Method and apparatus for providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide to a user is disclosed. For cost-effective supply, gaseous CO 2 is removed from a supply line, liquefied in a condenser and transported to the user.

1 . A method of providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide to a user, wherein gaseous CO 2  is removed from a supply line, liquefied in a condenser and then transported to the user.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CO 2  is sub-cooled in the condenser.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction takes place just upstream of the user.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CO 2  is used for cooling powders or substrates in thermal spraying.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide to a user, comprising a supply line for gaseous CO 2  and a condenser for liquefaction just upstream of the user.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a CO 2  fluid line between the condenser and the user has a length of between 100 and 300 cm.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein, for storing the CO 2 , either a CO 2  bottle or a cluster of CO 2  bottles or a CO 2  fluid tank having an evaporator, is provided, and wherein a pressure controller is provided upstream of the supply line.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the condenser is electrically operated.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a relaxation nozzle is the user.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the user is a liquid CO 2  cleaning system for objects, in particular, for welding nozzles such as MIG or MAG burners, MSG two-wire burners and/or laser hybrid burners.  
   
   
       11 . A method of providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide to a user device, comprising the steps of: 
 removing CO 2  in a gas form from a supply line;    liquefying the removed CO 2  gas from the supply line in a condenser; and    transporting the liquefied CO 2  to the user device.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 removing CO 2  in a liquid form from a CO 2  storage container; and    converting the liquid CO 2  removed from the CO 2  storage container into the CO 2  in the gas form by an evaporator.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of raising a pressure of the CO 2  in the gas form at a downstream location in a flow direction from the evaporator.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of transporting the liquefied CO 2  to the user device is performed with a fluid line that extends between the condenser and the user device.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid line has a length which is substantially shorter than a length of the supply line.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user device is a liquid CO 2  cleaning system.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for providing bubble-free liquid carbon dioxide to a user device, comprising: 
 a supply line, wherein the supply line contains CO 2  in a gas form;    a condenser coupled to the supply line, wherein the condenser liquefies CO 2  gas received from the supply line; and    a fluid line disposed between the condenser and the user device, wherein the fluid line transports the liquefied CO 2  from the condenser to the user device.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the user device is a liquid CO 2  cleaning system.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the fluid line has a length which is substantially shorter than a length of the supply line.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a CO 2  storage container, wherein the CO 2  storage container contains CO 2  in a liquid form; and    an evaporator coupled to the CO 2  storage container and the supply line, wherein the evaporator converts liquid CO 2  received from the CO 2  storage container into the CO 2  in the gas form contained in the supply line.