
101 COLUMBIA ROAD
P O BOX 2245
MORRISTOWN
NJ
07962-2245
US
|
Assignee: |
Honeywell International
Inc.
Morristown
NJ
|
Family ID: |
38039592 |
Appl. No.: |
11/280470 |
Filed: |
November 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
181/249 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23M 20/005 20150115;
F28F 2265/28 20130101; F16L 55/02781 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
181/249 |
International
Class: |
F01N 1/02 20060101
F01N001/02 |
Claims
1. A gas nitrogen (GN.sub.2) exhaust muffler comprising: a first
pipe having a first end and a second end, the first end of the
first pipe being capped, the first pipe also having a plurality of
apertures near the capped first end, the second end of the first
pipe adapted to receive a flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust; and a second
pipe encasing a portion of the first pipe such that the capped
first end and the plurality of apertures are housed in the second
pipe, the second pipe having an exhaust outlet adapted to output
the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow.
2. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1, further comprising: the
first pipe having a bend.
3. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1, further comprising: the
exhaust output of the second pipe having a diameter that is smaller
than the diameter of other portions of the second pipe.
4. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1, the exhaust output of
the second pipe further comprising: a neck having a diameter that
is less than the diameter of other portions of the second pipe.
5. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1 wherein the first pipe
is made from one of a plastic and rubber.
6. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1, wherein the second pipe
is made from one of a plastic and rubber.
7. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of claim 1, wherein the first and
second pipe are made from a soft plastic.
8. A method of manufacturing a gas nitrogen (GN2) exhaust muffler,
the method comprising: capping a first end of a first pipe that is
adapted to receive a flow of GN2 exhaust in a second end; forming a
plurality of apertures in the first pipe near the first cap; and
encasing a portion of the first pipe with a second pipe such that
the cap and the plurality of apertures are housed in the second
pipe.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: forming a bend in the
first pipe.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: forming a reduced
diameter neck portion in the second pipe adapted to output the GN2
exhaust.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first pipe and the second
pipe is made from at least one of a plastic material and rubber
material.
12. A method of operating a gas nitrogen (GN.sub.2) exhaust
muffler, the method comprising: receiving GN.sub.2 exhaust flow in
an inlet of a first pipe; forcing the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow out of
a plurality of relatively small apertures in the first pipe; and
directing the flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust out of an outlet of a second
pipe, wherein the second pipe encases a portion of the first pipe
having the relatively small apertures.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising: damping the noise
created by the exhaust flow by using select materials in forming
the first pipe and the second pipe.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: controlling
condensation formed on the first and second pipe by using select
materials in forming the first and second pipes.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second pipes are
made from at least one of a plastic and a rubber material.
16. A method of processing a flow of gas nitrogen (GN.sub.2)
exhaust, the method comprising: directing the flow of GN.sub.2
exhaust through a muffler to reduce the noise produced by the flow
of GN.sub.2.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the directing the flow of
GN.sub.2 exhaust through a muffler further comprises: receiving
GN.sub.2 exhaust flow in an inlet of a first pipe; forcing the
GN.sub.2 exhaust flow out of a plurality of relatively small
apertures in the first pipe; and directing the flow of GN.sub.2
exhaust out of an outlet of a second pipe, wherein the second pipe
encases a portion of the first pipe having the relatively small
apertures.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to exhaust mufflers
and in particular to GN.sub.2 exhaust mufflers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The use of liquid nitrogen LN.sub.2 for processes in
industry has many applications. For example, LN.sub.2 is used in
some types of heat exchangers. In a heat exchanger system, thermal
energy is transferred between a fluid like LN.sub.2 in a first
thermally conductive container and a working fluid in a second
thermally conductive container. The LN.sub.2 when placed in the
confined space of a thermally conductive container of a heat
exchanger will turn into gas (GN.sub.2) at a rate of about 750:1.
Accordingly, a small amount of LN.sub.2 results in a large amount
of GN.sub.2 gas. In some heat exchange systems the gas is expelled
through a nozzle at a relatively high velocity. Because of the high
volume and high velocity of the expelled GN.sub.2 exhaust flow, the
expelling of the gas is extremely noisy. One method used to
alleviate the problem in the past was to plum the exhaust outside
the building that housed the heat exchanger. However, with systems
that use small amounts of LN.sub.2 that do not require the gas to
be exhausted outside for ventilation reasons, the cost and
inconvenience of having to plumb the exhaust outside can be
prohibitive. Moreover, the portability of a system that produces a
GN.sub.2 exhaust flow is limited when the exhaust flow has to be
plumbed outside of the building.
[0003] For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated
below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon
reading and understanding the present specification, there is a
need in the art for a method of effectively reducing the noise
associated with the exhaust of systems.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0004] The above-mentioned problems of current systems are
addressed by embodiments of the present invention and will be
understood by reading and studying the following specification.
[0005] In one embodiment gas nitrogen (GN.sub.2) exhaust muffler is
provided. The GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler includes a first pipe and a
second pipe. The first pipe has a first end and a second end. The
first end of the first pipe is capped. The first pipe also includes
a plurality of apertures that are positioned near the capped first
end. The second end of the first pipe is adapted to receive a flow
of GN.sub.2 exhaust. The second pipe encases a portion of the first
pipe such that the capped end and the plurality of apertures are
housed in the second pipe. Moreover, the second pipe has an exhaust
outlet adapted to output the GN.sub.2 exhaust.
