Method and device for cooling tubes

Abstract

A method and device for cooling an object, in particular a metal wire or a metal tube, is disclosed. First, the object is cooled in indirect heat exchange with a liquefied gas, then the liquefied gas is evaporated to produce a cold gas, and the cold gas is blown onto the object.

1 . A method for cooling an object, in particular a metal wire or a metal tube, wherein a jet of a cold gas is blown onto the object, wherein the object is cooled in indirect heat exchange with a liquefied gas, the liquefied gas is then evaporated to produce the cold gas, and the cold gas is blown onto the object. 
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein liquid nitrogen is used as the liquefied gas. 
   
   
       3 . A device for cooling an object, comprising a passageway for the object and a gas blowing device with gas outlets for directing a cold gas to the passageway, wherein a heat exchange passage for a liquefied gas and means for evaporating the liquefied gas in order to produce the cold gas are provided, wherein the heat exchange passage for the liquefied gas is in heat exchange contact with the passageway for the object. 
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange passage for the liquefied gas is arranged around the gas blowing device. 
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange passage for the liquefied gas is designed as a spiral winded around the gas blowing device. 
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas blowing device further includes gas inlets directed to the passageway. 
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the gas inlets and the gas outlets are disposed on two opposite sides of the passageway and wherein each of the gas inlets is positioned opposite one of said gas outlets. 
   
   
       8 . A method of cooling an object, comprising the steps of:
 cooling the object with a liquefied gas;   evaporating the liquefied gas after the cooling step to produce a cold gas; and   blowing the cold gas onto the object.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the step of cooling the object with a liquefied gas includes the step of indirectly exchanging heat from the object to the liquefied gas. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of indirectly exchanging heat from the object to the liquefied gas includes the step of flowing the liquefied gas spirally around the object in a passage. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the step of evaporating the liquefied gas is at least partially performed in an evaporator. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of supplying the cold gas from the evaporator to a gas blowing device, wherein the gas blowing device blows the cold gas onto the object. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of removing warmed cold gas from the object by the gas blowing device after the step of blowing the cold gas onto the object. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the gas blowing device blows the cold gas onto the object through a gas inlet and wherein the gas blowing device removes the warmed cold gas from the object through a gas outlet. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the gas inlet is disposed on a first side of the gas blowing device, wherein the gas outlet is disposed on a second side of the gas blowing device, and wherein the gas inlet is opposed to the gas outlet. 
   
   
       16 . A device for cooling an object, comprising:
 a heat exchange passage containing a liquefied gas, wherein the heat exchange passage extends around the object;   an evaporator coupled to the heat exchange passage, wherein the liquefied gas is supplied from the heat exchange passage to the evaporator and wherein the evaporator transforms the liquefied gas to a cold gas; and   a gas blowing device coupled to the evaporator, wherein the cold gas is supplied from the evaporator to the gas blowing device and wherein the gas blowing device blows the cold gas onto the object.   
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchange passage spirally winds around the object and wherein the liquefied gas contained within the heat exchange passage is not in direct contact with the object. 
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the gas blowing device includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet, wherein the gas blowing device blows the cold gas onto the object through the gas inlet, and wherein the gas blowing device removes warmed cold gas from the object through the gas outlet. 
   
   
       19  The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the gas inlet is disposed on a first side of the gas blowing device, wherein the gas outlet is disposed on a second side of the gas blowing device, and wherein the gas inlet is opposed to the gas outlet. 
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchange passage is arranged around the gas blowing device.