[0006] In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a gas
nitrogen (GN2) exhaust muffler is provided. The method includes
capping a first end of a first pipe that is adapted to receive a
flow of GN2 exhaust in a second end. Forming a plurality of
apertures in the first pipe near the first cap and encasing a
portion of the first pipe with a second pipe such that the cap and
the plurality of apertures are housed in the second pipe.
[0007] In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a gas
nitrogen (GN.sub.2) exhaust muffler is provided. The method
comprises receiving a GN.sub.2 exhaust flow in an inlet of a first
pipe. Forcing the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow out of a plurality of
relatively small apertures in the first pipe and directing the flow
of GN.sub.2 exhaust out of an outlet of a second pipe, wherein the
second pipe encases a portion of the first pipe having the
relatively small apertures.
[0008] In still yet another embodiment, a method of processing a
flow of gas nitrogen (GN.sub.2) exhaust is provided. The method
comprises directing the flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust through a muffler
to reduce the noise produced by the flow of GN.sub.2.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention can be more easily understood and
further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when
considered in view of the description of the preferred embodiments
and the following figures in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an exhaust muffler
of one embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the use of an exhaust muffler of
one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the manufacturing of one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] In accordance with common practice, the various described
features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific
features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters
denote like elements throughout Figures and text.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which
is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the
inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in
sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice
the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments
may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. The following detailed description is,
therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of
the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents
thereof.
[0015] Embodiments of the present invention provide a GN.sub.2
exhaust muffler that reduces the noise produced by a GN.sub.2
exhaust flow so that a system that expels a high pressure GN.sub.2
exhaust flow can be used in an enclosed room without having to plum
the exhaust outside the room. This also allows for the system
expelling the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow to be portable.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional side view of one
embodiment of a GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler 100 of the present
invention is provided. This embodiment includes a first pipe 102
and a second pipe 105. The first pipe 102 has a first end 103 that
is covered with a cap 107. The first pipe 102 also has a second end
106 that receives a flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust from a system using
LN.sub.2. Also illustrated in the first pipe 102 is a plurality of
apertures designated generally as 110. The flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust
received by the inlet 106 (or second end 106) flows out of the
plurality of apertures 110. A portion of the second pipe 104
encases a portion of the first pipe 102 such that, as illustrated
in FIG. 1, the plurality of apertures 110 and the first end 103 of
the first pipe 102 is housed in the second pipe 104. In the
embodiment of FIG. 1, the second pipe 104 includes a neck 105 that
has a diameter that is less then the diameter of other portions of
the second pipe 104. The second pipe 108 further includes an
exhaust outlet 108 in which the GN.sub.2 exhaust exits the GN.sub.2
exhaust muffler 100.
[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and
second pipes are made from materials that can handle the cold
temperatures of the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow as well as further dampen
the noise created by the GN.sub.2 exhaust. The materials include
but are not limited to plastics (and one embodiment soft plastics),
rubber and the like. Besides being able to handle the cold
temperatures and dampening the noise, these materials are also not
very susceptible to condensation build up as the GN.sub.2 exhaust
flows through. In other embodiments, other types of materials are
used to form the first and second pipes 102 and 104 and this
invention is not limited to the above mentioned materials.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 2, a flow diagram 200 illustrating a
method of handling GN2 exhaust, of one embodiment is illustrated.
As illustrated, the process starts by receiving a GN2 exhaust flow
from a device at an inlet of a first pipe (202). The device may be
any device that uses LN.sub.2 in its processes and releases a
GN.sub.2 exhaust flow. This type of device may include but is not
limited to heat exchange systems. The GN.sub.2 exhaust received at
the inlet is forced through a plurality of relatively small
apertures formed in the first pipe (204). The GN.sub.2 exhaust gas
is then output through an exhaust outlet in the second pipe
(206).
[0019] FIG. 3, is a flow diagram 300 of the process forming a
GN.sub.2 exhaust muffler of one embodiment of the present
invention. In this embodiment, the process includes forming a bend
in a first pipe (302). The bend in the first pipe is to direct the
flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust away from a working area or from the
device expelling the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow. A first end of the
first pipe is capped to prevent the flow of exhaust through the
first end (304). A second end of the pipe is designed to receive a
flow of GN.sub.2 exhaust. A plurality of apertures are formed in
the first pipe near its first end (306). A portion of the first
pipe is encased with a second pipe such that the plurality of
apertures and the first end of the first pipe are housed in the
second pipe (308). A neck having a relatively small diameter is
formed in the second pipe (310). The neck portion is designed to
expel the GN.sub.2 exhaust flow from the GN.sub.2 muffler. In one
embodiment the neck portion is formed from the second pipe and
another embodiment, the neck is coupled to the second pipe.
[0020] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and
described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill
in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the
same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown.
This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations
of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that
this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents
thereof.
* * * * *